Calling all Embedded Linux companies -- The Board of Directors of the Embedded Linux Consortium has issued an "open letter" to companies and individuals within the Embedded Linux Community, urging participation in next week's platform specification project kickoff meeting, saying . . . "Independent market analysts predict that 2002 is a breakout year for embedded Linux. This forecast translates into two important realities for the embedded Linux community: (1) A narrow window of opportunity has opened for us to ride this wave of excitement -- we need to seize it NOW! (2) The more successful Linux becomes, the more it will be attacked. One of the most important tasks we can embark on together to exploit this opportunity is to construct a platform specification that ensures embedded Linux will be widely adopted and grow into a highly profitable business . . ." Story

March, 2002 Embedded Linux Journal now online -- The online version of the March, 2002 edition of the Embedded Linux Journal is now available online. As usual, the new issue is filled with interesting and informative articles on embedded Linux technologies and projects, including . . .

• Embedded Real-Time Linux for Instrument Control and Data Logging
  
• RTLinux Application Development Tutorial
  
• Quest for PDA Utopia: Qtopia?
  
• Real-Time and Linux, Part 2: the Preemptible Kernel
  
• Selecting I/O Units
  
• User Mode Drivers
  
• Running Embedded Linux on SuperH
  
• Brian Writes about His BOEL (Brian's Own Embedded Linux)
  
• Linux on the Air

Qtopia contest beta winners announced, to receive Zaurus SL-5000Ds -- Fifty winners of the beta round of Trolltech's Qtopia Worldwide Developer Contest have been announced. Each beta winner will be awarded a Sharp Zaurus SL-5000D Linux/Java-based PDA (worth $399 USD). Story

Ampro's latest EnCore adds PowerPC with Linux support -- Ampro Computers Inc. today unveiled the latest member of its small form-factor (100 x 145 mm) EnCore single-board computer (SBC) module family, this one based on Motorola's 300MHz MPC8245 PowerPC processor. With the addition of PowerPC, the five members of the EnCore family now encompasses three popular microprocessor architectures: PowerPC, MIPS, and x86. "There are two things that combine to make this work," said Paul Rosenfeld, Ampro VP. "One is PCI, and the other is Linux." Story

Embedded (Linux) Systems: Beyond the Politics -- Writing at SD Times, Steven J. Vaughn-Nichols observes that open source embedded operating systems can be a viable alternative to proprietary systems, but only under the right circumstances. Story

Linux-based development kit supports embedded and wearable apps -- Techsol announced availability of a development kit based on a tiny (4 square inch), low-power RISC CPU module. The kit includes Lineo's Embedix and Trolltech's Qtopia, and is targeted at developers of thin-client devices and wearable computing devices. Story

Sensoria and Hitachi drive Linux-based telematics platform -- Sensoria Corp. and Hitachi Semiconductor jointly demonstrated a Linux-based open in-vehicle telematics platform, based on Hitachi's SuperH RISC architecture, this week at the SAE Digital Car Conference in Detroit. Story

OSDL, Linux International team up to target Linux at Telcos -- Linux International launched a vertical industry marketing initiative that will promote Linux adoption, education, and awareness in the telecommunications industry. Linux International will conduct market research and publish software porting guides, software migration white papers, and solution guides aimed at the telecommunications industry. Story

Here are some additional news items and announcements of interest . . .

• Atmel and Lineo to provide IP phone reference design
  
• Carrier-class Linux, 'Simplified'
  
• LVL7 launches Linux-based switch/router services software
  
• Force unveils Linux/PICMG based "Ultra Availability" platform
  
• NMS adds Linux for Telco Equipment Providers
  
• New SBS Gigabit Ethernet PMC module supports Linux
  
• New x86 Processor PMC module supports Linux
  
• TimeSys announces support for Embedded Planet's EP8260 SBC
  
• Small module simplifies task of embedding Bluetooth
  

• Article talkbacks
  
• Linux on PDAs
  
• Embedded Linux Q&A
  
• Real-time Linux
  
• GPL issues & discussion
  
• Embedded Java+Linux
  
• Little Linux systems
  
• Defenestrating Windows
  
• General discussion
  

• Introduction & Overview ("start here")
  
• Embedded Linux Distributions
  
• Real-time Linux
  
• GUI/Windowing Software
  
• Java on Embedded Linux
  
• System-on-Chip Processors
  
• Single Board Computers
  
• Little Linux Systems
  
• Linux-Based "Cool Devices"
  
• Linux-PDAs and PDA-Linux
  

As part of our continuing efforts to support the rapidly growing Embedded Linux Market, we are pleased to announce the online 2001 Embedded Linux Market Survey. The survey, which is structured in three parts, asks developers of Linux-based embedded systems and intelligent devices to anonymously provide information about their applications, their embedded Linux OS requirements and preferences, and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of using Linux in embedded applications.

Read them here:   Feb. 28, 2002,   Feb. 21, 2002,   Feb. 14, 2002,   Feb. 7, 2002,   Jan. 31, 2002,   Jan. 24, 2002,   Jan. 17, 2002,   Jan. 10, 2002,   Jan. 3, 2002

• Subscribe -- send a blank message to this address, from the address you wish to subscribe.
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• Change address -- send a blank message from your new address, with your old address in the "Subject" line, to this address.

Be sure to stop by LinuxDevices.com -- "the Embedded Linux Portal" -- for the latest news, articles, forums, products, companies, jobs, and buzz in the fast-moving "post-PC" world of Linux-based intelligent devices, Internet appliances, and embedded systems. You can contact us here.