WELCOME TO THE WINDOWSFORDEVICES.COM WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

                        October 2, 2003

               by Rick Lehrbaum -- Editor-in-chief

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_____________________ * * * TOP STORIES * * * ____________________

ADDING REAL-TIME DETERMINISM TO WINDOWS XP EMBEDDED
The case for adding real-time extensions to the Windows XP platform has
been made many times. Many solutions exist which provide some real-time
capability at the Windows XP kernel device driver level, but this class
of solution does not allow for a robust applications environment
sufficient for ease of applications development and to allow for scaling
across a wide spectrum of applications classes.  This paper by TenAsys
CTO Christopher Main examines how TenAsys Corp.'s INtime software not
only adds deterministic behavior for applications but also allows those
real-time applications to exist in an environment which is robust,
reliable, and scalable.
Story


ACHIEVING HARD REAL-TIME ON WINDOWS XP, XP EMBEDDED
This whitepaper from Venturcom examines Venturcom RTX, which provides a
real-time subsystem that runs with the Windows XP platform (defined for
the purposes of this paper as Windows XP and Windows XP Embedded). It
implements deterministic scheduling of real-time threads, inter-process
communication mechanisms between the real-time environment and the
native Windows XP environment, and other extensions to Windows XP which
are often found in specialized real-time operating systems. The paper
describes how the components of RTX provide these features, explores
current results and experiences, and points out possible future
directions for enhancement.
Story


ACCESS, IBM TEAM UP ON MULTIMODAL (XHTML+VOICE) BROWSER FOR WINDOWS MOBILE
Access announced plans to combine its embedded web browser technology
with IBM's embedded speech-recognition technology to create a
full-featured, mobile XHTML+Voice multimodal web browser. The new
multimodal browser will initially target devices based on Microsoft's
Windows Mobile 2003 and Pocket PC 2002 operating systems.  According to
Access, the resulting multimodal browser will be one of the first to
support X+V 1.1, an industry-leading multimodal markup language that
unites XHTML and VoiceXML into an application that uses XML Events, a
W3C proposed recommendation that acts as an interoperable glue.
Story


TRON AND CE .NET TO COOPERATE
Various sources report that Microsoft and the T-Engine Forum have
announced a joint project through which Microsoft's Windows CE .NET
embedded operating system will coexist with the T-Engine Forum's
T-Kernel operating system (a variant of TRON -- see below) on consumer
device hardware. The initial effort will be to create an environment
which supports the two software platforms on T-Engine's reference hardware.
Story


COMPACT, RUGGED THIN CLIENT TARGETS HOSPITALITY APPS, RUNS XP EMBEDDED
QSR Automations Inc., a provider of automation technology for the
hospitality industry, announced availability of a "hospitality
controller" based on thin client technology and Microsoft's Windows XP
Embedded operating system.  QSR's eXpert hospitality controller is part
of the company's ConnectSmart Hospitality Automation Solution, and is
described as providing "superior reliability and enhanced graphical
capabilities on an open, standards-based platform for running kitchen
management and other hospitality applications."  Learn more from our
device profile.
Story


POCKET PC POWERED DATA COLLECTION HANDHELDS BOAST MULTIPLE RADIOS
HHP has introduced a pair of Pocket PC powered handhelds for mobile
in-premise and in-transit data collection applications. According to
HHP, the Dolphin 9500 and 9550 are durable and ergonomic, and are loaded
with handy data collection features including a digital camera and
multiple wireless interfaces.  Learn more from our device profile.
Story


BUILDING A DISKLESS AUTOMATION CONTROLLER USING WINDOWS XP EMBEDDED
In this MSDN technical article, Windows Embedded MVP Alexander Wechsler
and Horst Grashauser of Siemens explain how to use CompactFlash as the
storage media for a Windows XP Embedded OS image, in read-only as well
as read-write mode, using the Enhanced Write Filter (EWF). The approach
is useful for building industrial controllers.
Story


RUGGED DATA COLLECTION TERMINALS FEATURE XSCALE, CE .NET
Intelligent Instrumentation (a subsidiary of Texas Instruments) has
introduced a series of rugged data collection terminals for mobile and
stationary manufacturing and warehousing bar code applications that are
powered by Microsoft's Windows CE .NET 4.2 operating system.
Story


* * * *  OTHER NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS  * * * *

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ITEMS FROM THE PAST WEEK . . .

*  Advantech releases tools for quick Windows CE bringup
   Story

*  Euro retailer adopts XP Embedded as next-gen POS platform
   Story

*  Advanced handwriting recognition software/services for forms processing
   Story

*  Secure 802.1x WLAN supports Pocket PC devices
   Story

*  Microsoft brews Windows Mobile experience in Java shops
   Story

*  Enhanced DVD playback technology supports XP-based devices
   Story

*  Microsoft rolls out next-gen media center OS, services
   Story

*  VIA reveals next chapter of incredible shrinking motherboard saga
   Story

*  Bluetooth, Wi-fi expected on 25 million vehicles within 5 years
   Story

*  VoIP software provider receives $12.5M venture funding
   Story

*  In-memory embedded database boasts performance boosts
   Story

*  Antelope Technologies launches "Mobile Computing Core"
   Story


. . . and that's not all.  Check here for the latest breaking news:

                WindowsForDevices.com News Page


______ * * * "COOL DEVICES" QUICK REFERENCE GUIDES * * * ______

 
 Handhelds and PDAs
 
 Cellphones and IP-phones
 
 TV set-top boxes/devices
 
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 Thin client terminals & devices
 
 Other smart devices

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