Latest Windows Embedded CE puts focus on Silverlight

The new Platform Builder for Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3 is based on Microsoft's Visual Studio programming software, and is meant to help developers create rich user interfaces on Silverlight that can be easily ported to other embedded versions of Windows, David Wurster, senior product manager on the Windows Embedded consumer team, said in an interview last week.

Windows Embedded CE will also support the multi-touch and gesture features coming in Windows 7 .

Silverlight for Windows Embedded CE, officially known as Embedded Compact, will run independent of a Web browser, which the desktop PC version requires, said Wurster.

Available for devices based on x86, ARM or MIPS processors, Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3 will support Silverlight 2.0 , which was released a year ago.

Microsoft touts Silverlight on the desktop for its high-def video support, but Wurster said that isn't the emphasis here. Instead, the focus is on Silverlight's potential to help developers write and port their apps faster.