Welcome to LinuxDevices.com's Embedded Linux Newsletter July 8, 2004 by Rick Lehrbaum Editor-in-chief

Linux tones Italian muscles -- Linux is the embedded software platform in a new family of portable muscle stimulator devices manufactured by BIAC Srl. The BIAC Portable Medical Electric Muscle Stimulators integrate color touchscreen displays, wireless networking, and medical sensor interfaces. The family comprises three models that target the home health, fitness, and physical therapy markets, respectively. Read our Device Profile for more details.

Linux-based 3G WAP does broadband over cellular networks -- Possio AB has enhanced its PX30 wireless access point (WAP) with 3G networking capabilities. The company claims the PX30 is the first access point to allow users to connect to the Internet through 3G (third-generation) mobile networks, which carry Internet data at broadband speeds. According to Possio, the Linux-powered PX30 can bring broadband wireless Internet service to small sites such as cafes, temporary hotspots such as building and event sites, mobile hot-spots such as buses and limos, and hot-spots in locations without a wired backhaul alternative.

Multimedia 3D presenter for indoor/outdoor commercial displays runs Linux -- Roland ED Corporation used embedded Linux as the basis of a real-time graphics presenter device that will launch next month. The Edirol RG-100 creates 3D graphics and presents high-resolution images for signs and advertisements on large-scale displays at retail shops, amusement parks, commercial showrooms, and other inside or outside facilities. Read our Device Profile for more details.

Mono goes mano-a-mano with .Net -- Novell has launched Mono 1.0, an open source development platform that aims to simplify Linux- and cross-platform application programming. Novell calls Mono 1.0 "extremely usable" and "commercial grade," and hopes the technology will help companies that are moving to Linux build their applications more easily. Mono includes a C# compiler, a .Net-compatible runtime, two stacks of application programming interfaces, a portable execution system that includes just-in-time and pre-compilation support, and more.

Homes getting smarter, but slowly -- As the prices and complexity of home networking products have decreased and as consumers have begun to demand more enabled products to plug into their networks, the Internet enabled smart home is getting closer to a reality, according to In-Stat/MDR. However, the hi-tech research firm reports that the evolution of the smart home has not been happening as fast as most companies involved had predicted, and that several factors will be crucial to the advancement of the enabled home and its associated products.

Camera phone as universal tri-corder -- An interesting whitepaper published by DeviceForge.com describes research into innovative and futuristic uses of camera phones being investigated in Intel's research labs. Cell phones are already much more than a communication device. They are used as debit/credit cards to purchase food, services, and gas. Now, the global proliferation of camera phones brings more opportunities to use mobile phone devices in different capacities -- and the best part is that these applications require no additional hardware. In Intel's research, camera phones are used as pointing devices, authentication devices, storage devices, and even as user interfaces for systems that, because of cost and/or form factor, aren't able to accommodate a display of their own.

Cool portable media player reference platform -- but where's the Linux? -- An intriguing looking reference design from Freescale (formerly Motorola Semiconductor) just begs for a Linux port. The "Jazz" board is based on a Freescale i.MX21 system-on-chip processor, and targets portable multimedia player designs. Who will be first to port Linux to the Jazz board? Learn more about the Jazz board from this news item at WindowsForDevices.com.

OTHER NEWSWORTHY ITEMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE PAST WEEK . . .

• Wireless access point reference design includes embedded Linux
  
• Access revs Linux browser for smart devices
  
• Small, low-cost Linux system targets wireless networking apps
  
• MontaVista to market tools for application developers
  
• Free, commercial PLD SDKs support Linux targets
  
• High-end 64-bit MIPS processor supports Linux device apps
  
• Rugged PC/104-Plus SBC features PowerPC-based telematics SoC
  
• Embedded Linux vendor honored on top private companies list
  
• Linux tools based on graphical IDE gain next-gen C/C++ interpreter
  
• Book introduces Assembly on Linux
  
• MontaVista pats CELF on back
  

. . . and that's not all. Click here for the latest breaking news.

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You can access this year's previous newsletters here:   Jul. 01,   Jun. 24,   Jun. 17,   Jun. 10,   Jun. 3,   May 27,   May 20,   May 13,   May 6,   Apr. 29,   Apr. 22,   Apr. 15,   Apr. 8,   Apr. 1,   Mar. 25,   Mar. 18,   Mar. 11,   Mar. 4,   Feb. 26,   Feb. 19,   Feb. 12,   Feb. 5,   Jan. 29,   Jan. 22,   Jan. 15,   Jan. 8

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