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The audio track and slide deck from the Linux Foundation’s recent free webinar on the “Growth of Android in Embedded Systems” are available for download at the LF’s website.

Silex Technology America announced a hardware/software development kit aimed at easing the task of building WiFi into specialized equipment. The Silex embedded WiFi development kit includes a small module with a Qualcomm Atheros AR6003 WiFi radio and a Freescale i.MX28 application processor, a development baseboard, and an embedded Linux software development kit.

ADL Embedded Solutions is shipping one of the industry’s first PC/104-style single board computers to use Intel’s 4th Generation Core i7 (“Haswell”) processors. The Linux-friendly ADLQM87PC SBC provides numerous interfaces for storage, networking, display, and USB, offers PCI Express expansion via a mini-PCIe socket and a self-stacking PCIe/104 bus, and can support -40 to +85°C operation.

As vehicles become increasingly dependent on embedded computers for functions such as engine timing, acceleration, braking, and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), the risk of cyber attacks on cars is growing dramatically. With this in mind, Southwest Research Institute has formed the Automotive Consortium for Embedded Security (ACES), which will have an informal initial meeting on Oct. […]

This year, I was privileged enough to speak at the Open Hardware Summit. It was a wonderful experience, and I hope to return again in the years to come. During my time making cool projects for Hackaday, I regularly experienced that fantastic feeling that came with the realization that people really enjoyed the things I made. I had a few that turned out to be fairly popular. This Portal Gun that levitates a companion cube, for example, has more than 1.6 million views. The Thor's Hammer with embedded Tesla coil showed up on TV screens in subways in China. Even though I felt really good about them, there are other projects that feel even better. Those projects are simple gaming controllers for people who have physical disabilities that make it difficult for them to operate standard, off-the-shelf controllers.

Axiomtek announced a 100 x 72mm Pico-ITX form-factor motherboard based on Intel’s embedded-oriented Atom E6xx processors and EG20T chipset. The Linux-friendly PICO822 SBC provides LVDS display, HD audio, SATA-300, gigabit Ethernet, USB, and serial interfaces, comes with up to 32GB of onboard SSD, runs fanless, and supports -20 to +70? C operation. Axiomtek says the […]

For the past few days at Phoronix we have begun looking extensively at the Intel Iris Pro 5200 graphics under Linux, since receiving the System76 Galago UltraPro. The Iris Pro 5200 are the new high-end Intel Haswell graphics that have 128MB of embedded video RAM on the die, which should yield a nice performance boost when properly implemented within the Intel Linux driver. Already our testing has found the Iris Pro performance on Linux has doubled with open-source driver improvements since Haswell's launch. Now we're out today with our first Intel Iris Pro OpenGL gaming benchmarks between Ubuntu Linux and Microsoft Windows 8 for this Intel Core i7 Ultrabook.

The Linux Foundation announced a free Sept. 26 webinar on the “Growth of Android in Embedded Systems.” Android is increasingly being built into a wide range of consumer electronics devices and even industrial equipment where various embedded Linux distributions and real-time operating systems (RTOSes) currently rule the roost.

This article is part of an interview series highlighting the speakers of the upcoming All Things Open 2013 conference in Raleigh, NC I see SparkFun Electronics mentioned often in my social media stream, so I jumped at the chance to interview Chris Clark, the company's Director of Information Technology. From their website: SparkFun is an online retail store that sells the bits and pieces to make your electronics projects possible. Our ever-growing product catalog boasts over 3,500 components and widgets designed to help you unleash your inner inventor... Through our Department of Education, SparkFun offers classes and online tutorials designed to help educate individuals in the wonderful world of embedded electronics... We believe an open market is a healthy market and we open source all of our product designs. SparkFun subscribes to the belief that open source tech encourages innovation and creativity, while helping empower individuals to build the projects they want. In this interview with Chris

RHUB Communications is shipping a videoconferencing and web collaboration appliance that runs embedded Linux on an AMD G-Series processor. The TurboMeeting 210 (TM210) appliance is equipped with multiparty web, video, and audio conferencing functionality, as well as remote support, remote access, and webinar applications. RHUB announced the TM210 with few details back in April as […]

A Linux Foundation report found that among the growing list of companies participating in Linux kernel development, embedded-oriented firms like Linaro, Samsung, and Texas Instruments, have increased their contributions at the fastest rate.

