英特爾新一代開機程式碼 獲BIOS大廠支援

ZDNet記者馬培治／台北報導 2008/04/02 21:28 英特爾(Intel)推動超過五年、要用來取代傳統BIOS的開機程式碼Tiano開原碼計劃，如今終獲市佔率過半的BIOS大廠鳳凰科技支援，明(2009)年搭載該技術的電腦便可望上市。

BIOS大廠鳳凰科技(Phoenix)今(2)日宣佈支援英特爾在2003年推動、代號Tiano的開機程式碼開原碼計劃，鳳凰科技將既對有BIOS產 品AwardCore與SecureCore推出Tiano版本，將傳統較為封閉、客製曠日費時的BIOS程式移植到英特爾推動的開放性平台上，讓主機 板、PC業者也能更積極參與BIOS編寫，並進而由底層增加PC與嵌入式設備的功能與安全性。

鳳凰科技CTO暨工程研發部門資深副總裁Gaurav Banga日(19)前接受ZDNet電話專訪時表示，傳統硬體廠商與BIOS及晶片組廠商合作開發客製化的BIOS，可能得耗費12到18個月的時間， 透過支援模組化開發的Tiano平台，可縮減到數個月以內，可讓PC或硬體廠商更快推出新產品，此外，由於Tiano採用架構與傳統BIOS不同， BIOS開機時間也可由傳統的8到15秒，減少至2到3秒鐘，可更快進入作業系統開機的程序。

Tiano是英特爾推動的創新平台架構(Intel Platform Innovation Framework)的開發代號，該架構其實是英特爾推出，打算用來取代傳統BIOS的新一代開機程式碼的「可延伸式韌體界面」（Extensible Firmware Interface, EFI）標準，以模組化、開放標準為訴求，欲讓硬體廠商可直接自行編寫、組裝開機程式碼，不必考慮是否與舊有的BIOS相容。

僅管功能與BIOS相同，但英特爾一直堅持不肯使用BIOS來稱呼，目的即在欲與BIOS作出區別。事實上，長久以來BIOS一直被認為是PC產業中最抗 拒改變的一部分，舉例來說，傳統的BIOS多半都運作於16位元模式下，對於目前32甚至64位元的CPU與作業系統來說，會是效能的阻礙，這也使得英特 爾特別強調其Tiano計劃推動的EFI與傳統BIOS之不同。

英特爾跳過BIOS廠商直接拉攏主機板、PC等硬體廠商的作法自然會讓BIOS業者心存疑慮，也因此即便英特爾在2004年時雖將其EFI技術開放原始 碼，但仍僅獲American Megatrends和Insyde兩家中小型BIOS軟體廠商的支援，擁有過半市占率的鳳凰科技一直觀望到今日，才宣佈支援可透過模組化開發，加速 BIOS客製化的需求。

不過鳳凰科技否認是因擔憂地位受到威脅，才因而推遲對Tiano的支援。Banga表示，在英特爾推出Tiano時，該公司在不確定該架構是否會受到市場 歡迎的情況下，選擇不貿然投入，「當然Tiano有很多好處，但我們也要投入很多努力，不過當年的情況是，連英特爾自己都不是很確定Tiano的發展，我 們自然要多觀察一段時間，」他說。

他表示，即便是會因Tiano受惠最多的硬體廠商，也因為在舊式BIOS上保留了很多年的開發經驗，在缺乏能將舊有BIOS程式搬移至架構與技術皆不同的新平台上的解決方案前，這些硬體廠商多半也按兵不動。

Banga說，硬體市場競爭越來越激烈，業者也更希望透過客製的BIOS增加自家產品特色，或快速推出產品，「用戶的需求現在出現了，我們自然便去滿足，」他說。

延伸閱讀

*ZDNet Taiwan 自由軟體運動燒向BIOS

*基於EFI規格的另一規格論壇UEFIhttp://www.uefi.org/about/

*Intel的EFI開發平台 https://www.tianocore.org/
*EFI開發工具 https://efi-toolkit.tianocore.org/
*已應用於Intel-Mac的EFI選單工具 rEFIthttp://refit.sourceforge.net/

