Trolltech has announced that its application stack for Linux-based PDAs and mobile phones now supports a wireless mobile multimedia processor from Texas Instruments (TI). Qtopia for OMAP is said to give manufacturers a powerful platform to rapidly develop high-performance wireless devices based on Linux.

TI's OMAP family of processors are aimed at wireless devices that may include real-time voice, data, and multimedia. The ARM-based chips have a “multi-engine architecture” capable of processing a variety of application tasks in parallel, and are claimed to deliver high-performance combined with ultra-low power consumption. The OMAP chip family of ARM-based SoCs targets Internet appliances, 2.5G and 3G wireless handsets, PDAs, and other multimedia-enhanced devices.

Trolltech describes Qtopia as a customizable development environment and user interface for Linux-based mobile phones and PDAs that enables developers to maintain control of their own branding and user interface. The company says Qtopia extends the flexibility and cost-savings benefits of Linux to the mobile market, helping Linux compete with proprietary software platforms such as Windows Mobile and Symbian.

The worldwide director of marketing for TI OMAP, Paul Werp, said, “TI's customers now have a full featured software environment for developing innovative wireless products that take advantage of Linux's cost-savings, modularity and openness to deliver distinctive, full-featured handsets and other devices.”

Last month the Qtopia Phone Edition won the LinuxWorld Product Excellence Award for “Best Embedded Solution.”

Trolltech will highlight the TI OMAP processor at the 3GSM World Congress Asia in Singapore, Sept. 27 – Oct. 1, 2004.

 
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