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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Microsoft Announces New Low Pricing for Windows CE .NET 4.2
New $3 License Reduces Costs for OEMs and Enables Use Across Broadest Range of Devices; Free Noncommercial License and Tools Promote Innovation
NEW ORLEANS -- May 6, 2003 -- Today at the 12th annual Windows® Hardware Engineering
Conference (WinHEC), Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect at Microsoft Corp., announced new
low pricing and updated packaging for Microsoft® Windows CE .NET version 4.2. Windows CE .NET
combines the most advanced, real-time operating system with powerful tools for rapidly creating the next
generation of "smart," connected and small-footprint devices. Gates introduced a new low-cost license,
Windows CE .NET 4.2 Core, with an estimated retail price (ERP) of $3 (U.S.). This new low-cost offering
enables device manufacturers to utilize the rich capabilities of Windows CE .NET 4.2 across the breadth of
their products, including their low-cost commercial and consumer devices. In addition, Microsoft announced a
new free, noncommercial distribution license for Windows CE .NET 4.2, which helps embedded partners,
developers and device manufacturers share device images based on Windows CE for free or noncommercial
devices, leading to greater innovation and cooperation throughout the development community.
"Smart, connected devices are playing an increasingly significant role in everyday life and are a key part of our
Digital Decade vision," Gates said. "Our new low-cost Windows CE .NET 4.2 Core license is a rich platform
that enables manufacturers and developers to quickly utilize Windows CE across a broad range of these
devices, and our free noncommercial license and tools will help foster innovation."
"The features and capabilities of Windows CE .NET 4.2 -- providing real-time technologies, networking, video
and audio codecs, graphics, and remote desktop support -- enable us to standardize our development process
and to quickly deliver today's rich multimedia products while providing a flexible base for the RCA Scenium
and RCA entertainment products of tomorrow," said Eric Meurice, executive vice president of Worldwide TV
at Thomson SA. "The Microsoft commercial model provides customers such as Thomson with accountability
for the quality, support and ongoing enhancement of core software products."
"Siemens Automation and Drives Group (A&D) uses Windows CE .NET to build industrial automation
devices," said Dr. Rainer Besold, head of the Automation and Drives Division (A&D) at Siemens. "With the
new Windows CE .NET 4.2 Core operating system, we will have the next step of the standardized platform
that will enable us to extend our applications to even smaller, low-cost devices."
"Windows CE .NET 4.2 will provide cost savings for NEC Infrontia by enabling us to scale our development
over a range of devices for our handy terminals for vertical market and next-generation IP phone systems," said
Eiichi Kumagai, associate senior vice president and general manager of the Second Operations Unit of NEC
Infrontia Corp. "The new low-price license will help reduce costs overall and provide NEC Infrontia with rich
technologies to deliver a series of handy terminal devices for vertical market and VoIP solutions, with the
assurance of quality, support and ongoing enhancement of the operating system."
Pricing and Packaging
The new pricing and packaging of Windows CE .NET 4.2 gives device manufacturers enhanced levels of
flexibility in utilizing the rich features of Windows CE .NET 4.2 across the breadth of their product lines, while
helping reduce development and licensing costs. The new Windows CE .NET 4.2 Core license has an ERP of
$3 (U.S.) and provides a hard real-time operating system kernel with robust file system, extensive networking
and communications technologies, rich multimedia capabilities, and a powerful application development
platform. The new Windows CE .NET 4.2 Core license is ideal for low-cost devices such as gateways,
entry-level VoIP phones, industrial automation equipment and consumer electronic devices such as CD players,
digital cameras and networked DVD players.
Microsoft provides additional value-added components via the Windows CE. NET 4.2 Professional license,
which includes software and services such as Windows Messenger, WordPad, the Remote Desktop Protocol
and Internet Explorer 6. The Windows CE. NET 4.2 Professional license is ideal for devices that require the
richest user interface, multimedia and browsing capabilities, including set-top boxes, advanced VoIP devices,
mobile handhelds and digital media players. Viewers for the most popular Office documents, including
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint®; as well as PDF and image viewers also are
available for an additional cost.
