Trolltech has completed a $6.7 million round of Series B financing led by Index Ventures, with participation from previous investors Teknoinvest and Northzone. The funding will be used to market Trolltech's embedded Linux and cross-platform desktop applications globally, the company says. (more…)

O'Reilly has released the second edition of Designing Embedded Hardware by John Catsoulis. The new edition includes information on the latest generations of microprocessors and microcontrollers, and spells out the basics of embedded design for beginners while also providing advanced material for more experienced designers, (more…)

O'Reilly is planning a European version of its Open Source Convention (OSCON), and has issued a call for speaker proposals, to close May 23. The inaugural EuroOSCON is themed “The Future is Open,” and set for October, 17-20 in Amsterdam. Topics include Linux, Java, PHP, Python, Perl, databases, and more. (more…)

“The Bazaar” was named the top influencer in this year's SD Times 100. The annual list recognizes companies, organizations — and for the first time, an entire community — that demonstrate technical and market leadership in software development. Embedded Linux-oriented organizations are well-represented on the list, (more…)

IBM has published the following technical articles, tutorials, and downloads on its DeveloperWorks Website. They cover a range of interesting (though not necessarily embedded) technical topics, primarily related to Linux and open source system development. Some require free registration. Enjoy . . . ! (more…)

MIPS Technologies has introduced its first processor cores to integrate DSP (digital signal processor) instructions. The MIPS32 24KE line aims to eliminate discreet DSP co-processors in set-top boxes, DTVs, DVD recorders, voice switches, IP phones, digital cameras, printers, modems, residential gateways and automotive telematics. (more…)

The world's fanciest Linux-powered remote control and webpad is now on sale for $800 at Amazon. The Pepper Computer “Pepper Pad” integrates a wi-fi- and bluetooth-enabled webpad with an infrared remote control. It runs a MontaVista embedded Linux operating system, and has a 20GB hard drive. (more…)

PMC-Sierra is shipping a hardware/software reference design for an analog telephone VoIP adapter. The company says its Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) platform is powered by the “now ubiquitous” Linux operating system, and includes “all hardware and software to build a complete telephone adapter.” (more…)

Cambridge Consulting has unveiled a new 32-bit synthesizable processor core with a new RISC instruction set that will run uClinux. The company says the XAP3 core was optimized from the beginning for low system cost, low power consumption, and high code (more…)

AMCC is sampling the first processors in its line of low-cost, low-power PowerPC SoCs (system-on-chips) processors to include security processing hardware. The 440EPx and 440GRx target networking and pervasive computing applications, such as printing/imaging, wireless access, industrial control, and media processing. (more…)

Team F1 is shipping Linux middleware for OEMs that want to add secure, managed 802.11a/b/g access point capabilities to devices of all kinds. The Air Secure Access Point (ASAP) stack supports 2.4- and 2.6-series Linux kernels, and integrates the latest security and management features, along with a flexible driver framework, (more…)

Raza Microelectronics Inc (RMI) is shipping six high-throughput, multi-core, multi-threaded MIPS64 chips for data center, imaging, and intelligent access point applications. The XLR family of chips clocks up to 1.5GHz, and offers 16-32 thread processing engines. Development boards and Linux BSPs (board support packages) are available. (more…)

PalmOne is shipping its first harddrive-equipped PDA. Despite rumors the LifeDrive would run Linux, it runs Palm OS 5 (Garnet). However, the device seems to have a Linux-friendly design, and is likely to run Linux soon, whether supplied by PalmOne's sister company PalmSource, or by Linux (more…)

Applied Data Systems (ADS) will soon ship an upgraded version of its compact XScale SBC based on an Intel PXA270 processor. The BitsyXb, which supports embedded Linux, incorporates five power management modes that minimize power consumption in handheld, wearable, and unmanned applications, according to the company. (more…)

Freescale used embedded Linux to complete the first call on a postage-stamp-sized SoC (system-on-chip) designed to bring mobile/cellular networking capabilities to a wide variety of consumer devices, it says. The MXC275-30 SoC is the first of Freescale's Mobile Extreme Convergence (MXC) chips, (more…)