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WindowsForDevices year-end review: Top business stories of 2008
2001-12-31 Article Rating:  / 0
JANUARYMOBO VENDOR SPINS WINDOWS PHONEVeteran motherboard manufacturer Micro-Star International (MSI) said it would make its first entry into the mobile phone market with a handset based on Windows CE and Intrinsyc's Soleus software platform.
The 5608 will be the first in a series of Soleus-based phones and handhelds, according to MSI. Details MICROSOFT CANCELS ANNUAL EMBEDDED CONFERENCE Microsoft has canceled its 2008 Mobile and Embedded Developers Conference (MEDC). Company spokespeople are calling it "only logical" that Microsoft would focus its embedded efforts on "embedded industry conferences and larger Microsoft events," now that mobile and embedded development "is becoming more mainstream." Details WINDOWS MOBILE GETS NEW MARKETING CHIEF Microsoft has put veteran computer and retail industry marketing executive Todd Peters in charge of marketing at its Windows Mobile Communications business. Effective immediately, Peters becomes corporate vice president of marketing for what is said to be one of Microsoft's fastest-growing business divisions. Details STRONG QUARTER FOR MICROSOFT AND ITS DEVICES DIVISIONMicrosoft's second-quarter revenues were up 30 percent, year-over-year, it reported. The company's Entertainment and Devices Division (EDD) also saw revenue and sales jump dramatically, on the strength of strong Xbox 360 sales, lower Xbox production costs, and strong sales of gaming title "Halo 3." Details FEBRUARY MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES HARDWARE AS STUDENT COMPETITION CONTINUESMicrosoft has announced the hardware to be used in the Embedded Development section of its Imagine Cup 2008 student competition. As teams enter the second round, which starts today, they'll be handed the X86-based DM&P/ICOP eBox-4300, on which contestants will run Windows CE and Visual Studio. Details MARCH TOP-THREE PC COMPANY BUYS SMARTPHONE MAKER Acer, the world's third largest PC manufacturer, has entered into an agreement to buy Windows Mobile phone manufacturer E-Ten. The transaction, expected to close during the third quarter, is an all-stock transaction valued at New Taiwan $9 billion, or about $291 million U.S. Details MICROSOFT RULES EMEA POINT-OF-SERVICE MARKET Windows dominated the 2007 EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Asia) POS (point of sales/service) terminal market, with a 61 percent share, according to a report. WEPOS (Windows Embedded for Point of Service) and Windows XP Embedded (XPe) were the fastest-growing OSes, with shipments up by 254 and 56 percent, respectively. Details TAIWANESE IPC VENDOR SNAPS UP PC/104 ORIGINATOR A Taiwanese industrial PC vendor plans to acquire one of the oldest U.S. Embedded board and system vendors. Adlink Technology of Taipei will pay $20 million for all outstanding common shares of Ampro Computer, a privately held 25-year-old company known for originating the PC/104 and PC/104-Plus standards. Details APRIL MICROSOFT SPARES XP FOR LOW-COST LAPTOPS Microsoft has given Windows XP an extended stay of execution. The company announced that Windows XP Home Edition will continue to be available until at least June 2010, though only on devices it terms ultra-low-cost PCs (ULCPCs), like the Asus Eee and Intel Classmate mini-laptops. Details MS BUNDLES WINDOWS CE WITH BOARDS, TOOLS Microsoft provided further details about the hardware for its "Spark Your Imagination" student/hobbyist program. Devices from Advantech, Icop, Special Computing, Via, and Keith and Koep GmBH will be bundled with Windows CE 6.0 and Visual Studio 2005 Pro for as little as $220. Details MICROSOFT DEVICE REVENUE, EARNINGS UP Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division (EDD), which includes the company's embedded Windows operating systems, has reported a year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue, and a profit margin approaching six percent. However, overall company revenue was flat, according to third quarter numbers released by Microsoft for fiscal 2008. Details MAY MAJOR AUTOMAKER ADOPTS MICROSOFT AUTO Microsoft has announced a new design win for its Windows CE-based automotive technology, Microsoft Auto. The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group (HKAG) will use the product in a voice-controlled infotainment system to be available in its 2010 vehicles, the companies announced. Details WINDOWS XP LEAPS ONTO OLPC LAPTOP Microsoft has announced an agreement with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) that