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Instant .Net on a mobile PC for designers

It normally takes a lot of hard work (and time) to install Windows CE on a special purpose box; and even longer, to get Microsoft's new .Net framework set up. Developers now have a cheaper, and quicker option.

The beauty of Microsoft's Platform Builder is: it can set up Windows CE.NET on almost any damn system you care to design - ARM- based, XScale, StrongArm, or PC. The drawback is, it can be time-consuming -especially if you are doing your first project.

Blue Chip Technology's has cut down the options. Stick to a simple, pre-designed single-board embedded PC - a 200 MHz Pentium class chip (very low power) - and use their own Windows CE .NET development kit, which is already installed on the system.

"It means you can concentrate on doing the application," said Tudor Roberts, marketing manager at Blue Chip in Chester, UK. "We've developed all the drivers you need for the peripherals, generated an operating system image, and pre-installed it in flash memory."

The system, built by Blue Chip itself, is the Micron PC/104+ embedded PC with a 200MHz CPU and configured with 64MB SDRAM. The pre-installed Windows CE .NET image includes device drivers for all the on-board functions. "All interface cables are included along with a power supply, mouse, Microsoft eMbedded Visual C++4.0 and a strong lightweight carrying case," says the press release . Flat panel display and touchscreen options are also available. includes everything you need to quickly develop applications without the need for Platform Builder. The Windows CE .NET operating system image is pre-installed in the single board computer's solid state disk, ready for applications to be downloaded.

"The other advantage of this system is that it's pretty low-cost; all you pay for is the licence for Win CE.NET, which works out at around £12.00 per licence," said Roberts.

Windows CE .NET is a low cost, modular real-time operating system with built-in network connectivity ideal for small footprint 32-bit applications. It is the successor to Windows CE 3.0 and provides improved multimedia and browser functions such as Internet Explorer 5.5 and Windows Media Player. It also has broad support for various wireless technologies.

MICRON is a low power Pentium class PC/104 and PC/104+ embedded PC offering CRT/LCD, 10/100Base-T Ethernet, Audio, USB, Serial, Parallel, IDE/FDD interfaces, Digital I/O, PC/104 and PC/104+ expansion.

Blue Chip Technology's Windows CE .NET support CD includes details of application development, SDK files, how to download applications to target hardware and also back up copies of Windows CE .NET images.