It was discovered that exactimage, a fast image processing library, does not correctly handle error conditions of the embedded copy of dcraw. This could result in a crash or other behaviour in an application using the library due to an uninitialized variable being passed to longjmp.

LinuxCertified Inc, a leading provider of Linux training and services, today announced its next Linux Device Driver Development Course class to be held in South Bay, CA from September 23rd - September 25th, 2013.

Interestingly, AMD chose to launch its new embedded strategy and 2014 roadmap on the first day of the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. Both companies have been scrambling to adapt to the shifting winds of the “post-PC” era, with PC sales lagging and tablet and smartphone sales skyrocketing. Each has come out with x86-based system-on-chips, and Intel recently was able to claim several successes in new smartphone and tablet device releases. But whereas Intel divested itself of its ARM-based XScale chip business several years back, AMD let it be known earlier this year that it planned to expand into ARM territory.

Congatec announced two Linux-ready Type 6 COM Express computer-on-modules based on Intel’s 4th Generation Core (“Haswell”) processors. The more compact Conga-TC87 supports Intel’s higher-integration, lower-power embedded processors, while the larger Conga-TS87 offers more PCI Express lanes and USB 3.0 ports, and higher performance graphics including PEG compatibility. Congatec unveiled the larger “Basic” sized (3.75 x […]

InHand Electronics announced a 2.5 x 2.5-inch embedded computer board that runs Android 4.2 on Freescale quad- or dual-core i.MX6 ARM Cortex-A9 system-on-chips. The tiny Fury-F6 module integrates controllers for HDMI and LVDS video, gigabit Ethernet, serial, USB, CAN, MIPI-CSI, and much more, but omits on-board I/O connectors to save space and is supported with […]

Electronics distributor Avnet has added Taiwan-based TechNexion’s computer-on-modules to its board-level embedded products portfolio. The deal raises the profile of TechNexion’s open EDM (Embedded Design Modules) standard that defines three COM sizes usable with both ARM and x86 CPUs, and which incidentally forms the computing core of the open hardware Wandboard SBC.

To process and analyze all the data generated on a multi-core embedded device, a safe and efficient database management system is necessary. ITTIA DB SQL addresses the challenge of increasing data volume on multi-core systems.

Win Enterprises announced a Mini-ITX single-board computer for digital imaging and other embedded applications, built around quad- and dual-core AMD Embedded R-Series APUs. The Linux-friendly board features up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, three HDMI ports and a DisplayPort, dual SATA 6.0 ports, eight USBs, dual gigabit Ethernet, and multiple PCIe and Mini-PCIe expansion options. […]

Portwell unveiled four Linux-friendly embedded computers based on its WADE-8015 Mini-ITX board, which in turn incorporates Intel’s 4th Generation (Haswell) Core i7/i5/i3 processors, which potentially range up to 3GHz. The new Shoebox, Desktop, 2U rack mount, and fanless embedded computers all provide for triple displays, support legacy ISA and PCI expansion cards. The new Portwell […]

The nonprofit Linux Foundation announced conference programs and keynotes for LinuxCon Europe and its first CloudOpen Europe, which will be co-located with Embedded Linux Conference Europe (ELCE), the Automotive Linux Summit, and about a dozen other open source events in Edinburgh, Scotland during the week of Oct 21-25.

Intel kicked off a five month Yocto Project Innovation Challenge today, offering 254 prizes to developers who submit embedded Linux product or project ideas involving Yocto Project software running on Intel processors. Six types of prizes — ranging from $50 gift cards, to Yocto Project hoodies and blimps, to 480GB SSDs — will be awarded [...]

The Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) has ratified the SATA 3.2 storage spec, adding support for a SATA Express spec that can piggyback on faster PCI Express lanes, and defined a new embedded single-chip microSSD. SATA 3.2 also embraces the tiny, SATA Express based M.2 form factor, which debuted in recent Intel and Samsung SSDs. [...]

Timesys announced embedded Linux support for a pair of computer-on-modules that combine CPU, DSP, and FPGA functions on tiny, SODIMM-style cards. Critical Link’s MityDSP-L138 series COMs are based on a Texas Instruments OMAP-L138 ARM9+DSP system-on-chip processor, along with an optional Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA.

