Microsoft News Tracker

Microsoft today announced that a community technology preview (CTP) of XP-based Windows Embedded Standard 2009 is now available with customer shipment planned for 4Q08.

Featuring new technologies including Microsoft Silverlight, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 6.1, and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Embedded Standard 2009 is designed to drive managed and secure thin clients, sophisticated point of service and kiosk devices requiring visually compelling user experiences, and smart networked multifunction printers that are easy to manage and connect with enterprise infrastructure. Windows Embedded Standard 2009 also includes componentized drivers for Intel Corporation’s latest x86 processor architectures [e.g. Intel Atom Processor - ed.], providing device makers with the flexibility to access the latest generation of hardware.

I am always intrigued by the Windows Embedded challenge of jamming increasingly amplitudinous Windows client operating systems into various gadgets since it seems like a neat piece of retro engineering if not a magic trick. If you aren’t familiar with the specifics of the family members, Microsoft has this concise overview chart.

Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc reports that Microsoft has released Windows Search 4.0 which replaces Windows Desktop Search in Windows XP and Instant Search in Windows Vista as well as the relevant applications in Windows Server 2003, 2008, and Windows Home Server. Downloads of Windows Search 4.0 are now available and if you can wait a bit, it will show up on Windows Update.

Some notable enhancements in the new version include cross system searches (as long as they all run Windows Search 4.0) and improved Group Policy management for large organizations, but I expect that the greatest initial interest will be in ordinary desktop search. XP’s Windows Desktop Search was a resource hog that produced such mediocre results that disabling it figured prominently on most lists of XP performance improvement tips and had me pining for my old copy of Lotus Magellan. Vista’s Instant Search is certainly improved in both form and function so it will be interesting to kick the tires. Early reviews of Windows Search 4.0 indicate that there are still some rough edges and while it beats Google Desktop search in function, it still lags in speed.