WindowsForDevices.com Newsletter -- February 5, 2004
WELCOME TO THE WINDOWSFORDEVICES.COM WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
February 5, 2004
by Rick Lehrbaum -- Editor-in-chief
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_____________________ * * * TOP STORIES * * * ____________________
BILL GATES TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT MOBILE DEVCON ON MAR. 24
Microsoft announced this week that Chairman and Chief Software Architect
Bill Gates will deliver the opening keynote address at the combined
Microsoft Mobile Developer Conference (DevCon), VSLive!, and
AVIOS~SpeechTEK events being held on March 24 in San Francisco.
Read full story
ENTER WINDOWS CE SURVEY, WIN A WINDOWS-POWERED WIRELESS ROUTER
Wish you could add a feature to Windows CE? Need a new technology
supported in the OS? Want a specific tool to be more productive? Help
the development team at Microsoft build the next version of Windows CE
by participating in a survey and then emailing your most wanted OS
features, technologies, and tools to Microsoft. This special survey at
WindowsForDevices.com is sponsored by the Microsoft Embedded Devices Group.
Read full story
WEARABLE COMPUTER FOR AUTO SERVICE TECHNICIANS RUNS WINDOWS CE
Microvision has announced a Windows CE based wireless wearable computer
with a head-worn, heads-up display for use by automotive service
technicians. The Nomad Expert Technician System consists of two
modules: a head-worn display unit, and a belt-worn control unit that
runs Windows CE. The company claims the system's embedded Windows CE
operating system "keeps operation simple and familiar while providing
necessary functionality -- without the [overhead] of a laptop computer."
Read full story
AN INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS MOBILE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
This article provides a central reference point that describes the tools
and supporting technologies for developing applications for Windows
Powered and Windows Mobile-based devices. For each tool the supported
platforms are listed. The article includes development scenarios and
offers guidance on selection of the tool and technology to apply to the
scenario.
Read full story
SMART WATCHES -- A GOOD IDEA WHOSE TIME HASN'T COME?
Rob Pegoraro tried on a Suunto n3 Smart Watch for size, and shared his
impressions in a technology column published by the Washington Post.
Unfortunately, after three weeks of wearing one, Pegoraro wasn't at all
certain that Smart Watches are a smart idea. Are Smart Watches simply
suffering a few minor startup problems? Or are they doomed to infant
mortality, like Smart Displays before them?
Read full story
INTRODUCTION TO INTEL'S NEXT-GENERATION BIOS ARCHITECTURE
This article introduces the Intel Platform Innovation Framework for the
Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI), which is intended to provide an
alternative to BIOS that will allow for faster booting, manageability,
and additional features. According to the author, the BIOS in personal
computers has remained relatively unchanged, despite rapid evolution in
other areas of computing technology since the 1980s. The Intel Platform
Innovation Framework is useful for a broad range of systems and devices
including PCs, servers, handhelds, consumer devices, and embedded
systems, and is independent of processor architecture.
Read full story
IDC: SMARTPHONE MARKET NEARLY DOUBLED IN 2003
Handset sales for the year 2003 exceeded half a billion units for the
first time in the market's history according to a report from IDC's
Worldwide Mobile Phone QView research service. In particular, the market
for "converged mobile devices" (smartphones) showed "significant growth
and future promise" in 2003, growing over 180%, IDC says.
Read full story
EMBEDDABLE MINI WEBSERVER SUPPORTS XP, XP EMBEDDED
As Internet connectivity weaves its way into virtually every electronic
device, the demand grows for functionality such as embedded web servers
and services. Startup Mbedthis Software is addressing this opportunity
with a new product called AppWeb, which it describes as a highly secure
HTTP webserver designed specifically for embedded applications.
Read full story
USING MODULAR STRESS TEST TO TEST WINDOWS CE PLATFORMS AND COMPONENTS
This MSDN technical article explains how to use the Modular Stress Test
to test Windows CE platforms and components. According to the article,
Modular Stress is a flexible system that performs several different
types of stress testing. It is based on a set of test modules that each
target individual features or components in a platform. The Windows CE
Test Kit (CETK) includes a number of OS stress modules that target major
system components (for example, GWES, FileSys, Kernel, and so on).
Read full story
DEVICE MANAGEMENT SUITE SUPPORTS BUILDING AUTOMATION APPLICATION
Intrinsyc Software announced that it has signed a contract with Johnson
Controls, a maker of building automation systems to integrate
Intrinsyc's device provisioning and management software into two
controllers used in the Johnson Controls Metasys building automation
system. The contract is worth more than $250,000 (Canadian), according
to Intrinsyc.
Read full story
HIGHLY INTEGRATED EBX SBC TARGETS TRANSPORTATION, MIL/AERO MARKETS
Diamond Systems has launched a "three-in-one" EBX form-factor
single-board computer (SBC) that integrates a P-III processor, DC-DC
converter, and analog I/O data acquisition circuit on the same board.
The board supports Windows, and targets transportation and
military/aerospace applications where high integration, ruggedness, and
power supply compatibility are key.
Read full story
. . . and that's not all. Check here for the latest breaking news:
WindowsForDevices.com News Page
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