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|Overview | | |“Having the single development environment with Visual Studio 2005 for native and managed code helped|

|Country or Region: The Netherlands | | |us develop the device’s applications rapidly. The work would normally take nine to 12 months.” |

|Industry: Consumer Electronics | | |Maarten Struys, Technical Manager, PTS Software |

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|Customer Profile | | | |

|Commodore International Corporation (CIC), | | | |

|based in Baarn, the Netherlands, develops | | | |

|innovative digital media services, software, | | | |

|and hardware. | | | |

| | | | |

|Business Situation | | | |

|CIC planned to release a range of products | | | |

|supporting digital media services such as | | | |

|audio and video streaming. It wanted to | | | |

|launch the Gravel in Pocket at the CeBIT 2007| | | |

|digital technology showcase. | | | |

| | | | |

|Solution | | | |

|The company built a software platform for the| | | |

|Gravel in Pocket based on Windows® CE version| | | |

|5.0—with the support of Windows Embedded | | | |

|Partner PTS Software for application | | | |

|development. | | | |

| | | | |

|Benefits | | | |

|Easy-to-use tools. | | | |

|Single development environment. | | | |

|Great partner support. | | | |

|Clear licensing. | | | |

|Long product life cycle. | | | |

| | | |Commodore International Corporation (CIC), based in the Netherlands, planned to develop a range of |

| | | |innovative digital media services. One, the Gravel-in-Pocket, aimed to meet the increasing demand for|

| | | |music and video streaming through handheld devices. To launch the product at CeBIT 2007—the digital |

| | | |showcase event—CIC needed to develop the software platform rapidly. It chose Windows® CE version 5.0 |

| | | |as the operating system and worked with Windows Embedded Partner PTS Software to create the |

| | | |application layer. As a result, CIC saved up to five months in development time and established a |

| | | |reliable software platform supporting the latest media formats such as MPEG 4, Xvid, DivX, and |

| | | |Windows Media® Video (WMV). The organisation now plans to upgrade the device to the latest version, |

| | | |Windows Embedded CE 6.0. |

| | | | |

|[pic] | | |[pic] |

| | | | |

Situation

To maintain competitive advantage in digital media services, companies need compelling services, reliably delivered. With the market’s huge rate of growth, consumers demand devices that break new ground and perform exceptionally well. As a result, companies in the industry face significant technical challenges. One of the most significant challenges is finding embedded operating systems with the reliability and performance to drive development and encourage innovation.

Commodore International Corporation (CIC), based in Baarn, the Netherlands, is committed to building on the strong heritage of its brand. Through innovative digital media services, CIC is delivering on the brand promise of user-friendly technology with great features for personalisation. Among the services are CommodoreWorld and Gravel—a range of Wi-Fi-enabled hardware devices.

CIC planned to release a number of Gravel products, including Gravel in Car, Gravel in Home, and Gravel in Pocket. The devices would support services such as audio and video streaming, with launch dates timed for the highest impact. For example, CIC planned to unveil handheld Gravel in Pocket at the digital technology showcase CeBIT 2007 in Hannover, Germany. Hendrik van Iterson, Vice President of Research and Development at CIC, says: “We set ourselves a tight deadline for delivering the Gravel in Pocket. In this business, these showcases are critical in successfully launching new products.”

The schedule gave CIC a timeframe of less than 12 months to complete development of the device’s core software platform. Choosing the right operating system and selecting a partner to complete the platform’s design rapidly would be crucial. Van Iterson, who has a lot of experience in IT software, was clear what the operating system needed to deliver:

■ Great feature sets combined with excellent reliability.

■ Integrated multi-media and networking capabilities.

■ Development tools that promoted quick and secure programming.

Furthermore, Van Iterson knew what he wanted from a partner. He says: “We looked for one that had the right level of expertise and was close enough to arrange meetings easily. I didn’t want to have to jump on a plane when it came to meeting face-to-face.”

Solution

Van Iterson understood the value of Microsoft® software. While working for a different company, he worked on a content delivery platform built using the Microsoft .NET Framework, Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000, and Microsoft Windows Media® Services. “I like the Microsoft approach to technology—a combination of excellent development life cycles and partner support,” he says.

Based on the criteria listed for the Gravel in Pocket operating system, CIC chose Windows® CE version 5.0. Among its advantages, the solution delivers wireless technologies for mobile devices and easy-to-use tools that increase developer productivity. Crucially for CIC, Windows CE is also supported by a global network of partners—providing expertise locally.

Microsoft helped CIC contact Windows Embedded Gold Certified Partner PTS Software, also based in Baarn. “It gave me peace of mind that we had a Windows Embedded partner so near. With a project of this importance, we wanted to work closely with our partners,” says Van Iterson. Within the Gravel in Pocket project, PTS Software had to complete the software platform, adding the application layer to the platform running Windows CE 5.0.

When building the application layer, PTS Software developers maximised efficiency by using the following tools:

■ Platform Builder for Windows CE—an integrated development environment (IDE) helping programmers build, test, and debug Windows CE operating system design.

■ Microsoft .NET Compact Framework—a version of the Microsoft .NET Framework aimed at developers building secure, downloadable applications for handheld devices.

