Evolution of the Species

openSUSE on Efika MX

2012-01-26T03:52:00.000-06:00

openSUSE on Efika MX

There was a nice article posted online yesterday by Linux Magazine of Germany: Open-Suse-Image für ARM-Computer. The article applauded the efforts of the openSUSE Team and particularly Bernhard Wiedemann, who recently posted on his blog instructions for booting openSUSE on the Efika MX. We are very pleased to have the support of the openSUSE Team. Vielen herzlichen Dank!

Genesi has been working with the openSUSE Team pretty much from the beginning. The first Linux distribution running on the earliest version of the PegasosPPC in 2002 was "SuSE" (openSUSE:Genesi). With the growing importance of energy efficiency in the personal computer market, it is good to see more distributions jumping on to ARM (openSUSE ARM:Portal). Stay up-to-date at PowerDeveloper.org where the latest information is always posted. Communities build volume!

R&B

Doudoulinux on Efika MX

2012-01-20T06:25:00.000-06:00

Beta Test Party!

The Beta version of Doudoulinux has been released for the Efika MX. DoudouLinux is especially designed for children to make computer use as easy and pleasant as possible. The image can be downloaded from PowerDeveloper.org.

A big shout out to Jean-Michel, the Doudoulinx leader, for the armel installable ports of the Doudoulinux packages and to dreagle for making the arm rootfs, compiling the Efika MX packages and cross building, while tweaking and imaging the system for release. Of course, we would also like to thank all the Doudoulinux contributors. We are very pleased to have Doudoulinux support for the Efika MX. Great work!

R&B

Happy Birthday Genesi !!!

2012-01-03T10:26:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday Genesi !!!

Today is Genesi's 9th Birthday in the USA. We are a bit older in Europe, but Happy Birthday to us nevertheless! Thank you to all of our customers past and present. We grateful for all the opportunities we have had and for all the great people and companies we have had a chance to work with. From the Genesi Team, thank you all for our Happy Birthday!

R&B

Holiday Surprise

2011-12-20T03:40:00.002-06:00

The i.MX6 from Freescale

This past year has been one of many surprises, so we will add another one before year end. We are pressing ahead to the i.MX6. While our i.MX53 design will be available for license, too much time has past between chip availability, our first boards and the final version that is now being produced. We have decided to shift ahead. That is our Holiday Surprise. There will be an Efika MX with an i.MX6 in 2012.

The final i.MX53 design is very inexpensive to manufacture. It is a four-layer board. There are many great qualities about it. Even better, the software was finished last week. It is ready to go to market. We will be showing it at CES in January.

We are wishing you all a joyous Holiday Season and a fantastic 2012. Thank you for making 2011 a great year for the Efika MX and Genesi.

R&B

On the Road Again...

2011-10-28T06:28:00.000-05:00

imx53 Presentation System running Citrix 12.0
from Sao Paulo to Windows 7 host at Amazon.com

We built the presentation system to hold the new imx53, 50x100mm, four-layer board. The imx53 Efika MX products will perform better and cost less to manufacture. Our most recent travels took us to Brazil. It's a big country with lots of people that want to be online and many companies that are interested in helping them do that. In the mean time, if you have not upgraded your software, please do. You will feel a significant improvement. Please stop by PowerDeveloper to get the latest and greatest, and to see what else is going on...

R&B

Thank you Janice!

2011-09-25T22:05:00.000-05:00

Powering Potential's Janice Lathen and the Efika MX
meet Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete

As mentioned in the last blog, the Convention of the Diaspora Council of Tanzanians in America (DICOTA) was held in Washington D.C. this past weekend. The Efika MX received some great exposure at the Event (see table). Thank you Janice!

R&B

i.MX53 Update

2011-09-14T08:33:00.001-05:00

The Genesi i.MX53 board seen at FTF in June has been through its second revision. The BOM has changed, creating another level of design work. The delay will save us money and time (e.g., long lead time parts have been designed out and more expensive parts have been replaced by less expensive parts). During the interval, we have continued to improve the software for both the i.MX51 and the newer i.MX53-based Efika MX devices. Additionally, we are testing an armhf 3D enabled image. We hope to release it soon.

Training the trainers in Tanzania, July 2011

The Woman's Global Connection (WGC) Project in Tanzania continues to advance, as does the Powering Potential Project, also in Tanzania. Both organizations will be represented at a Convention of the Diaspora Council of Tanzanians in America (DICOTA) in Washington D.C. next week. We wish all involved a successful event. There is a nice article this week featuring Powering Potential in the Christian Science Monitor: Powering Potential puts technology in schools in Tanzania while respecting local cultures.

Trade Show, Honduras, September 2011

We continue to build markets outside Europe and North America. Last week, we were in Colombia. Earlier this month, we were in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. We have been busy. Please don't fret, good things are coming...

R&B

Update

2011-07-19T07:14:00.001-05:00

We have been correctly accused of letting our blog-duties slip. The last two months have been a bit busy. The Genesi Scrum was a great success. As talented as the Genesi software team is, it was more than fun to see many of them working together during the month of June. And, a few stayed longer, including Luca who actually just left yesterday. The Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) capped off the Scrum for most of the team. FTF was a successful event for Genesi. You can view a couple of engadget articles/videos here (thank you Charbax!): Genesi i.MX 53 netbooks... and Genesi's hard float ARM optimizations....

Konstantinos running armhf benchmarks
on the i.mx6 at the end of FTF

Since the Scrum, we have been preparing the new software release (this took longer than expected!) and finalizing the support for the Woman's Global Connection (WGC) Project in Tanzania. Brian DeLacey did an absolutely fantastic job developing the Solar Power Generation and Wifi Relay Systems and transferring the knowledge to Genesi and the WGC. Brian's DigSolar describes the process we went through together and has many informative and related links. Brian did an absolutely fantastic job.

Dave, Bill and Mauricio packing up the last box for Tanzania

Finally, the i.mx53 design is progressing well. We will have more details soon as well as a couple surprising and exciting announcements.

R&B

Our Daily Scrum

2011-06-17T00:39:00.003-05:00

The Daily Scrum gets started every day on time. All are welcomed (we had a Freescale Engineer attend this morning). The meeting time target is 15 minutes.

The Daily Scrum

During the meeting, each Team member answers three questions:

What have you done since yesterday?

What are you planning today?

Do you have any problems that prevent you from achieving your goals?

Scrum is an Agile software development methodology. Scrum is also a framework for project/program management. A challenge with introducing Agile software development is that it requires a high level of both individual and team autonomy. Fortunately, we have never pulled together a more individually and collectively talented team. Please stop by our stand at FTF next week. We will gladly introduce you to the foundation of our success - not all, but many of the Team will be there.

Oh, and the new software release scheduled for next week rocks!

R&B

The Scrum is Underway!

2011-06-13T05:28:00.004-05:00

The Genesi Scrum is well underway. The progress the Team has made is phenomenal. We appreciate the support and sponsorship from Future Electronics. We are looking forward to not only showing the new i.mx53 Smartbook at the Freescale Technology Forum, but a vast improvement in the software for the current Efika MX products. Keep an eye open for the latest and greatest on PowerDeveloper.

The new Efika MX i.mx53 board fits nicely in the new case

In other news, Genesi is now a Linaro Partner and we have added two new resellers: Tuxbrain in Spain and New IT in the UK. We are looking forward to working to develop broader Linux support for ARM in Linaro and appreciate the interest and support of our newest resellers. All good stuff!

R&B

Solar Powered Energy Generation System

2011-05-04T04:58:00.003-05:00

You cannot use a computer without expending energy. Rechargeable batteries give us mobility, but what to do when we find ourselves outside of the conventional power grid? This has been an issue we have been working on for years (power2people.org examples). Developing low cost, energy efficient computers creates great opportunity, but the computers themselves do not sustain the opportunity Internet access provides.

Relocatable Solar Powered Energy Generation System

Brian DeLacey (with the help of family and friends - thanks to all of you!) prototyped this relocatable system this past weekend. Brian's effort was driven by our need to support Efika MX Internet Cafe & Learning Center projects in remote locations. Brian has done a great job in developing this inexpensive support system which we will continue to refine and improve before the first system deployment in July. You can watch Brian assemble the complete system in this video: GenesiSpeedAssemblyx3.

If Solar Power in Data Centers are No Longer A Novelty and Solar Impulse can set off around the world, then surely we can find a way to sustain many Efika MX computers, wherever they maybe, anywhere in the world. Thank you Brian!

R&B

P.S. Next up: low cost net access...

More Participation Please!

2011-03-28T06:35:00.006-05:00

Nearly five years ago, we wrote a blog entitled It's the End User Device! We suggested that in the grand scheme of things, people and their fundamental interests and interactions have not changed. In the mean time, lower cost, better, faster and more, are all words that come to mind when we think about the evolution of technology. Smartphones, computers and televisions allow us to access information and communicate in ways that we could not have imagined not too long ago. Today, beyond the physical end user device lies the Internet. The cloud is the computer.

The first Efika MX 3G Smartbooks arrive in Tanzania

Many more users want to participate. From left to right, the Quartermaster of the Tanzanian Police Force (TPF), Anyisile K. Kyoso, ICT-Chief TPF, Matthias Pauschel, Manager of a Partner Project with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, Tanzania Bureau and Emmanuel L. Mkilia, ICT Project Manager, TPF. While the ability to seamlessly link infrastructure, devices and applications/services together is a most compelling challenge faced by a vendor or organization that seeks to bring people the opportunity the Internet provides, the cost of that opportunity remains the greatest challenge. Lowering the cost of the device and the access to the opportunity it provides should be the concern of any Government interested in the future of its people. The Efika MX Smartbook is making great strides in the right direction and we could not be more excited. More participation please!

R&B

Finally, the $199 Smartbook

2011-02-22T04:03:00.000-06:00

It is what a laptop should be!

The Efika MX Smartbook has reached another milestone, this time in affordability. With this week's software release, the Efika MX Smartbook will go on sale for the new price of $199. The 3G version will sell for $249 (add your own SIM). There will be plenty of local keyboard and power cord options.

The Efika MX Smartbook weighs less than two pounds, fits nicely in your pack or purse, and has enough battery life to get you through a full day of normal use. Inside the case and under the keyboard there are no moving parts - enjoy the reliability and silence!

And, we are on it together.

The Internet-connected world is driving opportunity and change. At Genesi, through low cost and high value, we are all about bringing more Internet to more people. If computers can be less expensive, more people can be participating. There are at least a billion people waiting for the chance. We aim to serve these folks as well as we can. If you are interested in helping out, please stop by powerdeveloper.org and give us a hand. The journey has begun!

