Microsoft will forsake its unloved Windows Vista codebase for the next generation of its premier, x86-based embedded operating system. The future Windows Embedded Standard, codenamed "Quebec," will be based on the forthcoming Windows 7 instead, says Kevin Dallas (left), general manager of Microsoft's Windows Embedded business.

Delivering a keynote at today's Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) in Boston, Dallas told attendees "Quebec" will provide device manufacturers with "exciting new input capabilities," such as multitouch, gesture support, and other user interface enhancements. Like the current Windows Embedded Standard (WES) 2009, Quebec will be "componentized," letting developers create a operating system on their devices just only the drivers, services and applications they need, but will be newly available in a 64-bit version, added Dallas.

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