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Cavium Networks announced new versions of its Octeon II family of multicore system-on-chips with between 8 and 32 MIPS64 cores. Supported by a Linux SDK, the Octeon II CN68xx/67xx SoCs are equipped with 85 L3-L7 application and security acceleration engines, virtualization features, 100Gbps of connectivity, and new “real-time” power-optimization technology, says the company.
Verizon Wireless and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A. have launched the first U.S.-destined Android smartphone from LG, previously promoted with the movie “Iron Man 2.” The mid-range LG Ally offers a 3.2-inch touchscreen, slider QWERTY keyboard, 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, S-GPS, and a 3.2-megapixel camera, says Verizon.
Canonical demonstrated its first fast-boot version of Ubuntu, said to launch a running browser in less than 10 seconds. The Ubuntu Light distro employs a new netbook- and tablet-oriented desktop environment called Unity that will also drive the Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Edition, due in October.
The NPD Group says U.S. sales of Android smartphones have surpassed Apple's iPhone to take the second spot behind Research in Motion (RIM), with 28 percent of the market. Meanwhile, Sprint has joined Verizon in turning its back on Google's Nexus One, says eWEEK.
The Wireless Gigabit Alliance announced a specification it says will bump wireless networking speeds up to 7Gbps — more than ten times faster than the highest 802.11n rate. The organization also announced it will collaborate with the WiFi Alliance, ensuring that future devices are backward-compatible with today's 802.11 products.
Lineo Solutions, Inc. announced Linux-based server and client software enabling remote updates of embedded devices over the web. The SmartU2 for Linux System consists of core management server software called “SmartU2 Manager,” as well as a 100KB “SmartU2 Agent” client that runs on embedded Linux devices, says the company
[Updated: 12:15PM] — AppliedMicro announced a system-on-chip (SoC) said to offer the industry's smallest form factor for a Power Architecture-based product. The APM801xx costs only $10 in volume, uses a PowerPC core clocked at 400MHz, 600MHz, or 800MHz, ships with a Linux eval kit, and enables networked embedded consumer devices that run on less than a single Watt, claims the company.
Grace Digital Audio is shipping a Linux-based Internet tuner that offers Pandora access and costs only $105. The Solo Wi-Fi Receiver provides over 50,000 radio stations, podcasts, and on-demand programs over its 802.11b/g WiFi receiver, runs on two Watts of power, and according to one early DigitalGuru review, is “heartily” recommended as “a great little device at a very affordable price.”
Motorola is acquiring LiMo-linked middleware and Web 2.0 app software company Azingo, according to several reports. Several hundred India-based software engineers would be focused on lessening Motorola's dependence on Google, suggests The Register, while GigaOM speculates that Motorola is building its own OS and SFGate sees a China connection.
IDC says the smartphone market “is in high-growth mode again,” with a growth rate more than double that of the overall phone market. Outpacing even the fourth quarter of 2009, 1Q 2010 shipments reached 54.7 million units, up 56.7 percent year-over-year, the market research firm says.
Four distributors have begun shipping the open platform, Linux-ready Hawkboard single board computer (SBC) for as low as $89. Based on the Texas Instruments OMAP-L138 system-on-chip (SoC), which combines an ARM9 core and a DSP, the community-driven Hawkboard project is structured on the TI-sponsored BeagleBoard project, and is similarly designed for hobbyists and general testing.
Avalue announced an Intel Atom-powered 3.5-inch SBC (single board computer) with six optional expansion modules. The ECM945GSE Plus has 1GB of onboard DDR2 RAM, six USB 2.0 ports, two SATA ports, and two Mini PCI Express slots, the company says.
Advantech announced a ruggedized, fanless automation computer with a front-accessible I/O design. The UNO-3084 is equipped with a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, dual DVI-I ports with support for up to three displays, dual Firewire interfaces, plus Ethernet, USB, and serial connectivity, says the company.
Adobe has demonstrated a prototype Nvidia Tegra 2-based Android tablet from Google running Adobe's Flash, say industry reports. Meanwhile, Samsung is preparing an “S-Pad” Android tablet, and Bill Gates tips new Microsoft tablet projects, say other reports.
Clearwire Communications announced new markets and handsets for its WiMAX-based 4G mobile internet service, including a video-centric Android phone from Samsung. But, even as it announced a 94 percent increase in subscribers and 72 percent year-over-year increase in revenue, the service provider signaled a possible migration from WiMAX to the rival LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology.