Cross-comping zlib for ARM target

Zlib is defind as “A Massively Spiffy Yet Delicately Unobtrusive Compression Library” and used in many projects requiring compression. Here are the instructions cross-compile zlib for ARM: Download zlib1.25 wget http://cdnetworks-kr-2.dl.sourceforge.net/project/libpng/zlib/1.2.5/zlib-1.2.5.tar.gz Extract it tar xzvf zlib-1.2.5.tar.gz cd zlib-1.2.5 Configure, build and install zlib. CC=armv5tel-redhat-linux-gnueabi-gcc ./configure –prefix=/home/jaufranc/edev/rootfs make make install This will install libz.a (static library) and libz.so (dynamic library) in /home/jaufranc/edev/rootfs/lib and copy the header files to /home/jaufranc/edev/rootfs/include.

Installing an ARM Toolchain in Fedora

You can easily install an arm cross-compiler on Fedora as follows: cd /etc/yum.repos.d/ sudo wget http://ftp.linux.org.uk/pub/linux/arm/fedora/cross/cross.repo sudo yum install armv5tel-redhat-linux-gnueabi-gcc You can check the installation worked by checking the cross-compiler version [jaufranc@localhost ~]$ armv5tel-redhat-linux-gnueabi-gcc -v Using built-in specs. Target: armv5tel-redhat-linux-gnueabi Configured with: ../configure –prefix=/usr –mandir=/usr/share/man –infodir=/usr/share/info –enable-shared –enable-threads=posix –enable-checking=release –with-system-zlib –enable-__cxa_atexit –disable-libunwind-exceptions –enable-languages=c,c++ –disable-libgcj –with-sysroot=yes –enable-version-specific-runtime-libs –target=armv5tel-redhat-linux-gnueabi Thread model: posix gcc version 4.1.2 20070925 (Red Hat 4.1.2-33.fa1) This will only install the C compiler (gcc), to install the C++ compiler, run the following command: sudo yum install armv5tel-redhat-linux-gnueabi-gcc-c++ Tested in Fedora 12.

Khadas Edge2 Arm mini PC

60 USD Android Tablet: Aakash UbiSlate 7 Tablet

After much delay, the low cost tablet promised by the Indian government is finally released. The Aakash UbiSlate 7 is designed primarily for Indian students and will be sold to them at a discount. The tablet will be manufactured by Datawind in Hyderabad, India. The retail price will be 2,999 Rupees (~61 USD), but it will be sold to the government for 2250 Rupees (~46 USD) and will end up in the hands of students for a sponsored price of 1300 Rupees (~26 USD). Here are Aakash UbiSlate 7 Tablet Specifications: Processor: 366MHz Conexant Processor Memory: 256MB RAM Storage: 2GB Flash memory + 2GB Micro SD card (expandable to 32GB) OS: Android 2.2 with Getjar Marketplace (not the default Android Marketplace) Display: 7″ resistive touchscreen Network: Wifi only. Later models will be GPRS and SIM enabled. USB: 2 x ports Audio out: 3.5mm jack / Audio in: 3.5mm jack Battery: […]

Disable Auto-Update for Thunderbird and Firefox

Mozilla has decided to speed up the release cycle of Thunderbird and Firefox. This is all good except that it often breaks Add-ons. If you want to do the update manually, when you feel like it or when you know the all important plugins you use are compatible with the new version,  you may follow the instructions to disable automatic update of Thunderbird and Firefox. Disabling Automatic Update in Firefox Type about:config in the address bar and press Enter. You should get a page trying to scare you off with a message starting with “This might void you warranty!”, just click “I’ll be careful I promise!“. Then in the Filter filed type app.update.enabled. It should be set to true, double-click on the line to set it to false. Disabling Automatic Update in Thunderbird On the top menu, click on Tools->Options to enter the Options window, then click on Advanced and […]

