Microsoft outs new Windows Mobile for embedded hardware
updated 07:55 pm EDT, Thu June 17, 2010
Microsoft to bring out Windows Embedded Handheld
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Thursday unveiled a Windows Mobile 6.5-based mobile OS for embedded and enterprise-class devices. Called Windows Embedded Handheld, the new OS will launch within six months. It will be replaced by a Windows Phone 7-based version in the second half of 2011.
The announcement was made during the launch of a new enterprise smartphone for Motorola, the ES400. It runs on Windows Mobile 6.5.3 and will be sold through Sprint's enterprise division. The phone is rugged, ultra-secure and includes a barcode scanner built into its camera.
The ES400 is powered by a 600MHz ARM11 processor and supports HSPA, Sprint's EVDO, and 802.11g Wi-Fi. A fingerprint reader is built into its back panel. A 3-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 640x480; an extra dedicated white pixel is added across the screen for greater brightness and lower energy consumption.
A ship date or price for the ES400 hasn't been announced, but it will be out in 2011. Pricing is largely variable, as it depends on how many units are ordered and any cellular data plans attached to the handhelds. [via PCMag]
