Timesys has announced a partnership with Swell Software to integrate the latter's ultralight GUI software stack with its LinuxLink embedded Linux development platforms. The LinuxLink subscriptions will provide embedded ARM platforms that have been integrated and tested with Swell's “PEG” graphics development… (more…)

Asus has announced enhanced versions of its Eee Box “nettop” computer. Targeting home-theater applications, the B204 and B206 include HDMI outputs, as well as discrete graphics circuitry from ATI, and could prove popular for Linux media center distributions like Boxee, MythTV, SageTV, Linux MCE, and… (more…)

From Android's launch to the upcoming open-source Symbian, open source has emerged as a driving force in the world of mobile devices, writes VisionMobile's Andreas Constantinou in a whitepaper. (more…)

Foreword — Open source has flourished in the mobile phone market this year, says Andreas Constantinou. In this paper, the VisionMobile research director discusses the emergence of Android, Symbian Foundation, Maemo, Qt Software, Purple Labs, ALP, Wind River, WebKit, Funambol, and a dozen other mobile open source projects and companies. (more…)

Clearwire Corp. announced that it has completed a $14.5 billion transaction with Sprint Nextel to combine their Mobile WiMAX broadband services. The merger of the two largest WiMAX services may accelerate deployments crucial to the success of Linux MIDs, netbooks, and other devices. (more…)

Kontron has enhanced its family of thin-client HMI (human-machine interface) devices. The fanless, Linux-compatible “Micro Client II” devices feature touchscreens from 7 to 15 inches, CompactFlash storage, and processors ranging from a 500MHz AMD Geode LX800 to a 1GHz Intel Celeron M, the company says. (more…)

Nokia may move to Linux for some of its higher end smartphones, a senior official was quoted as saying in a Reuters article. Nokia VP Ukko Lappalainen was quoted as saying, “In the longer perspective, Linux will become a serious alternative for our high-end phones.”

The… (more…)

Motorola formally announced its MotoRokr EM35, a slider version of the EM30 music phone that runs MontaVista Linux. The phone offers Bluetooth, USB, a 3-megapixel camera, and a haptic scroll interface, as well as music playback that is said to include virtual surround effects. (more…)

Nokia announced a home automation system based on the open source OpenWrt Linux distribution. Due in late 2009, the Z-wave wireless radio-equipped Nokia Home Control Center will let users remotely control security, automation, and energy management applications via their mobile phones, says Nokia. (more…)

Congatec has announced its first COM (computer on module) based on the Qseven form-factor. Targeting “ultra-mobile applications,” the conga-QA features Intel Atom Z5xx processors, up to 1GB of DDR2 memory, gigabit Ethernet, eight USB ports, and an optional onboard SSD (solid state drive), the company says. (more…)

Barcelona, Spain-based Tuxbrain has released an application-rich Linux distribution for the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner phone called Fat and Dirty OpenMoko (FDOM). In addition, Openmoko announced that both Tuxbrain and French design firm FaberNovel have joined the company's network of more than 20 distributors. (more…)

TechFaith Wireless and Qigi Future Technology announced a smartphone that runs the Google Android mobile Linux stack. The i6-Goal is only the second Android phone to launch, and reportedly includes a 2.8-inch touchscreen, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a two-megapixel camera. (more…)

Microsoft will reveal a mobile phone of its own at the 3GSM show in February, according to a rumor. The phone reportedly will be based on Nvidia's ARM11-based Tegra SoC, which debuted without Linux support last year as Nvidia's initial foray into mobile applications processors. (more…)

Paint retail giant Sherwin-Williams announced it will standardize on Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Service (SLEPS) for its multi-function desktop registers and in-store servers. More than 3,000 retail stores will install systems running the Linux distribution, which is optimized for point of sale/service (POS) operations, say the companies. (more…)

iPhone-Dev.org has demonstrated a basic Linux 2.6 kernel and OpeniBoot bootloader for first- and second-generation Apple iPhones, as well as the first-generation Touch. The port lacks support for touchscreen, audio, WiFi, or cellular communications, but future plans call for an Android port. (more…)