Microsoft delivers Windows 7-based Windows Embedded Standard 2011 Community Technology Preview
Windows Embedded Standard 2011 CTP available for download today to involve Microsoft’s worldwide developer community in the release of the next-generation Windows platform for specialised devices.
Microsoft Corp released the Windows 7-based Windows Embedded Standard 2011 (formerly code-named “Quebec”) Community Technology Preview (CTP) to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and developers of specialised devices worldwide through its immediate public availability at http://connect.microsoft.com/windowsembedded. Windows Embedded Standard 2011 delivers the latest Windows 7 technologies to OEMs, enabling them to bring high-performing specialised devices to market faster, to differentiate those devices through innovative user experiences, and to delight their customers with devices that extend the Windows user experience to specialised devices from Windows-based PCs, servers and online services.
“To meet the demand for improved user experiences and connectivity among today’s rapidly growing categories of specialised devices, Microsoft has strategically planned the release of Windows 7-based technologies to OEMs in the embedded marketplace,” said Kevin Dallas, general manager of the Windows Embedded Business at Microsoft. “The availability of the Windows Embedded Standard 2011 CTP empowers our worldwide ecosystem of OEMs, partners and developers to take advantage of the next-generation platform’s enhanced Windows 7-based features and provide feedback prior to its general release to manufacturing. We encourage the embedded community to take full advantage of the CTP’s availability and join in our excitement as we look ahead to the future availability of Windows Embedded platforms incorporating Windows 7 technologies.”
Windows 7 Features and Functionality Available in Windows Embedded Standard 2011
Windows Embedded Standard 2011 delivers the power, familiarity and reliability of the Windows 7 operating system in a highly customisable and componentised form, enabling OEMs in industrial automation, entertainment, consumer electronics and other markets to focus on their core competencies and create product differentiation. Instead of investing in platform development, Windows Embedded Standard 2011 allows OEMs to choose only the components they need to tailor the platform to meet the unique requirements of their device. Familiar, easy-to-use development tools and embedded-enabling features help to further reduce development costs and increase speed to market for thin-client, point-of-service (POS), kiosk, medical, multifunction printers and other devices.
Windows Embedded Standard 2011 capabilities and features include these:
– Enterprise Equipped with the ability for organisations to seamlessly extend existing investments in technology management and infrastructure to devices by using Active Directory group policies and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, as well as increased interoperability for client server scenarios with Microsoft Terminal Services and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
– Latest Windows technology innovations to enhance user experiences on specialised devices through the security of Internet Explorer 8, enhanced media capabilities of Windows Media Player 12, improved client server with Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 7.0 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5
– Rich, immersive user experiences with support for 64-bit CPUs, Windows Aero user interface, Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Touch (multigesture touch interfaces and context-aware applications) and Windows Flip 3D navigation
– The ability to develop “green” solutions with smart power management APIs for developers to build applications that can improve CPU idle time and reduce power consumption
ESC Boston
During the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Boston (21-24 Sept at the Hynes Convention Center), Kevin Dallas, general manager of the Windows Embedded Business Unit at Microsoft, will deliver an industry keynote address on Tuesday, 22 Sept, at 10.30am. Dallas will detail how the Windows Embedded software-plus-services platform enables developers and OEMs to provide the unique value of Windows on specialised devices, as well as sharing a Windows Embedded product road map update.
Microsoft will also be participating in TechInsights’ “Build Your Own Embedded System” seminars, enabling attendees to take home a custom-configured design kit based on Windows Embedded Standard 2011. Conferencegoers can visit the Microsoft booth (No 400) or http://esc-boston.techinsightsevents.com/ for more information.
Community Resources Available Pre- and Post-Launch
A Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification, preparation kit and training courseware will be available for Windows Embedded Standard 2011 during the timeframe of its release to manufacturing (RTM), approximately the second half of 2010. Additional Windows Embedded training opportunities can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/about/training.mspx.
Microsoft will also host a series of five free webinars exploring the enhanced functionality, networking capabilities, improved security and reliability of Windows Embedded Standard 2011. Participants can register at https://swrt.worktankseattle.com/webcast/2672/preview.aspx. A full listing of additional technical events and seminars can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/news/events/default.mspx.
Hitachi Software supercharges reliability and ease of use with introduction of StarBoard Software version 9.0 for Windows
New StarBoard Software For Windows Users Offers More Interactive, Easy To Use and Intuitive Interface
In a move that brings a higher level of interactivity and integration with the use of the award-winning StarBoard, Hitachi announced the introduction of Starboard Software version 9.0 for Windows™. The software offers Windows users a more comprehensive software solution to take advantage of the features and functionality of the Hitachi StarBoard.
Featuring a highly interactive interface, StarBoard Software 9.0 was designed with an eye on the industry-wide trend surrounding operating systems that are migrating towards operations with touch capability. The software’s icons are more intuitive and provide users with a natural sense of functionality.
