Freescale has launched a program aimed at letting embedded developers optimize its NPUs (network processing units) for specific interfaces and protocols. The Open QUICC Engine developer program includes training, documentation, and tools for writing custom, portable microcode for the QUICC Engine network accelerators found in newer PowerQUICC chips. (more…)

[Updated May 3] — Wireless networking specialist Devicescape has added standards-based self-configuration capabilities to its WiFi stacks for consumer electronic devices and wireless infrastructure products, including those based on Linux. The “Easy Access” capabilities are based on Wi-Fi Alliance standards, and make setting up secure, WPA2-encrypted wireless networking trivial, the company… (more…)

The day when WiFi cards “just work” under Linux may be fast approaching. WiFi software stack specialist Devicescape has released its “Advanced Datapath” 802.11 driver stack to the open source community under the GPL, and the Linux kernel developer community appears to be working to adapt it for mainline inclusion. (more…)

A new index of Linux software for mobile devices has launched. The Handheld Linux Software Index was created for the community and is hosted by Handheld-Linux.com, an online store specializing in small, handheld Linux devices. (more…)

[Updated May 12] — Intec Automation is shipping a tiny ColdFire-powered CPU module claimed to be the smallest Linux SBC (single-board computer) with Internet connectivity, a reasonable amount of memory, and “massive control functionality.” The WildFireMod measures 1.9 x 1.7 inches (49 x 44mm), and targets… (more…)

Phonon, an advanced multimedia architecture due in KDE 4.0, will be demonstrated at LinuxTag, May 3-6, in Wiesbaden, Germany. The Phonon architecture supports NMM (network-integrated multimedia middleware), enabling such capabilities as delivering synchronized audio and video presentations across… (more…)

The worldwide market for handheld devices without cellphone capabilities continued its contraction in the first quarter of 2006, posting its ninth consecutive quarter of year-over-year decline, IDC reports. Worldwide shipments for Q1-06 totaled 1.5 million units, down 22.3 percent from the same quarter a year ago, the analyst firm said. (more…)

Glyph Technologies used Linux and key open source audio software packages to build a personal monitoring system aimed at letting musicians create their own monitor mixes from local and networked audio sources. (more…)

Are you the geek people turn to for Linux help? O'Reilly's newest book, Linux Annoyances for Geeks, contains 500 pages of tips, advice, and techniques that promise to help yourself and others get “the most flexible system in the world just the way you want it.” (more…)

Glyph Technologies used Linux and key open source audio software packages to build a personal monitoring system aimed at letting musicians create their own monitor mixes from local and networked audio sources. (more…)

Broadcom is shipping the first wireless access point and add-in card reference designs compliant with the 802.11n draft specification, it claims. The Intensi-fi designs use Broadcom's Intensi-fi chipset, and include miniPCI, Cardbus, and PCI Express cards, as well as a MIPS-Linux based access point… (more…)

A project maintaining a lightweight, embeddable database is shipping the first release candidate for its second major version. Firebird 2.0rc1 features derived tables, support for “execute block,” increased table sizes, better index code, and numerous other improvements. (more…)

NComputing is shipping a multi-user Linux PC expansion kit targeting the global education market. The company's Xtenda X300 expansion kit allows a single Linux PC to support up to six additional users, at a cost of around $83 per added user (plus monitor, keyboard, and mouse). (more…)

An embedded Linux distribution aimed at helping users learn Linux by creating bootable Linux images “virtually from scratch” has achieved a new release following several years of relative obscurity. Eagle Linux 2.3 is currently distributed as a concise, 26-page PDF documenting the creation of a minimalist, network-ready Linux image for bootable CDs, floppies, or flash drives. (more…)

Db4Ojbects will hold a conference for developers and users of its dual-licensed object database, which targets applications for mobile and industrial devices. The first global db4o user conference (dUC) will feature talks from key Java/.Net and Java/Linux leaders, and is set for July 10 and 11, in London, U.K. (more…)