AMD G-Series based iBase SI-08 Digital Signage

Ibase announced the SI-08, a digital signage player with an AMD G-Series processor and a DVI output. The device features a 1.6GHz dual-core T56N processor, up to 2GB of RAM and 1TB of disk storage, gigabit Ethernet,  a serial port, 2 USB port, an audio jack (in or out) as well as a Mini PCI slot for optional Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Here are the specifications and features of the iBase SI-08 digital signage player: System Mainboard EB900-16-SI CPU Type AMD G-Series Dual-Core APU (Accelerated Processing Unit): T56N=1.65GHz @ 18W TDP CPU Package 413-BGA Chipset AMD A55M Controller Hub Memory DDR3-1333, up to 4GB Graphics ATi Radeon HD6320 series graphics processing system integrated in APU • DirectX 11 • Direct Compute 11 • Open GL 4.0 • OpenCL 1.1 • UVD3 Hardware Video Decoder – MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264, VC-1, WMV9 • Hybrid-DVI connector supporting CRT, DVI, or HDMI devices LAN 1x […]

Intel Unveils Cedar Trail Atom Processors: N2600, N2800, D2500 and D2700

Intel recently published the Intel® Atom™ Processor D2000 Series and N2000 Series Datasheet (PDF). The D2000 and N2000 Series (Codenamed ” Cedar Trail”) includes four new CPUs targeted at Desktops (D2000 Series) and Netbooks (N2000 Series): Atom N2600 @ 1.86 GHz – Up to 2 GB memory – 42 USD Atom N2800 @ 2.13 GHz – Up to 4 GB memory – 47 USD Atom D2500 @  2.13 GHz- Up to 4 GB memory – 42 USD Atom D2700 @  2.40 Ghz – Up to 4G memory – 52 USD Those processors will be manufactured using 32nm technology and the D2000 series will replace the existing Atom N475 and N455. The CPUs will also feature an integrated GPU  (SGXS45 PowerVR Core)  that supports DirectX 10.1 technology and OpenGL 3.0. The processors will support Blu-Ray 2.0 and resolution up to 1080p (1920×1080) and even 2560×1600 for D2000 series via the DP […]

Rockchip RK3568/RK3588 and Intel x86 SBCs

Xibo Digital Signage on ARM (Beagleboard / Overo)

Xibo (pronounced eX-E-bO) is an open source, multi-display, multi-zone, fully scheduled digital signage solution written in Python (there is also a dotnet version). This is a client /server solution that can run on Windows or Linux. If you are not familiar with Xibo you can visit http://xibo.org.uk/ or/and read my introduction XIBO: An Open Source Digital Signage Server/Client. Since I had not seen digital signage solution running on low cost ARM development platform such as Beagleboard, Pandaboard or Origen, I decided to give the Xibo python client a try using qemu to emulate Gumstix Overo COM (OMAP 3530). Porting Xibo to ARM could provide several benefits compared to x86 platform: Lower hardware cost Lower power consumption (and electricity bill) Smaller form factor allowing easier integration in displays and in transportation (e.g. buses, subway trains). Easier to implement new digital signage features such as touch screen support, 3G connectivity, location based […]

Linaro 11.09 Release with Linux Kernel 3.0.4

Linaro has just released version 11.09 based on Linux Kernel 3.0.4. Here are the highlights of the release: Android Ethernet Configuration Manager from the x86 Android project is now available in all builds. Ethernet now works on Panda, Staging Panda, Beagle, Beagle xM, Staging Snowball. QA on all boards for the 11.09 Linaro Android Builds. Daily builds of Android toolchain against gcc-linaro bzr repository is provided. Android is now compiled with GCC4.6 with -O3. Busybox is built from source in all Android builds. glmark2 added to all the official builds for Android. Powertop is now available on Android. Linaro’s 11.09 toolchain has been benchmarked. All Android builds are running with the 11.09 toolchain. The MLO that Panda and Staging Panda uses for Android uses gets built from source from the upstream git. An OMAP4460 Android build is available from android-build. Panda supports Bluetooth. Panda supports Wi-Fi. Snowball Android A-release from […]

Khadas VIM4 SBC