KDDI has recently announced Open Web Board, an HDMI TV stick powered by Rockchip RK3066, and running Firefox OS, just like the recently announced MatchStick. The board is however aimed at embedded and web developers who want to create apps for Firefox OS, and interface with external devices over Bluetooth Low Energy or Zigbee (optional module) communication, optionally using Gluin, a web based graphical “application development tool that enables simple linking programming between electronic devices”.
Open Web Board specifications:
- SoC – Rockchip RK3066 dual core Cortex A9 processor @ 1.6 Ghz with Mali-400 MP4 GPU
- System Memory – 1 GB RAM
- Storage – 8 GB flash
- Video Output – HDMI
- USB – 1x USB 2.0 host port, 1x micro USB for power
- Connectivity – 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi (AP6210 module), Bluetooth 2.1 (HFP/A2DP/AVRCP)/4.0 GATT. and optional Zigbee via external module
- Dimensions – Small
This dongle runs Firefox OS 1.4. KDDI showcased the board at Mozilla Open Web Day in Tokyo yesterday (05/10/2014), with ToCoStick wireless (Zigbee?) dongle as shown in the picture above.
KDDI launched a developer website called “au Firefox OS Portal Site” (Japanese), although it appears mostly under constructions at this stage with limited information. I could not find price information, and it will probably only be available in Japan. However, somebody already ported MatchStick Firefox OS firmware to MK808. so you may be still be able to play with KDDI solution as long as they release the full source code, if you own another Rockchip RK3066 mini PC.
Via Liliputing and Mini PCs Community.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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It seems like there’s alot of buzz around FirefoxOS lately, especially with the new HDMI stick.. but what is the advantage of FirefoxOS, if any, to other OSs? Better performance, and smaller size for more resource limited embedded platforms? More ‘open’, i.e. no closed library drivers? Large existing codebase that will run without modification on it?
Or is it just for the cool-factor (which I get BTW)!
I remember just how long it took Floorplanner/MagicPlan to develop an android version of it’s iOS app.. fragmenting the pie to more pieces may actually slow down the rate of innovation!
Hoping that developers will port XBMC/Kodi to Firefox OS!
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=205616
MatchStick with XBMC/Kodi would be perfect for bedrooms
@ben Benefit with Firefox OS is that you do do not need to be a “real” developer to write apps for it, as all the apps are really only web / HTML5 apps.
Simple apps are small and easy to make for Firefox OS, but as a downside it is very hard to write advanced apps and games. And as long as people only use HTML5 then apps should be easily portable between platforms.
Mozilla normally doesn’t allow native C/C++ applications to run on Firefox OS 1.4 however Matchstick is suppose to be rooted by default.