Welcome to LinuxDevices.com's Embedded Linux Newsletter July 15, 2004 by Rick Lehrbaum Editor-in-chief

Linux powers cinchy SMB servers -- EmergeCore has used Linux in a line of office servers for small-medium businesses (SMBs). The IT-100 and IT-500 are easy-to-use, Slackware-based, all-in-one network server appliances with low power requirements and several sophisticated networking options, including WAN cards, CRM software, and multi-domain web hosting. Read our device profile for more details.

Ex Red Hat heavies aim package tool at embedded Linux developers -- Former Red Hat executives are behind a commercial package management tool said to facilitate system modifications better than dpkg or rpm. The year-old startup Specifix says its "Conary" tool enables even heavily modified systems to track upstream versions easily, and the company will market a version to embedded Linux developers.

Linux, commodity net tech power telecom chassis -- Occam Networks used embedded Linux in what it calls the first broadband loop carrier (BLC) device with a Gigabit Ethernet transport. The company says it chose Linux for its BLC 6000 due to driver quality. The BLC 6000 targets DSL, video, voice, and "triple play" service providers offering all three. Read our device profile for more details.

Single-chip multiprocessor to target broadband Linux phones -- Hitachi semiconductor spinoff Renesas and NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest telecommunications company, will jointly develop a single-chip multiprocessor for mobile phones. The chip, expected in late 2006, will help save power in next-generation mobile phones -- probably based on Linux -- that will access the Internet at broadband speeds.

Linux based thin clients pinch watts with Transmeta processors -- Fujitsu Siemens has launched a line of solid-state thin clients that use just 25 watts, or 80 percent less power than PCs. The Futro S clients run embedded Linux on Transmeta processors, and are no larger than medium-sized books.

Inexpensive uClinux gadget to popularize NAS? -- Tom's Networking has published a thorough review of a small, inexpensive embedded Linux appliance from Linksys that could popularize network-attached storage (NAS). The $75 Network Storage Link for USB 2.0 Disk Drives (NSLU2) turns external USB drives into NAS devices with powerful automatic backup capabilities.

Metrowerks debuts CELF-centered i.MX21 Linux BSP -- Software development tools specialist Metrowerks announced a Linux board support package (BSP) for Freescale Semiconductor's soon-to-be-introduced i.MX21 multimedia applications processor. The i.MX21 targets wireless handheld products such as portable media players, smartphones, mobile gaming devices, and PDAs.

ARM -- the genteel Rockefeller of embedded chips? -- CNET has published an interesting article discussing ARM's business model, licensing practices, and near-monopoly share of some embedded processor market segments. Despite its size and power, the company is not perceived as a monopoly, according to the article, because of its cooperative business practices and English origins.

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

• Embedded Linux live CD heralds era of ubiquitous computing
  
• Linux gains in-memory database for telecom, servers
  
• TimeSys Launches systems integrator partner program
  
• New JVM integrates with popular embedded Linux browser
  
• MontaVista supports new Freescale smartphone SoC
  
• Homes getting smarter, but slowly
  
• Book introduces Assembly on Linux
  
• Rugged PC/104-Plus SBC features PowerPC-based telematics SoC
  
• Access revs Linux browser for smart devices
  
• Free, commercial PLD SDKs support Linux targets
  
• High-end 64-bit MIPS processor supports Linux device apps
  
• 12 from IBM -- kernel testing, backups, PowerPC migration, Java, Python, grids . . .
  

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

• Article talkbacks
  
• Linux on PDAs
  
• Embedded Linux Q&A
  
• Real-time Linux
  
• GPL issues & discussion
  
• Embedded Java+Linux
  
• Little Linux systems
  
• General discussion
  

• Introduction & Overview ("start here")
  
• Embedded Linux Distributions
  
• Real-time Linux
  
• GUI/Windowing Software
  
• Java on Embedded Linux
  
• System-on-Chip Processors
  
• Single Board Computers
  
• Little Linux Systems
  
• Linux-Based "Cool Devices"
  
• Linux-PDAs and PDA-Linux
  
• Embedded Linux Market
  

You can access this year's previous newsletters here:   Jul. 08,   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

Be sure to stop by LinuxDevices.com -- "the Embedded Linux Portal" -- for the latest news, articles, links, forums, products, companies, and buzz in the fast-moving "post-PC" world of Linux-based intelligent devices, Internet appliances, and embedded systems. You can contact us here.

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