■ Microsoft Visual Studio® 2005—software development environment to create applications.

The combination of Visual Studio 2005 and the .NET Compact Framework helped PTS Software build the application software to deadline. Maarten Struys, Technical Manager at PTS Software, says: “With Visual Studio 2005, you can create managed applications for the .NET Compact Framework and native applications. You don’t need to learn two development environments. It makes the development process far more efficient.”

For Struys, tools such as Platform Builder Kernel Tracker and Remote Registry Editor also reduced development time. “Kernel Tracker helps diagnose weird behaviour,” he says. “It’s like a low-cost logic analyser, helping debug your system quickly by tracking thread and process interactions and timings.” He believes Remote Registry Editor helped save many hours of labour. Part of the Remote Tools for Information Management in Platform Builder for Windows CE 5.0, the tool ensures you can modify the registry on a device without having to rebuild the platform.

With support from online sources such as the Microsoft Developer Network (), PTS Software completed the application layer in around seven months. The Wi-Fi-enabled Gravel in Pocket, with 2.8-inch screen, was launched at the CeBIT 2007 event. Visitors saw its music and video streaming capability for supporting multiple formats such as MP3 and WMA for music and MPEG 4, DivX, Xvid, and Windows Media Video (WMV).

Benefits

The combination of Windows CE 5.0 and the support of PTS Software helped CIC overcome the key technical challenge in the digital media service world—finding the right operating system to drive development and innovation. As a result, CIC managed to hit the target of launching the Gravel in Pocket at CeBIT 2007, delivering a handheld device supporting the most popular media formats and gaining a competitive advantage in the market.

Easy-to-Use Development Environment

Working with Windows CE development tools—such as the .NET Compact Framework, Visual Studio 2005, and Platform Builder—ensured PTS Software met its deadline for producing the device’s core applications. Struys says: “Having the single development environment with Visual Studio 2005 for native and managed code helped us develop the device’s applications in seven months.

“We saved up to five months work because we could use one code base for the application layer for two different devices: the Gravel in Home and the Gravel in Pocket. Even though the hardware for both devices differs dramatically, we created one single application for both devices using the .NET Compact Framework.”

The simplicity of the environment also ensures developers familiar with the standard .NET Framework can become good embedded application developers in weeks. Struys says: “A developer doesn’t require a lot of time to become familiar with the .NET Compact Framework. Any managed developer, for example, can programme an application for Windows CE environments in a week or two. It’s a great story.”

Comprehensive Partner System

The support of PTS Software helped ensure the Gravel in Pocket launched at the digital technology showcase. For CIC, this highlights the value of the Windows Embedded global partner network. Van Iterson says: “I think the Windows Embedded partner network is unique. You can find local support easily.”

The network represents the emphasis on collaboration and support across the Microsoft product groups. Van Iterson says: “I also work with the Windows Media group, which has a partner network as well. You find partners from different groups work successfully together.”

Licensing Visibility Supports Better Planning

Van Iterson believes the clear licensing model for using Windows CE is more cost effective. On paper, alternative embedded solutions can look cheaper, but additional cost facts lead to greater expense. “Maybe some other operating system licences look less expensive,” he says. “However, if you have longer development cycles and need more developers, there are cost implications. The Windows Embedded CE list of components includes Windows Media player. It’s a one-stop shop for most of the components we need.”

Product Life Cycle Encourages Innovation

Microsoft has continued to develop Windows CE—releasing Windows Embedded CE 6.0 in 2007. For Van Iterson, it highlights a commitment to supporting developers working in the embedded space. “We have already completed a quick porting of the Gravel in Home platform to Windows CE Embedded 6.0 to see how it works,” he says. Key benefits of the latest-version technology for Van Iterson included the fact that it supports up to 32,000 simultaneous processes, as much as 2 gigabytes of virtual memory space for each process.

Windows Embedded

The Windows Embedded family of products helps you turn your vision and ingenuity into superior business results. Windows Embedded consists of Windows Embedded CE, Windows XP Embedded and Windows Embedded for Point of Service. These operating system technologies combine with the best set of tools and support to provide you the control to build what you want, accelerated time to market, and industry-leading support.

For more information about Windows Embedded, please visit: windowsembedded

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| |Software and Services

■ Products

− Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

− Microsoft Windows CE 5.0

− Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 Networked Media Device Feature Pack |

■ Technologies

− Microsoft .NET Compact Framework

− Platform Builder for Windows CE | |

“A developer doesn’t require a lot of time to become familiar with the .NET Compact Framework. Any managed developer can programme an application for Windows CE environments in a week or two.”

Maarten Struys, Technical Manager, PTS Software

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© 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published June 2007 | | |

For More Information

For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to:

For more information about PTS Software products and services, visit the Web site at: pts.nl

For more information about Commodore International Corporation products and services, visit the Web site at:

“It gave me peace of mind that we had a Windows Embedded partner so near. With a project of this importance, we wanted to work closely with our partners.”

Hendrik van Iterson, Vice President of Research and Development, CIC

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“I think the Windows Embedded partner network is unique. You can find local support easily.”

Hendrik van Iterson, Vice President of Research and Development, CIC

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