A fabless semiconductor house specializing in cordless phone chips will demonstrate a WiFi chip and Linux stack for dual mode phones at CES in Las Vegas next week. The DSP Group's “WiFi multimedia” design supports VoIP, media sharing, and chat, and includes “advanced MMI applications” for Linux, the company says. (more…)

Win Enterprises is shipping a compact, low-cost, fanless “micro-PC” that runs Linux and features a “dust-proof” chassis. The PL-01030 is based on an AMD Geode LX800 processor, sports dual 10/100 LAN ports, and targets network appliance, point-of-sale, kiosk, medical, entertainment, industrial, and… (more…)

Digium has released the second beta of a “software appliance” version of Asterisk, the open source IP PBX (Internet protocol private branch exchange) it maintains. The GPL-licensed AsteriskNow appliance sports a web-based config/admin GUI, and comes with a complete Linux environment with several installation… (more…)

A commercial Linux bootloader and open source Linux distribution will be offered for Microsoft's Zune multimedia player, according to forum posts at Zuneboards.com by a “Mys Videl” user. (more…)

This detailed book chapter describes how to add a Linux-based, Bluetooth-connected control interface to a scrolling LED sign. The 35-page chapter is excerpted from Make Projects: Small Form Factor PCs, a 232-page O'Reilly book featuring nine interesting and instructive embedded projects, many based on Linux. (more…)

The Free Standards Group has launched a working group aimed at creating a universal Linux application installation API (application programming interface). The Packaging Workgroup grew from an FSG-sponsored “face-to-face” last month in Berlin, where ISVs (independent software vendors) reportedly met with key Linux software packaging and installation tools developers. (more…)

[Updated Jan. 3] — Mini-ITX distributor Logic Supply is shipping a mini-ITX case claimed to be the smallest available. The Serener GS-L05 measures 7.4 x 7.2 x 3 inches, uses heat pipes for passive cooling, and works with nine available Via- and Intel-based mini-ITX boards. (more…)

Via is sampling a mini-ITX motherboard for x86-based consumer devices. The Epia EX board runs Linux, is powered by a 1-1.5GHz C7 processor, and combines standard PC I/O with consumer electronics I/O such as composite, component, and S-Video, S/PDIF audio, and LVDS and DVI display interfaces. (more…)

Cloakware claims its digital asset protection product has been deployed in half a billion devices, including mobile phones, set-top boxes, portable devices, and PCs. “Cloakware Robustness Solutions” comprise an SDK (software development kit) and key injection tool aimed at helping device and software vendors satisfy DRM (digital rights management) requirements. (more…)