Synology began shipping a diskless network-attached storage (NAS) server designed for use with USB storage devices. The USB Station 2 incorporates an 800MHz processor, supports up to 4TB of external storage via dual USB 2.0 ports, includes gigabit Ethernet port, and offers file sharing and multimedia streaming via Synology's Linux-based, DLNA/UPnP-ready DiskStation Manager 3.0 software.

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Axiomtek announced a fanless embedded computer that uses Intel's Atom Z5xx CPUs and operates over a wide range of DC inputs. The eBOX531-820-FL employs hard disk or CompactFlash storage, includes two serial ports and four USB 2.0 ports, and uses less than 10 Watts, the company says.

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Canonical's Ubuntu project announced the release candidate for Ubuntu 10.10 (“Maverick Meerkat”), with the final stable version ready for download this Sunday, 10/10/10. In addition to a revamped Software Centre, a new sound app, and a Netbook Edition overhauled with Canonical's “Unity” UI stack, Meerkat's final will feature new fonts and an Android-compatible Ubuntu One Mobile service.

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Data Robotics announced a new member of its Linux-based Drobo network-attached-storage (NAS) storage family that adds a Drobo Sync application for offsite backup. Compared to the earlier Drobo FS, the DroboPro FS boosts capacity to eight bays (16TB), adds a second gigabit Ethernet port, and increases performance by 15 to 20 percent, the company claims.

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[Updated: 10AM] — Sprint annouced Android phones from Samsung, Sanyo, and LG, all offering a new “Sprint ID” service for downloading UI skins. Sprint is readying a $150 Samsung Transform 3.7-inch QWERTY slider with front- and back-facing cameras, plus the previously announced 3.5-inch Sanyo Zio ($100) and 3.2-inch LG Optimus S ($50) — the latter also coming from T-Mobile as the Optimus T.

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[Updated, Oct. 7] — Logitech announced an Android- and Atom-powered STB (set-top box) that employs Google TV software. The Revue includes HDMI I/O and 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking, may be controlled via smartphone apps or a choice of keyboards, and, with an optional camera, provides 720p videoconferencing, the company says.

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Android is now the most popular operating system among U.S. smartphone buyers in the past six months, with 32 percent share, and has grown to represent 19 percent of smartphones used in the U.S., says The Nielsen Company. In other Android news, Google filed a counterclaim against Oracle, denying copyright infringement related to the search giant's use of Java in Android.

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Timesys has expanded its LinuxLink development platform for embedded Linux devices to offer a subscription for higher-level multimedia and interface functions. The LinuxLink Rich Multimedia User Interfaces (Rich MUI) subscription incorporates the Qt framework, GStreamer, and many other components, initially targeting Texas Instruments' DaVinci, OMAP, and Sitara system-on-chips, as well as Freescale's i.MX51, says the company.

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Marvell will provide the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Foundation with $5.6 million to fund its next-generation XO-3 tablet, as well to help OLPC develop an interim educational tablet based on Android, says a report. Based on Linux and aimed at developing nations, the OLPC will feature a bendable, dual-mode screen, while the nearer-term device will run Android and is described as a “First World” tablet.

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Motorola announced two Android phones for Verizon Wireless: the business-oriented, QWERTY-enabled Droid Pro, featuring Android 2.2 running on a 1GHz processor, plus a more modest three-inch “Citrus” phone. Meanwhile, Motorola announced a three-inch QWERTY slider with Android 2.1 called the Spice, and says that plans are going forward to split the company in 1Q 2011.

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Wind River announced a collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent to develop a common Linux development platform for the latter's wireless network base stations, optimized for the Freescale QorIQ P4080 multicore processor. The platform is based on Wind River Linux and the recent Linux 2.6.34, plus the latest version of the PREEMPT RT real-time Linux technology, says the company.

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Aewin has turned to Via chips for its latest network security appliance. The SCB-6972 supports Via's Nano, C7, or Eden CPUs, has six gigabit Ethernet ports, includes dual serial ports, and has both CompactFlash and hard disk storage, the company says.

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Panasonic unveiled a teaser website showing off a new portable gaming console targeting online gaming and MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games). The “Jungle” has a clamshell form factor with a QWERTY keyboard, and will offer Wi-Fi, a high resolution screen, and an embedded Linux operating system, according to reports.

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The Australian firm Tegatech announced a tablet PC that can boot into either Android 1.6 or Windows 7. Offered with available 3G cellular or WiMAX, the “Tega v2” includes a 1.6GHz Atom N455 processor with 1GB or 2GB of DDR3 memory, a 32GB SSD (solid state disk), and a 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution, the company says.

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Google announced some major content partners for its Google TV platform and revealed some more information on the Android-and Intel Atom-based IPTV platform. New Google TV content partners include Turner Broadcasting, NBC Universal, HBO, Twitter, and Amazon.com, says the company.

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