R&B

€95 SmartTOP

2011-02-16T13:21:00.005-06:00

We are lowering the price of the Efika MX SmartTOP next week to 95 Euro. The price change will coincide with an updated software release, which will include a new kernel and many improvements (battery manager, display support, audio, etc., etc!). We will also release a preliminary Android port for all those folks that want to dig into this code (no promises of improvements or bug fixes, it is just a demo version). Everything will available on powerdeveloper.org. And, the good news for our European customers is that our products will be sold by Genesi from Europe so we can reduce the shipping charges (there will be VAT). We will even have European power cords - including the special versions for the UK, Italy and Denmark.

More good news: we are going to be dropping the price of the Efika MX SmartBOOK too. We will have all the European power cords available. We will offer both Wifi and Wifi+3G versions and have keyboards available for Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Italy, Russia, Turkey, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium, Switzerland and Greece. From Europe, we will also sell Arabic English and Thai keyboards. From the current online store in the USA, we will offer Spanish, Brazilian and Canadian Bilingual keyboards. Of course, there will be a new software release for the SmartBOOK as well, including one for Android (as described above).

Stay tuned: the latest and greatest is on the way!

R&B

The New Year, CES, and lots more...

2011-01-14T07:43:00.003-06:00

We wishing everyone a great 2011. Please forgive the delay in posting the latest and greatest!

The best news of the New Year is we are getting some great support from Freescale. We even have a Freescale vanity page now: www.freescale.com/genesi. Freescale's Robert Thompson fresh from Dell is leading Freescale in a good direction. Watch him in this video from CES. Robert does a nice job of presenting the smartbook/netbook (you folks can call it whatever you want!) and our business strategy. Thank you Robert.

We also appeared in the Pixel Qi booth at CES. A Pixel Qi display will be an option in the imx53 version of the netbook. It will be slightly more expensive, but as you can see in the following video many will consider it worth the investment.

We have sold quite a few of these netbooks already, but we do think we will sell many more of the next version. It will cost less, be more rugged and have more software options. We are really excited about 2011. It is going to be a great year!

R&B

Hello World!

2010-12-24T20:32:00.025-06:00

We are designing our next products now. They are based on the Freescale i.mx53. The goal is to produce a low-cost board that can be sold as a single board solution, a desktop, a laptop and a tablet (we could say a smarttop, a smartbook, and a smarttablet, but you get the idea). Currently, our cost for producing the Efika MX smarttop is more than $100 (USD). For the smartbook, it is more than $200 (USD). We need to develop systems that have half the cost. We hope to have the first i.mx53 boards to the team next month (go Gerald!). Our feeling is that the greatest barrier to increased Internet use for the majority of the world's population is cost.

Our business model is somewhat different than others in the industry. The idea is not only to reduce cost, but to create an local economy around the products. With the above design in mind, we will seek to implement a semi-knock-down and complete-knock-down business model for our partners. Our direction is best articulated through this site: www.genesiamericas.com.

Local assembly and manufacturing/production requires local labor. Local software development skills can begin at a basic level, such as learning how to publish a webpage or setting up an e-commerce site to evolve with experience to stabilizing SMP devices (for example and why not?). These skills can be transmitted. Open source software development can further stimulate a local economy as these skills take root locally. Our primary targets are network operators who want to increase subscriber activity as well as attract new customers with a variety of offerings supported by our hardware and software.

It is clear the Internet has helped change the world. We think the more opportunity there is for people of different languages and cultures to interact and educate each other and themselves the more chance there will be for all of us to co-exist peacefully with the resources we have.

Yes, the cloud is the computer (with all due respect to John Gage). In that cloud, there are billions of other people waiting to learn, to communicate and to improve their lives (say hello!). We want to empower country-level network operators to open up new markets to these populations. So this is the message: Hello World - we are on the way!

Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday and Merry Christmas!

R&B

Rainbow in the Clouds

2010-12-08T22:39:00.003-06:00

Cloud computing will essentially define computing as we all know it.

7 Dec 2010
Eric Schmidt
CEO Google

Google is doing it again: Google Unveils Chrome OS, Notebook Pilot Program. The 'Nexus One' of netbooks is coming (every setback is a learning opportunity). The Google Netbook is a little bigger than the Efika MX Smartbook. It has a 12.1" vs. 10.1" display and a full sized keyboard. The Efika MX runs on ARM; the Google netbook does not. The message is: it does not matter. Novus ordo seclorum.

Processor? Memory? Who cares?! Wow! What a view!

As if the multi-billion dollar success of the Kindle with a built-in cloud escaped the purview of traditional IT vendors (the first device was launched in November '07), Google reminded everyone this week that the ~~computer~~ web depends on network connectivity and reliability. Said another way, the cloud is the computer. This is good news for Genesi. The rules are changing.

There will be plenty of new hardware at CES. You will probably see Android and Chrome everywhere - not to mention web stores - but the biggest changes coming are in the business models that bring the Internet and everything it is to those that use it. As the computer becomes a function of the cloud, more people will have a chance to participate. And, that friends, brings a whole new spectrum of possibilities into view. Wow! Stay tuned!

R&B

Momentum is Building!

2010-12-05T14:16:00.000-06:00

It was nice last week to be finally recognized by Linaro: Genesi donates 55 ARM netbooks to Linaro developers. If Linaro can help solve the problems of fragmentation in Linux for ARM this will be a great thing. We will continue to do what we can to assist in the effort.

The Efika MX Smartbook & Linaro Developers at UDS

Looking ahead, we are going to be emphasizing ArmHardFloat: ArmHardFloatPort. Progress is be made: Auto-Build Status. armhf will certainly be the priority at the Genesi Sprint, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas. This event will begin on 30 March 2011. Please consider joining us.

Here is some more good news: Maverick Installer, Linux kernel (2.6.31.14.12, December 2010). Thanks to all of you who helped test and push out this release. A special word of thanks goes to Matt Sealey who managed the process and worked tirelessly to make this happen. Great work!

R&B

Up Next: Android and AROS

2010-11-20T08:42:00.007-06:00

Android Everywhere!

Thanks to our friends at Jayway and the progressive and continuous development work of Michael Grunditz all the Efika MX products were demonstrated this past week at the Stockholm Google Technology User Group‎ meeting. We are adding games and building an Apps Store in CloudCity. This will be open to our partners soon.

...and AROS too!

We will have more than Android Apps available. Say hello to AROS! Michal Schulz and Pavel Fedin have completed the Port AROS to ARM Phase I - Linux Hosted. In the mean time, Michal has updated his Efika MX Project Blog on PowerDeveloper.org: AROS Research Operating System for ARM.

We are looking forward to bringing a host of new applications and lots of fun games to the platform. What you see above is AROS running on the EfikaMX Smartbook. This is a hosted version of AROS - it does not use hardware directly, but uses the facilities provided by the host OS (Linux) for disk access, video output, network and sound. Stay tuned as there is more to come!

R&B

Pixel Qi and Efika MX

2010-11-15T19:01:00.000-06:00

Those that know us, know that we have been a fan of Pixel Qi since the Company was founded. It is nice to see a market ready display so fully functional and ready. Pixel Qi is the only non-captive LCD design company in the world.

On the left and in the sun, a Pixel Qi display with the Efika MX

It is exciting to see all the years of effort and experience come to fruition in the new display. It is very likely you will be seeing an Efika MX one day with a Pixal Qi display. ~~OLPC~~ OLPQ! And, hopefully, many more to come. Congratulations to the Pixel Qi Team.

R&B

Efika MX at Öredev

2010-11-13T14:08:00.001-06:00

Here is a short video of a fun game being played in Android with the Efika MX at Öredev this past week.

Michael Grunditz and the Jayway Team did a great job getting this ready for the conference. Nice work Folks!

R&B

Road Warrior

2010-11-07T02:11:00.001-06:00

This past Friday we spent the morning at Freescale in Austin. Accompanying us on the trip was the new Efika MX Smartbook 3G with Ubuntu 10.10. Using an AT&T Data Plan we were able to stay connected from Austin to San Antonio. During the entire 80 minute trip from Freescale to Genesi we only experienced one disconnection, and this for less than a minute. Thank you Steve Klimaszewski for prepping the system for us!

The Efika MX Smartbook 3G, a real road warrior

This coming week will be a busy one again. At Øredev the Efika MX will be featured in the Jayway booth. We have had plenty of good publicity in Sweden lately (net, print) thanks to the diligent efforts of Michael Grunditz. Michael's work with Android on the Efika MX is making him very popular! You will also be able to see the Efika MX products at the Designing with Freescale Seminar in Toronto (in case you missed the Efika MX in Rochester last week). Stay tuned, there is more to come on the road ahead!

R&B

Next up - Debian Sprint!

2010-11-01T20:18:00.008-05:00

UPDATE: EmdebianSprint2010

It is time to take a break, but we are getting ready for the next developer oriented event, a Debian Sprint! "Sprints" are developer meetings that are focused to work on specific parts of Debian with the goal of having fun at the same time. Volunteers contribute their time, enthusiasm, and work. Normally, Debian does its best to support sprints financially through the generous donations of people and other entities that care about Debian. In this situation, Genesi is going to make up the difference and (in addition to that) provide hardware to all selected participants.

Please come next time...

Please consider joining us! We will be hosting our first Debian Sprints in San Antonio, Texas and in Nafplion, Greece. We will be posting information soon. If you can get there and you are a qualified PowerDeveloper, we will cover all your lodging and meal expenses. Selected power2people developers can also qualify for a complete travel scholarship. Please stay tuned!

R&B

Efika MX Hackathon

2010-10-30T14:00:00.001-05:00

The Efika MX Hackathon is underway - with some folks coming straight from Linaro@UDS. We will probably all need a break after next Tuesday.

Our new conference room is being put to good use!

On of the projects for the next few days is to set up a compile farm using ten Efika MX SmartTOPs to build an experimental armhf distribution repository. Stay tuned!

R&B

EFIKAMAN

2010-10-28T23:38:00.013-05:00

Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. It's...

EFIKAMAN!

Are you an EFIKAMAN?!

Yes, EFIKAMAN has been busy this week. There have been sightings at Adobe MAX (video) and with Linaro@UDS (picture), but before the rumors start, we need to assure you that EFIKAMAN is not some strange visitor from another planet. EFIKAMAN might actually even be a girl! Oh yes, and in fact, EFIKAMEN and WOMEN actually come in all shapes and sizes (as long as the t-shirt fits!). One thing is certain, these supernatural characters all came from Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. EFIKAFOLKS will change the course of mighty operating systems, bend corporate executives with their bare hands (using a keyboard of course), and who, disguised as Software Engineers will fight the never ending battle for Truth, Justice and mass market adoption of Open Source Software on ARM!!!

Please stay tuned. You too, can be an EFIKAMAN. You are welcome to propose your i.MX51 Project on PowerDeveloper. If you qualify, you will receive an Efika MX SmartTOP or Efika MX SmartBOOK and you will become an EFIKAMAN!

R&B

Adobe MAX

2010-10-22T15:20:00.004-05:00

Come see the Efika MX SmartBook and SmartTop in the Freescale Booth at Adobe MAX next week.

Efika MX Smartbook Android Flash

You will see Froyo 2.2 with Flash 10.1 motoring along if you can be there. Things are looking good!

