Mentor Graphics announced a version of its Mentor Embedded Linux development platform that supports Freescale's PowerPC-based QorIQ and PowerQUICC processors. The multicore-ready Mentor Embedded Linux for QorIQ and PowerQUICC includes an Embedded System Builder build engine, an Eclipse-based Mentor Embedded Edge IDE (integrated development environment), and debug tools, says the company.

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Adlink announced a EPIC-format SBC that incorporates both PCI-104 and SUMIT (Stackable Unified Modular Interconnect Technology) expansion interfaces. The “Ampro by Adlink” ReadyBoard 850 supports Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs up to 2.26GHz, includes dual gigabit Ethernet interfaces, and offers both 18/24-bit LVDS and a VGA output, the company says.

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Freescale announced new P3 and P5 families within its QorIQ system-on-chip platform, as well its first 64-bit Power Architecture core, clockable to 2.5GHz. The single-core QorIQ P5010 and dual-core P5020 processors offer the 64-bit e5500 core, which uses 30 Watts while clocked at 2.2GHz, and the QorIQ P3041 integrates four e500 cores, using 12 Watts at 1.5GHz, says Freescale.

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Barnes & Noble is shipping a cheaper version of its Android-based Nook e-reader without a 3G modem. Except for broadband, the $149 Nook Wi-Fi offers all the features of the original Nook, now reduced in price to $199 and called the “Nook 3G,” and both versions now have free access to AT&T's nationwide Wi-Fi network.

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Toshiba announced a netbook that runs Android 2.1 on a 1GHz, ARM Cortex-A9 based Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. The Toshiba AC100 is equipped with a 10.1-inch, 1,024 x 600 display, and offers eight hours battery life, seven days standby time, and suspend from resume of less than one second, claims the company.

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The Fedora project's community-driven Fedora 13 Linux distribution has been reviewed by eWEEK, which was impressed with its cutting-edge enterprise features. The review praises Fedora's new security and permissions features such as the AccountsDialog user management utility, and author Jason Brooks also likes the new command line interface for NetworkManager.

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Lantronix is shipping a new member of its MatchPort family of embedded device servers that supports Ethernet networking. The MatchPort NR is a dedicated co-processor serial device server module based on a Lantronix DSTni x86 processor that manages network activity, thereby offloading the device's host microprocessor.

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Eurotech is readying a 5.25-inch single board computer based on Intel Core i5 or i7 processors up to 2.53GHz. The Antares — also available inside an industrial rackmount PC called the Antares Ice — supports up to four independent displays, and offers dual gigabit Ethernet ports, extensive USB and serial connectivity, PCIe and SATA expansion, plus extended temperature support.

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Bluecherry released an open source driver for version 2 of its Linux-based compression card for MPEG-4 digital video recording. Redesigned around the Linux kernel's API for Video (Video4Linux) and Audio (ALSA), the GPL-licensed driver primarily targets the Bluecherry compression cards and related Ubuntu-based video surveillance software, but can be used for a variety of video applications.

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Acrosser announced a PC that can run Linux inside arcade gaming consoles or slot machines. The ACE-S8700 includes golden finger and ccTalk interfaces, a VGA output, four serial ports, plus an intrusion logger and up to 512KB of battery-backed static RAM, the company says.

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Toshiba has announced NAND flash memory devices said to offer the highest densities ever. The new 128GB and 64GB devices use chips built on 32 nanometer process technology, integrate controllers for standard interfaces, and target smartphones, tablet PCs, and digital video cameras, the company says.

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Quantcast reported a 4.6 percent jump in Android-driven mobile web traffic in North America over the last three months, while Apple's iPhone dropped 4.7 percent. Meanwhile, Chitika, using similar measurements, found that the Motorola Droid still dominates Android handsets with 33.75 percent traffic share, while Verizon owns 48 percent share of Android traffic by carrier.

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Google's Android team will focus on user interface issues in the upcoming “Gingerbread” release of Android in an attempt to dissuade handset vendors from adding their own UI layers, writes Michael Arrington in TechCrunch. Meanwhile, Google is preparing an Android-linked iTunes competitor called Google Music, says CNET.

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Opengear announced three new UCLinux-based remote management device servers, focusing on industrial applications. In addition to the general-purpose, $475 ACM5004-2-I server, there's a telecom-oriented ACM5004-2-I-SDC version with a 48V DC power supply, plus an extended-temperature ACM5004-2-T aimed at utility networks, the company says.

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First quarter notebook PC revenues grew to $31.1 billion — a six percent quarter-to-quarter increase, a 31 percent year-to-year boost, and the best quarter since Q3 2008, says DisplaySearch. Leading the way were mini-note PCs (netbooks), and slates (tablets), which together grew 56.4 percent year-over-year, says the research firm, but tablets are expected to start cutting into netbook sales.

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