Microsoft is set to preview the next release of Windows CE, code-named "Macallan." Development for the embedded operating system has been the primary focus of Windows CE 5.0. Redmond is placing emphasis on streamlining and improving the platform's development tools, while also beefing up its security and multimedia capabilities.

In an effort to decrease development time and costs, the Windows CE product team has tacked the command-line environment onto the integrated development environment (IDE). On top of unifying the tools, Microsoft has ported its Windows error reporting system to CE, and offers developers a new set of automated testing tools.

New drivers power popular embedded chipsets out of the box, reducing and possibly eliminating the need for customized code.

"I call it, Microsoft's 'cookie cutter approach to software development,'" Joe Wilcox, senior Jupiter Research analyst, told BetaNews. "Microsoft is taking a more back-to-basics approach to software development. The company is investing heavily in product development tools, recognizing that no operating system succeeds without applications.  Last week's XNA game development is a good example."

Some pundits have wondered aloud whether or not such a "cookie cutter" approach would sap the creativity out of software development. "If the creativity goes and developers rely on Windows recipes, what will that do to innovation?" said Wilcox.

Keeping in line with the company-wide Trustworthy Computing Initiative, Windows CE 5.0 will ship with all of its components in lockdown, set to their highest security settings.  Developers can turn features on as needed.

To replicate the desktop multimedia experience, Microsoft has enabled Direct3D Mobile support, which is based upon the standard DirectX COM-based programming model. Other multimedia features new to CE 5.0 include a technology to decrease playback start time, dubbed "Fast Start."

Intel has partnered with Microsoft to synch D3DMobile with its Xscale processor technology to achieve maximum battery life, as well as miniaturized form factors.

A technology preview kit of Windows CE 5.0 will be available to developers starting April 1. A final release is on schedule for this summer.