Latest OpenBoxeeBox posts:
Following closely on the heels of the December announcement of D-Link’s BoxeeBox, Syabas Technology today said it will ship a $129 Internet-based A/V streaming set-top box (STB) in March. Both new gadgets have the potential to give Roku’s popular Netflix-streaming STB a run for its money.
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Lantronix has introduced what it claims is the “World’s Smallest Linux Networking Server.” Within an elongated RJ45 Ethernet LAN connector, the XPort Pro packs a 32-bit RISC CPU, 8MB SDRAM, 16MB flash storage, and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet LAN port.
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In another sign of these tumultuous times, Intel announced that it plans to acquire embedded software market leader Wind River for around $884 million. Wind River’s renowned VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS) is found in myriad consumer gadgets such as LinkSys wireless routers.
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At last week’s TED2009 conference, two researchers from the MIT Media Lab demonstrated a “Sixth Sense” device that gives its wearer supernatural abilities. What’s next — Google implants?
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While attending the Real-time and Embedded Computing Conference in Silicon Valley last month, we spotted this tiny ATX power supply implemented in the form of an ATX power connector.
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Embedded Linux has now been around for a decade and consistently ranks as one of the top OS choices for device development. But, does it still have its mojo?
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OpenSource World — the successor to LinuxWorld — is soliciting presentations for its Mobile Open Source sub-conference. The conference will take place Aug. 10-13, 2009 in San Francisco.
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A robot project reportedly has won the first monthly design contest sponsored by BeagleBoard.org. The site promotes the Beagle Board, a low-cost, fanless, single-board computer (SBC) based on a TI OMAP applications processor..
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The worldwide market for application processors will grow to nearly $2 billion by 2012, fueled by strong demand for smartphones and other mobile devices, predicts The Linley Group.
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After buying a Lego Mindstorms robotics kit for his two daughters, Swedish software developer Hans Andersson couldn’t resist using it to create a Rubik’s Cube-solving robot. Complete instructions for replicating the robot, which typically can solve the puzzle within 6 minutes, are available for download.
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In a better-late-than-never move, Blockbuster has introduced a video-on-demand (VOD) service accompanied by a “free” set-top box (STB). Like TiVo, Roku’s Netflix box, and many other modern Internet-enabled A/V gadgets, Blockbuster’s new VOD STB runs Linux.
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The machine-to-machine (“M2M”) communications market will grow robustly over the next five years, with an estimated 95 million cellular M2M modules shipping in 2013, ABI Research predicts.
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Canonical Ltd., commercial sponsor of Ubuntu Linux, says it’s porting Ubuntu to the ARM RISC processor architecture. Ubuntu on ARM will target netbooks and other emerging device categories requiring a “rich, always-connected, mobile computing experience, without compromising battery life.”
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Digi International has introduced a Linux-based server packaged within a somewhat elongated RJ45 connector. The ME 9210 comes with an embedded OS based on a Linux 2.6.26 kernel.
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Zilog, creator of the Z80 microprocessors that powered numerous circa-1980 microcomputers including the Osborne and Kaypro, has just introduced its first general purpose 32-bit microcontroller family. The “Encore! 32″ microcontrollers integrate ARM9 processor cores, are offered with Linux support, and target embedded devices.
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Transmeta, the turn-of-the-millennium startup that sought to “revolutionize mobile Internet computing” with an innovative “code morphing” CPU architecture aimed at replacing Intel processors in mobile devices — and former home to Linus Torvalds — is up for sale.
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Taiwan-based Axiomtek has released a tiny single-board computer (SBC) based on a 1.1GHz Intel Atom processor. The Pico820 SBC is implemented on a Pico-ITX form-factor and targets space-constrained embedded and mobile applications.
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You’ve heard of SD, miniSD, and microSD cards. Now, get ready for Embedded SD — a new standard set for release this November by the SD Card Association.
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With an ARM vs. x86 battle raging in the mobile handset space, a similar confrontation appears to be looming in the market for robots and robotic devices, predicts market analyst firm ABI Research.
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Intel has announced a mini-motherboard aimed at a new category of mini-PCs dubbed “nettops.” Interestingly, the “Desktop Board D945GCLF2,” powered by a 1.6 GHz dual-core Atom Processor 330, is built in the Mini-ITX format pioneered by Intel competitor Via Technologies.
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Embedded designer Paul Thomas is showcasing a tiny, open-sourced computer at LinuxWorld in San Francisco this week. Would-be “Linuxstamp” enthusiasts can obtain pre-built boards for the hefty sum of $120 directly from Thomas, or they can download the design for free and build it themselves.
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The LiMo Foundation, an organization formed in 2007 by Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung, and Vodafone to develop a Linux-based mobile phone software platform, announced this week that its membership has swelled to over 50 companies.
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A tiny embedded motherboard standard inspired by Intel’s recently introduced Menlow silicon platform has gained a high-profile advocate. Advantech, Taiwan’s top industrial computer maker, claims to be the 11th company to “actively” support the 70 x 70-mm Qseven computer-on-module (COM) standard.
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A panel of embedded Linux specialists will discuss the pros and cons of commercial vs. do-it-yourself (DIY) embedded Linux implementations, at next week’s LinuxWorld conference. The session is part of the conference’s Mobile and Embedded Linux track.
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The Linux OS, in the form of