Embedded Linux Newsletter for Nov. 14, 2002

      WELCOME TO LINUXDEVICES.COM'S EMBEDDED LINUX NEWSLETTER 
                          November 14, 2002
                by Rick Lehrbaum -- Executive Editor

                        (online html version)
     http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/nov14-02.html


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_____________________ * * * TOP STORIES * * * ____________________


IBM AND CDL DEVELOP LINUX-BASED 'SECURE PDA' 
This LinuxDevices.com 'device profile' introduces a unique
Linux-based 'secure PDA' co-developed by IBM and Consumer Direct
Link, Inc. (CDL). The 'Paron' combines the functions of a PDA,
Bluetooth wireless access, cellular telephone, and biometric
fingerprint recognition, along with a security-oriented
hardware/software architecture. In particular, IBM and CDL claim
that the Paron represents the world's first handheld wireless
device with built-in biometric user authentication.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT7145548309.html


WHITEPAPER: GUARANTEEING SUB-MILLISECOND RESPONSE IN STANDARD LINUX
There has been much good work in making standard Linux into a more
responsive system for real-time applications. The low latency
patches and the preemption patches have allowed guarantees on worst
case interrupt response time at slightly above a millisecond. These
guarantees today are only met when there is no networking or
graphics activity in the system. The shielded processor concept
dedicates selected processors in a symmetric multiprocessing system
for the real-time components of an application.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8610061752.html


ETHERNET-BASED NETWORK STORAGE -- REALITY OR PIPE DREAM?
HyperSCSI is an open source (GPL'd) networking protocol designed
for the transmission of SCSI commands and data across a network. 
This whitepaper introduces some of the key features HyperSCSI,
explains how it is different from existing solutions, provides some
benchmark test results, and suggests that the day of Ethernet-based
storage is not coming soon -- it's here now.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT3656850450.html


REAL-TIME FIREWIRE FOR REAL-TIME LINUX
FSMLabs has announced a "full function" OCHCI IEEE 1394 (Firewire)
driver for the RTLinux/Pro Operating System. The driver supports
asynchronous and isochronous modes and bus configuration and is
available with FSMLabs' Lnet networking package that also support
Ethernet.  Asynchronous packet round trip (real-time thread to
real-time thread and back) is claimed to be 110 uS (worst case).
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9996662871.html


NEW EURO LINUX-BASED SET-TOP BOXES, PVR COMING SOON
Zintec is developing a next-generation digital TV platform based on
MontaVista Linux Professional Edition.  The platform will be
incorporated within several TV set-top boxes to be introduced in
Europe next year, as well as in a new Personal Video Recorder.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS3758350077.html


Sharp adds new model to Zaurus Linux PDA lineup
This week, Sharp Electronics unveiled a new worldwide member of its
Linux-based Zaurus PDA family, the model SL-5600.  The device is
similar to the existing model SL-5500, but is based on an 400 MHz
Intel XScale processor and provides more memory (a total of 96 MB)
plus a higher capacity (1700 mAH) rechargeable battery.  This news
item includes a convenient summary chart which compares the older
SL-5500 with the new SL-5600.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS3449791061.html


YAMAHA INVESTS IN MONTAVISTA TO ENABLE NEW DIGITAL AUDIO PRODUCTS
MontaVista Software announced receipt of an equity investment from
Yamaha Corp. The current investment follows several other
high-profile corporate investors -- including IBM, Intel, Sony, and
Panasonic -- who invested in MontaVista in its third round of
funding announced earlier this year.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4320911983.html


OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE PAST WEEK . . .

*  uClibc 0.9.16 Released 
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5623067882.html

*  GNU Bayonne 1.1 release announced
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6995639624.html

*  Qt 3.1 released
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8036421991.html

*  Tutorial:  Tuning Red Hat for maximum performance
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8614164829.html

*  Lightweight Linux how-to, Part 1
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8209586750.html

*  Developing LSB-certified applications 
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9864881670.html

*  RTLinux training at COTScon West
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4915434400.html

*  Veteran embedded market exec takes Wasabi helm
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2170013509.html

*  NetBSD gets ported to Alchemy Au1000 SOC
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4504821566.html

*  IDT rolls out new 'integrated communications processor'
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5013684645.html


______ * * * FREQUENTLY UPDATED QUICK REFERENCE GUIDES * * * _____

*  EMBEDDED LINUX INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW ("start here")
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9888936014.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX DISTRIBUTIONS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2760742655.html

*  REAL-TIME LINUX
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8073314981.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX GUI/WINDOWING SOFTWARE
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9202043619.html

*  JAVA TECHNOLOGIES FOR EMBEDDED LINUX SYSTEMS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8918758707.html

*  LINUX-FRIENDLY SYSTEM-ON-CHIP PROCESSORS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4313418436.html

*  LINUX-FRIENDLY EMBEDDED SINGLE BOARD COMPUTERS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2614444132.html

*  LITTLE LINUX SYSTEMS FOR PROJECTS & PRODUCTS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2016997232.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX "COOL DEVICES"
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4936596231.html

*  LINUX-BASED PDAs
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8728350077.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX MARKET
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT5991623822.html


____________________* * * BACK ISSUES * * * ____________________

Missed a previous LinuxDevices.com Embedded Linux Newsletter?
No problem!  Here are back issues for the past month . . . 

  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/nov07-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/oct31-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/oct24-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/oct17-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/oct10-02.html


______________ * * * VISIT LINUXDEVICES.COM * * * _______________

Be sure to stop by LinuxDevices.com (http://www.linuxdevices.com)
-- "the Embedded Linux Portal" -- for the latest news, articles,
forums, companies, products, jobs, and buzz in the fast-moving 
"post-PC" world of Linux-based intelligent devices, Internet 
appliances, and embedded systems.


_________ * * * QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS? * * * _________

     You can reach Rick Lehrbaum at:  rick@linuxdevices.com
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