Intel is already making embedded version of their processor with example with Bay Trail-I or Quark SoCs, but Taiwan based DMP Electronics has also been making x86 SoC such as Vortex86EX that can be found in $39 86duino Zero board, which must be one the cheapest, if not the cheapest, x86 board on the market. Of course, this is not designed to run Windows and Office, but rather some embedded (IoT) applications. The company has recently launched Vortex86DX3, a more powerful x86 dual core processor, suited to embedded systems and communication products such as thin clients, NAT routers, gateways, etc… DMP Vortex86DX3 specifications: Dual Core x86 Processor @ 1GHz with 6 stage pipeline, x86 instruction set Floating point – Implements ANSI/IEEE standard 754-1985 for binary Floating-Point Architecture Cache – 8-way 32K I-Cache, 8-way 32K D-Cache, 4-way 512KB L2 Cache with write through or write back policy System DDR3 Control Interface – 32-bit data […]
$329 Texas Instruments OMAP5432 EVM / Development Board
Earlier this month, Texas Instruments has apparently discreetly, not to say surreptitiously, launched their OMAP5432 evaluation module. Beside the dual Cortex A15, dual Cortex M4 OMAP5 SoC, the board comes with 2GB RAM, a 4GB eMMC module, USB 3.0, SATA and more. OMAP5432 EVM Specifications: SoC – Texas Instruments OMAP5432 Multicore ARM Cortex A15/M4 processor with PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3L (implemented using 4x Micron 4Gb DDR3L devices (MT41K256M16HA-125:E) Storage – 4GB EMMC/iNAND Ultra device + SD/MMC 4-bit Micro-SD card cage Display / Video: HDMI via native OMAP HDMI interface DSI Display Expansion (DSIPORTA and DSIPORTC) via 100-pin expansion connector Parallel Display Expansion (DPI) via 100-pin expansion connector Audio – Audio Jack 3.5mm, Stereo out & in, Headset Jack (earphone/microphone) USB – 3x USB HS 2.0 (2 via USB connector, one via 0.1″ header), 1x USB 3.0, and 1x USB OTG 2.0/3.0 Connectivity – 10/100 802.3u Ethernet. […]
QNX CAR 2.0 Demo and Texas Instruments OMAP5 Jacinto 6 Processor
There’s a Bentley GT concept car at CES 2012 to demonstrate QNX CAR 2.0 platform that provides dual screen support with the dashboard and an infotainment display for the automotive industry. Under the hood, the platform features TI DLP technology, and TI OMAP5 and Jacinto processors running QNX Neutrino RTOS. Texas Instruments and QNX uploaded a video demo of the concept on YouTube. They explain that they switched their platform from HTML5 to native OpenGL for optimal performance using Storyboard Suite from Crank software, and they can now show 3D maps smoothly on the platform. The 1080p user display is curved to be more user friendly (better touch angles). You must have certainly heard about touchscreens before, but maybe never heard about “pretouch”. Pretouch is a feature of the system that detect when you hand comes close to a control virtual and pops up a virtual menu. The dashboard shows […]
TQ Group TQMa6X Embedded Modules based on Freescale i.MX6 Processors
TQ Group has recently unveiled several TQMa6X embedded CPU modules that feature Freescale i.MX6 Solo, Dual and Quad processors, targeting screen, multi-touch, and multi-display applications as well as conventional controlling tasks. 3 modules are available: TQMa6S-AA – Single Cortex A9 / 1,2 GHz, 2 GB eMMC Flash, 512 MB DDR3, 64 kB EEPROM, -25°C…+85°C TQMa6D – Dual Cortex A9 / 1,2 GHz, 2 GB eMMC Flash, 512 MB DDR3, 64 kB EEPROM, -25°C…+85°C TQMa6Q – Quad Cortex A9 / 1,2 GHz, 2 GB eMMC Flash, 1 GB DDR3, 64 kB EEPROM, -25°C…+85°C TQMa6X modules share the following specifications: Processor – Freescale MCIMX6 Single/Dual/Quad Cortex A9 up to 1,2 GHz System Memory – Up to 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM Storage – Up to 64 GByte eMMC Flash, EEPROM: 0 / 64 kbit and up to 128 MB NOR-Flash. System interfaces: CAN – 2x FlexCAN ESAI (Enhanced Serial Audio Interface) Ethernet – 1x 10/100/1000 Mbit (IEEE […]
Linux 3.4 Release
Linus Torvalds has just announced the release of Linux Kernel 3.4 on the 20th of May: I just pushed out the 3.4 release. Nothing really exciting happened since -rc7, although the workaround for a linker bug on x86 is larger than I’d have liked at this stage, and sticks out like a sore thumb in the diffstat. That said, it’s not like even that patch was really all that scary. In fact, I think the 3.4 release cycle as a whole has been fairly calm. Sure, I always wish for the -rc’s to calm down more quickly than they ever seem to do, but I think on the whole we didn’t have any big disruptive events, which is just how I like it. Let’s hope the 3.5 merge window is a calm one too. Linus Linux 3.3 merged Android drivers to mainline, added further improvements to btrfs and ext-4 file […]
Freescale i.MX6 Automotive & Aerospace Infotainment Applications
Freescale showcased i.MX6 Series (ARM Cortex-A9) based in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems at CES 2012. Charbax (armdevices.net) has an interesting interview, where they show IVI products based on Freescale i.MX6 series running QNX operating system with the dashboard, a control panel and a tablet for the back seats. There are also some impressive 3D demos as well as real-time 3D modelling of the car thanks to 360 cameras and OpenCL support in the iMX6 GPU. 3D modelling allows the driver to see a top view of the car while parking in narrow spaces. Freescale provides Long Term Support (LTS) for processors used in the automotive and aerospace industries and the company has committed to 15 years of support for the i.MX6 series. Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)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 […]
Develop Android Apps, Deploy on Meego, Tizen, WebOS, Ubuntu and More
OpenMobile World Wide Inc. is demonstrating its Application Compatibility Layer (ACL) technology, capable of running Android apps on non-Android devices at CES 2012 in Las Vegas. The company claims that their solution brings more than 300,000 Android apps to device running on other platforms. The technology allows OEMs of Tablets, Set Top Boxes, smart TVs, Netbooks, In-Vehicle Infotainment devices and more to provide users access to a all Android applications. OpenWorld ACL technology currently works on tablets, STBs and netbooks based on MeeGo, WebOS and Ubuntu. The company also plans to make the technology available for Tizen, Windows, Bada, QNX, Symbian and more. The company claims 100% compatibility for Android apps including those developed using the Android Native Development Kit (NDK). The ACL layer is said not to drain the device resources at all. Device power and memory will be unchanged. Here are the Key Benefits of ACL according to […]
Freescale Announces i.MX6 Lite Series
Last year, Freescale introduced i.MX6 series processors to the market in single, dual and quad core Cortex A9 configurations, today at CES 2012, they have announced i.MX6 Lite Series in single and dual core configuration respectively the i.MX6SoloLite and i.MX6 DualLite. Both processors incorporate ARM Cortex-A9 cores and E-Ink controllers and are especially suited to e-Readers, but Freescale expect the i.MX6 DualLite to also to be used in tablets, IPTVs, IP phones, medical patient monitoring systems and home energy management solutions. The new processors are software-compatible with other i.MX 6 series devices, so that developers can create end-product at different price points using a common platform. Freescale explains that “this scalability enables the rapid creation of complete end-product portfolios that can adjust and scale to meet evolving market demands and requirements”. The two new processors come to replace Freescale i.MX508 device, which is currently used in millions of eReaders. Here […]