Google Glass, part of the wearable computing wave, is attracting plenty of developer interest. The New York Times, Facebook, Twitter and CNN, among others, have already introduced applications (known as Glassware) for the Glass Explorer preview. What's next? I see a big opportunity in the IT support market.

Scarcely a week after the Intel-backed Minnowboard.org project began shipping its $199 open-hardware single board computer, the AMD-backed GizmoSphere.org project released an unrestricted version of its $189 Gizmo SBC’s schematic and electronics distributor Digi-Key added Wandboard.org’s open, Freescale-based $83-144 boardset to its online catalog. The moves reflect the current infatuation of embedded developers, makers, and [...]

Intel subsidiary Wind River announced a collaboration with Chinese embedded software company PATEO on an Android-based automotive in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system. PATEO is using Wind River Connectivity Solution Accelerator for Android to enable an Android IVI system to play music and videos from iPhones, iPads, and iPods.

Gumstix unveiled a major expansion of its Geppetto drag-and-drop custom embedded board design platform. In addition to supporting the design of custom baseboards for Gumstix’s Overo computer-on-modules, the browser-based service now lets customers create custom Linux-compatible SBCs based on the TI Sitara AM3354 SoC and receive assembled boards within three weeks.

Aaeon announced the availability of a rugged, Linux-compatible embedded controller computer that measures only 4.9 x 3.0 x 0.73 inches. The AEC-6401 Compact Embedded Controller runs on a dual-core, 1.6GHz Intel Atom N2600 processor, offers an SSD bay, provides gigabit Ethernet, USB, HDMI and serial connectivity, and supports -20 to 40°C fanless operation.

There are already many articles out there comparing Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and BeagleBone Black; this is not one of those articles. What I was looking for and couldn’t find was a comprehensive article that would summarize all of the pros and cons of the Raspberry Pi and the BeagleBone Black, and what each platform is best suited for. When I couldn’t find that article, I decided to write it myself.

AMD announced the most power-efficient model yet in its new line of Linux-ready AMD Embedded G-Series system-on-chips. The dual-core, 1GHz GX-210JA SoC offers a low 6W TDP and 3W “expected average power,” making it well suited for a wide range of fanless embedded devices. AMD announced its Embedded G-Series system-on-chips in April. Unlike earlier G-Series [...]

The security community remains in a mixed state of grief and confusion this morning, as word of Barnaby Jack's passing spreads. Known for his work on embedded devices, from the financial world to the medical one, the 35 year-old hacker was a beloved family member to the InfoSec community.

This guest column by Alejandro Erives, brand manager for Sitara processors at Texas Instruments, celebrates BeagleBone.org’s fifth birthday. In a lighthearted and entertaining missive, Erives highlights the history of BeagleBoard.org, the benefits of open source hardware and software to embedded development, and the advantages of open development platforms for students, makers, entrepreneurs, and even silicon vendors.

Chinese consumer electronics giant TCL will build its next-generation Smart TV systems using the Linux-based Opera Devices Software Development Kit (SDK). The Opera Devices SDK, as well as the Opera TV browser and Opera TV Store, will be embedded within four new Internet-connected TVs that will be sold globally starting in the third quarter. Many [...]

Raspberry Pi embedded development firm Geekroo has surpassed its Kickstarter funding goal for a Mini-ITX board and case that extends the RPi into a full-fledged computer (SBC). The Fairywren is equipped with a 24-pin ATX power supply connector, a four-port USB hub, a 2.5-inch HDD bay, a serial port, an IR remote module, GPIO breakout, and sockets for a built-in XBee radio and Arduino Uno boards.

Slovakia-based Antik Technology has developed an advanced TV set-top-box based on the STMicroelectronics STiH416 ARM Cortex-A9 “Orly” SoC, and running an embedded Android OS. The Juice Extreme 2 combines DVB tuner video with OTT (over-the-top) IP streaming, and can transcode four video input streams while simultaneously streaming multimedia out to smart TVs, tablets, and other [...]