R&B

Toll Free TV

2010-10-21T08:09:00.001-05:00

It is not too much of a stretch when you think about it. Advertisers have been paying for access to consumers for years. Advertising is what made television. Have you seen the latest Google TV video?

The Kindle is distributed with a network connection. The latest Kindle with 3G support can be used in over 100 countries and territories. The first Efika based on the Freescale 5200B was shipped to almost as many destinations. It is remarkable to think about what the 3G Efika MX with the Freescale imx51 could do. The technology is here and ready.

R&B

Android TV

2010-10-15T09:25:00.002-05:00

Big TV!

Thanks to Tom Bailey of Jayway the Efika MX SmartTop was demonstrated last night at the Stockholm Google Technology User Group‎ meeting. Thanks Tom!

Little MX!

Michael Grunditz also brought the Efika MX SmartBook and the SmartTablet prototype. Video playback works well on all the products. The Freescale imx51 is proving to be an applications processor at the top of its class.

R&B

A New Presence

2010-10-12T02:55:00.000-05:00

The old PC went out in a recycling bin. The speakers were still good. We replaced the monitor and selected a compact wireless keyboard/mouse. You can barely see the Efika MX where the keyboard used to be. The "desktop" machine hardly has the visible and concrete presence it once did. Come to think of it, concrete is a good word. It was surprising how heavy it was.

With the old PC gone, there is lots of extra space...

Here is the feedback: it's wonderful! It starts faster, it works faster and it is so small. What will I do with all the extra space?! And, with this remark a 78 year old lady and new Efika MX owner inspired an epiphany. The iPad will not replace the PC, a foot massager will!

R&B

Qt programming at VAMK

2010-10-09T22:22:00.001-05:00

Qt programming contest for 3rd year IT degree and exchange students...

This is a Contest

Let's go folks! Get signed up and do your best. If your only resource in life is time, there is no better to do.

R&B

A Roomful

2010-10-04T20:42:00.002-05:00

With a room full of Efika MX tops and books, Matt is coordinating the development of a number of different software packages. The Efika MX products ship with a pre‐installed Linux operating system, using Kernel 2.6.31.14. A best effort has been made to optimize the software, however proprietary codecs, Flash plugin and 3D support does not ship pre-installed, but will be provided using a standard software distribution solution for as many Linux distributions as we can support. The progress will continue.

Matt is busy!

There is a Ubuntu based release available now, with Android and an Enlightenment-based desktop coming. Work is also being done on Qt. You may notice the Windows 7 desktop in the background. This uses the Citrix Receiver for Linux on ARM/Efika MX. You will find all the latest and greatest information extolled on the Efika MX Development Blog with the complete repository available on PowerDeveloper.org.

R&B

And the Winner is!

2010-09-30T14:29:00.007-05:00

The reports are in. Android Only was a great success. Our compliments to our partners at Jayway and to the event organizer, Peter Svensson, who did a particularly great job. Thank you, Jayway! Thank you, Peter! You folks are right:

Android it's not (just) a phone.

Peter Svensson presents an Efika MX to a lucky winner

More pictures and videos will be online in the next days on the Android Only web site. In the mean time, there is a gallery of pictures from the first day of the event by Genesi's Michael Grunditz. Thank you Michael! And, one more thing:

Efika MX it's not (just) a desktop!

R&B

ConnectMeTV

2010-09-28T07:55:00.002-05:00

There have certain been many inquiries about the Efika MX being used as a set-top box, or STB. With this thinking in mind we decided to go with an HDMI output. That said, it is one thing to inquire about such a possibility, it is another to actually do it. Please meet the ConnectMeTV Team...

The ConnectMeTV Team, September 2010

ConnectMeTV is based in Cairo. The toughest part of the Efika MX Home Media Center development has not been with the software, but in getting the Efika MX through Egyptian Customs. The authorities took two months! Given Egypt's distinct 7,000-year-old record of civilization and immense wealth of knowledge, it hardly seems correct for such a talented team of people to not have more support from their Government. Nevertheless, upon delivery, the work has progressed rapidly. Hardware acceleration is working well.

ConnectMeTV is based on a Gentoo filesystem.

Congratulations to the ConnectMeTV Team. We appreciate your effort. We are looking forward to more good news flowing from the Gift of the Nile and ConnectMeTV. Great work!

R&B

Efika MX Inside

2010-09-24T01:16:00.004-05:00

Here are two more excellent projects that have an Efika MX Inside...

Eric Gregori's ShowBot Senior

Eric Gregori has prepared a detailed presentation, pictures, a video and How To instructions at Freescale's imxcommunity.org web site: i.MX51EVK and genesi based face tracking robots. Eric uses OpenCV on the Efika MX to bring life to ShowBot Senior, an interactive robot that uses face tracking to interact with an audience. We appreciate Eric's project and applaude his effort. If you are visiting the imxcommunity site please register and join our Group: Genesi Products. Nice work Eric!

Mississippi State EcoCar Dashboard Cluster Control

The Mississippi State University EcoCar Project uses an Efika MX to drive the dashboard cluster control. The MSU EcoCAR won a national competition this past year: Mississippi State Wins EcoCAR Year 2!!! The Efika MX Gauge Cluster uses hardware accelerated OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics. It is a great Project. We wish the MSU team more success in Year Three of the ongoing contest sponsored by General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy. Congratulations MSU!

We are very pleased to have the Efika MX included in these projects. More updates are coming soon, including Maverick and Froyo software releases on PowerDeveloper in the days ahead.

R&B

Efika MX Android API Demos Video

2010-09-23T00:02:00.000-05:00

As mentioned earlier this week, our goal is to have some exciting presentations ready for the Android Only conference to be held in Stockholm from 29-30 September.

There is much more to come!

We are working with Jayway to present the latest software. We will have some special promotions and hand-outs for Android Only. Please join us if you live nearby!

R&B

Organic Growth

2010-09-22T06:15:00.007-05:00

Hector Oron posted an update on the Debian Community's ARM efforts yesterday: Debian Squeeze on EfikaMX. We appreciated Hector's update and all the other activity. Konstantinos Margaritis is certainly making progress with the Debian-Ports Package Auto-Building. He built the first 3000 packages in less than ten days.

We never know which projects or developers will succeed.
We have seeded plenty of hardware over the years.

In the past week, we had a few ubuntu developers propose projects. They all look good and will be approved: Help Ubuntu maintain xulrunner rdepends on ARM, Debian/Ubuntu Mono porter box, Ubuntu LTSP on ARM, Improve Haskell support on Ubuntu, and Kubuntu Desktop/Netbook/Mobile Armel Porting Support. We will be donating ten more systems to these Projects.

Of course, we have always been able to count on the Gentoo Community. They were out early and strong in support of the Efika MX, Stephen Klimaszewski and Raúl Porcel in particular. The Gentoo on the Genesi Efika MX guide was online quickly thanks to Jeremy Olexa.

There are many others to recognize. We appreciate new PowerDevelopers, such as, Rob Savoye (ARM Assembler for OpenJDK) and Martin Krastev (Profiling the i.MX515 GL stack). They are both swiftly making significant contributions. We look forward to acknowledging the efforts of all those working away on the Efika MX. We appreciate your passion and energy. Thank you all.

Driving down the cost of computing and communications is the key. Bringing Internet resources to as many new users as possible is the goal.

R&B

Android Efika MX Froyo EGL and Augmented Humanity

2010-09-19T12:06:00.005-05:00

Michael Grunditz posted a string of pictures this morning. With hardware acceleration, we are running an EGL demo at over 60 frames a second on the Efika MX. Our goal is to have some exciting presentations ready for the Android Only conference to be held in Stockholm from 29-30 September.

We should have some cool videos from the Android Only event

Thinking about shows and conferences, earlier this month the IFA was held in Berlin. The Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin was first held in 1924. It is no longer only a Funkausstellung (Radio Show). The IFA is the world's largest active consumer electronics show (COMDEX was once bigger, died and is being re-born this year as a virtual event, and while Cebit is more well attended, it is officially focused on the business side of technology). Albert Einstein delivered an IFA keynote 80 years ago. Eric Schmidt gave a talk this year: Eric Schmidt speaks at IFA. In this speech, Eric uses the term "Augmented Humanity."

The Age of Augmented Humanity is defined by the computer and the human each doing what they do better because the other is helping. At IFA Eric Schmidt used Android and Chrome (the web browser) to illustrate practical examples of the concept. On the surface, Google is introducing all the phenomenal change through the web browser. Chrome *is* going into Android. That same Chrome browser will introduce more change to desktop-laptop-netbook-smartbook computing in the next year than we have seen in the last five. That web browser will also power Google TV.

For the user, the lowest common denominator is the browser, whether it be a smartphone, a computer, or a TV. Let us add (as Eric Schmidt suggested) that there is no reason why that same browser might not be one day be the interface in any number of embedded devices and even in your car (run by a single board that might be basically the same as one used in a product already mentioned). Google Maps knows where you are and can be programmed to direct your car to where you want to go. In other words, Google and the car drive, and you enjoy the trip (while learning about all the people and places along the way -- we can't forget that advertising is propelling all of this).

That common interface across all sorts of hardware connects us through a network to incredibly powerful computing resources. That progressively powerful supercomputer at our fingertips (or voice command) is what will bring so much more change, so soon. What we are getting started with is the Efika MX. We will migrate from consumer devices to vertical markets such as automotive/infotainment, medical/health care and/or energy-monitoring/smart-building. Banking and education markets also come to mind. We are building the foundation now. Getting EGL up and running on Android is a solid step for us into the Age of Augmented Humanity.

R&B

This is Clear

2010-09-14T05:03:00.005-05:00

The Clear Spot 4G+ is an interesting companion to the Efika MX. Mobile broadband customers want their data just as if they were at home. Spectrum availability has become progressively more important. People just want whatever they want, wherever they are. Clearwire's all-IP architecture and available mobile spectrum, about 150 MHz in many markets (USA) make the Clear Spot 4G+ particularly useful -- at home or away. So, if you are lucky enough to find yourself living and moving around in a Clearwire service area, we can report loud and clear that the Efika MX and Clear Spot 4G+ combination is a good one.

In San Antonio, you can visit Rudy Castillo at 4714 Broadway and he will gladly get you up and in the clear. Thanks Rudy!

R&B

Short Efika MX Video

2010-09-13T09:53:00.002-05:00

Here is a short video of the Efika MX ~~Smartbook~~ Netbook. We repeat, these initial units are being sold to support development. Today, the Efika MX Netbook is a reference platform. It will be used to support the many Efika MX Projects that we have underway.

We are very pleased to finally have this product on the market.

R&B

For Sale: Efika MX Smartbook

2010-08-27T12:00:00.002-05:00

The Efika MX Smartbook is now on sale in the Genesi web store. These initial units are being sold to support development. Today, the Efika MX Smartbook is a reference platform. It will be used to support the many Efika MX Projects we have underway.

