Why Embedded Silverlight is Emerging

Since eyeballs determine business opportunities, let’s first look at the following product photos. How are these cool UIs developed? What operating systems do these products use? Android?

Figure 1 Colorful UI design

I don't know what your answer is, Android or other systems, but have you thought of WinCE? Android uses XML language to divide the boundaries between application developers and UI designers. This idea has also been quickly adopted and promoted in QT and WinCE.

David Wurster, senior product manager of Windows Embedded, once said that Microsoft's rich tools provide differentiated user experiences. In terms of UI, SilverLight technology for Windows Embedded can play a very important role. The UI framework based on SilverLight can help electronic equipment manufacturers bring a very rich user interface and application experience to the equipment, and can complete animations or any other effects in a very short time. More importantly, SilverLight makes the user experience consistent from development to the final product.

1.1 SilverLight realizes unified UI

The introduction of SilverLight from Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3 has brought great improvements in user interface and application effects. Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-client platform technology that can develop Web applications with professional graphics, audio and video, enhancing the user experience. At the same time, Silverlight also provides powerful tools to improve the work efficiency of developers. Windows Embedded Compact 7 provides Expression Blend development tools to help UI designers develop intuitively!

As shown in Figure 1 below, this is a project view of a clock interface developed using Expression Blend. In Expression Blend, you can draw shapes, paths, and controls on the artboard, and then modify their appearance and behavior to intuitively design applications.

Figure 2 Expression Blend develops Silverlight clock program

The Windows Embedded version of Silverlight has a brand new API set, which can make applications on Windows Embedded devices more beautiful, better separate UI design and code development, and unify the UI framework on different devices.

1.2 Plan different products with a standard platform

Since SilverLight technology is actually a web application with its own dedicated API set, it can be compatible on different platforms. In fact, the different performance and functional requirements of current products have led to the diversification of various processor platforms, so it is crucial to choose a UI design method that is universal and portable across platforms.

Some companies can quickly learn the expertise of Silverlight, Microsoft Expression Blend and Internet Explorer Embedded during the design phase, and then implement multiple functions such as pan and zoom, touch and gesture input, etc., to improve web browsing and the overall user experience. 1.3 ARM platform UI effect display

Guangzhou Zhiyuan Electronics Co., Ltd. has rich technical accumulation and experience in the embedded industry. According to the functions and performance of the products, it has a series of products from low-end ARM9 to high-end Cortex-A9. It also continuously invests in Windows Embedded CE system platform, such as BSP (board support package), hardware and design resources. Let's take a look at the M3352 platform designed with TI Cortex-A8 processor AM3352, integrated with Windows Embedded Compact 7 system, which can realize the system UI display as shown in the figure below.

Figure 5 SilverLight system UI

SilverLight technology in embedded wince gives us one more choice. This article is just a starting point!

1.4 Product Recommendations

Figure 6 M3352 core board

M3352 core board, static electricity, surge , pulse anti-interference design meets industrial level 4;

Main features:

u Cortex-A8 processor, 800MHz main frequency, supports WinCE and embedded Linux operating systems

u LCD supports up to 1366*768 resolution

u 6-way UART interface, 2-way CAN interface

u 2-way high-speed USB OTG (built-in PHY, 480Mbps)

u 2 Ethernet ports (1 of which is Gigabit MAC)

u Mechanical size 60mm * 45mm

u Working temperature -40℃ ~+85℃