Microsoft Announces Release of Windows XP Embedded Beta 2
By: Arie Slob
Microsoft today announced the beta 2 release of Windows® XP Embedded, the componentized version of the Windows XP operating system used for building the most reliable and full-featured smart, connected client devices. Windows XP Embedded beta 2 will be made broadly available through the Windows XP Embedded Technology Preview Program, allowing developers to begin evaluating and prototyping their next-generation designs. With more than 10,000 components, Windows XP Embedded will help developers deliver solutions such as Windows-based terminals, residential gateways, retail point-of-sale devices and advanced set-top boxes.
"We are excited to deliver a milestone in the development process by releasing Windows XP Embedded beta 2 broadly to our customers and partners," said Bill Veghte, vice president of the Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group at Microsoft. "The Windows XP Embedded Technology Preview will enable embedded developers to get a head start on their new designs by allowing them to create full-featured runtime images with all the capabilities of our next-generation desktop operating system, Windows XP, and at the same time, to provide us with valuable feedback to ship a rock-solid product."
Windows XP Embedded Technology Preview Program
The Windows XP Embedded Technology Preview Program enables embedded developers to begin evaluating and prototyping designs based on Windows XP Embedded beta 2, which is available free on CD (shipping and handling charges apply) and can be ordered at the Microsoft Windows Embedded Web site. By delivering the platform and tools early to developers, the Windows XP Embedded Technology Preview Program will help them get their products to market soon after Windows XP Embedded is released.
Benefits of Windows XP Embedded Beta 2
Windows XP Embedded is designed to offer rapid development and deployment of smart, connected client devices such as advanced set-top boxes, thin clients, residential gateways, retail point-of-sale devices and kiosks. Developers will be able to take advantage of powerful new tools to easily integrate their devices into existing infrastructures. The following are some of the new features of Windows XP Embedded beta 2:
- Enhanced security and reliability. Based on the Windows 2000 code base, Windows XP Embedded beta 2 includes enhanced security and reliability features such as Encrypting File System (EFS), IP Security (IPSec) and Windows File Protection (WFP), with the inclusion of the Kerberos security protocol and certificate services, enabling secure and dependable devices. Windows XP Embedded will also support the full hot-swap model, which will provide extra density, ruggedness and serviceability, allowing developers to insert or remove a board from a CompactPCI system without powering it down.
- Latest functionality. Windows XP Embedded beta 2 provides developers with the broadest device support and cutting-edge technologies found in Windows XP Professional. Developers can take advantage of the latest multimedia functionality, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 browser software, Windows Media™ Player 8, the DirectX® 8 API and Digital Rights Management 8, to build feature-rich devices such as advanced set-top boxes. Windows XP Embedded beta 2 includes support for USB, IEEE 1394 and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), enabling developers to utilize a wide array of peripheral devices.
- Connectivity. The rich networking and management capabilities of Windows XP Embedded beta 2 provide seamless integration with other devices, through comprehensive support for protocols such as IPv6, IrDA, UPnP, 802.11, Terminal Server Client, VPN, L2TP and PPTP. Features like Remote Desktop allow users to remotely and securely access files, applications and network resources.
- Rapid development. The complete, powerful toolset, which includes Target Designer, Component Designer, Target Analyzer and Database Manager, provides developers with streamlined and accelerated operating system customization, device bring-up and application development. Design Templates will allow developers to select from a group of target devices to automatically generate basic operating system images specific to the devices they are building, which they can further customize and add functionality, applications or hardware support.
For more information, visit the Microsoft Windows Embedded Web site.