These first units will not be packaged in the glossy, gleaming, glistening gift box which was overwhelmingly selected through comments and emails after our last blog (and an enthusiastic phone call from long-time Genesi customer Jeff - thanks Jeff!). The fancy boxes will come later.

We are very pleased to finally have this product on the market.

R&B

Smartbook Gift Box Comparison

2010-08-20T10:00:00.012-05:00

Hi Folks!

Which one looks better, the glossy, gleaming, glistening box, or the smoother, softer, more subdued version? What is your preference?

~~We are posting this directly from Flickr~~ (did not work well).

Send us an email or comment here.

Thank you!

R&B

We Have a Present for You!

2010-07-30T04:25:00.010-05:00

Many people will walk in and out of your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head;
To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays you once, it is his fault;
If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas,
Average minds discuss events,
Small minds discuss people.

He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses much more;
He who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,
But beautiful old people are works of art.

Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

Friends, you and me.
You brought another friend,
And then there were three.

We started our group,
Our circle of friends,
And like that circle -
There is no beginning or end.

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.

That is why they call it the present!

Eleanor Roosevelt wrote Footprints In Your Heart. The last line was not part of the poem. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to delivering the present to many people.

R&B

Google Apps and the Efika MX

2010-07-05T11:14:00.003-05:00

Late last month, we announced our worldwide Distribution Agreement with Future Electronics: Future Electronics and Genesi Sign Global Distribution Agreement. It seems the right moment to let folks know that we are now listed in the Google Apps Marketplace. Both the Efika MX Open Client and the Efika MX Smartbook are featured.

The Efika MX smartbook goes on sale in August

Among other Linux distributions, the smartbook will feature a highly optimized Chromium option. Of course, we are working closely with the Debian, Gentoo, openSUSE and Ubuntu communities to provide a number of configuration possibilities that will be available or linked from here: Linux installation and support for Efika MX. We have a new kernel that supports both the TO2 and TO3 i.mx51 versions of the Efika MX. It will be released later this week.

R&B

Money Makes Money

2010-06-27T18:30:00.005-05:00

And the money that money makes makes more money.

Benjamin Franklin said all that, though that is probably not the reason he is pictured on the $100 bill, the largest denomination of American currency since 1969 (there once was a $100000 bill). It could be because in addition to his more commonly known contributions to American history he wrote a little book in 1729 titled A Modest Enquiry in to the Nature and Necessity of a Paper-Currency. Ben Franklin also printed money for the Province of Pennsylvania (a colony of British America) from 1731 through 1764 and devised many schemes to prevent counterfeiting.

Money making more money through investment manifests a time value. A dollar received today is more valuable than a dollar received in the future because it can be invested to make more money. The future value of that dollar is the value that it will have after a specific time earning a specific return. Usually, this future value is determined by an interest rate over time. Banks lend money with this precept in mind.

The truth is paper money, like gold and silver (or frozen hogs), has no permanent value. The spot value fluctuates like any other commodity. Dollar, yuan, yen, pound or euro, it is all the same. Money has a value because the government that issues it has declared it legal. In the case of the dollar, legal tender for all debts, public and private. Money functions as a medium of exchange, a store of value and as a way to measure and compare the value of goods and services.

With all this in mind, we think to Ideal Money, the latest announcement from the G20 meeting, World Leaders at Toronto Summit Pledge to Cut Deficits, and the progressively increasing use of the Internet (which is a good thing). It is a whole bunch of stuff, but in few words, we are not leaving any money in the mattress, or in a Bank. We have been investing. We have been investing in a group of people known corporately as Genesi.

Money may make money, but people are the key. We are going to start taking that investment a step further. Here is another wellspring of wisdom from Ben Franklin: an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.

R&B

FTF Activity

2010-06-23T23:42:00.002-05:00

ARMdevices.net featured an article and interview with Johan Dams at the Freescale Technology Forum currently underway in Orlando, Florida.

Genesi at FTF

Here is the article: Microsoft Word on ARM Powered Laptop using Genesi and Citrix solutions.

Good work, Johan. There is more to come...

R&B

Is that you Efika MX?

2010-06-19T12:34:00.002-05:00

Is that you Efika MX?

We are waiting for you here...

Are you coming soon?

In El Salvador the Efika MX will be sold as mobile phone

Yes, we are. We will be there soon!

R&B

Worldvision

2010-06-14T12:45:00.006-05:00

Following up on the last blog, this one is long overdue. While this is not exactly a worldvision it is a great view of Mexico City today.

The weather is nice!

We arrived in Mexico City yesterday and made it to the hotel very quickly. We were surprised. Then, we realized that probably most of the population was watching Germany and Australia play in the World Cup. The World Cup has it followers in the USA, but the anticipation and interest is nothing like what can be found here.

Follow the games: 2010 World Cup

Socially and culturally, we can learn a lot about others through such worldwide events. The Internet is bringing the World Cup to more people than have ever experienced it. Just imagine what an Efika MX with a FIFA logo on it connected to your television set or computer monitor could do...

Finally, we have achieved a Distribution Agreement for the Efika MX SmartTOP and SmartBOOK with Future Electronics. We will announce the full details at the Freescale Technology Forum next week. We will need that sort of distribution partner to achieve a worldvision. Stay tuned!

R&B

Eurovision

2010-05-30T13:10:00.014-05:00

The Eurovision Song Contest was hosted in Oslo yesterday. Germany won. Turkey came in second and Romania third. We liked Denmark the most. They came in fourth. There were 39 countries participating, including Israel which does not seem to be European. Eligible participants actually come from the 56 countries that are Active Members of the European Broadcasting Union. The Eurovision Song Contest began in 1956. Ireland has won the Contest the most often (seven times).

It seems you can learn a lot by looking at how countries voted

In the mean time, Germany seems to be also winning and leading more generally. Germany is the largest exporting nation and the largest economy in Europe. Europe is fortunate that Germany is doing so well. This past week Germans passed a 123 billion Euro guarantee plan, despite domestic opposition, which should restore confidence in the Euro, at least for now. But, as European countries debate austerity measures, and strikers take to the streets, the stability of the Euro is being questioned and so are many eurovisions.

Ultimately, a currency is the political manifestation of a system. The Euro is a monetary union know as the Euro Area and includes 16 countries (that number does not include Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City that use the Euro as their official currencies and actually mint coins). This is not the same as the European Union (27 countries), or the European Economic Area (EU + EFTA - Switzerland), or even The Council of Europe (47 Member States, including Switzerland but not Belarus). Longer term, the likelihood of a strong monetary union without political union seems doubtful.

According to the European Centre for Modern Languages (a Council of Europe agency with 34 member countries) there are estimated to be over 200 indigenous languages in Europe. Understanding one another is a prerequisite for living together harmoniously (from the ECML website). From the top ten finishers in the Eurovision Song Contest only Greece did not sing in English. Given everything happening in Europe today, the Eurovision Song Contest gave us some interesting insight and perspective into the pop culture of a broadly diverse region of the world.

R&B

Moving to Mass Production

2010-05-12T06:50:00.011-05:00

It is people that make companies, not technologies. Over the last eighteen months, we have been working to develop products around the Freescale i.mx51. Being a new chip, there have been a number of revisions. Chip revisions lead to board revisions and countless other implications that compound software development. It has been a challenge to demonstrate in reality what has been promoted in the marketing of the chip. We are pleased to finally be at the point where we can move into mass production.

Sandy and Natalie, our key contacts at Pegatron

During this period, we have also seen change at Pegatron, both corporately and within the staff. Next week, Asustech Computer Inc., more commonly known as ASUS (Public, TPE:2357) will cease to trade on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. This marks the beginning of the end of a process to spin-off Pegatron from ASUS. ASUS will reduce its ownership in Pegatron and Pegatron will become independent. On 23 June the trading suspension in ASUS will be lifted. Hopefully, a short time later the new Pegatron will be trading on the Taiwan Exchange itself.

It seems fitting that in this same period we will finally move into mass production with the Efika MX. Through all the changes, it has been the people that have kept the project on course. Two of our most dedicated and diligent supporters are pictured above. We are grateful for Pegatron's support during this challenging period. We are looking forward to mutual success with the new Pegatron and are very happy we will be working with the same great people.

R&B

Please Watch This

2010-05-05T20:12:00.004-05:00

We believe the key to economic prosperity begins with stability and security. We cannot provide for stability or security, this is the responsibility of government. However, once these essentials are in place the most efficient and productive means of proliferating prosperity is though commerce. Today, commerce is synonymous with the Internet. Computers and the internet have created vast opportunities for people worldwide. We are becoming more connected globally.

We need to acknowledge that access to communication and computing resources has been an engine for economic growth, job creation, and a better way of life. It is enabling entire new industries and unlocking vast new possibilities for existing ones. It is changing how we educate children, deliver health care, manage energy, ensure public safety, engage government, and access, organize and disseminate knowledge.

Our feeling is that when more people can be involved the benefits are compounded. Often, the only barrier is cost. In lowering costs, we are inviting more participation. Our products can be brought to market at significantly less cost without compromising capability or performance. We can also offer other advantages in being based on open source software, as well as having a scalable infrastructure that keeps the costs lower as new ventures begin. We can develop skills and create jobs locally. At the same time, this infrastructure keeps our products virus-free and prevents them from becoming obsolete by insuring the latest software is always installed and available. The goal is to create an economy around opportunity.

The advantages measure up to more than the sum of the parts. This is the beginning of more change.

OK, on to next. Upwards and onwards!

R&B

Latest and Greatest

2010-05-05T02:00:00.005-05:00

A gallery of pictures from the Efika MX, Linux Development and Aura Instruction at the Advance Engineering University held at Future Electronics is now online. We will get the instruction materials online later this week.

In the meantime, Michael Grunditz has posted a video of his 3D GL driver for Qt on the Efika MX. We will be releasing the sources on PowerDeveloper.org. Great work Michael!

Follow the progress: Efika MX Project #779

Finally, we have achieved Distribution Agreements for the Efika MX and Aura with Future Electronics and RobotShop. We will announce the full details at the Freescale Technology Forum in June.

R&B

Aura at Future Electronics AEU

2010-05-01T16:15:00.007-05:00

A day long training course on Linux, Aura and the Efika MX was presented by Genesi at the Future Electronics' Advanced Engineering University which began today in Montreal.

Advanced Engineering University classroom

The reports are in and the training was a success. We will be presenting an abbreviated version of the class at the Freescale Technology Forum in June.

Future VP of Global Freescale Technology,
Brian Hofen opens the day's events

We will post more details, including the course materials and a Gallery later.

R&B

Hello Aura!

2010-04-26T06:10:00.009-05:00

Hello world!

The first release version of Aura is being tested. We will continue to provide Efika MX uboot support, but we are looking forward to Aura's initial release to coincide with the introduction of the mass production version of the Efika MX hardware scheduled for next month.

