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Archive for December, 2004

Archos ships Linux-based “pocket media assistant”

December 29, 2004

This story has been (more…)

Nine from IBM – Wireless robots, emulator-friendly code, Ant . . .

December 28, 2004

IBM has published the following technical articles, tutorials, and downloads on its developerWorks Website. They cover a range of interesting (though not necessarily embedded) technical topics. Some require free registration. Enjoy . . . ! (more…)

Linux powers wireless alarm with infrared-triggered camera

December 22, 2004

CFD Elettronica's Plenitude Premium is an embedded Linux-based home intrusion detection system with cameras tripped by infrared sensors. It includes 32 fully wireless sensors with a claimed battery life of three years, and can send images to mobile phones using any of three wireless protocols. (more…)

UPDATED: A comparison of hard real-time Linux alternatives

December 22, 2004

Peter Laurich has revised his study of real-time responsiveness in four open source Linux kernels. The study originally shorted LXRT, because of a test code error. RTAI leader Paolo Mantegazza caught the error, after which Laurich re-did the tests and the report, which compares Linux 2.4, 2.6, RTAI, and LXRT. (more…)

Analyst firm plots embedded SBC shrinkage

December 22, 2004

Venture Development Corp. (VDC) says it has confirmed a trend toward smaller form-factors in its latest study of the market for embedded single-board computers (SBCs) and “active backplane motherboards.” Overall, the global market for embedded SBCs and motherboards will grow from $357.3 million to $442.8 million between 2004 and 2008. (more…)

Trolltech GPL’s Qtopia app stack for Linux PDAs

December 22, 2004

[Updated Jan. 19, 2005] — Just in time for the holidays, Trolltech has contributed the most recent version of its development framework and application stack for PDAs to the open source community. Qtopia 2.1 PDA Edition is available for download now under the open source GNU GPL (general public license). (more…)

Open source, embeddable database courts developers with new release

December 22, 2004

[Updated Dec. 23, 2004] — A small database consulting company has updated its mature, open source embeddable database with features designed to attract developers. ITTIA's “db.*” (dbstar) 1.1 features code cleanups, a regression test suite, and bugfixes. It targets telecom and financial systems, and small-footprint embedded devices that run Linux (more…)

Japan’s largest mobile carrier invests in Linux supplier

December 22, 2004

Japan's largest mobile phone carrier, NTT DoCoMo, has taken a $3 million equity stake in embedded Linux tools and support company MontaVista. The carrier offers smartphones based on MontaVista Linux to its customers. A privately held company, MontaVista has raised more than $75 million since forming in 1999. (more…)

CFD Elettronica Plenitude Premium wireless home intrusion detection system

December 22, 2004

CFD Elettronica's Plenitude Premium is an embedded Linux-based home intrusion detection system with cameras tripped by infrared sensors. It includes 32 fully wireless sensors with a claimed battery life of three years, and can send images to mobile phones using any of three wireless protocols. (more…)

Flash chips push gigabyte envelope

December 21, 2004

A new line of Flash chips from M-Systems, due next year, will offer densities up to 1 gigabyte in a 12 x 18mm package. The H-Series chips will use MLC (multi-level cell) technology, will support Linux, and will target high-end music and video-centric mobile phones. (more…)

Linux brings new capabilities to tiny vehicle tracking device

December 21, 2004

A fleet management services company has used embedded Linux to radically improve its newest vehicle tracking device. Astrata's Linux-based GLP (formerly “Sirius-Lite”), which launched in October, features least-cost routing, uninterrupted operation during OTA (over-the-air) updates, and user customization through an SDK (software development kit). (more…)

Rugged Linux cluster platform ships to defense contractor

December 21, 2004

CSP Inc. (CSPI) MultiComputer Division has shipped a ruggedized, embedded Linux-based COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) cluster system to a major defense contractor. The company says its FastCluster 220R meets MIL specifications, and targets harsh- and confined-environment C4ISR applications (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), (more…)

Linux testing platform achieves dot-release

December 21, 2004

The Eclipse Foundation says it will release a new version of its platform for testing and measuring software performance throughout the development cycle. Version 3.2 of the Test and Performance Tools Platform (TPTP) features interface improvements, improved data gathering, and better Java tracing capabilities, the Foundation says. (more…)

Device Profile: Astrata GLP (Sirius-Lite) vehicle tracking device

December 21, 2004

A fleet management services company has used embedded Linux to radically improve its newest vehicle tracking device. Astrata's Linux-based GLP (formerly “Sirius-Lite”), which launched in October, features least-cost routing, uninterrupted operation during OTA (over-the-air) updates, and user customization through an SDK (software development kit). (more…)

Tiny mobo format gains heavyweight convert

December 20, 2004

Kontron has thrown its weight behind the fledgling EPIC single-board computer (SBC) standard. The company joins five other prominent SBC makers — VersaLogic, WinSystems, Ampro, Micro/sys, and Octagon — in supporting EPIC (Embedded Platform for Industrial Computing), which was unveiled earlier this year. (more…)