| Significant Windows CE 6.0 update arrives |
Nov. 12, 2007
Although its official release is not until Nov. 14, a free evaluation of "Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2" has already appeared on Microsoft's download site. According to release notes available with the download, the update contains several substantial enhancements to Windows CE functionality, including video-over-IP and Web Services for Devices (WSD).
Nov. 15 virtual launch
Microsoft's Windows Embedded group will hold a "virtual" launch event this week to introduce developers to the CE 6.0 R2 update. The 45-minute online event corresponds to the update's official launch at the Embedded Technology 2007 conference in Yokohama, Japan, the company said.
 Microsoft has promised a "fun and information-filled webcast" during which Windows Embedded general manager Kevin Dallas will review all the new features in the new version of Windows CE 6.0.
According to Microsoft's CE 6.0 R2 launch website, the update provides a number of new "technologies that embedded developers can use to boost their creative capabilities and easily establish connections to Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and other devices."
The launch websites provides a few hints as to new features in CE 6.0 R2, but the detailed release notes (see below) go much further. Enhancements touted on Microsoft's CE 6.0 R2 launch site include:- Quickly develop small footprint device scenarios and connect to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
- Build richer end user experiences and develop new capabilities into your product with WSD technologies
- Create exciting device scenarios such as VOIP video and 3-way audio with new VoIP technologies
Kevin Dallas discussed a few CE 6.0 R2 specifics in his ESC keynote in Boston last month, and in a recent interview with our sister site, eWEEK.com. For example, Dallas told eWEEK that the CE 6.0 R2 update will enable Windows CE to serve as a foundation for service-oriented devices thanks to new support for "Web Services for Devices" (WSD), a protocol already supported by Windows Vista. This, according to Dallas, will allow enabling services "on the chip, on the circuit board, on the premise[s,] or in the cloud; it doesn't matter where it is." Additionally, according to Dallas, CE 6.0 R2 provides new VoIP (voice-over-IP) video technology capabilities, as well as an update to Internet Explorer.
Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 release notes, download
The new features, improvements, and updates in Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2, according to its release notes, are:- Support for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 6.0. RDP 6.0 includes support for Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS), Network Level Authentication, Server Authentication, and 32-bit color graphics.
- Support for Microsoft Web Services on Devices (WSDAPI), which is an unmanaged code implementation of the Devices Profile for Web Services (DPWS) protocol standard.
- Support for Video over IP telephony calls.
- Additional Voice over IP (VoIP) functionality, including a VoIP boot loader application and resources for QVGA landscape mode and QVGA portrait mode user interfaces.
- Support for the Pocket Outlook Object Model (POOM) and ActiveSync in the VoIP Home Screen and VoIP Contacts applications.
- New sample board support packages (BSPs).
- Support for Auto Proxy Configuration Support in Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Embedded CE.
- New driver that supports USB CCID Smart Card readers.
- Support for Windows Media Player OLE Control Extension (OCX) 7.
- New componentized flash driver and new partition driver for the management of flash memory.
- Improved Secure Digital (SD) bus driver that supports SDHC specification 2.00 functionality, for example Secure Digital High-Capacity (SDHC) cards.
- Sample Serial ATA driver, extended from the ATAPI driver, which supports the Promise PDC40518 SATA card.
- Support for pluggable third-party font drivers.
- Support for Extended File Allocation Table (ExFAT) and FAT32 on the x86 BIOS Loader, which provides access beyond 2 gigabytes (GB) of hard disk space.
According to the CE 6.0 R2 update download page, developers who already have Windows CE 6.0 and its related tools installed can apply the update to their existing setup. Those who do not already have Windows CE 6.0 will need to download the Windows Embedded CE 6.0 Evaluation Edition and Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition 90-Day Trial, before being able to try out the CE 6.0 R2 update.
Update availability
WindowsForDevices was informed by an anonymous source that the Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 update would be available from Microsoft's download site at various times on Nov. 12. When available, we were told, it could be located by searching for "CE 6.0 R2," here.
At the time of this writing, we were able to access the software download here, and the complete CE 6.0 R2 release notes document was here.
Registering for the Nov. 15 launch event
Those wishing to attend the "virtual launch" of Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 9:00 AM PST may do so by registering here.
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