Today at the Retail Systems 2005 Conference & Exposition, Microsoft Corp. announced the worldwide availability of its new Windows� Embedded for Point of Service software platform. Directly addressing the top challenges at the point of service faced by retail and hospitality organizations, Windows Embedded for Point of Service simplifies setup, deployment and management, includes support for new technologies designed to improve the customer experience and offers low system life-cycle costs. Windows Embedded for Point of Service is launching with tremendous support from retail industry system providers, peripheral suppliers and application vendors, offering retail customers a range of solutions to choose from to update existing or create new point-of-service systems. Two of these customers are OfficeMax Inc. and Rite Aid Corp., both of which are in the process of evaluating and testing Windows Embedded for Point of Service. Windows Embedded for Point of Service is available to retail and hospitality organizations from their Windows Embedded original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

"Windows Embedded for Point of Service is the easy-to-use, retail-optimized software platform that will give back time to retailers and enable them to focus on their No. 1 priority: helping their customers," said Jane Gilson, director of marketing for the Mobile and Embedded Devices Division at Microsoft. "Together with our industry partners, we are excited to launch this new offering and help revolutionize the point-of-service industry."