Windows Embedded POSReady (next generation of Windows Embedded for Point of Service)

Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 is an optimized operating system platform designed for point-of-service systems. Based on the technologies available in Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 3, it is an easy-to-use point-of-service platform optimized for the retail industry.

Advantages for Point-of-Service Devices

Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 offers the following advantages to retail and hospitality organizations:

• Ease of Use. Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 is a point-of-service operating system platform to provide Plug-n-Play peripheral support. Extending standard desktop PC plug-n-play support to retail device peripherals, this will enable retailers to quickly install and integrate current and legacy retail device peripherals into a point-of-service system. The platform also offers a standard platform optimized for retail and hospitality applications and familiar device management technologies.
• Empowerment. Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 also empowers retailers to create the most compelling customer interactions by providing a standard retail-optimized platform that includes the required retail-specific technologies and full support for standard retail applications and device peripherals.
• Lower Life-cycle Costs. Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 provides low retail point-of-service life-cycle costs by decreasing OS and application development costs, deployment costs, servicing and maintenance costs, and point-of-service hardware costs while providing the longest published product support life cycle for point-of-service systems.

Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 Functionality

Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 provides:

• Plug-n-Play functionality (via POS for .NET) for retail device peripherals such as scanners, MSRs, and receipt printers
• Easy setup and installation
• Flexibility to add/remove optional Windows components after deployment
• Operating system updates from Microsoft via Windows Update
• Support for standard PC network management solutions
• Microsoft .NET Framework support for application developers building smart, connected applications
• Internet Explorer Web browser software
• Windows Media Technologies for checkout lane advertising and training scenarios
• Remote installation support and support for installing to and from USB/Flash drives
• Multilanguage support and Language Collections
• Option to boot from USB/Flash drives
• Dual-display support

Application and Device Peripheral Support

From the check-in counter to the checkout lane, Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 meets the business process needs and customer interface requirements in retail and hospitality settings. The platform has been engineered to integrate seamlessly with both legacy and next-generation point-of-service systems.

• The Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 platform provides support for the UnifiedPOS standards for retail device peripherals, including cash drawer, check scanner, line display, MSR, PIN pad, keyboard, printer, and scanner.
• Non-UnifiedPOS devices can be easily supported via a "generic" device base class supported by Windows Embedded POS for .NET.
• Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 supports applications written to the Win32® APIs and .NET framework, and also provides support for 3^rd party Java virtual machines.
• Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 is compatible with applications written for Windows 9X, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP, providing the widest range of available software for the point of sale.

Typical Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 Systems

Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 is designed for a full line of point-of-service systems such as:

• Full-function point-of-sale workstations
• Customer-facing information kiosks
• Self-checkout systems
• Installation on select legacy point-of-service devices

Building Devices with Windows Embedded POSReady 2009

Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 has a smaller operating system footprint than the standard Windows XP Professional and can be installed on new and existing point-of-service systems. The baseline operating system hardware requirements are:

• 233 MHz PII Processor
• 64 MB RAM memory (512 MB of RAM is recommended) with a paging file. If you are not using a paging file, POSReady requires a minimum of 512 MB of RAM.

• Minimum of 520 MB of free disk space without a paging file. Actual requirements will vary based on the system configuration and the applications and features that you choose to install.