Embien, with hands-on experience developing BSPs for various platforms, has ported Windows Embedded Compact 2013 onto the Cubietruck board — demonstrating Windows CE WEC2013 IoT application development with a sample IoT application running on internally generated data. This blog covers Windows CE WEC2013 IoT application development on the Cubietruck platform as a practical guide for developers targeting WinCE-based industrial and IoT products. Embien's Product Engineering Services team offers complete Windows CE WEC2013 IoT application development support — from BSP porting to application-layer deployment.
Net Framework for Embedded: Windows CE on Cubietruck
Cubietruck, powered by Allwinner A20, is an ideal platform for IoT applications with rich connectivity options. The sub-$100 open source platform, combined with Windows CE, provides a powerful combination — leveraging the low-cost RTOS with full net framework for embedded support, enabling .NET application development on embedded hardware. The net framework for embedded stack enables Win32, MFC, ATL, and .NET applications including networking, internet browsers, and media players on resource-constrained systems.
The Cubietruck board features:
- SoC: Allwinner A20
- CPU: ARM Cortex-A7 @ 1 GHz dual-core
- GPU: Mali-400 MP2 compliant with OpenGL ES 2.0/1.1
- Display: HDMI and VGA 1080P output
- 2 GiB DDR3 @ 480 MHz
- 8 GB NAND flash built-in
- 1× microSD slot, 1× SATA 2.0
- 10/100/1000 RTL8211E Gigabit Ethernet
- 2× USB Host, 1× USB OTG, 1× CIR
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on board (Broadcom BCM4329/BCM40181)
- 54 extended pins including I2S, I2C, SPI, UART, PWM, TS/CSI, IRDA
The video below shows Windows CE on Cubietruck with the demo application rendering graphical data:
Mono Net Framework on ARM Linux: WEC2013 IoT Demo
Windows CE WEC2013 IoT application development on Cubietruck demonstrates the same architectural pattern as mono net framework on arm linux — managed code running on ARM hardware with a rich connectivity and display stack. While this demo uses WEC2013's native .NET framework, developers migrating from mono net framework on arm linux will find the API surfaces familiar. IoT and Smart Connectivity are transforming industries — Microsoft's commitment to Windows IoT (and WEC2013 as its predecessor) reflects the demand for mono net framework on arm linux and Windows CE net framework for embedded solutions at scale.
Windows CE supports net framework for embedded connectivity options including WiFi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, and USB — enabling devices to connect to the Internet or local networks and share data. Intelligent action on this data enables process insight and improvement. Windows CE also supports SMP, running on multiple processor cores, with low-cost licensing that reduces risks associated with unverified open-source components. Industrial Automation Products and Solutions from Embien complement this Windows CE WEC2013 IoT application development capability with protocol stack expertise.
Configuration Consoles: Device Management and Remote Access
Configuration consoles for WEC2013 deployments are built using .NET forms and Windows CE's networking stack. Configuration consoles enable administrators to set device parameters, manage connectivity, and monitor status — all remotely. Telnet, FTP, and custom remote management tools serve as the configuration consoles in production WEC2013 deployments.
Allwinner A20 ARM Cortex-A7 Embedded Linux Demo
The Allwinner A20 ARM Cortex-A7 embedded Linux demo is a companion to this WEC2013 port — demonstrating that the same Cubietruck hardware can run both WEC2013 and Linux BSPs. The Allwinner A20 ARM Cortex-A7 embedded Linux demo enables developers to evaluate both OS options on a single hardware platform before committing to a production architecture.
About Embien: Embien Technologies is a leading technology solution provider for Internet-of-Things technologies. An IDH for leading silicon vendors, Embien has successfully delivered Windows CE WEC2013 IoT application development projects including IoT in wearables and M2M connectivity. Embien offers boot optimization and power optimization services alongside BSP/Driver development for WinCE and embedded Linux platforms.