Todd Spangler, editor of Inter@ctive Week, reports on the growing trend of using Linux in mobile and handheld computing applications. Spangler looks at a wide range of recent mobile/handheld Linux activities, including those of Compaq, HP, IBM, Intel, MontaVista, and Lineo. Spangler writes . . . (more…)

AbsoluteValue Systems (AVS) and Intersil announced that the new AVS wireless LAN (WLAN) development system for Linux-based embedded systems bases its wireless interface on Intersil's PRISM WLAN chipset. The new AVS WLAN development system system is said to be the first to target embedded Linux based systems. (more…)

New York — (press release) — ZF Linux Devices, Inc., today announced their family of products providing low cost, distributed network solutions for the Small Office/Home Office (SOHO), education and developing economy markets. Each unit incorporates the ZF Linux Devices FailSafe MachZ PC-on-a-Chip in combination with a unique distributed Linux software implementation. (more…)

EDN Magazine (online) has published a comprehensive feature article, by technical editor Warren Webb, about the increasing use of Linux in embedded applications. Webb looks at fundamental changes taking place in the overall embedded system landscape and explores a broad range of issues associated with embedding Linux, including open source, real-time requirements, and licensing fees. (more…)

John Ribeiro, writing at PC World, reports on a simple-to-use, low-cost, Linux based web surfing computer that is being installed in developing countries. Ribeiro writes . . . (more…)

Following Compaq's recent announcement of a port of Linux for the company's iPaq, eWEEK's Carmen Nobel ponders the interesting question of why handheld computer makers are increasingly exploring the possibilities of using Linux, given Palm OS is already well positioned in that space. Nobel writes . . . (more…)

San Jose, CA — (press release) — ITsquare.com today announced the launch of Linux Square, a new service that provides access to scores of established Linux development firms. Through use of a web-based framework, clients are able to securely and efficiently procure the development of Linux applications. (more…)

Michael Fitzpatrick, of Reuters, reports that Intel has announced its first so-called Web appliance — a device that provides a built-in phone, Internet access, and email. Fitzpatrick writes . . . (more…)

Plymouth, Indiana — (press release) — ImageStream Internet Solutions is now shipping eight new DS3 and E3 WAN cards for Linux. The cards are available for the PCI and CompactPCI buses in DS3 and E3 flavors with one or two ports and integrated full-speed CSU/DSUs. The new WAN cards can be installed in most Linux-based systems, and they are compatible with ImageStream's Industrial and Pro series routers. (more…)

Metro Link, Inc. (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) has released Open Motif with Metro Link's enhancements and bug fixes, available for free FTP download. Metro Link's package is an enhanced version of Open Motif, which includes approximately 30 significant bug fixes and enhancements to the Motif libraries and window manager, plus many minor source changes and over 100 fixes to the Motif demo source code. (more…)

Lineo has established a website dedicated to disseminating the company's open source software contributions, as well as a number open source tools and utilities that might be useful to developers of embedded systems. Included among the open source projects covered on the site are: BusyBox, TinyLogin, uCLibc, uClinux, PoPToP, and ThinLinux. (more…)

Frank Smith, of the Embedded Debian Project, writes . . .

I'm pleased to announce the availability of the first *test* release of Embedded Debian Cross Development Environments. Here are the specs:

Hosts:
– Debian i386 (potato-ish)
– RPM based i386 (more…)

Trolltech has announced the release of the beta version of Qt/Embedded, a GUI application framework directly targeted at embedded systems. It is based on Trolltech's well known Qt technology offers developers of embedded applications the same power, flexibility, and cross-platform portability as the popular desktop versions, Qt/Windows and Qt/X11. (more…)

Richard Barry, of ZDNet (UK), reports that British Telecom has begun to assert that it owns a 14-year-old patent on one of the keys to the Internet — hyperlinks. And, if upheld, it could start to ask for payments. Barry writes . . . (more…)

The following is an open letter written by EuroLinux to British Telecom, in response to news that BT has decided to assert that it owns a 14-year-old patent on the technology of hyperlinks . . . (more…)