Seductive new wares tug at the wallet.
As we walked through the halls at CES, the international flavor of the event helps give a sense that open methods are finding a somewhat peaceful coexistence with the closed and highly controlled world. Whether simple home alarm systems controls, or hot new online web storage facilities like www.streamload.com, a calm approach to open source seems to be taking hold.
That also spread to the notebooks and mobile phone systems (and accessories we found). A small sample:
OQO2
Price: Expensive
Small form-factor, hand held PCs have been usually been based on Microsoft-referenced designs, but the mold is breaking. Palm-sized PC maker OQO, as an example announced and demonstrated the new OQO 2 at CES-a stunningly small, light weight, fully functional x86 PC with a stunning vivid display, integral keyboard and touch-mouse, and gleefully, compatible with either Windows XP or many generic Linux distros. OQO claims ‘improved’ Linux tech support capabilities, and dual-boot support for those that need everything in the palm of their hand. The key components are based on commonly used VIA chipsets, a clue to faster compatibility. We didn’t tease them about the lack of Linux info on their web site.
Qtopia Greenphone
Price: Varies
A Linux-based, FOSS-app phone, The Greenphone is a 3G (GSM+GPRS) platform that uses gtk-gnome infrastructure and a 312mhz Marvell processor-all with Bluetooth support. Several different levels of SDK support, including free community support based largely on qt library components make this a simple platform to develop apps for, or port existing apps, too. A memory slot allows the phone to store a large number of photo images or other media and apps.
And whether it’s the Zigbee Alliance or the new Wireless USB device stack, Linux seems to be at the core of many of the embedded systems devices at International CES 2007. And while there’s a raft of new devices, ‘good-old’ Bluetooth devices were displayed everywhere. The promise of realistic payloads of 300+megabits/sec seem to give the checkered flag to Wireless USB, but embedded support is scanty at best.
Most interesting in a world of unreliable power was the announcment of the Jadoo brand XRT and N-GEN fuel cells, designed to give 100watts of service at either 120vac or 12vdc. These pricey ($1,999 to $7,999+) replace batteries, and run from hydrogen fuel cell canisters that can be optionally user-recharged. Unlike battery technology, there’s no battery memory and discharge cycles are a direct function of hydrogen fuel, rather than external charge.
Our overall impression is that second (or even third) class citizen status is becoming a thing of the past. We look forward to CeBIT in Hannover this coming March to see the lights of the EU revolution in FOSS and Linux developments.
