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After ABI Research projected that Linux will take a 32 percent share of netbooks in 2009 and will overtake Windows in 2013, we spoke with ABI analyst Jeffrey Orr on the findings. Orr notes the rise of international consumers and ARM Cortex-A8-based netbooks, and discusses Ubuntu, Moblin, Android, and Chrome OS.
Roper Mobile Technology (RMT) announced a 12.1-inch panel PC designed for police, security, EMS (emergency medical services) and fire applications. The Duros 1205-PS features an “ultra-thin” design, 1.66GHz Core Duo processor, sunlight-viewable touchscreen, and a variety of storage options, the company says.
Stealth Computer announced a fanless mini PC whose hard disk drive and CompactFlash storage are both easily removable from the front panel. The LPC-395F features an Intel Atom N270 processor, two gigabit Ethernet ports, two serial ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and a DVI-I video output, the company says.
Verizon Wireless announced its second Android phone, the $100 Droid Eris, which is based closely on the HTC Hero and its Sense UI. In related news, HTC is upgrading the Hero to Android 2.0, and Motorola announced a Europe-destined multi-touch, GSM version of the Droid called the Milestone.
Digi International announced a Linux-compatible ARM Cortex-A8-based module that supports 802.11n WiFi. Built around a Freescale i.MX51 SoC (system on chip), the ConnectCore Wi-i.MX51 includes up to 1GB of RAM and 8GB of flash storage, wireless networking, touchscreen support, and a variety of other interfaces, the company says.
ABI Research is projecting that in 2009 Linux will represent 32 percent of netbook sales, far higher than the seven percent figure claimed by Microsoft, says a report. ABI also estimates that Linux will overtake Windows on netbooks by 2013, largely due to sales in less-developed countries, says the story.
Hardware hacker Pascal Brisset has unveiled a Linux-driven head-mounted computer based on a stereoscopic, 640 x 480 Vusix VR920 headmount display and the Gumstix Overo Fire module running the ARM Cortex-A8 OMAP3530 processor from Texas Instruments. The six-ounce WXHMD computer includes WiFi, Bluetooth, accelerometers, compass, and a custom-made DAC board.
Skype announced that it is working on an open source UI layer for its Linux VoIP client. Although apparently not fully open source, the upcoming version of the Skype client for Linux could enable more open development of client front ends, including those for mobile devices.
Vodafone and Samsung announced their second LiMo-compliant “360” smartphone, and is shipping the first, the 360 H1, to Vodafone's European customers. The “Vodafone 360 Samsung M1” is a scaled-down version of the H1, offering the same second-generation LiMo (Linux Mobile) stack and “360” social networking interface.
Freescale added four members to its ARM Cortex-A8 based i.MX51 family of system-on-chips (SoCs), supported with a Linux BSP and evaluation kit. The SoCs, which range in speed from 600MHz to 800MHz, include the automotive-focused i.MX514 and i.MX516, as well as the i.MX512 and i.MX513, which target various industrial and consumer devices, says Freescale.
Via Technologies has introduced new versions of its 64-bit Nano processors. The Nano 3000 series, available in speeds from 1.0 to 2.0GHz, offers up to 20 percent higher performance, and adds support for Intel's SSE4 (streaming SIMD extensions 4) instruction set, says Via.
Sony Ericsson announced its first Android phone, along with a “UX” user interface targeting social networking. The Xperia X10 offers from 8 to 16GB of flash storage, a four-inch touchscreen, and an 8.1-megapixel camera with face recognition and geo-tagging, plus the usual 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS features.
Marvell Semiconductor announced a partnership with electronic paper display vendor E Ink, targeting joint development of processors for e-readers. Based on Marvell's new Armada SoCs (system on chips), the technology forms the basis of Android e-readers from Entourage Systems and Spring Designs and is also said to be available in turnkey platforms.
Techsol announced it is now shipping its Linux-ready Medallion Touch Panel Computers (TPCs) with Python-GTK support. The new support enables developers to develop embedded GUIs using Python-GTK on a desktop PC and easily load it onto Techsol's TPC touch-panel systems, thereby accelerating proof-of-concept design, says the company.
MIPS Technologies announced two new MIPS32 cores, including one that's optimized for Linux. Both the M14K core and the M14Kc — a superset that incorporates Android-ready, Linux/Java microcode — support MIPS' microMIPS instruction set architecture, enabling 1.5 DMIPS/MHz performance and advanced code compression that can reduce code size by 35 percent, says the company.