This guest column by a representative of the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) discusses proposed provisions in a future version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GPLv3) that are intended to reduce open-source license proliferation, by making the GPL more flexible. (more…)

Foreword: This guest column by a representative of the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) discusses proposed provisions in a future version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GPLv3) that are intended to reduce open-source license proliferation, by making the GPL more flexible. (more…)

Although it is neither seen nor touched by a user, flash file system software is integral to the basic functionality of a mobile phone. This important embedded software component ensures that data can be written to the storage media, accessed by the user, and read on demand. (more…)

One of the world's largest fabless semiconductor vendors has entered the market for ARM-based application processors. Broadcom's BCM2820, now sampling, weds a 300MHz ARM11 core with a 150MHz “VideoCore” graphics processor. It targets high-volume consumer products, and “fully supports Linux today,” Broadcom says. (more…)

Linux has a bright future in the mobile phone industry, writes EDN Technical Editor Warren Webb, in a high-level feature. Linux is not right for every mobile phone, he says, but its technical and economic flexibility is accelerating its adoption in markets requiring lots of features in low-cost, small-footprint phones. (more…)

Worldwide shipments of non-converged handheld devices (PDAs) shrank to just 1.1 million units in Q3 of 2006, IDC reports. The analyst firm attributes the 15.4 percent drop from the prior quarter — marking the 11th straight quarter of year-over-year decline — to a lack of new devices. (more…)

The first fruits of Microsoft's and Novell's new-found collaboration were on display Nov. 9 in Barcelona Spain, where at a Microsoft TechEd Developers Conference & Expo, Novell introduced Mono 1.2. (more…)

Java virtual machine (JVM) specialist Aplix has licensed the Linux-based mobile phone software stack co-developed by NEC, Panasonic, and NTT DoCoMo. The company plans to offer reference implementations (RIs) based on the stack to handset manufacturers wishing to create handsets for use with NTT DoCoMo's 3G FOMA network in Japan, it says. (more…)

Yet another Linux mobile phone platform and services provider is preparing to enter the market. Celunite, a venture-funded Silicon Valley startup with development offices in Pune and Hyderabad, India, will reportedly offer value-added software/hardware integration services aimed at speeding time-to-market for handset manufacturers. (more…)

MontaVista has lined up “Round G” funding of $20 million, including $6 million from Siemens, according to anonymous sources close to the company. The company has reportedly sent out prorata letters offering existing stakeholders the chance to maintain their percentage-of-ownership by participating in the latest round. (more…)

At the inaugural “Open Source in Mobile” conference this week in Amsterdam, Nokia's director of open source, Dr. (more…)

Linux is running on E-Ten's G500, a PDA/phone with integrated GPS that ships with Windows Mobile. Along with the kernel, the EtenG500 Linux project has HaRET (handset reverse-engineering tool) and the GPE palmtop environment working, opening the door for volunteers to enhance the device's… (more…)

A Linux-based, dashboard-mounted data acquisition (DAQ) device was named “Best New International Product” at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) tradeshow this week in Las Vegas. (more…)

A Linux-based, dashboard-mounted data acquisition (DAQ) device was named “Best New International Product” at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) tradeshow this week in Las Vegas. (more…)

Novell today defended its patent agreement with Microsoft, asserting that it neither violates the GPL nor implies that Linux infringes on any of Microsoft's patents, according to an article published today by Linux-Watch. (more…)