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The MeeGo project released a pre-alpha version of its promised Tablet User Experience (UX), officially opening up development for the UI layer. Based on MeeGo v1.2 core and Linux 2.6.37, the preview version includes a touch-optimized user interface for tablets, as well as a new panel UI concept and a suite of built-in browser, personal information management, and media playback apps.
Novell announced the availability of Mono for Android, which enables Microsoft .NET application development for Android. Mono for Android consists of a plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio, a core Mono runtime, a software development kit, and bindings for native Android APIs, all starting at $399 per year, says the company.
The Linux Foundation announced the availability of the Carrier Grade Linux Version 5.0 specification, featuring new streaming media, security, diagnostics, debugging, tuning, and High Availability (HA) file system support. The non-profit foundation also announced a new HA Working Group that will help define an open source HA spec.
The Linux Foundation announced the availability of the Yocto Project Release 1.0, which includes a version of OpenEmbedded's bitbake build system, major improvements to its developer interface, and Linaro technology for improved ARM support. The Linux Foundation also announced new Yocto Steering Group members Dell and Mentor Graphics to help oversee the embedded Linux standardization project.
Qnap Systems announced a four-drive, rackmountable network attached storage (NAS) “TS-412U” server supporting up to 12TB and aimed at the SMB and workgroup markets. In other Linux-based NAS news, Buffalo Systems started shipping its home-focused Pogoplug-based Cloudstor NAS device, which offers free cloud based-storage in addition to up to 2TB local capacity.
Kontron announced a ruggedized rackmount server designed to serve up infotainment to train passengers. The Linux-ready KISS 4U KTC-5520 Transportation server complies with EN 50155, EN 50121, and EN 60068 railway standards, offering dual Intel Xeon 5600 or 5500 processors, up to 96GB of DDR3 memory, four drive bays, PCI and PCI Express slots, and remote management functionality.
Google has added Location History to Google Latitude in its latest Maps 5.3 for Android application. Users may also check-in from home and leave tips via the Hotpot recommendation engine, says the company.
While it looks like a leftover April Fools joke, a 21st century revamp of the classic Commodore 64 computer is orderable now and will ship with Linux. Equipped with a classically styled case and “color-matched” keys, the device offers a dual-core Intel Atom processor, an Nvidia Ion 2 GPU, up to 4GB of RAM, dual SATA ports, and a Mini PCI Express slot, says Commodore USA LLC.
Phytec announced what it claims is the first computer module based on the Texas Instruments OMAP4430 system-on-chip (SoC). The PhyCore-OMAP4430 clocks the SoC's dual ARM Cortex-A9 cores to 1GHz, measures 1.6 x 2.0 inches (41 x 51 mm), offers up to 1GB LPDDR2 RAM and 1GB NAND flash, provides Ethernet, USB, and I2C connectivity, and draws only three Watts.
Applied Micro Circuits (AppliedMicro) announced two new Linux-ready members of its “PacketPro” family of PowerPC system-on-a-chips (SoCs). The single-core “Diamondback” APM86291 and dual-core APM86292 can be clocked from 600MHz to 1GHz, offer PCIe, gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, and SATA connectivity, and feature a SlimPro stack offering power management and asymmetric multiprocessing capabilities, says the company.
AMD says it has begun shipping its first 32nm “Llano” chips for mainstream notebooks and desktops. The A-Series APUs (accelerated processing units), with on-chip graphics, are expected to appear in PCs by June or July.
[Updated: Apr. 5] — Texas Instruments (TI) announced it is licensing EtherCAT fieldbus technology from the EtherCAT Technology Group, and will feature it in upcoming Sitara ARM9 processors in 4Q 2011 and C6-Integra DSP + ARM Cortex-A8 processors beginning in 2012. Meanwhile, TI plans to expand its analog semiconductor portfolio with the $6.5 billion purchase of National Semiconductor.
OpenSUSE 11.4 is a modest improvement to the Novell-backed, community-based Linux distribution, hobbled by some installation and font-control issues, says this eWEEK review. Yet OpenSUSE remains compelling thanks to related Novell software and services such as SUSE Studio and OpenSUSE Build Service, plus the new Tumbleweed rolling release option and Evergreen long-term release support project.
Google's reported decision to more tightly police its Android platform could improve overall quality, but runs the risk of losing vendors to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, say analysts. Meanwhile, despite the release of the iPhone 4 on Verizon, Android kept building U.S. market share in February, growing to a leading 33 percent, says ComScore.
Intel's “Sandy Bridge” processors may not be exciting the PC user base as much as the chipmaker hoped, according to one research firm. Demand from notebook manufacturers has been lower than expected, perhaps due to an initial flaw in the supporting “Cougar Point” chipset, according to an FBR Capital Markets analyst.