Tired of paying long distance phone bills month after month? If you're like most people reading this, you've gotten spoiled by sending unlimited emails anywhere in the world without concern for its cost. But you're still paying for long distance phone calls — right? Well, things in the phone department may be changing. (more…)

Not every embedded system needs high-end Pentium-PC compatibility. In fact, of the nearly 2 billion microprocessors fabricated each year, more than 80 percent go into embedded systems with highly specialized functions. (more…)

Earlier this week, IBM unveiled details about a fascinating research project taking place at IBM's research labs: a Linux-based wrist watch, which looks like this. (more…)

Today, two prominent embedded Linux providers — LynuxWorks and ISDCorp — disclosed plans to merge. In this interview, LynuxWorks chairman Inder Singh speaks with LinuxDevices.com founder Rick Lehrbaum about the significance of the merger to the two companies, the benefits to embedded Linux customers, and how the idea for the merger… (more…)

This guest column by Kevin Dankwardt originated as a talkback to the LinuxDevices.com article entitled “What is Linux?” (more…)

Why even ask that question?

Linux is in the midst of being shaped and molded to fit thousands of applications ranging from tiny hand-held (or smaller) appliances to huge cluster-based supercomputers. That process is advanced by the free and open availability of Linux source code. (more…)

An embedded Linux tsunami washed ashore yesterday in Tokyo. A handful of the world's largest electronics manufacturers, including Fujitsu, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, NEC, and Toshiba, added their weight to the launch of a vendor-neutral Japanese embedded Linux organization. The goal is to promote use of the Linux operating system within a broad spectrum of next-generation intelligent devices. (more…)

A project I've been working very hard on has finally come to fruition: the ViewML open source browser. It's specifically targeted towards resource-constrained Linux based embedded systems and Internet Appliances. I thought I'd share a little behind-the-scenes info about why we did it, what we're trying to accomplish, and its current status. (more…)

Introduction, by Rick Lehrbaum: According to a recent poll of developers of embedded Linux based systems, a third of all new systems will contain an M-Systems DiskOnChip Flash disk as the primary boot and storage device. (more…)

Glue layers can greatly simplify the porting of applications from one software environment to another. The concept of a “glue layer” becomes especially practical when there is a large body of already-debugged application software, and it's not desireable to recode that software to a new, different programming interface. (more…)

I'm pleased to report that the world's first Embedded Linux Expo & Conference held on June 22, 2000 in San Jose, CA was a huge success! Everyone, including both attendees and exhibitors, agreed that the event was extremely worthwhile — and most are already making plans to attend the next ELEC (October 27, Boston). (more…)

“The future of Linux is on your TV,” proclaimed the Indrema website. Reading further, I was informed that the Indrema entertainment system would be a “revolutionary product built on a revolutionary operating system, Linux.” An easy-to-use, entertainment appliance: “Just turn it on, and sit back on your couch.” (more…)

As part of its continuing efforts to measure and characterize the Embedded Linux Market, LinuxDevices.com is conducting an ongoing poll entitled “What do you value most about open source?” The picture is now starting to come into focus — and the results are surprisingly different from what many have probably assumed. (more…)

Today, a growing number of companies vie for the attention of embedded systems developers seeking to build and deploy on Linux. Which are going to grow, thrive, and eventually lead the industry? Which technologies, licensing practices, business models and market forces will determine the leaders? (more…)

We've all heard about the coming “post-PC” era. Are we there yet? Is it just around the corner? Or, is the post-PC era just a bunch of hype? After all, most of us still use conventional PCs at work or home to do our computing. (more…)