Aura on the Efika MX and i.mx51 will be presented at the Future Electronics' Advanced Engineering University which will begin later this week in Montreal.

R&B

Tracking Progress

2010-04-12T22:38:00.006-05:00

Johan Dams posted a picture of the GPS tracking package he has developed using the Efika MX smartbook as a base station. Johan has posted this under Efika MX Project #732. The base station, as well as the tracker are powered by a Li-ion phone battery, and charged over USB. USB alone is not enough to power the base station since in some cases the GSM module needs up to 2A - which USB cannot deliver. The tracking software is a Qt application and thus portable to any Qt supported platform.

GPS tracker with Efika MX Smartbook base station

The tracking data does not reside on a third party server, instead, the solution is completely self contained with the added benefit that the user has full control of the potentially sensitive tracking data. Beyond the need for an Internet connection there is no monthly subscription fee. We call that progress. Nice work, Johan!

R&B

A few notes...

2010-04-06T05:53:00.011-05:00

We have been awfully busy lately. Sorting through notes made over the last few days we had intended to write something about one of the following topics:

The 18 March 1990 East Germany elections. For the first time in 40 years, East Germans voted in free elections -- real elections with parties and candidates that had real differences about how to move the country forward. 93 percent of eligible voters participated. East Germans voted in favor of unity, which was achieved less than a year after the wall fell, on 3 October 1990. More importantly, by organizing and participating in a real election with real choices, the people of East Germany proved they were ready for democracy and up to the enormous challenge of transforming their country. A unified Germany is the anchor of Europe today and the world's second largest exporter after China.

.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-.

VS.

The value of the Chinese Yuan. In the latest squabbling about the value of the China's currency, the US Treasury Secretary made this remark last weekend: "China’s inflexible exchange rate has made it difficult for other emerging market economies to let their currencies appreciate. A move by China to a more market-oriented exchange rate will make an essential contribution to global rebalancing." Thinking about this with the technology business in mind, we had a few thoughts...

There is a cost of components.
There is a cost of labor.
There is a cost of production.
There is a cost of facility.

So, why would the cost of a finished product be any less expensive in any emerging market if the cost of the components imported from somewhere else is the same? The Chinese are importing components using the same currency that is being called in question. In El Salvador they use the US$. In the mean time, the cost of everything is reported to be rising in China. Are people in El Salvador any less productive than the people of China? Since transportation costs can be added to anything being exported, it seems the importing country would be at a competitive advantage with everything else being equal. We need to investigate this more...

.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-._.-~~-.

The iPad and what happens next. Yesterday, Apple announced the first 300,000 iPad users downloaded more than 1 million applications from the App Store and more than 250,000 ebooks from its iBookstore during the first day. That is great! Apple is about digital distribution. The hardware is a means to an end. Eventually, the declining cost of the hardware and the flexibility of open source software championed by companies like Google will unleash even more astounding numbers. Apple's entered the tunnel with a flashlight. We can hear a train coming up from behind them. All your base are belong to us!

R&B

Finally!

2010-04-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

...and after many years.

It has been a long time coming.

R&B

Steady Ahead

2010-03-24T09:15:00.006-05:00

When you work on the forward edge of evolving technology you learn to adapt to both the delay and surge of activity. The puzzle eventually and dramatically comes together. The Freescale i.mx51 has been through a number of revisions. The i.mx53 is coming with 1080p. The good news is we have had good-enough hardware in the hands of talented developers for nearly four months.

The Latest Project Blogs for the Efika MX are beginning to show some interesting progress. Please have a look. We want to send a word of thanks and support to Michael Grunditz (Qt Everywhere port), Konstantinos Margaritis (ARM NEON development) and Stephen Klimaszewski (Gentoo port) for their progress and recent posts on PowerDeveloper.org. Nice work Folks!

R&B

Quick Recap

2010-03-17T05:40:00.003-05:00

This past Monday, the Federal Communications Commission released a plan to improve broadband Internet service in the USA. The report begins with these sentences:

Broadband is the great infrastructure challenge of the early 21st century. Like electricity a century ago, broadband is a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life. It is enabling entire new industries and unlocking vast new possibilities for existing ones. It is changing how we educate children, deliver health care, manage energy, ensure public safety, engage government, and access, organize and disseminate knowledge.

We agree, however, the fact is without the Internet and without a device to access it, broadband itself is just a pipe. The pipe needs to be bigger to support all the wonderful things that the Internet can bring to people. It is the Internet and increasingly less expensive devices that have brought change. The more people that have a device with Internet access the more likely it is that progressively many more wonderful things will happen. This is a worldwide opportunity.

We think these devices can play an important role in this process

Our goal is to achieve the lowest possible net cost for these products. We are leveraging a number of dynamic trends and companies that are changing the business of communications and computing. Intel is still the biggest, but now not the only successful company that makes processors that can address this market. ARM processors developing from the embedded world and in smartphones are becoming increasingly powerful. There are many ARM licensees, including TI, Samsung, Toshiba, Freescale, Qualcomm, Nvidia, Sharp, Marvell, ST Micro and now Apple. The competition between ARM licensees has proven a boon to consumers and much more progress can be expected. Congratulations to ARM Inc. Mobility in the sense of giving people what they want where they want it is driving growth. Energy efficiency and lower cost will also bring ARM devices into the home and the workplace.

In the mean time, open source software is being championed to new levels by companies such as Google. Google competes by marginalizing their competition. Google makes for free or very little, what others sell for a lot. Google will help push the apparent cost of computing-communication devices to ZERO because advertising and the service revenue they are developing will generate the needed profits. Google has to move into the inexpensive hardware business and/or the support thereof to maintain control of its advertising business. This is why Google started the Open Handset Alliance, why Android and Chrome are so important to Google and why Google is selling the Nexus One. Google is pressing ahead with a very powerful hand.

Finally, cloud computing will further accelerate the usefulness of standard devices. Consumers will have more choice. Devices will live longer and be more useful. In lining up all the pieces, we are after a piece of this market which is much, much bigger than anything we have seen. There are billions of people who still have never owned a computer. Those that have used or owned a computer can be attracted by being able to what they have in the past more easily and for less cost. It is a scenario full of opportunity as more people have access to the Internet. It is not hard to say that this business will remain an exciting endeavor for years to come.

R&B

Big, Big Red

2010-03-10T02:05:00.001-06:00

Last week, we received a letter in the mail from Oracle letting us know that the former Sun Microsystems Inc. is now known as Oracle America Inc. Genesi was a supplier to Sun. Genesi is now a supplier to Oracle America Inc.

Coming to an Efika MX near you...
Java FX Graphics acceleration via OpenGLES

What I Couldn't Say… is a new blog from the former CEO of Sun Microsystems, Jonathan Schwartz. Jonathan left Sun last month. The latest post is interesting, but not surprising.

While most of the attention in the ICT market this week has been on looming Apple vs. Google-OHA showdown, we will be waiting to hear about what Jonathan has to say about his last nine months at Sun. The big red guerrilla just got bigger. We will be watching for the other looming showdown, you know, the one between Big Red and Big Blue, also known as IBM.

R&B

One Bad Apple

2010-03-04T00:30:00.003-06:00

Apple took legal action yesterday in the USA against HTC and the Nexus One phone. The Nexus One is being sold by Google. Apple contends that it "has suffered irreparable injury for which there is no adequate remedy at law and will continue to suffer such irreparable injury unless the defendants' infringement is enjoined by the Court." The allegations involve patents for touchscreens, gesture recognition, scrolling, power management, and other technologies. Apple is asking payment of unspecified damages and has requested that the International Trade Commission bar HTC from continuing to import the Nexus One and other phones into the United States.

Is this possible?

One can't stop to wonder what this could mean for other mobile phone suppliers or vendors, or for that matter any Android based device. How about consumers?! It is true that Nokia and Apple are already at it, but this throws Google into the fray. That can't be good for Apple. At some point, it would make more sense to license the design, perhaps not the latest and greatest, but a basic package, including the software, with the qualifier that manufacturers bundle iTunes and the App Store. Creating a lock on digital distribution is more valuable in the long run than the hardware sale, especially now when Apple can sell its own ARM based processor. Selling the chip, licensing the design and software and furthering their success in content distribution and everything else yet to come in the Apps Store seems like a much better long term bet.

R&B

More Qt

2010-02-26T07:10:00.001-06:00

Johan Dams has pulled together an interesting application for the Efika MX: simple fleet tracking. In contrast to most existing offerings with this package the customer stays in control. A monthly subscription is not required. All the data stays with the Efika MX and not on a third party server. Plus, the primary data transfer method is SMS, which works fine even with limited connectivity.

Fleet tracking with Qt on Efika MX

As mentioned last week, Qt Everywhere is a very good framework for deploying light applications. We can see this application being used to keep tabs on more than cars and trucks. Great work Johan!

R&B

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

2010-02-23T07:50:00.006-06:00

Different people will find different things beautiful. Differences of opinion vary greatly. Beauty is subjective, relative, referential. Yesterday, a phenomenal sum was paid for 72 year old comic book that sold originally for 10 cents: It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s the First Million Dollar Comic Book! Could it be that the buyer overpaid? When bidders make bidding decisions based on estimated values, the winner will often pay more than necessary to win. Viewed another way, the winner has won without measure or regret. The beauty being the harmony achieved between the object and the one who appreciates it, and who now owns it.

Sold for $1,000,000 yesterday at ComicConnect.com

It could be that we are blind to the flaws of our own discernment. As much as the concept of Superman appeals to us, it is easy to imagine better ways to spend a million dollars. Nevertheless, it does not matter what we think. If another is not receptive to your wisdom, it is may not be wisdom. Let's just conclude today with this exclamation: Superduper! The Internet is connecting buyers and sellers on unprecedented levels.

R&B

Qt Efika MX

2010-02-18T11:25:00.008-06:00

Swedish Developer Michael Grunditz has been awarded a Gold Medal for his olympic effort on Efika MX Project #779: Linux Platform Support and Application Development on Efika MX. Michael will release the code shortly on PowerDeveloper.org. In this case, that means that we have named Michael the first recipient of the PowerProject Award for the i.MX51 Developer Program.

GNOME running on XQt running on Qt Everywhere

Qt Everywhere is a very good framework for deploying light applications. Qt Everywhere is running using the i.MX515 OpenGLES driver. Both native Qt applications and native X applications can be run simultaneously for compatibility. Work is progressing at a good pace. Also of note, Michael has the Citrix client running: Efika MX Project #775. Great work Michael!

R&B

More Smartbooks

2010-02-15T10:23:00.003-06:00

The Efika MX Smartbook shipments have begun...

Efika MX size comparison

We thought we would make a quick picture of the Efika MX Smartbook and the Open Client together. More soon.

R&B

A Real Big Gig

2010-02-12T03:25:00.007-06:00

Big gig is right -- a billion bits that is -- from the Official Google Blog: Think big with a gig: Our experimental fiber network.

This is a gig with a big "G"

Google announced earlier this week that they will launch a fiber-to-the-home Internet service for at least 50,000 and potentially 500,000 homes with access speeds of one gigabit per second. Google will undoubtedly push to increase the quality and decrease the price of Internet services. What better way to crush the competition and facilitate their search-advertising business? Go Google!

The proverbial information superhighway is being upgraded to the databahn. Google is preparing a Formula One experience for you. Telcos and cable operators please stay to the right. Google is in the fast lane.

R&B

Efika MX Mandriva

2010-02-11T06:45:00.004-06:00

Power Developer Project #783 is the Mandriva Linux port. The initial port was demonstrated last week at FOSDEM.

Mandriva on the Efika MX at FOSDEM 2010

The Mandriva Mini interface is particularly well suited for ARM based devices. Mandriva is a member of the ARM Connected Community. A word of thanks to Wolfgang Bornath (wobo) for the picture. Nice work folks!

R&B

Efika MX Smartbook

2010-02-06T10:15:00.009-06:00

UPDATE:

For Sale: Efika MX Smartbook

The Efika MX Smartbook will be available to existing corporate customers that are already working with the Efika MX Open Client next week. We are looking forward to getting this product in the market.

We will have more than Linux running on this machine

Just enough computing any where you are...

R&B

$100000 a Second

2010-02-05T09:00:00.003-06:00

This weekend the Super Bowl of American Football is very likely to be viewed by as many as 100 million people. Advertisers will pay $3,000,000 for a 30 second commercial or pub as it is known in France. During the 1984 Super Bowl, Apple ran this ad:

Steve Jobs suggested that IBM was the Big Brother
in Apple's version of George Orwell's book: 1984.

Years later, it seems Steve Jobs sees Google as today's Big Brother: Google’s ‘Don’t Be Evil’ Mantra is... As the industry's mindshare and market-leading titans head for their own Super Bowl of sorts, we are wondering if there will be an iPad commercial during this year's game. What is interesting is to see this much money being spent for ad placement (not to mention production, etc.) in an advertising world progressively evolving into cost-per-click. There apparently is still room for compelling and creative advertising verses a dozen words requiring in comparison an insignificant amount of creativity directed at single viewers. Traditional media would do well to transition to the Apple Apps Store where pay-for-something matters on a whole other level.

R&B

$40,000,000,000

2010-01-27T08:45:00.003-06:00

Whatever happens today in Cupertino, the biggest news this week from Apple is that they have a net cash position of almost $40,000,000,000. In the last three months of 2009, Apple sold early 9 million iPhones with an average selling price of $620 in 86 countries. Apple also sold 3.5 million computers in the quarter. Macs sales have grown faster than PC sales for 13 quarters in a row. Macs have not experienced the significant decline in average selling price of the PC.

At $10000 a centimeter the stack would rise 40 kilometers
or nearly 25 miles!

As difficult as it is to imagine that much money, it should not be hard to imagine Apple's continued success. With only a 4% share of the PC market, the only way seems up. This will be particularly true if Apple changes the rules. What was a 'PC' may be something different soon. iPods and iPhone redefined not only market segments, but industries as well. Let's see if what is presented today has a browser or stays with an App Store model. Only in this way can we surmize how fast the stack will grow and from where the real competition comes from next.

R&B

From the Hearth

2010-01-21T08:35:00.014-06:00

It is cold outside!

Just a few random thoughts (from the hearth)...

Whatever Apple introduces next week, we are guessing the most significant item to be revealed will be a new system-on-a-chip or SoC that leverages the PA Semi acquisition. We are also thinking this new device will be bounded by the network that can support it (meaning wifi for now, and, Apple outmaneuvers the mobile carriers again by raising consumer expectations past the carrier's ability to broadly support 'a new standard'). The general storyline continues: it is all about digital distribution and so on...

The Ars coverage (surprising in itself) of the self-announced transition of the NYTimes to a pay-for-unlimited-access model sounds like it will be far too little too late to save a newspaper icon: New York Times to spend 2010 erecting a partial paywall. This is especially true given the trend in online journalism: payment by page views. The wall between editorial and advertising has irreversibly crumbled. Social-media-jounalism here we come. It will still be news, but it should be: intelligence (go Ars, go!). You will be the judge. To pay or not to pay...

Google's strained relationship with a significant element of the Chinese population could lead to an Android fork, perhaps Redroid. Android phones with Baidu would be just as bad. It could get messy. In the meanwhile, everything is already headed into new territory with the mobile internet and mobile devices that a) solve the identity and security problems, and b) merge the contradiction of proximity and distance from computers to create new consumer awareness and incentive programs. Banking industry beware: the mobile wallet is coming and for all your sins disintermediation will gain a greater meaning...

Are you following Global Foundries? Customers include AMD, Qualcomm, STMicro and IBM. They now own a fab in Singapore, are building one in New York and planning one in Abu Dhabi (related: ATIC). The Chartered Semiconductor acquisition has been completed. It seems one day the semiconductor industry won't have to worry about an earthquake in Taiwan (at TSMC). All this will undoubtedly lead IBM back into the end-user device business (Lenovo was one heck of a sucker punch!). We can expect smaller footprints, lower power consumption, and of course greater performance - you know, a Common Platform. These are the folks that will be competing with the new Chinese processors and corresponding Chinese version of the Internet (the Chinese 'freedom' version) that is certain to be present by then (Lenovo's revenge: low/no cost computers for emerging markets?)...

Enough for now. Be back later...

R&B

Absolutely Great Stuff!

2010-01-19T12:15:00.002-06:00

Absolutely great stuff!

The Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere. WOW! It is amazing to see what one person can do.

R&B

There is More to Come

2010-01-15T08:05:00.002-06:00

The latest and greatest merchant terminal

There is no reason why an application like this won't work on a standard wireless network. What might be more interesting is to forget the credit card and just have your grocery charges go to your mobile bill. The mobile carrier that sorts out support for users from home to anywhere and back could be a big winner. With Google Voice pulling messaging away and unlocked Google Phones undoubtedly becoming eventually successful, the network operators need to get moving before connectivity is commoditized.

There still is good news for the mobile network operators. It is not just about one device, but multiple devices that serve up what people care about from wherever they are. Mobile computing-communications platforms will be always on, are more personal with a specific number, and have integrated security and billing features regular computers just don't have. Our data/content at home or in the cloud needs to move seamlessly across devices. Developing a platform that incorporates social networking and sharing, location awareness, and subscriber intelligence (preferences, profiles, past behavior) across multiple devices wherever a single user can be found on the network is the key.

So here is the next big question: who tries to buy Motorola first, Google or a network operator?

R&B

Mouse for the Physical World

2010-01-13T05:50:00.002-06:00

Earlier this week we featured a m-commerce video from Motorola. The Mobile Loyalty Solution is probably the most strategically interesting package Motorola has put together in a long time. Barcode shopping could shake up the retail industry. In fact, it could shake up much more than that.

The barcode is the URL

Who needs a browser when buyer and seller are connected through a smartphone by a barcode? Two words come to mind: easy and convenient. The physical packaging of the desired item essentially becomes a webpage. The buyer and seller (or trusted information service provider who might source coupons too) now know each other. A mobile number is more effective than a cookie in a browser. Buyer and seller can communicate directly and instantaneously: I want this product and you can communicate with me. Can I have a barcode coupon that can be scanned at checkout? :) This is telesatisfying verses telemarketing: Sure! Would you like to see our other products on the next aisle (wow!).... Browsing takes on a whole new meaning. Or, rather, it could mean what it once did again.

In related news: SI Promoting Swimsuit Issue With Mobile Barcodes. JagTag may not help the print industry survive, but if we were a mobile carrier, we would be all over this opportunity.

R&B

Before, During and After CES

2010-01-11T12:55:00.014-06:00

The biggest news emanating from CES has to be Android. It was everywhere. Android was found in tablets, netbooks, home media centers, smartphones, e-readers and probably a few other places we missed (and, even on MIPS!). By our count there are at least five versions of Android in the market - 1.1, 1.5, 1.6, 2.0 and 2.1, which arrived on the HTC Nexus One just before CES.

Dell introduced the Tablet PC (concept) after announcing
that AT&T would sell its Android-based smartphone

With the Nexus One, Google is undoubtedly seeking to defuse some of the fragmentation that seems to be developing around Android. The modular approach is strategically interesting, but tactically this approach is creating problems. Google understood complete system integration was essential and has taken a big step: the Google phone. Could we call it a Compoogle? We did a while ago. Too bad PowerPC was not up to the task. We still have the same ideas, now on ARM.

Google and Motorola and Sony and HTC and Dell and everyone else are doing what they have to do to be different and compete with Apple and the iPhone. The problem is that all these different new devices have proprietary features that are not necessary available on other Android based products. Unlike the iPhone where a software application can be written once for all versions of the iPhone, most software applications written for Android have to be customized for each device. This limits the addressable market of an application. Plus, there are vendor and even device specific apps stores. Apple does not have these problems. Nevertheless, eventually everything will probably come together. What is everything? Credit cards, cash, keys, ID cards, books, newspapers and tickets all look replaceable. And, now there is more...

Much more interesting from Motorola and just after CES

According to Motorola, More than Half of Consumers Utilize Mobile Phones for In-Store Holiday Shopping Activities. Why they did not promote this new service at CES is a mystery to us. Motorola has some very big news. There are no keywords in the barcode version of Search (think coupons, comparative shopping, loyalty promotions, etc.). We don't find AdSense in iTunes. It could be Android is a double edged sword and that would be the biggest Android news yet. Hello!

R&B

livestream.com/genesi

2010-01-09T09:58:00.018-06:00

CES 2010 affirmed our belief that the Event has progressively become a test marketing extravaganza. Not that anything really new gets noticed as much as it probably should. CES has become a litmus test for potential products and tech mindshare. We will wait for the press release geyser to subside to write more. In the meanwhile, we discovered this interesting tool.

Watch bbrv at livestream.com/genesi

The tool makes the whole process of video web publishing quite simple. Livestream keeps the ad revenue until you subscribe to the premium service, which is available for $350/month. On-demand videos can be produced and made available. We will leave this on today for a bit and be experimenting with the process. Cool stuff!

Update: we will be back live again soon...

R&B

Wake Up Call

2010-01-05T02:00:00.007-06:00

Yesterday, Freescale announced a tablet reference design: Freescale evolves second-generation smartbook form factors with new tablet design (Smartbook Reference Design). Systems sell silicon. It is great to see the marketing progressively going in this direction. Consumer products probably hold the most significant opportunity for Freescale revenue growth.

This Skype-Asus videophone also has a 7" screen

Omitted from the list of potential applications was video conferencing. We can't think of anything more compelling. To speak across continents as if we were across a room seems to be a logical extension of what we do already. In any case, we should remember that in our brave new world whoever offers the system to the consumer has the opportunity to provide not only content, but communications options too. This creates a new dimension of potential customers and calls on us to expand our notion of what a reference design actually is. Seeing is believing!

