Windows CE Gets R2, Vista Embedded Delayed

Windows CE 6.0 R2 adds several new components that make it easier to build products that connect to the Web, to PCs, and to other devices. The R2 update does not change the core kernel or architecture, so manufacturers should find it fairly easy to upgrade their devices to take advantage of the new capabilities. Meanwhile, despite Vista having shipped in Dec. 2006, Windows XP continues to live on in the embedded space—a 2008 update to Windows XP Embedded will include the .NET Framework 3.0 along with bug fixes from Windows XP SP3, and an embedded version of Vista is not due until 2009 or 2010.

CE Gets R2

Windows CE 6.0 introduced a new kernel that allowed for a larger number of running applications and services, along with support for more memory. But the new architecture also brought some compatibility problems, particularly for device drivers and some low-level applications that rely on the kernel. Unlike that release, R2 is limited to adding new and updated components to the current kernel.