Microsoft released Windows CE in November 1996 as a new version of Windows. Designed to operate handheld computers, CE introduced the user-friendly Windows 95 interface to mobile computing for the first time. Its architecture also formed the basis for Microsoft’s mobile computing products and subsequent smartphones. Here is why it was necessary.
A compact and portable version of Windows
Windows CE was needed because full desktop versions of Windows, then primarily tied to the Intel x86 processor architecture, were impractical to run on handheld devices at the time. As a result, Windows CE represented an entirely different platform from its desktop OS cousins. It could not run programs designed for Windows 95 or Windows NT.
The design of Windows CE emphasized low power consumption, compatibility with flash memory storage, and relatively low memory requirements. It also retained a friendly graphical user interface (GUI) similar to Windows 95, with the Start menu, and even a built-in version of Solitaire.
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Windows CE was preinstalled as firmware on ROM chips built into portable devices from dozens of vendors including Compaq, NEC, Hewlett-Packard, LG, and more. Most installations of Windows CE also included pocket versions of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Users could synchronize their files with desktop computers running Windows using an RS-232 serial cable or an infrared connection with a special device. Later, network-based synchronization was also possible.
Some have speculated that the “CE” in “Windows CE” initially meant “Consumer Electronics” or “Compact Edition”, but these interpretations were never officially recognized by Microsoft. According to a 1998 Los Angeles Business Journal article, Microsoft opted for a more nebulous definition, stating: “CE does not represent a single concept, but rather involves a number of Windows CE design precepts, including ‘Compact, Connectable, Compatible and Companion. “” Ultimately, “CE” simply means “CE”.
The origins of Windows CE
In the early 1990s, a new class of computers began to take shape: the personal digital assistant (PDA). Most PDAs were battery-powered handheld devices with touchscreen stylus interfaces and RAM or flash memory.
As with any new IT trend, Microsoft wanted to be on top of the action. However, the Intel x86 processors required to run desktop versions of Windows were too power-hungry for a handheld device.
So Microsoft began to experiment with potential solutions, including a brand new operating system that would run on low-power processors.
Windows CE is the result of such a project, named Pegasus. It was developed in 1995 by a team that included members of older Microsoft Mobile OS projects, such as WinPad.
Pegasus’ design goal was to provide a multitasking 32-bit multi-threaded pocket version of Windows. It was expected to work well on several processor architectures including SH3, MIPS and later ARM. Also, unlike most PDAs of the day, Microsoft wanted Windows CE to be usable with a full QWERTY keyboard.
Windows CE 1.0 was officially released on November 16, 1996. According to BYTE in the January 1997 issue of the magazine, the first devices in the United States to ship with Windows CE were the NEC MobilePro 200, the Compaq PC Companion (a rebranded version of the Casio Cassiopeia A-10, also available at the time) and the LG Electronics HPC.
All three devices were selling for around $ 650 (around $ 1,063 in today’s cash).
The press was not particularly fond of Windows CE 1.0 devices, but few critics saw them as failures. A loyal fan base quickly emerged, especially for the highly regarded HP handheld series.
Microsoft continued to improve CE over time, with a dramatic jump in capacity from 1.0 to 2.x that included support for larger color screens and better networking. This iteration has been well received by consumers and the press.
The explosion of the Windows CE brand name
What started as a simple operating system for handheld computers in 1996 quickly evolved into a PDA operating system for “Pocket PC” devices. These Pocket PCs initially ran Windows CE 2.11, which later evolved into an operating system for smartphones and much more.
In fact, after a few years, Microsoft stopped putting the Windows CE mark on its consumer products. Rather, he favored names like Pocket PC 2000 (April 2000) and Windows Mobile 2003, which were still based on the Windows CE kernel. Even Windows Phone 7, released in 2010, was still based on Windows CE 6.0.
Trying to grasp the whole lineage of Windows CE and its ramifications is a dizzying prospect. It covers over 24 major releases, with plenty of confusing interchangeable or nested brand names, including all of the following (and more):
- Handheld computer
- Classic Windows Mobile
- Windows SmartPhone
- Pocket PC Phone Edition
- Windows Mobile Professional
- Automotive Windows
- Windows Phone
The CE line has remained a staple product for Microsoft. Over the past 24 years, Windows CE has powered devices as diverse as ATMs, automotive entertainment systems, the Zune MP3 player, and dozens of games for the Sega Dreamcast console.
Currently, Windows CE is officially called “Windows Embedded Compact”. Its last version (version 8.0) dates from 2013, and it will be supported until 2023. Over time, Microsoft has de-emphasized Embedded Compact in favor of XP Embedded, followed by NT Embedded, Windows RT and now Windows 10 for ARM.
Honestly, it’s a miracle that even Microsoft manages to keep everything straight. Nonetheless, CE lives on in many industries, and likely will remain so for at least a decade in mission-critical embedded systems running legacy code.
If you have the time to understand the full breadth and majesty of the Windows CE family, you can review the detailed operating system history of HPCFactor. For now, the soul of Windows CE will continue to evolve in the background, doing its work integrated on devices around the world.
