Bij WinInformant is te lezen dat Microsoft de eerste beta-versie van Windows Whistler Embedded gisteren door Microsoft gereleased is. Zoals gebruikelijk is het programma weer alleen door geregistreerde betatesters te downloaden vanaf BetaPlace. Het besturingssysteem is bedoeld voor apparaten als pinautomaten of geavanceerde videorecorders. Microsoft is zelf behoorlijk trots op het OS, dat waarschijnlijk in het 4e kwartaal van 2001 officieel beschikbaar zal worden. Het grote verschil met de gewone Whistler zal zijn dat Embedded veel meer zal kunnen toespitsen op één bepaald apparaat, doordat alle onderdelen apart installeerbaar zijn:
Microsoft announced on Monday the release of "Whistler Embedded" Beta 1, the next version of Embedded Windows based on the Windows 2000 platform. Whistler Embedded is a componentized version of Windows targeted at a range of embedded scenarios, such as Windows-based terminals, advanced Internet-capable set-top boxes, and retail point-of-sale (PoS) kiosks. Microsoft notes that with the release of Whistler Embedded coming only 48 days after the release of the first mainstream Whistler beta, the company is underscoring its commitment to moving Windows into the embedded space quickly.Whistler Embedded is being developed around three design goals. First, Microsoft wants to deliver a version of Whistler that is extensively componentized so that appliance and other non-PC device developers can pick and choose only those features that they absolutely need. Secondly, the company wants to deliver Whistler Embedded quickly, within 90 days of the release of the mainstream desktop and server versions of the product, which will go on sale in Q3 2001.