R&B

MMX and a New Decade

2010-01-01T04:40:00.004-06:00

Ten years ago we welcomed the New Year with an early morning walk. The street cleaners had not made it out yet. You could not cross the round point at Place du Trocadero without stepping on a champagne bottle. Millennium celebrations took place throughout the world. Y2K passed without the serious, widespread computer failures and malfunctions that had been predicted (Google News Timeline). Not surprisingly, celebrations took place throughout the world again last night. Today, we welcome 2010, or MMX as it would have been written by the Romans. There will never be a shorter Roman-numeral year.

Ten years have come and gone...

Ten years ago we witnessed the nascent growth of Search Media. Today, we are seeing, or better participating, in the emergence of Social Media (one attempt: @bbrv). In some ways, we have been engaged in social media for years through PowerDeveloper and MorphZone. We have connected with our developers and users. We have sought and encouraged their participation in improving, evolving and promoting our products. The latest PowerDeveloper Forum posts and Project blogs are ample testimony that it works. The money contributed to Bounties at power2people is also proof. We paid out nearly $10,000 of community donated funds to developers in 2009 (scroll down). Communities build volume, we are hoping they can help us build an open source MPC8610 motherboard too.

We will see even more changes in the next decade. The growth rates of e-commerce and m-commerce (that distinction will probably disappear soon) prove people like technology and the choice, convenience and comparative opportunity it can bring. As the cost of computing-communications resources progressively fall more people will have information to exchange. Social media is destined to fine-tune search and drive more and more purchasing decisions. The last ten years brought us the iPod, iPhone and YouTube. The next ten years are likely to be more focused on the power of plural interests. We are expecting a ground-up knowledge-driven evolution. Happy New Year!

R&B

Efika MX in Africa

2009-12-28T23:30:00.007-06:00

The Efika MX is working its way to a world of potential users one PowerDeveloper at a time. After some fairly extensive holiday travel Johan Dams has delivered the first Efika MX to the African continent. Project #731, Intelligent Networking of/using Embedded Systems (INES), is yet another step forward from Johan's original Efika Project, Project #338, which he began in 2006.

Johan Dams demonstrates the Efika MX at
Mohamed Khider University in Biskra, Algeria

More than two years ago, we covered Johan's exploits in Morocco: Not Waiting for the World to Change II. You may recall that Project #338 became much more than a 'Project' and serves today as an invaluable experience upon which to base a new set of Efika MX deployments. It seems that once again, as before, many PowerDevelopers and Genesi Partners will benefit from Johan's meaningful effort. Great work, Johan. Salute!

R&B

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-20T17:14:00.011-06:00

We should have posted our Holiday message a little earlier this year to recognize all those folks that may have been trying their luck with a dreidel or la toupie. Nevertheless, Season's Greetings to you and to everyone else. Happy Holidays y Feliz Navidad!

Hello World! Join with us to spread some joy and kindness!

Peace on Earth and good will to all people!

R&B

The Latest Amiga

2009-12-17T16:40:00.002-06:00

Earlier today a PegasosPPC configured with standard off-the-shelf components sold on ebay. A licensed copy of AmigaOS 4.1 was included (worth 120 Euros). The seller emphasized that it was not installed properly on the likely possibility that the CD/DVD-ROM drive was defective. After a week and 32 bids the system sold for Euro 421/$613.80. It has been three years since the last new PegasosPPC boards were sold at a price of $399: Coffee, Tea, or PegasosPPC.

AmigaOS4.1 on the Pegasos

It seems appropriate we also had this text in an email today from a customer in France:

...although obsolescence is one of the major characteristics of the computer industry, I think that the Pegasos remains in the heart of all the people who have one day had one in their hands!

And so, it seems.

There may be yet another market for the MPC8610 Open Source Mainboard. We have received over $12,000 in donations.

R&B

To boldly go where no man has gone before

2009-12-16T01:21:00.013-06:00

Just when you thought it was impossible to extend the realm of smart mobile devices, new information has set the world abuzz. Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at an unprecidented level of hysteria. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: it is a transporter. Yes, that is right, Google's leading-edge device is being designed to convert the user into an energy pattern so that they can be transported after search to the destination of their choice. Upon arrival they will be safely reconverted and released. And, best of all: there will be no dropped calls. Welcome to the human network. Wow!

Next up for Google: the mind-body problem
...and this will be known as self-search.

It should not be surprising to people that Google would undertake such an ambitious endeavor. After all, Google is the world's largest advertising agency, has the world's largest server infrastructure, and will now support the world's all-time most important super-duper personal piece of equipment. It will be always on and with us wherever we go on Google Earth. Television, telephone, movies, music, newspapers, books, encyclopedias, coupons, etc., the right information to the right person at the right time, and now to the right place at the right price too. Billions and billions and billions will be sold. Wow again!

Note to the trekkies in marketing: may the disruptive force be with you!

R&B

CrushedPad for Now

2009-12-13T10:50:00.003-06:00

CrunchPad or JooJoo?

The TechCrunch-Fusion Garage CrunchPad fallout seems to be complete. It started here a couple of weeks ago: The End of the CrunchPad. Without delving too much into the contested issues, it seems this much is true: Pegatron has design documentation and a process in place to manufacture a flat, touchscreen, web-friendly computer. Apparently, another ODM does too. Fusion Garage is producing it somewhere else and has renamed it the JooJoo. A lawsuit has been filed. Blogs have been written. There have been press conferences. The situation is a mess, but it should not surprise us. It all started when IBM published the technical details of the PC in 1981.

In the meanwhile, Asustek is preparing to divest a large percentage of its ownership in Pegatron, its contract manufacturing arm. Acer and Wistron separated in 2001. The approach seems to have worked. Wistron recorded $13.5 billion in revenue in 2008. Acer just passed Dell in global PC sales. We expect Pegatron to go public after the spin-off. It is not clear how much money Pegatron will raise through the issue of more shares later or what the use of proceeds will be, but Asustek expects to benefit financially, and so does Pegatron. Whatever happens, we can expect the supply chain to become more efficient, though buying or merging with a semiconductor company or licensing something from ARM or MIPS might be too bold a step (or not?).

Competition and innovation will continue with Google and Apple out front. Google will push the cost of everything other than their search, ads and apps to free and commodity pricing. Apple will improve its unique transactional media. They are headed in different directions, but destined to converge. Today, the JooJoo is stuck in limbo, too expensive to be free and not sophisticated enough to compete with Apple. That said, if some one could turn search into secure transactions (for any product) that are billed as a mobile service such devices might have a chance. Has your mobile operator ever had a problem sending you the bill? If not that, maybe this: An Android dogfood diet for the holidays.

R&B

You Will Get What You Pay For

2009-12-10T06:00:00.005-06:00

Network operators have a growing problem. A small percentage of their network subscribers use a disproportional amount of network capacity. Yesterday, Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive for mobility and consumer markets at AT&T, told analysts at a conference in New York that 40 percent of AT&T’s data traffic came from just 3 percent of its smartphone customers (no doubt mostly the iPhone). iChat on the iPhone is going to increase network congestion dramatically. This is likely to be the reason this feature has not been introduced, as it is a safe bet the iPhone can handle the job technically. At issue is quality of service. "Unlimited use" with increasingly capable computing-communication devices is creating problems, not only in the US, but worldwide.

Smartbook block diagram

As we look ahead, wireless carriers are preparing for growth in the use of smartphones and mobile computers. Progressively higher demands will be placed on their networks. At the same time, as the number of connected devices and data traffic grows, service providers want to be smarter about how they bill customers. The iPhone and the Apps Store have not only changed the face of digital distribution (for developers and users), but have made it very clear to network operators that they need to understand their customers better. The iPhone is not just a neat gadget. Network operators will expand capacity as fast as they can, and when they can't (or don't want to) capacity will be metered first to those that pay.

R&B

Progress Report

2009-12-08T02:25:00.003-06:00

As promised the Freescale Semiconductor Networking and Multimedia Group delivered the design documentation yesterday for the MPC8610 Reference Design. The board was designed with the intention to provide access to as many features of the MPC8610 as possible in a micro-ATX form factor.

Block Diagram MPC8610 Reference Board

It will take some time to review the materials and decide whether or not we need to adjust the MPC8610 Open Source Mainboard Bounty or leave the Bounty Steps and the funding requirements as they are. The Step 1 Bounty has reached more than 1500 Euros, while a general contribution of $10,000 for Steps 1-6 has also been received. In the meanwhile, the power2people MPC8610 Developer Program is open and ready for your proposals.

R&B

Who and What

2009-12-06T08:30:00.013-06:00

That would be opposed to "not who but what" and "not what but who." Let's clear that up briefly with a few contrasts: merit verses notoriety, achievement verses personality, news verses sensation (particularly as driven by search results, see In the beginning was the Word...).

Arcadia: third single from the Ash A-Z Series
Does anyone recognize the video games?

Ash is a Irish rock band that just completed the A-Z Tour a couple of weeks ago in Zenner. In the meanwhile, they have started the A-Z Series. Ash is releasing a new song every two weeks for a year. You can listen online for free, subscribe to the digital downloads (UK or 'Rest of the World') and/or even buy a 7” limited edition vinyl record, which can also come in a limited edition box. Each single has its own color. Oh, and surprise: The Return of Vinyl Records...

It will be interesting to see how the music industry responds to the apparent and growing success. Ash is doing this one single at a time (verses an album) without the support of a major record label. The new songs are not available on iTunes. By managing supply and demand (see **SOLD OUT** notations on the tour schedule and in the web store), they are organizing an 'economy' around fans. Ash is opening up a direct connection to their audience in interesting ways. With user agreement, Ash seems to have discovered an entertainment inspired solution to more than just digital distribution or a manner in which to curb piracy (when piracy becomes less valuable, pirates will have less to offer or said another way -- all pirates will be fans).

The "A-Z Channel" with Ads by Google seems imminent. This could also include a Live Show subscription service. Perhaps one day Google could back it all up for you. ChromeOS might come in handy too.

R&B

Efika MX Gentoo 2

2009-12-05T09:08:00.007-06:00

It did not take too long for the second Gentoo Developer to get his Efika MX update online: The Efika MX has arrived!

"I was thinking it was a lot bigger than it actually is."

Thanks Steev, the pictures still look good. At least we know it arrived safely. We especially appreciate you posting on you PowerDeveloper.org i.MX515 Project #765. Please keep the community informed!

We are looking forward to working again with the Gentoo Community. More from the archives: Gentoo Weekly Newsletter: January 24, 2005.

Efika MX Country Count: we have shipped the Efika MX to 17 countries.

R&B

Efika MX Gentoo

2009-12-04T06:45:00.007-06:00

It did not take too long for the first Gentoo Developer to get his Efika MX online: Gentoo: Genesi Efika MX unboxing and first impressions.

"My first impressions are pretty good."

