All About Linux-powered Devices

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Low-cost NAS gains USB ports, social net sync —

Cloud Engines has released a new version of its Linux-based Pogoplug networked-attached storage (NAS) device, which uses the Marvell SheevaPlug reference design. The Pogoplug is larger and costs $30 more, but moves from one USB port to four, and adds new synchronization, multimedia sharing, and social networking integration features. ...

Gaming boards run Linux —

Acrosser announced two Linux-ready "All-in-One" boards for gaming and AWP (Amusement With Prizes) machines. The ACE-B5296 supports an Intel Pentium and 915GME northbridge, and the ACE-B5692 runs a Core 2 Duo and GME965, and both offer dual VGA outputs, PCIe expansion, plus Ethernet, USB, serial, storage, ccTalk, and JAMMA I/O. ...

Knoppix rev'd —

Klaus Knopper has released version 6.2 of his Debian-based live-CD Linux distro. Based on Debian 5.0 ("Lenny"), the new version uses the lightweight LXDE as the default desktop, and includes a new version of the ADRIANE talking menu system for vision-impaired users. ...

HMI SBC gains larger display, Linux BSP —

Blue Chip Technology has released an updated version of its small SBC (single board computer) aimed at embedded HMI (human machine interface) applications. Based on a MIPS32-based RMI Au1100 processor, the new RE1 "REsolution" SBC adds a full Linux board support package and a 7-inch LCD module, says the company. ...

Security adapters ship with Linux SDK — Cavium announced a new line of Nitrox network security adapters that ship with a Linux SDK. The Nitrox XL CN16XX-NFBE family offers a FIPS 140-2-certified hardware security nodule (HSM) with PCI Express Gen2 connectivity and integrated Network Interface Card (NIC) functionality, says Cavium. ...

Google Chrome OS debuts, goes open source —

Google unveiled its "Chrome OS" -- based on Debian Linux and the Chrome web browser -- and announced the open-sourcing of the project, promising public visibility for code and design documents. Due to ship on selected netbooks in late 2010, the cloud-oriented Chrome OS will offer seven-second boot-ups, the company claimed. ...

SK Telecom prepping LiMo phone for Korea — LiMo Foundation announced that Korean wireless provider SK Telecom will deploy a Samsung-made "SCH-M510 "phone that complies with the LiMo (Linux Mobile) specification and offers a 3.5-inch AMOLED display. Meanwhile, LG Electronics, Samsung, SK Telecom, and the Korean government have launched the Korea LiMo Ecosystem Association to promote LiMo app development, says the Foundation. ...

Droid by Motorola sales hit 250K —

Verizon Wireless sold 250,000 units of its Droid by Motorola phone, according to eWEEK, which has also given the Droid a rave review. Meanwhile, the rumor of a Google-branded Android phone refuses to die, Palm's CEO trash-talks the Droid, and tomorrow Google will unveil its Linux-based Chrome OS, say various reports. ...

ARM's Android center focuses on Cortex-A8 —

ARM has launched an Android development center, and has already signed up 35 members of its "ARM Connected Community." The Solution Center for Android offers resources for designers and developers of ARM technology-based products running on Android, with a focus on Cortex-A8 cores, says ARM. ...

Android for MIPS platform gains debugging support — MIPS Technologies announced the availability of an Arriba for Android Porting Kit (APK) for the MIPS architecture, co-developed with Viosoft. The Arriba APK includes a suite of tools for porting Android to MIPS-based platforms, and includes Android versions of Viosoft's Arriba Linux debug and profiling tools, plus MIPS Technologies' System Navigator EJTAG probe, the companies say. ...

HP spins ARM- and Atom-based thin clients —

[Updated: Nov. 20] -- HP announced two thin clients that run its Linux-based ThinPro distribution. Using Intel's Atom N280, the t5745 offers 1-2GB of DDR3 RAM, 1-2GB of flash, and eight USB 2.0 ports, while the t5325 incorporates a 1.2GHz Marvell/ARM processor, 512MB each of RAM and flash, and four USB ports.

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In-memory database rev'd, wins customers — McObject is shipping the final version 4.0 of its flagship ExtremeDB, a Linux-ready, in-memory database for real-time applications, adding a new API and improved multi-user performance. McObject also announced two new customer wins: the MyYearbook social networking site and SCL Elements, the makers of the Can2Go wireless automation system. ...

