Microsoft has announced the availability of .Net Micro Framework 2.5.

The embedded software platform is designed for devices in the industrial automation markets, the automotive industry, PC peripherals and consumer devices.

Aimed at developers and device makers, version 2.5 offers enhanced network discovery and connectivity for smaller resource-constrained devices.

Microsoft introduced the .Net Micro Framework a year ago at Embedded World 2007 and has since persuaded 40 companies to use the platform to build custom hardware designs, according to the company.

"The .Net Micro Framework extends Microsoft's embedded offerings to an even smaller world of connected devices," said Colin Miller, product unit manager for .Net Micro Framework at Microsoft.