Things You Didn’t Know Ran Windows

In response to an NYT article about Windows for a small world, blogger Mike Hall reminds us that there are tons of things out there running Windows – we just may not know it. Windows CE, also known by its full name "Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2,” is a embeddable OS that lets OEMs build specialized devices. Some obvious examples of this technology in action include Windows Mobile [Windows Mobile 6.1 runs on the Windows CE 5.0 operating system kernel], Zune, Microsoft Roundtable (video conferencing), and Ford Sync. However, it was Oliver Bloch who really surprised me with some of his examples of thing that run Windows CE.

For example, I didn’t know that Slingbox’s set top box ran Windows:

And I guess I never thought about remote controls:

Remotes: http://www.espnremote.com/html/

Or picture frames:

Wireless picture frames: http://www.momentolive.com/default.aspx

But these are only the tip of the iceberg. The Windows Devices Showcase lists embedded OS examples extending from mobile devices to netbooks to VOIP telephones and much more. The showcase includes not just Windows CE, but also Windows Mobile, and Windows XP Embedded devices.

It’s here I discovered things like the home automation touchscreen computer, mPanel:

Matrox Imaging’s Windows CE "smart camera,” the Iris GT:

Oh, and my own personal favorite, the Symbol Technologies PPT 8800:

(Why is that my favorite? Here’s a hint.)