Windows 10 now available for Raspberry Pi, support confirmed for Arduino

[Reefa]

Microsoft raised a lot of eyebrows when they said they were working on a free version of Windows 10 for the Raspberry Pi 2. They weren’t just blowing smoke, either: you can now download a preview build and run it on your Pi.

It’s all part of Microsoft’s mission to get Windows 10 running on over a billion devices in the first two to three years of the operating system’s’ availability. Dev boards like the Raspberry Pi will play a major role in making that happen.

The ultra-popular Pi isn’t the only board that Microsoft is targeting, though. The specialized version of Windows 10 it runs — Windows 10 IoT Core — also supports the MinnowBoard MAX, Intel’s Sharks Cove and Galileo boards, and Qualcomm’s DragonBoard 410C.

Microsoft also wants to get the massive Arduino maker community working with Windows 10. They’ve developed a virtual shield that allows Arduino devices to tap into the sensors in a Windows 10 device. Instead of purchasing multiple shields, devs can lean on a low-cost Windows phone — like the ultra-cheap Lumia 530 — that already comes packed with sensors. Microsoft has also made it a trivial task to send commands to an Arduino from any Windows Universal App.

Clearly they’re determined to get developers excited about working with Windows 10. Between free Windows 10 IoT Core, code-once-run-anywhere Universal Apps, easy porting from iOS and Android, Hololens, and a totally new web browser that can run Chrome and Firefox extensions, Microsoft is certainly doing everything they can to make their billion-device dream a reality.

securityweek.com