The Windows CE operating system was developed for small, embedded mobile devices and was first released in 1996. Nowadays, however, Windows CE is hardly used any more, as other operating systems have come onto the market that seem more suitable for today's challenges. DENSO WAVE EUROPE remains the only supplier in the industry to offer two mobile data capture devices equipped with Windows CE. Dirk Gelbrich, Manager Technical Department at DENSO, explains the advantages behind this - which may not be obvious at first glance.
Even today, there are still applications that run optimally with Windows CE and have worked stably for many years. It is therefore an advantage to provide devices that are still compatible with these systems. "Overall, Windows CE may no longer be the most popular operating system, but it has proved its worth. In existing projects, we offer our customers the support they need and also fulfil individual requests wherever possible," explains Gelbrich. "The fact that DENSO is the only provider in the industry to continue to supply devices with Windows CE is therefore not old-fashioned, but service-orientated. We always want to support our customers - especially because time and personnel capacities are valuable assets," continues Gelbrich.
For some companies in logistics, manufacturing, Retail and production, it can also be difficult to introduce new devices and reorganise processes. "Porting from Windows CE to a newer operating system such as Android is not quick and easy, but always involves a lot of effort. However, many companies cannot afford longer downtimes," explains Gelbrich.
Particularly in the area of production and supply chains, processes must function smoothly and data volumes must be correctly provided for further processing. Modern operating systems may offer more options, but this is not always what users need in their daily work. Windows CE, on the other hand, is simple and efficient at the same time. For example, the operating system can react immediately to user input and events, but has also been designed for low power consumption. This makes it ideal for use in mobile and embedded devices, such as the BHT-1300 or BHT-1400. Windows CE also offers secure communication and support for a wide range of programming languages. The easy-to-use user interface is a further advantage for many users who utilise the operating system in their existing projects.
BHT-1300 and BHT-1400 with Windows CE or DENSO-OS
In addition to Windows CE, DENSO offers its own operating system, DENSO-OS, which maximises reliability and ensures smooth operation. DENSO's own operating system is specially tailored to data capture applications and offers maximum security: there is no malware for DENSO-OS, making the operating system virtually impossible to attack from the outside. The BHT-1300 can be supplied with Windows CE or DENSO-OS.
With its excellent scanning performance, the BHT-1300 is an ideal handheld terminal for use in logistics, warehousing, production or retail. The 2D model weighs just 188 grams and reads barcodes in any direction, regardless of the angle. Thanks to its rugged design, the handheld terminal can be used at temperatures as low as -20 °C and as high as +50 °C. Equipped with Windows CE or DENSO-OS, the BHT-1300 ensures long, uninterrupted operation.
Thanks to its rugged design, the BHT-1400 is also ideal for use in logistics, warehousing, production or Retail. Thanks to its state-of-the-art scan engine, the handheld can capture barcodes in various formats and qualities effortlessly and reliably. As the BHT-1400 is particularly energy-efficient, the handheld terminal can be used continuously for up to 32 hours without recharging. This means there is no downtime.
As a provider of high-quality Auto-ID solutions, DENSO WAVE offers the possibility of efficient process handling with Windows CE with these two handheld terminals. This is another reason why many companies have been working with DENSO for decades.