will make Windows XP available on the non-profit's low-cost laptops for third-world children. The "feature-complete" XP Professional installation now supports the laptop's e-book reading mode, networking, camera, custom keys, and power-saving features. Details JUNE "FREE" SYMBIAN WILL AFFECT WINDOWS MOBILE – BUT HOW? Finnish handset manufacturer Nokia has announced it will buy the rest of Symbian, then release the smartphone OS under an open source license. The OS will be governed and owned by a Symbian Foundation formed by Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Ericcson, Panasonic, Siemens, AT&T, LG, Samsung, STMicroelectrics, TI, and Vodafone. Details JULY IMAGINE CUP 2008 WINNERS ANNOUNCED Microsoft has announced the winning teams in its annual Embedded Development contest, part of the overall student competition called Imagine Cup 2008. While there were meant to be only three winners, teams from Ireland and China tied for second place, resulting in four awards. Details CITRIX SPINS OFF ARDENCE REAL-TIME BUSINESS Ardence's embedded software business has changed hands again, with Citrix selling it off to a group led by "senior" Ardence executives. IntervalZero will continue to sell the ETS RTOS (real-time OS), Select "instant on" utility, and RTX, touted as the first-ever real-time extension for Windows XP and XP Embedded. Details MICROSOFT BOASTS RECORD WINDOWS MOBILE SALES Microsoft sold more than 18 million copies of its Windows Mobile operating system for phones and other mobile devices during its 2008 fiscal year, it announced, a new annual record. Additionally, the number of Windows Mobile applications topped 18,000. Details SEPTEMBER WINDOWS MOBILE 7 "DELAYED" Microsoft has reportedly delayed the release of Windows Mobile 7 until the second half of 2009. The company has informed cell phone makers and partners that the operating system update, originally expected during the first quarter, won't be ready, according to a report. Details OCTOBER MOBILE WIMAX SERVICE LAUNCHES IN U.S. Sprint launched its XOHM WiMAX service at a press event in Baltimore. Touted as offering "the fastest data speeds among all national carriers," the "4G" service will work with devices distributed by Sprint, or a bevy of available devices purchased independently. Details ZUNE SOFTWARE SLATED FOR WINDOWS MOBILE Microsoft plans to port its Zune music playing software to Windows Mobile devices, according to CEO Steve Ballmer. Zune software and services may become part of the upcoming Windows Mobile 7 operating system, though the company provided no further information. Details ASUS (RE)SPINS $200 NETBOOK Netbook pioneer Asus will introduce a new version of its Eee PC next year for just $200, says company president Jerry Shen. The company has also teamed up with Intel to launch a new website, intended to bring about the "world's first community-designed PCs." Details WINDOWS MOBILE BRIGHTENS MOTO'S GLOOM In the wake of disappointing earnings results, Motorola says it will eliminate its Symbian and MotoMAGX smartphone platforms – focusing tightly on its Windows Mobile phones and Google's Android instead. The company also announced that it will delay plans to spin off its mobile business. Details NOVEMBER LG TO FOCUS ON WINDOWS MOBILE? LG Electronics and Microsoft have announced a "memorandum of understanding" focusing on Windows Mobile. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies say, they'll join forces to develop and market "converged mobile devices," such as successors to the KS20 smartphone. Details MICROSOFT CONFIRMS WINDOWS MOBILE 6.5 Microsoft has confirmed that it plans to release Windows Mobile 6.5 next year. Word of the smartphone operating system upgrade came directly from company CEO Steve Ballmer, speaking yesterday at a investor briefing held by Australian carrier Telstra. Details MICROSOFT SPINS TECHED PLANS Microsoft announced that its annual TechEd North America conference, billed as the company's "premier worldwide conference on technical education," will revert to a one-week format for 2009. TechEd North America 2009 will be held from May 11 to May 15 in Los Angeles. Details DECEMBER EMBEDDED VIRTUALIZATION SPECIALIST BATTENS HATCHES Embedded virtualization specialist VirtualLogix has undergone a round of layoffs and is in the process of replacing its CEO, confirmed co-founder Michel Gien. In an email, Gien was at pains to position the "worldwide adjustment" as precautionary, "until we know the impact of the global economic conditions." Details `
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