Microsoft looks to put Windows 7 on tablets

Microsoft preview Windows Embedded Compact 7, which is aimed at providing Windows 7 technology for smaller, next-generation devices like tablets.

Microsoft has previously released Windows Embedded Standard 7, which brought Windows 7 to set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and TVs.

With Windows Embedded Compact 7, manufacturers will be able to put Windows 7 on tablets, slates and portable media players.

Asus has previewed Windows Embedded Compact 7 on its Eee Pad EP101TC 10, and the cut down OS is likely to be the Windows technology used on these types of devices rather than Windows Mobile 7, which is specifically built for smartphones.

This means that the Vole's baby operating system will be going directly against tablets with Linux operating systems like Google's Android and the upcoming Meego OS from Intel and Nokia.

Windows Embedded provides tools and technologies to allow hardware manufacturers to build on the device, as well as offer support for ARM-based architecture.

It should also allow users to share and manage content over networked devices, allowing people to share content from the Internet with each other.

It is still at an early stage, made available by Microsoft to the public as a public community tech preview program, but should be available to manufacturing in the fourth quarter of the year.

As usual, the Vole is late to the tablet party like it was with smartphones, though, and it remains to be seen whether we will still care about tablets by the time hardware built for this Microsoft software finally gets released.