McObject has released a DBMS test benchmark application for the Android-based T-Mobile/HTC G1 smartphone. The “TestIndex” benchmark results purport to show that McObject's Perst object-oriented database management system (OODBMS) is faster than Android's default SQLite relational embedded… (more…)

Linux consulting and services firm Embedded Alley (EA) has launched a customizable support portal for embedded development collaboration with customers and partners. The “Embedded Alley Junction” offers features including code repositories, documentation, tips, issue tracking, FAQs, wikis, and list management, says the company. (more…)

In an interview, Google CEO Eric Schmidt suggested his company may enter the netbook market with Android. Schmidt (pictured) later went on the Charlie Rose show on PBS, where he tipped Google's plans to enter the mobile TV market. (more…)

Foreword — This article describes the V4L2 (Video for Linux 2) interface, along with the first steps toward developing a device driver that uses the interface. It is based on Linux 2.6.28, and may not apply to other kernel versions. (more…)

Robot manufacturer Surveyor Corp. has released an open-source Google Android application that remotely operates its Blackfin-based robots. Surveyor demonstrated the SRV-1 Console Android software running its SRV-1 Blackfin Robot (pictured) and YARB Robotic Blimp, as well as a Macpod Software robot that slices… (more…)

ADlink has announced a PC/104 SBC (single board computer) based on DMP Electronics's x86-compatible Vortex86SX SoC (system-on-chip). The “CoreModule 430” includes 256MB of RAM, four serial ports, 10/100 Ethernet, two USB ports, and support for both CRT and TFT displays, the company says. (more…)

Kontron has announced its first pico-ITX SBC (single board computer), packing Intel's Atom processor. Targeting small, multimedia-oriented devices, the “pITX-SP” offers 1.1GHz or 1.6GHz Intel Z5xx CPUs, gigabit Ethernet, two SATA II ports, a microSD slot, and a DVI port, the company says. (more…)

In a new release, Vyatta has added a web browser GUI to the community-supported version of its Linux router distribution for x86. Vyatta Community Edition 5 (VC5) also improves virtual private networking, thanks to OpenVPN, which works better in environments with NAT (network address translation). (more…)

German company Ka-Ro Electronics announced a tiny processor module based on Freescale's i.MX37 SoC (system-on-chip). The “Triton TX37” runs embedded Linux, measures 2.6 x 1 x 0.16 inches (67.6 x 26 x 4.2 mm), and fits into an SODIMM (small outline dual in-line memory module) slot. (more…)

MPC Data has launched a wizard-driven, Eclipse-based Linux distribution and toolkit aimed at industrial applications. Available initially in an open source version for Super-H, with commercial versions and wider architecture support to follow, “Little Blue Linux” includes a wizard-driven Eclipse IDE and 2.6.2x BSPs. (more…)

OSPERT has issued a call for papers for its OSPRT'09 real-time Linux workshop in Dublin, Ireland, on June 30th. In other real-time news, Thomas Gleixner and Ingo Molnar are returning to their preempt-rt patch project, after working on x86 support for a year-and-a-half. (more…)

Aaeon announced a COM (computer on module) exploiting the newly proposed “COM Express Ultra” standard. The 84 x 55mm NanoCOM-U15 includes an SDVO (serial digital video out) connector, an Atom Z5xx-series CPU, and up to 4GB of SSD (solid state disk) storage, the company says. (more…)

[Updated 6PM] — Israeli software appliance project TurnKey Linux announced a dozen new open-source server appliances based on Ubuntu 8.04.2 LTS (Long-Term-Support). The releases include servers for LAMP, Ruby on Rails, Joomla, MediaWiki, Drupal, LAPP, Django, MySQL, and PostgreSQL, says the… (more…)

[Updated: Mar. 9, 2009] — Amazon.com has published the source code for its now-shipping, second-generation eBook reader. Compared to the original, the smaller Kindle 2 adds battery life, grayscale shades, internal storage, and processor power, while omitting SD memory expansion. (more…)

[Updated Mar. 9] — Nokia-sponsored Maemo.org released an alpha version of its open-source Linux distribution for tablet PCs. The Maemo 5 SDK (software development kit) alpha adds support for OMAP3 hardware acceleration, cellular connectivity, and HD cameras, along with new APIs for orientation, vibration,… (more…)