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September 16, 2002
NCS Partners with Microsoft to Deliver Mobile Solutions Microsoft Releases SQL Server CE 2.0 and Beta 2 of .NET Compact Framework; Softwa4re Partners Announce Additional Solutions to Complement .NET Device Development
REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
-- Microsoft also today took the wraps off a surging partner community committed to delivering add-on solutions for .NET mobile development. With Microsoft's mobile platform and partner technologies, developers benefit from a tightly integrated solution that provides familiar database technology and a consistent programming model and toolset across device, desktop and server. "We're delivering a complete, coherent mobile development platform so that .NET developers can hit the ground running to create and deploy smarter mobile applications," said Tom Button, vice president of the Developer Platform and Evangelism Division at Microsoft. "The vast community of .NET programmers will bring a new level of skill and imagination to mobile development, which will ultimately translate into powerful new applications for enterprise end users." SQL Server CE 2.0, available today for download, is the compact database for rapidly developing applications that extend enterprise data management capabilities to devices. Version 2.0 integrates with the .NET Compact Framework through Visual Studio .NET smart device features, providing application users, developers and database administrators with a highly flexible, easy-to-use platform for mobile applications. With SQL Server CE 2.0, users have the ability to store rich data locally on smart devices for offline use when there is no connectivity to the back-end database server. This version includes performance improvements as well as new features, such as a connectivity wizard, intrinsic functions and an enhanced on-device query tool, that allow for easy deployment. SQL Server 2000, with SQL Server CE 2.0, offers an end-to-end solution that enables enterprises to extend their data out to smart devices in new ways to enhance their business and productivity. Microsoft is seeing tremendous support for SQL Server CE 2.0 from customers such as Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Eagle Rock Distributing Co., and Kraft Foods North America -- Nabisco Biscuit and Snacks Group. "Using SQL Server CE together with the .NET Compact Framework and SQL Server 2000 gave Pen Rite Systems a suite of integrated development solutions providing seamless replication between 300 distributed, disconnected databases and the central server," said Richard Peirini, CEO of Pen Rite Systems Inc. "The development tools allowed us to quickly create custom controls, integrate peripherals such as scanners and modems quickly, and provide our client, GlaxoSmithKline, with an application that had immediate access to enterprise data on the device, reducing the store call time by more than 50 percent." The .NET Compact Framework and Visual Studio .NET are Microsoft's developer platform and tools for programming applications for smart devices. The .NET Compact Framework provides key features for smart devices such as a programming model unified with the .NET Framework on the desktop, integral support for XML Web services, enterprise-class data access using ADO.NET and XML, and rich class libraries that enable developers to build powerful applications in minimal time. Visual Studio .NET includes smart device features that transparently extend the development experience to mobile development. Through Visual Studio .NET and the .NET Compact Framework, developers have a single integrated development environment (IDE) and programming model for developing applications ranging from the largest servers to the smallest devices. "The .NET Compact Framework and Visual Studio .NET complement Xerox Global Services' commitment to mobilize our people with devices and applications that improve operational efficiency," said Ken Kaisen, vice president and general manager, Xerox Office Solutions and Services. "The .NET Compact Framework enables Xerox to extend the functionality of our server-based asset management applications to mobile devices, allowing our on-site staff to receive e-mail alerts as well as access and input information in real time, which reduces downtime and improves our clients' productivity." The .NET Compact Framework beta 2 will be delivered today as part of an initial private beta release of Visual Studio "Everett," the next version of Microsoft's flagship development tool that will be available to all current registered beta 1 customers. More information about the .NET Compact Framework beta 2 is available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/device/compact.asp . Partners Announce Solutions to Complement Microsoft's Mobile Platform Microsoft today also unveiled a growing
partner community dedicated to delivering solutions that enrich the
development and deployment of and access to mobile .NET applications. This
creates a win-win situation for Microsoft and its large ISV community and
benefits developers, who reap rewards through a broad range of tool
offerings, all available within a single, familiar IDE. Partners
announcing add-on solutions today include /n software Inc., Agilent
Technologies, Accompany ME Technology, Computer Associates International
Inc., eDial Inc., FlyteComm Corp., FMS Inc., GeoComm Systems, GeoVector
Corp., Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device. NOTE: Microsoft, Windows and Visual Studio are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. For more information on the .NET
Compact Framework: For more information on Visual Studio
.NET: For more information on SQL Server CE
2.0: Download a copy of the .NET Case Study (197K .pdf) |