More than four billion embedded systems or devices shipped worldwide in 2006, says a report by Venture Development Corporation (VDC). The market research firm forecasts three years of growth in device shipments, especially for devices with commercial and/or open source operating systems like Windows and Linux. (more…)

Acrosser has introduced an EPIC form-factor single-board computer (SBC) that runs Linux. The AR-B5230 supports Pentium M and Celeron M processors, and is aimed at applications such as panel PCs, transportation, and digital signage, according to the company. (more…)

The WiMax “user terminal” chipset market will grow from $27 million in 2007 to nearly $500 million in 2012, according to recent market research by In-Stat. Mobile PCs will be the primary driver, but dual-mode cellular/WiMax handsets and other equipment will also drive sales, In-Stat says. (more…)

AgfaPhoto is shipping a Linux-based digital photoframe developed by Sagem Communications and powered by Freescale Semiconductor's i.MX31 system-on-chip (SoC). The AgfaPhoto AF5080W is said to offer an 8-inch, 800×600 SVGA display, WiFi, and playback of MP3 music and MPEG 1/2/4 video. (more…)

A non-profit Korean government-funded research organization has demonstrated a prototype mobile Internet device (MID) based on its Qplus embedded Linux distro. Korea-based Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute's (ETRI's) “Mobile Convergence Communicator” (MCC) boasts 802.11b/g and 3.5G cellular… (more…)

A contactless payment technology for mobile handsets called Near Field Communication (NFC) is coming to market slower than expected, says ABI Research. Yet while 2008 NFC shipment forecasts have been revised downward, the technology's future is said to be bright.

Motorola's newest Linux phone boasts a soft MMI (man-machine interface) that changes with the phone's mode. The Rokr E8 is a quad-band GSM/GPRS phone with 2-megapixel camera, multi-codec music player, a “full” HTML browser, and unique “haptics” system aimed at providing “tactile response” to virtual keypresses. (more…)

At CES yesterday, Everex formally introduced its gOS 2.0 Linux-powered laptop, the CloudBook Ultra-Mobile PC. eWeek has published an up-to-date profile of the hotly-anticipated UMPC, which will go on sale for $400 at WalMart on January 25th. (more…)

MSC Vertriebs has announced a computer-on-module (COM) that supports Intel's dual-core Xeon processors and runs Linux. The CXE-DX5270 targets demanding applications such as pattern recognition, high-energy physics, and real-time systems, according to the company. (more…)

A developer of Linux-based, IP-media applications formally launched its software for Texas Instruments's DaVinci media processor platform. DigiLink Software says its Digital Media Elements (DME) IP-media stack for set-top boxes (STBs) lets television viewers watch and record Internet TV… (more…)

French bluetooth accessory specialist Com One announced that its Linux-based Phoenix WiFi Radio has upgraded firmware and is being widely distributed. The Internet-enabled clock-radio is now being sold by online retailers tigerdirect.com, mobileplanet.com, and buy.com, says Com One, while… (more…)

Emerson Network Power (ENP), a division of Emerson Electric, announced it has completed its acquisition of Motorola's Embedded Communications Computing group. The ECC sells Linux-compatible, carrier-grade AdvancedTCA (ATCA), MicroTCA (MTCA), CompactPCI, and VMEbus products to telecom,… (more…)

Fabless chip vendor Redpine Signals says it is sampling an “ultra low power” 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking processor suitable for use in MicroSD cards and mobile devices. The Linux-compatible LiteFi RS9110 utilizes advanced power management techniques spread over system, algorithm, and circuit levels, according to the company. (more…)

Several actual hardware devices have been hacked to run Google's Java-based Android software stack, according to blogs and forum posts around the Internet. Although Google's preview release last fall included a software emulator based on Qemu, real hardware may provide a better target for application development. (more…)

Trolltech has announced a new spin on its Qtopia software stack for Linux-based devices. The as-yet unnamed Qtopia stack has a nifty unified messaging application stack acquired with Fonav, and will be supported initially by a VoIP, IM, and email-enabled kitchen communication center reference design from semiconductor giant Broadcom. (more…)