| "Graphics Guide for Windows 7" Published on WHDC
A major new guide to graphics for Windows 7 has been published on the Windows Hardware Developer Central (WHDC) Web site. This guide outlines enhancements to the Windows desktop and graphics architecture in the Windows 7 operating system. It provides best practices for system design and recommendations for test configuration to system and display manufacturers. The information applies to the Windows 7 operating system and includes the following topic areas: - Graphics processing unit (GPU) and display driver features and design - Display device features and design - Multiple-GPU systems - Windows Logo Program requirements "Graphics Guide for Windows 7" ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/GraphicsGuideWin7.mspx) is intended for system designers, display driver developers, and test managers who design, deliver, and maintain desktop and mobile PC products that deliver a great customer experience with Windows. If you have questions that are not addressed by this guide, you can send e-mail to directx@microsoft.com.
News for Windows Hardware and Driver Developers
This month we feature a few recent papers that discuss mobile broadband in Windows 7.
Mobile Broadband Driver Development This paper discusses how to write drivers for mobile broadband devices by using the Windows mobile broadband driver model, which is part of Windows 7. The information in this paper is useful to independent hardware vendors (IHVs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and driver developers ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/connect/wireless/MB_DrvDev.mspx). Mobile Broadband Connection Manager Development Guide This paper describes how to write a connection manager (CM) utility that manages mobile broadband connections in Windows 7. It provides guidelines for OEMs, ISVs, and mobile network operators (MNOs) to develop their own CM by using the mobile broadband application programming interface (API) in Windows 7. Through these third-party CMs, vendors can either augment or completely replace the native Windows 7 Connection Manager. This paper is intended to be used as both a tutorial and a reference guide for creating third-party mobile broadband CMs for Windows 7. It describes the development stages and testing methodologies that a developer should follow to create a CM ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/connect/wireless/MBCMgr_DevGuide.mspx). Windows 7 - Mobile Broadband Certification for Existing Chipsets This brief paper provides information about Windows 7 support for mobile broadband. It provides guidelines for hardware manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, and mobile network operators on developing logo-compliant mobile broadband drivers for chipsets/modules that are already commercially deployed ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/connect/wireless/W7MobileBB_ChipCert.mspx).
What's New in Blogs for Hardware and Driver Developers
"Improving Audio Glitch Resilience in Windows 7" by Kristin Carr in the "E7" Blog Delivering excellent audio playback on a PC is one of those "much harder than it looks" technical challenges. Unlike dedicated audio / video devices, PCs have a lot going on during playback of audio and the playback happens on an incredible array of hardware and software. Many of you might be familiar with "glitches" that occasionally happen. In this post, Kristin Carr, a program manager on our Devices and Media team, describes some of the engineering in Windows 7 to improve this area representing the work of a number of folks across the team. One lesson I learned early in the product cycle is that we don't say "glitch-free" but rather "glitch-resilient" and hopefully that will make sense as you read this. -Steven http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/06/17/improving-audio-glitch-resilience-in-windows-7.aspx
New Things Happening with the WDK
Windows Driver Kit (WDK) Build Environment This recently published white paper provides information about the WDK build environment to offer developers a better understanding of what occurs when a project is built. This paper describes how the tools work to help enable developers to use the tools more effectively. This paper is helpful for any developer, beginner to advanced, who writes drivers or test applications for any category of device. This paper assumes that the reader has a general understanding of how to build a driver but would like more information about what the tools are doing during the build process ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/WDK/WDK_Build.mspx).
Windows Logo Program Tools and News
Logo Program Requirement Reports Are Available on the Winqual Home Page We are pleased to announce that prepared requirement reports are available on the Winqual home page without logon. See the Requirement Report link in the "Helpful links" section of the Windows Quality Online Services (Winqual) home page ( https://winqual.microsoft.com/). Announcing New LogoCast Sessions Available on WHDC The Windows Logo Program team recently introduced LogoCast, a series of Web-based presentations on key aspects of the Windows Logo Program for hardware. We are pleased to announce the availability of several new LogoCast sessions on key aspects of the Windows 7 Logo Program: - What's New in WLK 1.4 - System Fundamentals Testing - Device Experiences in Windows 7 These on-demand sessions cover the primary topics recently discussed at the Redmond, Taipei, and Beijing LogoFest events. If you missed these events, this is a great opportunity to get some of the latest Windows 7 logo information. All LogoCast sessions are available right now on the Windows Hardware Developer Central (WHDC) Web site ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winlogo/logocast.mspx).
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