Jump to content

Windows CE 3.0

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Commanderraf (talk | contribs) at 19:32, 15 February 2006. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Windows CE 3.0
DeveloperMicrosoft
OS familyWindows CE
Working stateHistoric, but still supported
Source modelShared source
Latest release- / -
Kernel typeEmbedded kernel
LicenseMicrosoft EULA
Official websitemsdn.microsoft.com/embedded/windowsce

Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 is an operating system (OS) designed for embedded systems. Two remarkable features are the portability for several different processors and some support for real time programming.

File:WinCE3.gif
A capture of the typical Today screen in Windows CE 3.0 for PocketPC
File:HandheldPC2000screen.png
A Screen Shot of Windows Handheld PC 2000 an off shoot of Windows CE 3.0

It was specially designed for devices of PDA and mobile phone type. That means computing environments far smaller than the current PCs of today—smaller memory size, processing power, screen real estate and usually the absence of usable keyboards. For instance, a mid class PDA has usually no more than 32 MB of RAM. That poses severe limits to the performance of programs and to their usability.

So, the Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 OS was developed for a context rather different of the usual PC. And the application programming for it has to be done accordingly.

A distintive feature of Windows CE, vis-a-vis other Microsoft software, is that parts of it are offered in source code form. In 3.0, several device drivers are available to the general public, in source code form. Among them, USB, display, PCMCIA. They are offered mainly through the Platform Builder OS image integrator, but also through other initiatives.

The new Windows CE version, called Microsoft Windows CE 4.0, replaces 3.0 with several new functionalities.

Windows CE 3.0 has several variations for different devices. An important one is Pocket PC, designed specifically for handheld devices like PDAs.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Windows_CE_3.0&oldid=39769453"