Portola Valley, Calif.-based Gumstix, Inc has hired former Apple Computer VP of Software Technology Steve Sakoman. The new project leader will head up software operations for Gumstix, which designs tiny, Linux-compatible gumstick-sized SBCs (single-board computers) that target the networking and wireless device… markets.

Gumstix Verdex (Click for details)

Gumstix is known for its PXA270-based Verdex SBC (pictured at right). This tiny motherboard is available with a case about the size of a pack of chewing gum, and recently gained a line of Goliath daughtercards that add cellular networking, GPS, and/or LCD displays. The pieces thus appear to be in place for building DIY mobile phones on top of Gumstix hardware, and indeed, the Verdex appears to be one of the open, modular hardware platforms targeted by OpenMoko — see this page.

Sakoman worked on the Apple II and Macintosh product lines, and formed the team behind the Apple Newton PDA. A co-founder and COO of Be, Inc., Sakoman helped develop the multimedia BeBox computer, and was a chief products officer at PalmSource after it acquired Be. He then returned to Apple as a VP before retiring recently.

Stated W. Gordon Kruberg, president and CEO of Gumstix, “Steve has been a Gumstix customer for more than two years now, and has been an active member of the open source community. His leadership focus at Gumstix will begin with deployment of a stable, well documented open source gumstix software environment for our customers.”

 
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