Witech Embedded announced a $199 ARM Cortex-A8 development kit with a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen and BSPs for Linux and Android. The OK210-A subsystem is based on a CPU module containing a 1GHz Samsung S5PV210 (Hummingbird) processor, 512MB RAM, and 1GB flash, and includes two expansion slots, Ethernet, HDMI, and five USB ports, plus optional WiFi, cellular, and GPS add-ons.

Before the PC, computers were devices: custom hardware combined with software specifically written for the machine, and the machines themselves were usually designed for a select few (if not single) purposes. The problem that PCs seemed to address was diversity. Where customers had previously relied on one company to support both hardware and software, the PC clones opened the doors to a brave new world where anyone could build, support, or maintain a computer. It was a revolution that made computers affordable enough for anyone to own, for any business to adopt, and allowed countless entrepreneurs and skilled technicians to find work for themselves: outside the confines of long established corporate hierarchies. Unfortunately, the open source software revolution took much longer.

FossilShale Embedded Technologies announced an SODIMM-style CPU module based on a Texas Instruments DM385 digital media processor with a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 core. The DM385-SOM primarily targets embedded imaging tasks, such as surveillance and medical imaging devices, and is supported with a carrier board, several I/O adapters, and customized Linux and Android software stacks.

Ayla Networks announced a partnership with USI to develop wireless modules enabled with Ayla’s “Internet of Things” connectivity platform. The Ayla Platform, unveiled last month, offers a cost-effective way to implement secure device-to-device communications via an embedded software or hardware component, and provides end-user access to Ayla-enabled devices via Android and iOS mobile apps.

For benefiting embedded Linux developers with greater system performance and power efficiency, Intel has ported their System Studio Extended software to Linux.

Description: BASIS is a Linux-based operating system made with OpenSuSe 12.3 and also the GNOME 3 shell. Built using SuseStudio, this independent Linux distribution... 32 bit...

Modulixtech announced a development board based on a Texas Instruments AM1705 ARM9 system-on-chip, supported by ready-to-run ports of Buildroot embedded Linux and the U-Boot bootloader. The EVB1L board provides Ethernet, serial, USB, and MMC/SD expansion, is implemented on a 158 x 100mm Eurocard form factor, and provides PC/104-style expansion. Modulixtech is a small Malta-based consultancy [...]

DAVE announced an SODIMM-style computer-on-module based on a Texas Instruments Sitara AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 system-on-chip, complete with dual CAN interfaces, Linux support, and two evaluation baseboard options. The Diva computer module is also available from U.S.-based Smart Embedded Systems, with turnkey support including Linux drivers and firmware for the processor’s programmable real-time unit (PRU).

The OSPLC SMALL BRICK is an open-source PLC (programmable logic controller) that can be programmed using open source C language programming tools. The PLC is a general-purpose controller with a wide variety of applications. It is useful to the engineer, technician, student and hobbyist. All the source files for the small brick OSPLC are provided, including schematic diagrams so that you can build this project yourself or modify it.

The Xeon Phi is a co-processor that can speed up numerical calculations. It cannot operate without a main processor. The many core server is based on the Intel Many Integrated Cores (MIC) architecture.

Linux.com interviewed Wolfgang Denk, founder of Denx and the creator of the U-Boot bootloader. The embedded Linux pioneer spoke on a range of issues including the future of U-Boot, the importance of Yocto Project code and how it has changed Denx’s own ELDK distribution, and the growth of ARM and real-time Linux in embedded computing.

Glomation released an SODIMM-style computer-on-module built around an Atmel SAMA5D3 Cortex-A5 ARM processor, and supported with a Debian Linux stack. The GECM-5100 is equipped with gigabit Ethernet and TFT LCD controllers, and it also offers USB, CAN, SDIO/MMC/SD, image sensor, serial, analog, and digital I/O interfaces.

Up to 300 various medical devices from 40 vendors have been identified as vulnerable to a hard-coded password issue and two government agencies are working to get the word out and protect against exploits. The Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) at the Department of Homeland Security, and the Food and Drug Administration are warning that the vulnerability could allow attackers to change critical settings and modify firmware.

Logic Supply has signed a deal with RapidRollout to offer the latter’s custom Linux appliance platforms on embedded computers aimed at non-desktop applications such as interactive kiosks and digital signage. RapidRollout is a lightweight, customized version of Ubuntu enhanced with features like remote management tools and easy-to-use configuration and set-up utilities, says the company.