According to Microsoft, Windows CE 3.0 is an embedded operating system designed for connected devices using 32-bit technology, one example of which is the PPC. Windows CE 3.0 works on 12 different processor architectures and on over different 180 CPU and is used in a broad range of devices including a variety of industrial and consumer products, such as cameras, telephones, set-top boxes, Internet-access devices, just to mention a few.
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) can customise Windows CE 3.0 with development tools, like the Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder 3.0, to make a Windows CE operating system with only the components the OEM selects. Thus Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 can be shaped to meet the exact requirements of a specific device and developer and Pocket PC is the final product of such a process.
Windows CE 3.0 provides a rich set of functionality, including the support of multitasking capabilities, which allow the CE 3.0 users for example to synchronise in the background, while performing other tasks. In addition to that, Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 includes the following new features and enhancements relative to its predecessor, Windows CE 2.1:
Improved real-time support with reduced interrupt latencies, 256 priority levels, nested interrupt support and virtual memory protection.
Distributed COM (DCOM) support for integrating Windows CE-based devices into distributed computing networks.
ActiveX® Data Objects (ADO) to access remote databases and manipulate data locally.
Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), which enables a Windows CE 3.0-based device to share its Internet connection with one or more devices connected on the same network.
Integrated HTTP server to serve data from a Windows CE-based device that supports scriptable and interactive Web pages.
Support for new communications and networking technologies, such as full Domain Name System (DNS) and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) namespace resolution, Telephony API (TAPI) 2.1, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) v2.
The flexible building of customised versions of Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 is sustained with a highly modular architecture allowing for the configuration of an operating system with a minimal memory footprint and a comprehensive development environment including an integrated development and testing tool, Platform Builder 3.0, the common tools of Microsoft eMbedded Visual Tools.
Copyright © 2001-2003 by Rainer Hillebrand and Thomas Wierlemann