"The world of intelligent devices is growing in richness and diversity every day, branching out into numerous
categories of home entertainment, industrial automation, consumer electronics and more. In fact, over 80
percent of 32-bit processors are now going into embedded applications, and that percentage will increase over
time," said Bob O'Donnell, director of personal technology at IDC. "Device vendors need sophisticated,
media-savvy operating systems in order to help build these new-generation devices. By having a low-cost
offering coupled with low-cost, widely used development tools, device vendors can bring new levels of
capabilities at price points that were not previously attainable."
Free Noncommercial License and Tools
The new noncommercial distribution license for early development included in the free Windows CE .NET 4.2
Emulation Edition and Evaluation Kit enables embedded developers and device manufacturers to prototype and
freely distribute Windows CE .NET images for noncommercial purposes, fostering innovation and collaboration
in the community.
The free downloadable Windows CE .NET 4.2 Emulation Edition enables developers to build and test their
Windows CE .NET-based designs without requiring the target hardware. The free Windows CE .NET 4.2
Evaluation Kit allows developers to quickly start their evaluation of Windows CE .NET with the full Platform
Builder tool and complete operating system components. Microsoft also now provides more than 2 million lines
of source code under the Shared Source Program for Windows CE, allowing developers to view and modify
the source code for noncommercial purposes. Noncommercial use is when no compensation is received for a
device image or a product using that image.
The flexibility offered by these enhancements supports collaborative and iterative device development, which
often requires partnering with numerous companies and testing of prototype and sample units. For the broader
community, including academics, researchers and hobbyists, these enhancements promote innovation by
providing easy and free access to the operating system, tools and redistribution licenses.
Long-Term Support and Enhancement
The Windows CE platform provides embedded device manufacturers with the benefits of the commercial
software model, including more than 10 years of Microsoft investment in Windows CE technologies, a clear
long-term road map for future versions, and a commitment to 24x7x365 professional support services for up to
seven years on Windows CE .NET. The commercial model gives customers a single point of accountability for
the quality, support and ongoing enhancement of software products they license for their use, which is critical
for embedded devices with extended life cycles.
Availability
Windows CE .NET 4.2 licenses and tools will be available through Microsoft Windows Embedded Distributors
starting June 1, 2003. The full version of the development tools, Platform Builder for Windows CE .NET 4.2, is
available for an ERP of $995 (U.S.). The Emulation Edition is available for free via download from the
Microsoft Download Center, and the free 120-day Evaluation Kit can be ordered from the Windows
Embedded Web site (shipping and handling charges will apply). More information about evaluating and
acquiring Windows CE .NET 4.2 can be found at the Windows Embedded Web site at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/ce.net/.
About the Microsoft Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group
Microsoft Windows Embedded operating systems and tools provide comprehensive software platforms for
building the next generation of intelligent, 32-bit connected Windows Powered devices that demand rich
applications and Internet services for a wide range of flexible solutions. In addition, Microsoft offers a wide
range of programs and services designed to meet the specific needs of Windows Embedded customers,
industry partners and developers. The Windows Embedded operating systems currently include Windows CE
and Windows XP Embedded. The Server Appliance Kit for Windows 2000 helps OEMs build Windows
Powered server appliances, including Network Attached Storage and Web servers. Windows CE was
honored at the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show for innovations in the category of
Software/Embedded Technologies. The Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group also delivers the Windows
CE for Smart Displays software technology that powers a wide range of Smart Displays to extend the
Windows XP experience to any room in the home. Currently in development is "Media2Go," which is the code
name for a new device platform for powering the next generation of portable media player devices that enable
consumers to enjoy their videos, music and pictures on the go.
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