Microsoft announced Windows codename Chelan at TechEd North America 2009. Windows Chelan is the codename of the upcoming Windows Embedded Compact, the successor of Windows Embedded CE 6.0.

Window Embedded Compact is expected to include new key features including:

• Dual Core Support (SMP, ARMv6)
• WIFI Positioning System
• Bluetooth 2.1 stack
• Cellcore
• DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)
• DRM
• Media Transfer Protocol
• IE7 Rendering Rich Media Plug-Ins
• NDIS 6.1 support
• Multi Touch Input
• Rich UX^* based on .NET 3.0/3.5

^(*)UX include C++ XAML API using technologies like WPF and Silverlight for attractive and functional user interfaces.

Windows Embedded Compact OS has the same architecture and core of Windows Embedded CE 6.0, so the porting of WinCE 6.0 based BSPs “Board Support Packages” should be straight forward for compatibility issues.

Windows Embedded Compact will finally become a plug-in for Visual Studio 2008, however there is no news whether it will become a plug-in for the upcoming Visual Studio 2010 or not since the last one removed Smart Device programmability features from it.

Microsoft didn’t want to declare more news about the new Windows codename Chelan. I think they’re true in this step especially in the mean time.

A public beta of Windows Embedded Compact will be available in the next months.