Windows Embedded Goes Retail

After hogging retail shelf space for a decade, Microsoft is working to place Windows in a new location: inside the register. As part of its Smarter Retailing initiative, launched last year at the National Retail Federation Conference, Microsoft has unveiled a customized version of Windows XP Embedded for retail outlets. The software, dubbed Windows Embedded for Point of Service, is due for release in spring 2005.

The embedded operating system utilizes plug-and-play to ease the installation of retail peripherals, the first solution to provide such capability according to Microsoft. "Our vision for Smarter Retailing is paying off with retail solutions that take advantage of the interoperability and integration advantages of the Microsoft .NET Framework combined with standards-based software that will provide immediate and long-term benefits to retailers," said Brian Scott, general manager for the Retail & Hospitality Industry Solutions Unit at Microsoft.