Compaq Computer Corporation today announced the Open Handheld Program, a new initiative designed to stimulate innovation and research on handheld devices. The new initiative is derived from Compaq Corporate Research's Itsy pocket computer project. The Open Handheld Program is intended to enable developers and researchers looking to explore applications and uses for handheld computing to experiment with… Compaq's iPAQ handheld by gaining access to the Linux-based source code for the device.

Compaq is making the iPAQ Linux port available as freely available open source software. The port takes advantage of the unit's Flash memory to allow its operating system to be easily upgraded. The project will enable researchers and developers to utilize the flexibility and openness of Linux to rapidly develop and prototype new applications for this growing market.

To foster innovation and the sharing of information, Compaq also is hosting a vendor neutral web site (www.handhelds.org) dedicated to open source handheld development. The site new is intended to provide researchers and open source developers aid in the development of open source software on handheld and wearable computers in the open source software community. Compaq says the site will provide development tools, code and executable files, and links to other sites including support for hardware, and will serve as a repository of shared information for any handheld and wearable computing devices.

Bob Iannucci, Compaq Vice President of Corporate Research, said “the port of Linux to the Compaq iPAQ handheld computer is designed to encourage the development of novel user interfaces, new applications and innovative research projects for the future. Through the Open Handheld Program we hope to unleash the future potential of handheld and wearable computing and spark invention on the Linux platform.”

Compaq says it is committing software, development hardware, and documentation in support of the Open Handheld Program. In addition to porting the core Linux operating system, the company is providing other software components including drivers, X-Terminal emulation, handwriting recognition, touch screen, and multi-media support.

Compaq also plans to provide hardware specifications for both the iPAQ handheld unit and its Expansion Pack system. A development version of the iPAQ Expansion Pack iPAQ will facilitate the prototyping of application circuitry. This is in addition to the commercially available Compact Flash and PC Card Expansion Packs.

Availability

The commercially available Compaq iPAQ is now shipping in the U.S. to the Compaq Authorized Reseller and Retail channel. While the iPAQ handheld with Linux is not available or supported for commercial customers, the software source code and details about the Open Handheld Program are available for the development community at www.handhelds.org.

Related stories:
handhelds.org — a handheld computing resource site
Itsy — an “open” pocket-computer project
Compaq launches Linux-based Open Handheld Program
Meet Itsy — Compaq's “open” pocket computer project

 
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