A Lego Mindstorms robotics kit controlled by an HTC Nexus One smartphone successfully untangled a Rubik’s Cube puzzle in 12.5 seconds at this week’s ARM developer conference in Silicon Valley.
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Consistent with predictions by other mobile phone market analysts, Canalys announced this week that Android-based devices represented the largest OS segment of the U.S. smartphone market in Q3 of 2010, at 44 percent. On a vendor basis, Apple occupied the top spot, at 26 percent.
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Last month, we learned from Gartner that Android will probably be the number-two worldwide mobile OS this year, and may lead the pack by 2014. With Android’s growing use as the OS embedded in phones, netbooks, tablets, set-top boxes, and LCD HDTVs, we can’t help wondering: will the Linux-based OS soon dominate the entire non-PC consumer device OS market?
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The Nissan Leaf electric car’s “easy-to-use touch-screen Information Hub” will run Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Automotive operating system. But not to worry: it won’t be driving or controlling the car, so fear not the dreaded BSOD.
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Gartner expects Android to be the number two mobile operating system worldwide this year, behind only Symbian. Additionally, the market research firm expects the upstart OS to challenge Symbian for the top position by 2014.
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Ocosmos unveiled a pocket-sized, multifunction, multimedia handheld running Windows 7 at an Intel Developer Forum keynote Tuesday in San Francisco. Among the first demonstrated handhelds to incorporate Intel’s new “Oak Trail” SoC (system-on-chip processor), the OCS1 boasts a 4.8-inch touch-screen, slide-out keyboard, WiFi, 3G, GPS, speaker, camera, web browsing, and PC-compatible peer-to-peer gaming.
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Microsoft has become the dominant supplier of commercial embedded operating systems targeting mobile devices, says VDC. This is largely due to the fact that Microsoft’s major competitors either make their own devices or are consortia that provide their platforms under open-source licenses, reports the market analyst firm.
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A GM-sponsored exhibition at the 1939 New York World’s Fair portrayed a transportation-centric world 20 years hence, complete with vast superhighway networks. Interestingly, GM’s “Futurama” accurately predicted wireless-enabled cooperative mobility technologies that are just now — 70 years later — being readied for deployment.
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Over 20 sessions from LinuxCon 2010, held Aug. 10-12 in Boston, are now available for free online viewing courtesy of the Linux Foundation. The sessions span a wide range of topics, including: open source licensing; technical considerations pertaining to the Linux kernel, applications, and tools; server, mobile, and cloud computing issues; business considerations; panel discussions; and more.
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The compact, Linux-powered Pogoplug device has just gained a $29 WiFi adapter companion, which enables it to work wirelessly. The new Pogoplug Wireless Adapter appears to be a standard USB 802.11 b/g/n WiFi adapter of undisclosed origin and chipset, and works with all current Pogoplugs.
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