SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 7, 1998 - Speaking to more than 2,000 attendees at the third annual Microsoft® Windows® CE Developers Conference, Microsoft Corp. Group Vice President Paul Maritz today outlined the strategic direction and design goals for the Windows CE operating system in the coming year. Maritz emphasized Microsoft's corporate commitment to the platform and also announced new third-party support for Windows CE.

"With Windows CE, we are engaged with the same long-term outlook as when we started with Windows NT® 10 years ago," Maritz said. "We've been building this platform since 1993, and it now involves every part of Microsoft." He added that developers are integral to the overall growth of the Windows CE platform. Currently there are more than 5 million developers for Windows.

During his speech, Maritz announced an agreement with Intel Corp. to cooperate on enhancing and accelerating the implementation of computing technology for the automobile market. Intel Vice President Mike Aymar joined Maritz to announce an agreement between the two firms to work closely on future in-car computing technology, using the Auto PC and Intel microprocessors as a platform.

Major computer industry executives, and customers using solutions based on Windows CE also joined Maritz:

• Gordon Eubanks, chairman of Symantec Corp. (rapid development tools for deploying PC Anywhere software on Windows CE-based devices)
• David Albert, M.D., CEO of StatView (a paging/alert system with medical records updates)
• Jimmy Fortuna, product manager for advanced platforms at Radiant Systems Inc. (retail point-of-sale system for Chick-fil-A restaurants)

Maritz also reviewed key announcements made earlier at the conference, including the following:

• Commitment to support hard real-time characteristics in Windows CE
• Nearly 20 agreements with value-added distributors and systems integrators in the embedded-systems market
• Distribution of preview releases for Auto PC and Palm PC software development kits to all attendees

"Our vision for Windows has always been one of scalability and benefits that accrue to developers with a common platform," he said. "With Windows CE, we are extending that vision into new markets, driven by a common platform, common APIs and common tools, while maintaining synergy with other Windows platforms. This uniquely enables developers, in conjunction with hardware partners, to deliver compelling solutions, whether for PC Companion products, consumer products in the home, or embedded systems."

Noting that attendance at this year's conference was nearly triple that of last year, Maritz said, "We are excited by the enthusiasm and support that developers are showing for Windows CE, and we intend to enable those developers to create new and exciting products across the board." Windows CE is extending the reach of Windows into new categories of information devices and embedded systems, giving software developers a unique opportunity to create a wide range of applications for business and home markets.

Windows CE was designed to provide connectivity and interoperability support to power the new generation of interconnected computing devices. Because the modular, scalable Windows CE platform is based on the Win32® API, developers can leverage their programming knowledge to build embedded systems and applications. The Win32 process model creates the first widely available platform to foster a thriving third-party industry, with products ranging from advanced development and analysis tools to network protocols, software libraries and utilities. To date, more than 30 hardware companies have either shipped or have announced plans to ship products powered by Windows CE, and more than 250 applications for Windows CE are commercially available.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

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