On the 17th November 1996 - in the decade before last, in the last century and indeed in the previous millennium - Microsoft channel partners unveiled Windows Codename 'Pegasus' to the world as the first Windows CE production devices hit the shelves.

Windows CE 1.00 RTM'd in the September of 1996 as is explained in the HPC:Factor History of Windows CE article. From this, device OEM's - specifically NEC and Casio - didn't start shipping equipment until mid-November ready for the holiday season and of course the December 1996 COMDEX technology exhibition in Las Vegas.

Now some 15 years later, Windows CE is in its 7th incarnation and is still alive and well as the backend behind 'Windows Phone 7' and in its non-consumer embedded version as 'Windows Embedded Compact'.

So dust off your Windows CE 1.0 device from the shelf and celebrate 15 years of CE and let us know your first memories of Windows CE over the last 15 years in the comments.

View: The History of Windows CE
View: NEC 1996 Press Release