When Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently criticized Google in the D8 conference for possessing two distinct mobile operating programs, it;s surprising so few challenged the pot for calling the kettle black. Microsoft doesn;t have just one and even two cellular working system (OS) offerings. As of right now, it's got a 50 percent dozen, by my count.Microsoft announced the most recent addition to its mobile OS listing on June 17. The latest family members member, recognized as Windows Embedded Handheld, is powering the new Motorola’ES400 enterprise digital assistant (EDA), launched these days in New york.Windows Embedded Handheld, like most of Microsoft;s mobile OSes (apart from Windows seven), is built on leading with the Windows Embedded Compact (previously known as Windows Embedded CE) core. The first edition of Windows Embedded Handheld,
Office 2010, that is going to be shipping prior to the finish of this year, is tailored for what are known as “enterprise handheld cellular devices” — i.e., ruggedized computers that are for custom line-of-business applications, like bar-code scanning, RFID reading, etc. A second edition with the Windows Embedded Handheld platform — built on top with the Windows Embedded Compact seven core — is due out during the second half of 2011.##############: Operating on Windows EmbeddedWith right now;s announcement, Microsoft now has at least six numerous OS offerings for mobile phones and devices. It's got two several phone running programs — Windows Mobile 6.x (the last with the line from the Windows Cellular OS family) and Windows Phone OS 7.0. (It's three if you count the Kin phone OS,
Office 2007 Activation, which is a modified edition of Windows Phone OS 7.0.) It has the just-launched Windows Embedded Handheld OS. It has an OS for TVs, set-top boxes, kiosks and other embedded tasks, recognized as Windows Embedded Standard seven. It's Windows seven, which it is positioning as its OS for tablets and netbooks. And,
Office 2010 Activation Key, as company officials said last month at Computex, it's Windows Embedded Compact seven (which isn;t likely to be released to manufacturing until Q4 2010) for PC makers who want to create slates and other consumer cellular devices that run on non-Intel processors and use less battery power.Here;s my best attempt to explain what;s part of Microsoft;s cellular OS six pack:What;s with all the multiplying Microsoft cellular OS SKUs? Wouldn;t just 1 or two choices result in less PC maker and customer confusion? On the cellular front, it seems the thinking in Redmond is that more specialization and more choices will give mobile device makers more options.The place where Microsoft is consolidating its story is on the Windows Embedded Compact front. Windows Embedded Compact/Windows Embedded CE is the lowest level platform upon which Microsoft builds its phone and mobile device running programs. Currently, the bulk of the six unique cellular OS offerings run a variety of numerous versions of Embedded Compact/Embedded CE. Microsoft is functioning to get more of its mobile OS platforms to run on top with the Windows Embedded Compact seven core.On the development tools front, Microsoft also is functioning to consolidate its offerings. While in the second fifty percent of next year, when the Windows Embedded Handheld 7 platform ships,
Windows 7 License, it will support the same set of development tools that Windows Phone seven will be supporting: Visual Studio 2010, Silverlight and the XNA platform,
Office 2007 Product Key, according to Microsoft officials.Why a dedicated ruggedized cellular OS?Today;s launch of Windows Embedded Handheld marks the debut of a new brand and new nomenclature for Microsoft in a market where it already plays. Microsoft already includes a handful of OEMs, including Motorola, Honeywell and Intermec, who sell ruggedized cellular PCs and devices that run Windows CE and/or Windows Mobile.