Hitachi StarBoard Software 9.0 for Windows offers users similar functionality as its Mac version. A new live desktop mode allows users to ink on YouTube™ videos or any animation on their computers without having to take screen shots or freeze frames. Additionally, a user can drag tools from the toolbar and drop them onto a page offering a more customizable interface. For example, this feature allows a math teacher to place a protractor tool directly on a page so a student has the ability to activate it easily, as opposed to navigating through the menus.
The software also allows FX DUO board users to perform multi-touch gestures, such as pinching, to rotate and resize images as well as an improved multi-input pad that allows two users to write on the board simultaneously.
“The Hitachi StarBoard Software 9.0 is the next step in providing our Windows users with the same great features that Mac users have benefited from. Hitachi is committed to providing all users with an easy-to-use interface that takes full advantage of the technology of the FX DUO. We believe the added features greatly improve this software and provide Windows users with the strongest software solution,” stated John Glad, product manager for Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc., Business Group.
Two free HyperStudio 5 players for Windows and Internet Explorer
Software MacKiev, an award-winning software developer and publisher, and Roger Wagner, the creator and designer of HyperStudio(R), announced today the debut of HyperStudio 5 for Windows and the release of HyperStudio 5 Players for Windows and Internet Explorer.
The Windows and Mac version of HyperStudio are being presented at the NECC conference in the Software MacKiev Booth # 1412 in several different venues – from informal presentations in “Roger’s Bistro” by Roger Wagner, creator and designer of HyperStudio, to educators and middle school students showing classroom projects in the HyperStudio Theatre.
HyperStudio(R) is media fusion software for making digital creations. From animated art forms and comics, digital storytelling to virtual visits, to podcasting of school projects, HyperStudio has been used worldwide by millions of students, teachers, engineers, musicians, film-makers, and even a few rock bands. The program is accessible for the youngest users but also has the depth and professional quality that more sophisticated users make exemplary use of. In an environment where any element can be created or added within seconds, HyperStudio is the elegantly simple solution that lets users do it all in one well designed program.
The HyperStudio 5 Windows Player allows projects created in HyperStudio 5 for Windows to run on PCs while the Internet Explorer Player allows projects made in HyperStudio 5 to run on Internet Explorer 6 or higher. The release of these two players is now available by download from the Software MacKiev website.
Pricing and Availability
HyperStudio 5 for Windows and Mac OSX is available for purchase from the Software MacKiev Web store starting at $89.95 for a single computer license. Volume license discounts are available. The HyperStudio 5 Players for Windows and Internet Explorer are available immediately free of charge from the Software MacKiev Web site. Go to www.mackiev.com and follow the links to Support. The Windows Player allows users to enjoy HyperStudio 5 Windows projects on Microsoft Windows computers and works with Windows XP SP2 or later, including Windows Vista. The Internet Explorer Player lets you view HyperStudio 5 projects on Internet Explorer 6 or later.
ThinkFree Mobile Netbook for Windows, Linux and Mac Edition Now Available Directly for End User Download
Regardless of platform, users can now create, edit and collaborate on documents on-the-go
ThinkFree, Inc., a leader in next-generation office productivity solutions, unveiled ThinkFree Mobile Netbook for Windows, Linux and Mac ESD (electronic software download) version, bringing unprecedented round-trip Microsoft Office compatibility and seamless online document collaboration directly to users. Built on the robust and proven ThinkFree Mobile platform, ThinkFree Mobile Netbook for Windows, Linux and Mac ESD version delivers fast and easy-to-use word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications. Users can now purchase and download ThinkFree Mobile Netbook for Windows, Linux and Mac ESD version at http://product.thinkfree.com/mobile/netbook.
Previously available only to device manufacturers, ThinkFree Mobile Netbook for Windows, Linux and Mac ESD version comes directly to users in response to a flood of individual inquiries since the launch of the ThinkFree Mobile line of productivity suites. ThinkFree is also offering a special discount price of $24.95 for Windows, Linux and Mac suites for a limited time. Customers who take advantage of this offer will also receive an extra 1GB of online storage, bringing their online total storage to 2GB.
ThinkFree Mobile Netbook for Windows, Linux and Mac ESD version consists of ThinkFree Write for word processing, ThinkFree Calc for spreadsheets and ThinkFree Show for presentations – all of which make it simple for mobile users to browse, edit, create and collaborate on documents while on-the-go. Featuring the best round-trip Microsoft Office compatibility, ThinkFree Mobile Netbook ESD comes with 1GB of free, reliable and secure online document storage and integrates seamlessly with ThinkFree Online, ThinkFree’s already existing online service for collaboration and synchronization across all documents.
