The Open Group annual Real-time and Embedded Systems (RTES) Forum, Apr. 26-28 in Washington, DC., will include sessions on open source licensing in high-assurance and safety-critical applications, application portability through open standards, high-security networking, and safety-/mission-critical real-time Java, according to a draft agenda published today. (more…)

Sun released a 64-bit multicore, multi-threaded processor design under the GNU GPL today, at the Multicore Expo in Santa Clara. The OpenSparc T1 design supports eight cores, with four threads per core, and is based on Sun's UltraSparc T1 processor, which was touted as an energy-saving breakthrough when it shipped last November. (more…)

Sombrio Systems is alpha-testing a loadable kernel module and hard real-time application aimed at transforming a running Linux kernel into a Xen-compatible hypervisor. The Xen Loadable Module (XLM) can be used to build multi-function embedded devices in which each function runs in a protected domain, the company says. (more…)

Wind River has launched an initiative aimed at simplifying the development of devices based on processors with multiple cores. The company's Multicore Processing (MCP) initiative includes chip and software vendor partner programs, off-the-shelf tools and filesystems efforts, a service and training component, and extensive involvement with various standards bodies. (more…)

The Real-time Linux Workshop is soliciting papers for its eighth annual conference, set for October 12-15 in Lanzhou, China. Papers should present original work on general topics related to real-time Linux research, experiments, and case studies, as well as integrating Linux with other RTOSes (real-time operating systems), according to organizer Nicholaus McGuire. (more…)

Researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) have used conventional photolithography techniques to produce completely transparent integrated circuits from inorganic compounds, an advance called a “quantum step” toward extremely inexpensive electronics that can be embedded in automobile windshields, cell phones,… (more…)

The OpenZaurus Project has achieved a new release of its free Linux software environment for Sharp's Linux-based Zaurus PDAs. OpenZaurus 3.5.4 supports most older Zaurus models, and includes nearly 3,000 source packages, along with native and cross-development tools that let developers create custom PDA… (more…)

Wind River has acquired a secure network stack vendor for $20 million in cash and stock. Interpeak AB of Stockholm, Sweden, offers stacks for carrier-grade routers, access equipment, WiFi nodes, and small-footprint networked devices, including the first TCP/IP stacks for Linux-based routers and embedded hosts to achieve “IPv6-Ready” certification. (more…)

A proprietary RTOS capable of running Linux binaries has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a re-usable software component (RSC). LynuxWorks says LynxOS-178's RSC acceptance will enable greater software reuse among integrators and developers of safety-critical aerospace and defense components. (more…)

Computer Lab International (CLI) has added a mid-range model to its line of thin clients based on Mandrake Linux. The MT1500t supports attachment to VESA-compliant monitors, and works with mainframes, midrange systems, and servers running Linux, Windows, or Citrix. (more…)

In a deal estimated between $14M and $20M, Wind River's Workbench developer toolsuite has been selected by Boeing for the US Army's “Future Combat System” (FCS) program. Wind River says its tools will enable the program to standardize on a single development environment across multiple sub-projects involving multiple operating systems. (more…)

Motorola is shipping its Linux-based A1200 smartphone to distributors in China, where the phone will be sold under a “Ming” model-name, according to a hardware blog at TheRegister. (more…)

PC/104 module-vendor Micro/sys is shipping a new tool designed specifically to ease the task of separating PC/104 embedded computer modules from each other, and from application baseboards. (more…)

Sony President Ken Kutaragi confirmed that the Playstation 3 (PS3) has been delayed, at a press conference in Tokyo earlier this week. Kutaragi additionally confirmed that the gaming console will ship with an upgradable 60GB hard drive pre-installed with Linux, according to in-depth coverage at 1up.com. (more…)

Intel has embedded a 2.6 Linux kernel in a compact NAS (network-attached storage) server that aims to bring enterprise storage management features such as hot-swap SATA drives and enclosure management to the entry-level SMB/SOHO market. (more…)