Hello to all readers, hope you are doing great. Let's see in this blog what Windows CE is all about.
Windows CE is known as Windows Embedded Compact/Windows Embedded CE/Compact. Here CE stands for Consumer Electronics. It is a windows operating system developed by Microsoft. It is windows embedded family of products. Windows CE uses a different hybrid kernel. It was designed for small handheld devices or embedded systems for desktops interfacing. The devices which run Windows CE mainly include cameras, cable set-top boxes, points of sale terminals, communication hubs, controllers, etc. The older version of Windows CE OS in the early 90s was used mainly for handheld devices. Touch screen, the display device screen, and inputs like the keypad or stylus and Windows-like menus used in WindowsCE devices. It also includes applications like Word, Excel, PocketPC Outlook, and Explorer.
Windows CE is an open, scalable, real-time, component-based development, small-footprint(specific amount of space in software and hardware) operating system. Most of these OS(Operating Systems) are written in C programming language, which is supported by many processors. Windows CE kernel is particularly written for non-PC devices.
Versions: The last released version of Windows CE is Windows Embedded Compact 2013 which is multilingual and was released on June 2013. It supports x86 and ARM processors directly with BSP(Board Support package). Other versions of Compact include Windows Embedded Compact 7 and Windows CE 6.0. Windows 6.0 is used for home as well as office systems and cellular network connectivity. Another type includes Windows CE Automotive 5.0 is used for automobile off-board service for virtual memory support for enabling the creation of complex 3D graphics etc.
Connectivity: Windows CE devices are developed for mobility purposes. It provides secure communication at all levels. It has a wide variety of communication like modems, LAN, Serial(Win32), and Infrared.
APIs: Windows 32 API is the only API. It is the subset of the desktop. Game APIs and other APIs like Winsock and Webserver, etc. are even included.
Processors: Mainly 80X86, SuperH, ARM, or other processors are there in the device.
For more than 20 years, Windows CE operating system has powered a variety of devices including medical, industrial, and other devices. Microsoft has developed technology that runs unmodified Windows CE on Windows 10 IoT Core which is used in the modernized windows CE device using the Windows CE App container. It is said that Windows CE OS has ended but its recent version Windows CE 2013 will extend its license till 2023 and Windows Embedded Compact till 2028.
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