“Since the introduction of ThinkFree Mobile Netbook Edition for Windows in October 2008, ThinkFree has continuously worked to expand its product portfolio to support the latest mobile Internet devices and underlying platforms, including Intel Atom, Google Android and Qualcomm Snapdragon / ARM,” said Su Jin Kim, CEO of ThinkFree. “The ThinkFree Mobile product family has been optimized for smaller screen dimensions and limited hardware resources. As such, the user interface offers more space to work on the actual document, and the software has a very small disk footprint. With the new ESD availability, users can instantly take advantage of the most advanced productivity geared at netbooks.”
ThinkFree has also released ThinkFree Mobile for Mac, the first to deliver a suite designed for the Mac. Editing documents between Windows and Mac environments has been a real headache in the past. The larger office suites come with a high price tag, perform slowly – particularly when converting files – and the overwhelmingly extensive features go far beyond what is needed by most users.
Pricing and Availability
ThinkFree Mobile Netbook Edition for Windows, Linux and Mac ESD are available now on ThinkFree.com for end users to purchase and download. Regular pricing: $39.95. Limited time offer: $24.95; includes 1GB additional online document storage (2GB total). Enter coupon code THINKFREE during checkout.
Source: ThinkFree, Inc.
Apple Releases Safari 4 – The World’s Fastest and Most Innovative Browser
Apple(R) released Safari(R) 4, the world’s fastest and most innovative web browser. Available for Mac(R) and Windows PCs and introduced as a beta in February of this year, Safari 4 features the Nitro engine which runs JavaScript up to 4.5 times faster than Safari 3.* Safari 4 makes browsing more intuitive and enjoyable with innovative features, such as Top Sites, Full History Search and Cover Flow(R), and support for modern web standards like HTML 5 and advanced CSS Effects.
“The successful beta release helped us fine tune Safari 4 into an even better, faster version that customers are going to love,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Safari is enjoyed by 70 million users worldwide and with its blazing fast speed, innovative features and support for modern web standards, it’s the best browser on any platform.”
Safari 4 is built on the world’s most advanced browser technologies including the new Nitro JavaScript engine that executes JavaScript nearly eight times faster than IE 8 and more than four times faster than Firefox 3. Safari quickly loads HTML web pages more than three times faster than IE 8 and three times faster than Firefox 3.*
Starting with the development of the open source WebKit browser engine, Apple has been leading the industry in defining and implementing innovative web standards. Safari 4 includes HTML 5 support for offline technologies and support for advanced CSS Effects, enabling an entirely new class of web applications that feature rich media, graphics and fonts. Safari 4 is the first browser to pass the Web Standards Project’s Acid3 test, which examines how well a browser adheres to CSS, JavaScript, XML and SVG standards that are specifically designed for dynamic web applications.
Safari 4 includes Top Sites, for an incredible visual preview of frequently visited and favorite pages; Full History Search, to search through titles, web addresses and the complete text of recently viewed pages; and Cover Flow, to easily flip through web history or bookmarks. Other innovative features include Smart Address Fields for automatically completing web addresses from an easy to read list of suggestions; Search Fields, to fine tune searches with recommendations from Google Suggest or a list of recent searches; and Full Page Zoom, for a closer look at any website without degrading the quality of the site’s layout and text.
In Mac OS(R) X Snow Leopard(TM), available later this year, Safari runs as a 64-bit application, boosting the performance of the Nitro JavaScript engine by up to 50 percent.** Snow Leopard makes Safari more resistant to crashes by running plug-ins in a separate process, so even if a plug-in crashes, Safari continues to run and the user simply has to reload the affected page.
Safari 4 is available for both Mac OS X and Windows as a free download at www.apple.com/safari. Safari 4 for Mac OS X requires Mac OS X Leopard(R) v10.5.7 or Mac OS X Tiger(R) v10.4.11 and Security Update 2009-002, a minimum 256MB of memory and is designed to run on any Intel-based Mac or a Mac with a PowerPC G5, G4 or G3 processor and built-in FireWire(R). Safari 4 for Windows requires Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista, a minimum 256MB of memory and a system with at least a 500 MHz Intel Pentium processor. Full system requirements and more information on Safari 4 can be found at www.apple.com/safari.
*Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection and other factors. All testing conducted on an iMac(R) 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system running Windows Vista, with 2GB of RAM. JavaScript benchmark based on the SunSpider JavaScript Performance test. HTML benchmark based on VeriTest’s iBench Version 5.0 using default settings.
**Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection and other factors. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2009 comparing prerelease Mac OS X Snow Leopard v10.6 with shipping Mac OS X Leopard v10.5.7. Testing was conducted on a shipping MacBook(R) 2.0 GHz system and a shipping iMac 2.66 GHz system, both configured with 2GB of RAM. JavaScript benchmarks based on the SunSpider Performance test comparing Safari running in both 32-bit and 64-bit modes.
Source: Apple