DeviceGuru

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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