Differences between Windows CE .NET 4.2 and Windows CE 5.0

Microsoft’s Windows CE 5.0 is a compact, modular operating system that combines the functionality of Windows with real-time processing support for portable computing devices.

Customer Benefit

Users are comfortable with the Windows environment and can use common programs such as Internet Explorer and Microsoft Word Pad. With over 5 million application developers worldwide, Windows CE is extremely popular with sample support in the marketplace. The new Windows CE 5.0 offers Rich Application support, easy and secure integration with PCs and complete communication compatibility.

Windows CE 5.0 Overview

Windows CE 5.0 a componentized operating system (OS) available to developers and device manufacturers to create customized embedded devices. It belongs to the Microsoft family of embedded operating systems and is the Evolution of Microsoft Windows CE .NET 4.2.
Designed from the ground up with the embedded marketplace in mind, Windows CE 5.0 combines an advanced, real-time operating system and the most powerful tools for rapidly building mobile applications. Built on its own code base, different from the desktop, Windows CE 5.0 provides a componentized, customizable, embedded OS that offers rich configuration and application options for a broad range of devices. Device manufacturers have the ability to use Windows CE 5.0 to build both a customized OS and applications for a variety of devices requiring a small-footprint.
Platform Builder is the integrated development environment for building, debugging, and deploying a customized embedded OS based on Windows CE.  Windows CE 5.0 serves as the underlying OS for Windows Mobile 2005 for Pocket PC.

Windows CE 5.0 vs Windows CE .NET 4.2 one to one compairson

(x) With Compact Framework 2 Service Pack1 no differences in terms of development between Windows CE .NET 4.2 and Windows CE 5.0

Storage and File System

In terms of Storage and File System, Windows CE 5.0 adds new features to Windows CE .NET 4.2 such as  Embedded Database (EBD) based on SQL Server CE 3.0 with advanced Database functionality and new APIs for protecting data and improving device security.

Device Drivers

Windows CE 5.0 introduces the Driver support for more peripherals and interface such as  the USB 2 host and update Windows CE .NET 4.2 with a new design of Device Manager for supporting removable media and Power Manager  to lock and flush File System individually.

Browser

Windows CE 5.0 introduces new Browser features compared with Windows CE .NET 4.2 : the support for Blocking pop-up windows, the full RPC support for Internet Explorer, that is a requirement for rendering properly particular Web Sites, and the full Internet Explorer support for Platform for Privacy Preferences (P3P).

International

Windows CE 5.0 supports natively complex script like Arabic, Hebrew, Thai and adds to Windows CE .NET 4.2 the support of Simplified Chinese. Both Operating systems have the possibility to support Japanese, Korean and the Soft Keyboard input method.

 
Development

Windows CE 5.0 is equipped with Compact Framework 2.0 this means that the Application Development  is compatible with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. With the new Service Pack 1 of Compact Framework 2 is now possible to develop Mobile Applications with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 (CF2) also on Windows CE .NET 4.2 Operating System. With this new Service Pack you can develop on Windows CE 5.0 equipped devices as well as on Windows CE .NET 4.2 devices with the same development tools.

Shell

Windows CE 5.0 adds to Windows CE .NET 4.2 new Graphical User Interface Shell components : Animation Control, List View, Image List. These new features enrich and empower the look and feeling of the Operating System Shell.

VoIp and Gateway

Windows CE 5.0 empowers the VoIP functionality of Windows CE .NET 4.2.
In Windows CE 5.0 the Exchange Server is integrated at Operating System level as well as the Voice Messaging Server and the User Identity authentication for phone lock and unlock. Another new feature of Windows CE 5.0 is the IPv6 support and the compatibility with DHCP v6 Lite.

Multimedia

The Multimedia has been drammatically improved in Windows CE 5.0. The new Direct 3D Mobile allows a better and flexible usage of drawing functions as well as a more powerfull video rendering.The Audio APIs has been updated and empowered for supporting a fine Audio tuning.

Security

The Security is the key point in Windows CE 5.0. All the security systems have been redesigned and improved compared with those of the Windows CE .NET 4.2 package. Windows CE 5.0 integrates new Cryptography APIs for supporting new security Standard such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and implements a new NT Style Access control providing greater security level.
The certificate chaining engine has been upgraded in order to improve the Operating System Robustness.

Read more about Windows CE 5.0 at microsoft or download Microsoft Compact Framework Version 2.0 Service Pack 1 Beta version. This Service Pack makes now possible to develop applications with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 running on Windows CE.NET 4.2 Operating System.

With Microsoft Compact Framework Version 2.0 Service Pack 1 Beta version , you can now develop applications based on Microsoft Compact Framework 2.0 properly running on Windows CE .NET 4.2 based devices like Datalogic Kyman-NET, Datalogic Viper-NET and Datalogic Rhino-NET.