Intel Galileo single-board PC

Microsoft pitches Windows for Internet of Things to maker community

Life
Intel Galileo single-board PC. Image: IDGNS

12 August 2014

Microsoft “rightfully sees IoT devices as being a huge opportunity, both in terms of selling the embedded solutions that power those IoT devices, and to make sure the IoT devices connect and pass their data back to a Windows Server on the back end,” Gillen said.

Microsoft has published open source development tools for Galileo on GitHub. There are examples on the site of how to make a thermal sensor, piano and LED lighting system via specialised ports on the board.

Intel also sells Galileo boards with a lightweight version of Linux through distributors. But the Windows OS is only available through boards distributed by Microsoft, Intel said.

Microsoft will ultimately make the OS available for anyone who buys the Galileo board, though the company did not provide a timeframe.

Targeting
“We will have a plan for you. Keep track of our social networking sites for an announcement,” Microsoft said on a GitHub page targeted at those who already own a Galileo board.

Galileo originally shipped last year, but Intel has since announced a second version of the board called Galileo Gen2, which will become available this month. Intel did not comment on whether Galileo Gen2 will be compatible with the new Windows software, saying it would be up to Microsoft to make that happen.

Microsoft recently started taking orders for another $299 development board called Sharks Cove, which has a more power-consuming Intel chip and is designed more for writing drivers than for developing small devices.

The original Galileo board has a 400MHz Quark SoC X1000 processor, and supports PCI-Express, Ethernet and USB 2.0. It also has a range of ports to attach cameras, displays, sensors, power arrays and other components.

Agam Shah, IDG News Service

Read More:


Back to Top ↑

TechCentral.ie