Texas Instruments (TI) announced the availability of a version of its WiLink 6.0 WL1271 wireless module for the Mistral-manufactured Cortex-A8-based OMAP35x Evaluation Module (EVM). The tiny 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+ WL1271 chip is pre-integrated and optimized for TI's OMAP35x system-on-chip, thereby accelerating wireless development time, says TI.

The WiLink 6.0 WL1271 chip is now available as part of the latest version of Mistral Solutions' OMAP35x EVM development board (pictured below), which originally shipped with the first 600MHz, ARM Cortex-A8-based OMAP3530 system-on-chip (SoC) two years ago. The more feature-packed big brother to TI's BeagleBoard OMAP35x development board, Mistral's latest EVM incorporates the faster new 720MHz version of the top-of-the line OMAP3530 SoC, says TI.

Mistral's new 720MHz version of the OMAP35x EVM
(Click to enlarge)

The WiLink 6.0 design, which debuted in January in TI's own eBook Development Platform for Linux and Android, was the first of the company's WiLink chips to offer 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, and FM on a single chip. The chip also incorporates a low-power scanning architecture that continuously scans for available WLAN access points without impacting battery life, says TI. The WiLink 6.0 chip provides "seamless coexistence between WLAN and Bluetooth capabilities," says the company.

A WiLink 7.0 version of the chip announced in February also adds GPS to the mix, as well as hardware mechanisms that are claimed to cancel out board- and chip-level RF interference. Available in new WL1281 and WL1283 models, the 7.0 version is claimed to be half the size of the WiLink 6.0, and said to reduce costs by 30 percent (see image at right).

The WiLink for OMAP35x EVM product is available now with Linux, with plans for a Windows CE version this summer, says TI. The product is said to be supported through TI partners Mistral, LS Research (LSR), and Adeneo Embedded, says the company.

Mistral is said to have collaborated with TI on the development of the OMAP35x EVM and has also developed the new WL1271 daughter card for the EVM. LSR, meanwhile, is said to be manufacturing its "TiWi" connectivity module for the OMAP35x EVM. Adeneo Embedded is working on the Windows CE support package for the WiLink on EVM solution.

Stated Doug Wilson, GM of TI's Emerging Connectivity Solutions business, "As the first of many connectivity platforms that will be introduced to market, the incorporation of the WL1271 solution on the OMAP35x EVM delivers ubiquitous connectivity to the design board and echoes our commitment to customer success, while paving the way for tomorrow's connected, portable devices."

Availability

The WiLink 6.0 WL1271 module for the OMAP35x EVM is available now with Linux, and a Windows CE version is due "mid-year," says TI. More information and direct ordering links may be found here.

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