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Microsoft lures big names for embedded OS
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MICROSOFT has lined up high-profile partners for an upcoming version of its Windows software designed to be stuffed into all sorts of nontraditional computing gadgets.
Microsoft is developing the operating system, called Windows XP Embedded, in partnership with Bally's video casino-game organization, Fujitsu-Siemens' set-top box group and Siemens' factory robot group, said Kim Akers, director of Microsoft's embedded and appliance group.
Microsoft has been working for years on the "embedded" market, facing myriad smaller companies and now the additional threats of Linux and Java. But the effort hasn't been a broad success.
Microsoft is aiming to spread its Windows software into as many devices as it can, a move that would increase the company's revenue and make Windows even more common as the foundation on which programmers and software companies base their work.
Microsoft selected the partners for this Rapid Development Group based on the firmness of their plans to release products using the version of Windows, Akers said. Though the companies won't get to look at the closely held source code that underlies Windows or get paid for their debugging help, they are expected to help uncover bugs and performance problems Microsoft overlooks, she said.
(SD-Agencies)
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