Microsoft Windows Embedded Customer Solution Case Study

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Microsoft Windows Embedded
Customer Solution Case Study
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Digital Services Developer Launches Handheld Media Player with Embedded System
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Overview
Country or Region: The Netherlands
Industry: Consumer Electronics
Customer Profile
Commodore International Corporation (CIC), based in Baarn, the Netherlands, develops innovative digital media services, software, and hardware.
Business Situation
CIC planned to release a range of products supporting digital media services such as audio and video streaming. It wanted to launch the Gravel in Pocket at the CeBIT 2007 digital technology showcase.
Solution
The company built a software platform for the Gravel in Pocket based on Windows® CE version 5.0—with the support of Windows Embedded Partner PTS Software for application development.
Benefits
Easy-to-use tools.
Single development environment.
Great partner support.
Clear licensing.
Long product life cycle.
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“Having the single development environment with Visual Studio 2005 for native and managed code helped us develop the device’s applications rapidly. The work would normally take nine to 12 months.”
Maarten Struys, Technical Manager, PTS Software
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Commodore International Corporation (CIC), based in the Netherlands, planned to develop a range of innovative digital media services. One, the Gravel-in-Pocket, aimed to meet the increasing demand for music and video streaming through handheld devices. To launch the product at CeBIT 2007—the digital showcase event—CIC needed to develop the software platform rapidly. It chose Windows® CE version 5.0 as the operating system and worked with Windows Embedded Partner PTS Software to create the application layer. As a result, CIC saved up to five months in development time and established a reliable software platform supporting the latest media formats such as MPEG 4, Xvid, DivX, and Windows Media® Video (WMV). The organisation now plans to upgrade the device to the latest version, Windows Embedded CE 6.0.
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Situation
To maintain competitive advantage in digital media services, companies need compelling services, reliably delivered. With the market’s huge rate of growth, consumers demand devices that break new ground and perform exceptionally well. As a result, companies in the industry face significant technical challenges. One of the most significant challenges is finding embedded operating systems with the reliability and performance to drive development and encourage innovation.
Commodore International Corporation (CIC), based in Baarn, the Netherlands, is committed to building on the strong heritage of its brand. Through innovative digital media services, CIC is delivering on the brand promise of user-friendly technology with great features for personalisation. Among the services are CommodoreWorld and Gravel—a range of Wi-Fi-enabled hardware devices.
CIC planned to release a number of Gravel pro
“It gave me peace of mind that we had a Windows Embedded partner so near. With a project of this importance, we wanted to work closely with our partners.”
Hendrik van Iterson, Vice President of Research and Development, CIC
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ducts, including Gravel in Car, Gravel in Home, and Gravel in Pocket. The devices would support services such as audio and video streaming, with launch dates timed for the highest impact. For example, CIC planned to unveil handheld Gravel in Pocket at the digital technology showcase CeBIT 2007 in Hannover, Germany. Hendrik van Iterson, Vice President of Research and Development at CIC, says: “We set ourselves a tight deadline for delivering the Gravel in Pocket. In this business, these showcases are critical in successfully launching new products.”
The schedule gave CIC a timeframe of less than 12 months to complete development of the device’s core software platform. Choosing the right operating system and selecting a partner to complete the platform’s design rapidly would be crucial. Van Iterson, who has a lot of experience in IT software, was clear what the operating system needed to deliver:
Great feature sets combined with excellent reliability.
Integrated multi-media and networking capabilities.
Development tools that promoted quick and secure programming.
Furthermore, Van Iterson knew what he wanted from a partner. He says: “We looked for one that had the right level of expertise and was close enough to arrange meetings easily. I didn’t want to have to jump on a plane when it came to meeting face-to-face.”
Solution
Van Iterson understood the value of Microsoft® software. While working for a different company, he worked on a content delivery platform built using the Microsoft .NET Framework, Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000, and Microsoft Windows Media® Services. “I like the Microsoft approach to technology—a combination of excellent development life cycles and partner support,” he says.
Based on the criteria listed for the Gravel in Pocket operating system, CIC chose Windows® CE version 5.0. Among its advantages, the solution delivers wireless technologies for mobile devices and easy-to-use tools that increase developer productivity. Crucially for CIC, Windows CE is also supported by a global network of partners—providing expertise locally.
Microsoft helped CIC contact Windows Embedded Gold Certified Partner PTS Software, also based in Baarn. “It gave me peace of mind that we had a Windows Embedded partner so near. With a project of this importance, we wanted to work closely with our partners,” says Van Iterson. Within the Gravel in Pocket project, PTS Software had to complete the software platform, adding the application layer to the platform running Windows CE 5.0.
When building the application layer, PTS Software developers maximised efficiency by using the following tools:
Platform Builder for Windows CE—an integrated development environment (IDE) helping programmers build, test, and debug Windows CE operating system design.
Microsoft .NET Compact Framework—a version of the Microsoft .NET Framework aimed at developers building secure, downloadable applications for handheld devices.
Microsoft Visual Studio® 2005—software development environment to create applications.
The combinatio
“I think the Windows Embedded partner network is unique. You can find local support easily.”
Hendrik van Iterson, Vice President of Research and Development, CIC
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n of Visual Studio 2005 and the .NET Compact Framework helped PTS Software build the application software to deadline. Maarten Struys, Technical Manager at PTS Software, says: “With Visual Studio 2005, you can create managed applications for the .NET Compact Framework and native applications. You don’t need to learn two development environments. It makes the development process far more efficient.”
For Struys, tools such as Platform Builder Kernel Tracker and Remote Registry Editor also reduced development time. “Kernel Tracker helps diagnose weird behaviour,” he says. “It’s like a low-cost logic analyser, helping debug your system quickly by tracking thread and process interactions and timings.” He believes Remote Registry Editor helped save many hours of labour. Part of the Remote Tools for Information Management in Platform Builder for Windows CE 5.0, the tool ensures you can modify the registry on a device without having to rebuild the platform.
With support from online sources such as the Microsoft Developer Network (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx), PTS Software completed the application layer in around seven months. The Wi-Fi-enabled Gravel in Pocket, with 2.8-inch screen, was launched at the CeBIT 2007 event. Visitors saw its music and video streaming capability for supporting multiple formats such as MP3 and WMA for music and MPEG 4, DivX, Xvid, and Windows Media Video (WMV).
Benefits
The combination of Windows CE 5.0 and the support of PTS Software helped CIC overcome the key technical challenge in the digital media service world—finding the right operating system to drive development and innovation. As a result, CIC managed to hit the target of launching the Gravel in Pocket at CeBIT 2007, delivering a handheld device supporting the most popular media formats and gaining a competitive advantage in the market.
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