Android dev kit targets OMAP35x SoCs —

Mentor Graphics is shipping an Android development platform for the Texas Instruments (TI) OMAP35x system-on-chip (SoC) family. The Android Development System for OMAP35x supports TI's OMAP35x evaluation module (EVM) and open source BeagleBoard development boards, says the company. ...

Flash Player gets multi-touch, graphics acceleration —

Adobe released upgrades to its multimedia software that pave the way for full mobile device support. The company's "pre-release betas" of Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR 2 run only on Linux, Windows, and Macintosh desktop operating systems and x86-based netbooks, but showcase mobile-centric features such as multi-touch and H.264 hardware acceleration. ...

Embedded servers have PC/104 SBCs inside —

Diamond Systems announced a series of "embedded application servers" based on previously released PC/104 SBCs (single board computers). The Octavio-HLV and Octavio-ATHM run Linux 2.6 on 800MHz Vortex86DX or 500MHz Via Mark CoreFusion processors, respectively, include cableless construction, and sport soldered-on memory, the company says. ...

Media server offers up to 14TB NAS storage —

Envive, Inc. announced a Linux-based, HD-ready media server that offers up to 14TB of network-attached storage (NAS) capacity. The TheaterStation Multi-Zone Digital Media Management System with Centralized Networked Storage is available with TheaterStation "TSClient Mini" satellite devices, as well as several NAS storage options, the Carrollton, Texas-based company says. ...

Linux-based NAS device starts at $70 —

Addonics announced a low-cost, six-ounce network-attached storage (NAS) device for the SOHO market. The Linux-based Addonics Mini NAS offers a single 2.5-inch storage bay, an Ethernet port, a USB port, and multiple servers, including UPnP, and supports both SMB and open source Samba network protocols, says the company. ...

Third Verizon Android phone a videophone? —

Following its release of Motorola's Droid and HTC's Droid Eris, Verizon Wireless will release a third Android phone made by Saygus, say reports. The Saygus VPhone V1 offers a 624MHz Marvell PXA310, a 3.5-inch 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen, a QWERTY keyboard, and proprietary videoconferencing technology, says Saygus. ...

Lenovo's Pineview netbook breaks cover —

What appears to be the first netbook based on Intel's "Pineview" Atom has broken cover, thanks to a filing last week on the FCC website. The Lenovo IdeaPad "FL5-B3" includes a 1.66GHz CPU, a 10.1-inch display, 2GB of RAM, and a 250GB hard disk drive, according to the newly available documents. ...

Samsung Android phone ships in Europe —

Samsung announced an Android-powered "Galaxy Spica I5700" smartphone, targeting Europe. In other Android news, Dell confirmed Brazilian and Chinese carriers for its Dell Mini 3, Google released a second-generation developers phone, and ZiiLabs is prepping an Android platform, say reports. ...

ARM9, Cortex-A8 modules support Linux —

Avalue announced two Linux-compatible, ARM-architecture computer-on-module (COMs). The RSC-W910 is based on a Nuvoton W90P910 ARM9 CPU, and the RSM-MX515 SoM is based on a Freescale Cortex-A8-based i.MX515 system-on-chip (SoC), says the company. ...

ARM netbook sells for $80 —

China-based Menq has launched a smartbook/mini-netbook that runs on an ARM9-based Samsung S3C2450 processor, and offers WiFi, Ethernet, SD storage, and a 7-inch 800 x 480 display. According to one review, the Menq EasyPC E790 costs only $80, and though it ships with Windows CE, can also run Android. ...

MontaVista buy-out signals consolidation trend, say analysts — After Cavium announced that it will acquire MontaVista for $50 million, analysts are now weighing in on the acquisition. Both Jay Lyman of The 451 Group and Bill Weinberg of LinuxPundit view the acquisition as a sign of a consolidation trend in embedded Linux, while Weinberg points to MontaVista missteps that led to sale. ...

Dell PCs cram multimedia power into tiny package —

Dell announced a miniature PC using single- or dual-core AMD processors that is available with Ubuntu Linux. Starting at approximately $230, the Inspiron Zino HD sports up to 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard disk drive, comes in ten different colors, and is available with discrete graphics, the company says. ...

Qualcomm unveils Lenovo smartbook, new Scorpion chipset —

At Qualcomm's annual analyst meeting today, the company demonstrated a Linux- and Qualcomm Snapdragon-based "smartbook" from Lenovo, say reports. Qualcomm also announced a new 1GHz MSM7x30 smartphone chipset family which incorporates the same superscalar Scorpion CPU technology as the Snapdragon, and is capable of 720p video at 30fps, says Qualcomm. ...

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