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Microsoft delivers Windows Embedded Automotive 7

Another day, another Microsoft product with "7" in its name launches. On October 19, Microsoft unveiled Windows Embedded Automotive 7, the latest version of its Embedded Automotive platform.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Another day, another Microsoft product with "7" in its name launches.

On October 19, Microsoft unveiled Windows Embedded Automotive 7, the latest version of its Embedded Automotive platform.

Windows Embedded Automotive 7 is the next generation of the Windows Embedded Automotive platform. It is the newest SKU from Microsoft's embedded platforms team. (Other offerings from that team include Windows Embedded Standard, Windows Embedded Handheld and Windows Embedded Compact. Windows Embedded Compact -- which has been known up until now as Windows CE -- is the core upon which older Windows Mobile phones, the first generation Windows Phone 7s and the Zune HD are built.)

Microsoft released Windows Embedded Standard 7 earlier this year. Windows Embedded Compact 7 still has yet to be released to manufacturing, but is still on track to be done before the end of calendar 2010, officials have said.

Update: The RTM date for Embedded Compact 7 has slipped. From a spokesperson on October 19: "(T)he general availability date for Windows Embedded Compact 7 has been moved from the fourth quarter of this year to the first quarter of next year (2011). " That means until that time, Embedded Compact 6.0 R3 is the latest version of that offering which is available to OEMs and Microsoft divisions building products.

"Windows Embedded Automotive 7 and Windows Embedded Compact 7 share some common components, including the Silverlight for Windows Embedded UI framework, although Windows Embedded Automotive 7 has been developed to meet the unique needs of the automotive industry," a company spokesperson said.

Windows Embedded Automotive is targeted at car makers and suppliers who build components like automotive infotainment systems. The Embedded platform provides OEMs with a base for communication, entertainment, navigation and information systems for vehicles. The latest version of Embedded Automotive includes Silverlight support, TellMe speech support, and new developer tools, according to the company.

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