You don't think of NASCAR fans as Linux users, so much, but a new wireless handheld device available for rent at select races makes them just that. The NASCAR FanView devices rented out by Sprint at Nextel Cup races are based on Kangaroo TV's IVT-200, an interactive multimedia transceiver based on Linux and Qtopia.

(Click for larger view of the IVT-200)

The Kangaroo TV IVT-200 comes in a pouch meant to be hung around the user's neck (hence the “Kangaroo” name). It reportedly rents for about $35 per day at NASCAR races.

Spectators at other live sporting events may also become Linux users, given that Kangaroo TV says its device can support football, professional golfing, baseball, and other sports. Regardless of the event, Kangaroo TV puts fans “in the middle of the sporting action,” the company says, by displaying live video, audio, and “real-time data.”

The IVT-200 can receive audio and video feeds in several copy-protected formats, and allows the user to switch between feeds at will, tailoring their own broadcast coverage experience. It appears to use cellular radio networking technology, given that it is offered by Nextel, a mobile phone operator.

Hardware features (Click to enlarge)

The IVT-200 can support up to 10 live MPEG4 feeds, along with AAC3 and MP3 audio streams. The device also has a simple radio that can receive live audio on user-set frequencies.

The device measures approximately 6.3 x 4.1 x 1.5 inches, and weighs slightly less than a pound (14 ounces). Its I/O includes an SD memory card, USB port, and a headphone jack. It has a replaceable, rechargable battery claimed to offer six hours of continuous use.

The IVT-200's user interface is based on Trolltech's Qtopia application stack. Qtopia provides a graphics framework and a user interface, and supports a variety of plug-ins, such as audio/video codecs, Java, and so on.

Qtopia architecture
Jean Arseneau, CTO of Kangaroo TV, stated, “We will be extending our use of Qtopia in our future development in other sports series for the next generation of handheld services.”

Underscoring the flexibility and customizability of Qtopia, combined with Linux, Trolltech CEO Haavard Nord noted, “Linux and Qtopia make it possible to create innovative applications that target new markets.”

Kangaroo.TV is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kangaroo Media, which began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange yesterday. It signed a five-year license and supply agreement with Nextel in Aug. of 2005, and in October announced $4.4M in orders from Nextel.

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