Two new miniature computers from Gumstix Inc. enhance the company's Linux-based family of single-board computers (SBCs) with expanded memory and communications capabilities. The new models add a 92-pin expansion-bus connector to the gumstick-sized 80 x 20 x 6.3 mm Connex family, enabling memory and I/O expansion.

The Connex 200g and 400g are based, respectively, on a 200 MHz and 400 MHz Intel XScale PXA225 processor, along with 64 MB of SDRAM, 4 MB of Flash, and a complement of peripherals and I/O that includes an LCD controller, two RS232 serial ports, a USB 1.1 device port, I2C, two NSSP PWMs, AC97, and a JTAG port. The modules utilize standard 4.5 or 5V inputs from a Li-Ion or Li-Polymer battery or two NiMH batteries. They feature onboard power management, and dissipate under 200 mA (200 MHz) or under 250 mA (400 MHz).

Two views of the Connex SBC, showing the top-side 60-pin I/O connector (upper view) and new bottom-side 92-pin bus connector (lower view)
(Click above image for another view)

On the software side, Gumstix's Connex SBCs come equipped with a “fully open source” Linux 2.6.7, including a complete TCP/IP stack and U-Boot bootloader, the company says.

Simultaneous with the introduction of the 200g and 400g, Gumstix has also announced two daughterboards that mate with new 92-pin connector. One, the Etherstix (image), provides a wired Ethernet connection; and the other, Cfstix (image), provides a Type II CompactFlash adapter that accepts either a memory card or a Wi-Fi card.

The Connex 200g is priced at $109; the Connex 400g, at $139. The Etherstix costs $49, and the Cfstix is $25. Source code for the Gumstix Linux kernel and compiler tool chain is available, including a cross compiler for use with x86 host systems.

Additional details are available on Gumstix's website.

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