Great! Thanks Jeremy. We are looking forward to working again with the Gentoo Community. From the archives: Gentoo Weekly Newsletter: November 29, 2004.

Efika MX Country Count: we have shipped the Efika MX to 17 countries.

R&B

Powering Ahead

2009-12-03T05:20:00.003-06:00

The MPC8610 Open Source Mainboard Bounty got a boost yesterday. First, the MPC8610 Product Manager agreed to provide us with all the design documentation for the Freescale Reference Design and Evaluation System (MCEVALHPCD-8610E: schematics, bill-of-materials, etc.). As we have four of these systems already, this will speed up the development process.

The Project is powering ahead!

The other good news is that we received a commitment for $10,000 to be applied to the Project as we think best from a corporate donor.

We will be reviewing the Freescale documentation and making some decisions on how best to proceed in the weeks ahead. In the meanwhile, the power2people MPC8610 Developer Program is open and ready for your proposals.

R&B

Efika MX Upgrade

2009-12-02T05:10:00.003-06:00

If you have been following the Efika MX Development Blog you will know we have been working through a myriad of challenges. As a way of saying thank you to all our customers, we will be providing a free upgrade to any person or company that purchased an Efika MX Open Client by 1 December 2009 (yesterday).

The Efika MX is not much bigger than an iPhone

By the end of this week, we will have already shipped the Efika MX to 14 countries. We are looking forward to posting more about developers and the efforts they are making with the Efika MX soon.

R&B

In the beginning was the Word...

2009-12-01T07:05:00.002-06:00

...some time later, we had the Times, and now we have the bots. The strings of words that become the most popular can take on a life of their own. The problem compounds and builds on itself. What happens when what people search for becomes the content that is created (you know, instead of the other way around!)? Think about this: journalists used to tell us what the news was. Increasingly today, advertisers pay for keyword association. If the headlines are created from the most valuable keywords, the content itself is generated after-search.

Are you searching but not finding?

The bots can't do all the work. Search quality has to be based on more than an algorithm, and that is, us. We will probably have something labelled Trusted Search soon. There is a storm brewing here. It was true in 2007, and more true today: The Machine is Us/ing Us (Final Version).

R&B

The Digital Future

2009-11-29T13:35:00.000-06:00

Earlier this month, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 generated $550 million in sales worldwide in the first five days it was available. Since 2003, the Call of Duty series has sold more than 55 million units creating over $3 billion in revenue. In contrast, it is surprising to know that only three films released in a series have done better: Harry Potter (six films, $5.4 billion), James Bond (22 films, $5 billion) and Star Wars (seven films, $4.2 billion). The highest grossing single film was Titanic, which took ten months to generate $1.8 billion.

Call of Duty is not the Mighty Mophin Power Rangers

15 years ago last month the Xiphias produced Mighty Morphin Power Rangers made a debut as a CD-ROM. It was available for the PC and Mac and based on a popular children's TV program. Successful in one media, the Power Rangers brand generated interest and success in another. The President of Xiphias was Peter Black. It is interesting to read what Peter had to say about digital distribution at the time: Home Video, NY Times, December 1994. The CD was distributed by Paramount, a movie studio. In the first two months, Xiphius had 113,000 CDs in distribution, making it one of the most successful CDs of the year. Peter had the right ideas.

In the meanwhile, have you seen a movie or show on YouTube? The ads are embedded and change in placement, number and variety. Google continues to find ways to co-opted the hardware through the browser. Android and ChromeOS are logical steps. It is not hard to imagine a mass-multi-player version of Call of Duty for 'Google Games' running on free hardware supported by the world's largest server infrastructure and all paid for by advertising. Premium versions can be offered in subscription. The cost of the hardware will be driven down to the cost of the processor and I/O (hopefully, we will remain analog beings!!!). The network connection is likely to be considered simply a device feature and thus also paid for by advertising.

R&B

Pulling the Network Through

2009-11-22T00:25:00.006-06:00

Last week AT&T announced Synaptic Services. These will be on-demand compute and storage resources that can be scaled as needed and only paid for when used. There are no set-up fees and no minimum commitment requirements. AT&T will manage the network, server, and storage. Customers can develop and manage everything else as if these resources were their own. It sounds and looks like the Sun Cloud.

The Efika MX has no moving parts
and it's not much bigger than an iPhone!

For years, AT&T and other carriers have paid dealers and value added resellers commissions for selling network services. This seems to be something more. Synaptic resources could be made available to developers working within the AT&T cloud to offer their own applications, or storefront, while supporting a whole new world of customizable devices. It sounds and looks like Cloud City. Any guess which device we will be pulling with?!

R&B

Two Words on Chrome: All Day

2009-11-20T05:20:00.001-06:00

Following up on yesterday's blog...

It is a good video

In the press conference for Chrome OS, Google said they were working with hardware manufacturers, which they would not name, on developing Chrome OS machines. These will first be netbooks. Eventually Chrome OS could be in laptops and desktops, said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management at Google, but the focus now is on cheap machines "that you use all day and charge at night, like a cellphone."

Well, that all day part should be good news for ARM-based devices...

R&B

Greener on the Other Side

2009-11-19T13:45:00.006-06:00

This cow had a habit of going for the grass that he did not have. Nevertheless, between the fence and the simple, but effective forked stick placed around the cow's neck, this cow was 'locked.'

Will you be locked to your service provider?

As netbooks increasingly enter the mobile market, unlocking the netbook from a service provider may be a bit more problematic than swapping a SIM card or mastering a software tweak. It will be interesting to see if the quality and variety of netbook service offerings keep folks happy or looking for something more. As fast as technology evolves, two years is a long time to stay linked to a service contract.

A couple of weeks ago Google announced that you could use Google Voice with your existing mobile number. Your messages can now go to your computer or to your mobile as text, unlocking your messages from the service provider. Step by step, it seems the service providers are being herded by Google right to where Google wants them to be. If the service providers don't tend to favor the consumer a bit more soon, they could actually be the ones that find themselves on the wrong side of the fence.

R&B

Open Source Hardware Bounty

2009-11-15T13:35:00.002-06:00

The MPC8610 Open Source Mainboard Bounty has been published

The MPC8610 Open Source Mainboard Bounty will be supported by the power2people MPC8610 Developer Program. Please feel free to comment here or send us an email with any feedback or suggestions.

R&B

power2people MPC8610

2009-11-13T02:15:00.012-06:00

We are resurrecting a Developer Program around the Freescale MPC8610: power2people MPC8610. The goal will be to develop a new, community-funded, open-source hardware platform around the chip.

Look for more details on power2people.org soon

We met with our Freescale Sales Rep yesterday. We would not go quite as far as suggesting a comeback for PowerPC, but we have confirmed that the MPC8610 will be supported and available for "a long time."

R&B

Green Eggs and Ham

2009-11-09T02:10:00.010-06:00

The best selling children's book written by Dr. Suess was published in 1960. We have heard and read the story, many, many times...

I would not, could not, in a box.
I could not, would not, with a fox.
I will not eat them in a house.
I will not eat them with a mouse.
I will not eat them here or there.
I will not eat them anywhere.
I do not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them Sam-I-am!

You can click through the image above to see an animation prepared some years after the book. The illustrations and rhyming dialogue have helped many children learn to read. The book also teaches valuable life lessons. Preconceived ideas can keep us from greater awareness. In the end, Sam's optimism and persistence is rewarded.

It has been more than two and a half years since we wrote about the First Rule of Advertising...

Yes, Friends, you can sell the EFIKA. You can sell it to the Bank. You can use it with a crank. You can sell them to a store, and for a plane, and for a car, and don't worry we will make more! They are so good, so good, you see! And, you can use them in-de-pen-dent-ly! You can use them at the Post. You can use them where they count most. So, please, sell them here and sell them there. Yes, Friends, sell them...

EVERYWHERE!

We certainly had Sam in mind. We still do with the new Efika MX. Thank you. Thank you, Sam-I-am.

R&B

P.S. Try a little green food coloring on the egg yolks and ham. It can make for a great after-story surprise for children!

Which Cloud Is Right for You?

2009-11-04T07:00:00.011-06:00

This announced today: Freescale extends product family that pioneered the smartbook category to address additional embedded markets. Genesi is pleased to be an important contributor to the growing ecosystem around the i.MX51.

What is in your Cloud City?

Cloud City was designed with a series of products in mind, beginning with the Efika MX. By expanding the i.MX51 family, Freescale helps us bring firmware, software and cloud computing support to new customers and new application. As web-connected devices are developed around this processor family, we will have a progressively growing host of resources organized and available.

Come see Cloud City and the Efika MX at the ARM Connected Community Technical Symposium in Tokyo next week. If you miss us in Japan, we will be in Korea, Taiwan, China, India and back in Europe before the end of the year (see Upcoming Events). Come find out which cloud is right for you and let us help you get connected!

R&B

Thinking Outside the Box: Customerization

2009-11-02T06:00:00.011-06:00

The latest Apple vs. PC ads are in circulation. If you are switching to Windows 7 you might as well switch to a Mac. Why not really upgrade? In the meanwhile, Intel has introduced The Intel Mobile Authorized Integrator Connection. The message from Intel to custom system builders and solution providers: Don't give HP, IBM, Dell, or Apple all the credit! Put your own brand on a custom notebook. You will have a unique product. You can make more money! The fact that Intel is doing this themselves is an interesting step in the white box PC market. With this trend, we can also expect Linux on the desktop to be increasingly successful.

If brand is everything, it seems everything is Intel

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as "a name, term, sign, symbol, or design or a combination of these, which is intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors." It seems if all the boxes are the same on the inside, it must be the capable and attentive customer support that is associated with the brand that makes all the PC sameness less obvious. This is a smart move by Intel, but could it be an indication of a increasingly fragmented market?

The Internet and cloud computing is reversing the what's inside trend once and for all. Presenting what's outside well is what is essential. The bandwidth available (how much and where) and the services provided (what and when) increasingly define the Personal Computer. Cost is also a factor. People expect more and more from their computing and communications resources. Customers want what they want when they want it, and wherever they are - inside, outside, any time, any place. To be "personal," customerization is the key. This will be the primary characteristic of the best PC to be.

R&B

Expanding Your Capacity to Choose

2009-10-30T06:45:00.003-05:00

That is what technology can do. That does not necessarily mean you will make the right choices. At issue is that you will have a full range of choices, from bad to good. But, before we go further, let's separate the moral judgment and/or esthetic opinion from the opportunity technology can provide. Access and opportunity is our focus.

What do you think?

The freedom to explore and develop an opinion is as important as the ability to share and refine it. In the history of human endeavor, never has the confluence of people and ideas been greater than what we can find through the Internet today. As access and opportunity reaches further into our world, technology must continue to progressively increase our opportunity to learn and to interact. Our hopes run in this direction. It is all very exciting to us!

By the way, that is Alain Colliard in his studio in Rouen, France. We think he is an Artist. You will have many choices if you visit: here.

R&B