LinuxDevices.com wishes all of our readers and their families, friends, and associates a peaceful, healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year. In case you missed our last 2002 newsletter and first 2003 newsletter, you can access them here: Dec. 19, 2002 / Jan. 2, 2003
MontaVista unveils Embedded Linux for consumer electronics -- MontaVista Software announced a new push into the consumer electronics market, with the introduction of the MontaVista Linux Consumer Electronics Edition (CEE). The company claims CEE represents "the first Linux operating system and cross-development environment specifically designed for consumer electronics applications." Here are three related stories . . .
Introduction to the ELC's new Embedded Linux platform spec -- This article by Kevin Dankwardt provides a brief explanation of the process that led to the development of the Embedded Linux Consortium Platform Specification (ELCPS) and a cursory description of its contents. Dankwardt served as a member ELC's working group that developed the ELCPS. Comments and discussion are encouraged. Story
"Embedded Linux" book author offers 3-day seminar -- Dr. Craig Hollabaugh, author of "Embedded Linux" (published by Addison Wesley), will present a 3-day seminar in Colorado on March 10-12, 2003. Participants get to keep the target board used in the seminar afterwards, along with the hard drive that contains their developed (and presumably working) Embedded Linux software. Everyone also gets a copy of Hollabaugh's book (presumably autographed). Story
New Panasonic broadband terminal / IP-phone to be powered by Linux -- MontaVista Software announced that Panasonic Communications Inc. (a division of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.) has selected MontaVista Linux to be the embedded operating system in a next-generation multifunction Internet terminal and IP phone. More details and a photo are in the article. Story
TI showcases embedded Linux based telematics at CES -- Texas Instruments (TI) demonstrated a telematics application that showcased next generation features for car radios. MontaVista Linux and various third-party mapping and speech interface software were shown running on TI's OMAP processor. Story
Reference platform simplifies designs based on DTV SOC -- Oak Technology announced availability of the Cougar-G9 development board, which is based on its Generation9 single-chip solution for digital TV. The system supports embedded Linux "out of the box," and can be used for developing TVs, set-top boxes, personal video recorders, and digital video recorders. Story
Sandia National Labs remote video technology leverages Linux -- A prototype two-board set developed by Sandia National Labs allows high resolution images to be efficiently viewed and manipulated remotely. The Sandia hardware, for which a patent has been applied, makes use of an ETX form-factor embedded PC daughter module (from JUMPtec) and the Linux operating system. Story
Zaurus Linux PDA gains bar-code and cellular handset support -- SDG Systems introduced two new options for the Sharp Zaurus Linux PDA: a high-speed data connection cable that connects the Zaurus to a cellular handset; and a bar code scanning CompactFlash attachment. Story
Dynamic power management for the IBM PowerPC 405LP -- A recently published whitepaper describes a joint project by IBM and MontaVista to develop a dynamic power management framework for Linux that makes use of the advanced features of the 405LP and other members of the emerging class of processors that support dynamic scaling. Story
Transmeta introduces Crusoe processors for embedded apps -- The new family, dubbed "Crusoe Special Embedded (SE) processors" (Crusoe SE), target a broad range of embedded applications including industrial automation, scientific instrumentation, retail kiosks, point-of-sale terminals, automotive infotainment, process control, and home automation systems. Linux is among the primary embedded operating systems supported. Story
CompactPCI-based telecom platform initiative announced -- A group of communications platform and component providers announced an initiative called Compact Telecommunications Computing Architecture, or "CompactTCA." The objective of the proposal is to clearly define an embedded system platform specification, which combines several existing CompactPCI specifications from the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) into a single standard. Story
MS rolls out Windows Media 9, announces non-Windows licensing -- Microsoft released Windows Media 9 for the development, distribution, and playback of digital audio and video files, and along with it announced its first-ever licensing fees for use of its media delivery software on non-Microsoft platforms, enabling its use on OSes such as embedded Linux. Story
All source code should be open -- In this op-ed piece at Developer.com, Charles Connell explains why he believes that all source code should be open, whether or not it is released under an open source license. (Connell does not suggest that all software should be released as open source.) Story
Update on GNU Bayonne -- What's happening with GNU Bayonne? The project leader fills us in on the free telecommunications application server in this online article from Linux Journal magazine. Story
Derivative Works -- When is one program a "derivative work" of another? Lawrence Rosen, general counsel for the Open Source Initiative (which manages and promotes the Open Source Definition), sheds some light on this important topic in an online article at Linux Journal. Story
Read them here: Jan. 2, 2003, Dec. 19, 2002
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