麻雀雖小五臟俱全，$500 MIU HDPC (From http://chinese.engadget.com/2008/03/27/mius-500-hdpc-takes-all-in-one-seriously/)

(From http://chinese.engadget.com/2008/03/27/mius-500-hdpc-takes-all-in-one-seriously/)

麻雀雖小五臟俱全，$500 MIU HDPC

Posted Mar 27th 2008 12:00PM by Atticus Wu
分類: PDA手持裝置

初識MIU HDPC還是06年的時候，這隻163 x 67 x 24.5mm 387克重的磚頭總算要在今年7月發售了，報價500000韓元，來看看配置吧，絕對物超所值：

• 4" 800 x 480觸控式螢幕，可滑開並翻折作為手機螢幕
• 1GHz VIA C7M ULV處理器，4GB DDR2記憶體
• 雙OS，Windows XP/Linux Qplus嵌入式系統
• 手機制式不詳
• 1.3"硬碟，最高60GB，可換用4GB SSD，支援miniSD/microSD擴充
• 續航7小時，低耗模式90小時
• 2個 USB埠，擴充塢，立體聲揚聲器，迷你全鍵盤，滑鼠功能
• 500萬像素視訊
• DMB行動電視，可外接GPS模組
  

正因有著如此強大的硬體加持，HDPC可化身為衛星導航儀、掌上遊戲機、手機、UMPC、PMP、電子書、數位相機等等等等。這一切的一切，大約需要新台幣15100元左右的價格就可以實現。

[撰文：Rex]

[原文連結]

Tags: hdpc, MIU HDPC, MiuHdpc

Korean Linux MID boasts digital-TV (from http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS4809169576.html)

Korean Linux MID boasts digital-TV Jan. 11, 2008 (from http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS4809169576.html)

A non-profit Korean government-funded research organization has demonstrated a prototype mobile Internet device (MID) based on its Qplus embedded Linux distro. Korea-based Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute's (ETRI's) "Mobile Convergence Communicator" (MCC) boasts 802.11b/g and 3.5G cellular networking, along with digital TV reception and Bluetooth.

ETRI has yet to make a formal announcement of the MCC, but a handheld technology site called Pocketables showed off some photos and basic specs this week. According to the site, the MCC was designed with ETRI's Esto GUI development software which is built on top of its open source, Red Hat-flavored Qplus distribution, first introduced in 2002, but now upgraded to Linux 2.6. More on Qplus and Esto can be found below, and a circa-2002 review of Qplus can be found here.


ETRI's MCC
(Source: Pocketables.net

The MCC connects via built-in 802.11b/g WiFi, or via a built-in "3.5G" HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) modem claimed capable of 7.2Mbps download speeds. The presence of cellular data networking invites comparison with Nokia's Linux-based N810, which is slated to gain WiMax later this year.

Compared to the N810, the ETRI device offers a faster clock speed, but an older architecture. It has a Marvell PXA270 based on a 624MHz ARM9 core, compared to the N810's Texas Instruments OMAP 2420, based on a 400MHz ARM11 core. The MCC has a slightly richer complement of memory, though, with 64MB of NOR in addition to 256MB of NAND Flash. (Read about NAND vs. NOR flash). The N810 has a higher-resolution display, but a lower-resolution camera. The MCC lacks the N810's built-in GPS receiver, but likely supports external Bluetooth GPS units.

Otherwise, the two WiFi-enabled devices are similar, down to the slide-up screen that reveals a keyboard. According to the story, the MCC provides the following features:

• Processor -- 624MHz Marvell PXA270
  
• Memory -- 128MB SDRAM, 64MB NOR Flash, 256MB NAND
  
• Flash Expansion -- MiniSD card slot
  
• Display -- 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen (640 x 480, 260K colors)
  
• Graphics: 2D/3D graphic accelerator (2700G5)
  
• USB: 1 x host; 1 x client
  
• Wireless: HSDPA, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 1.2, T-DMB
  
• Camera: 2-megapixel CMOS
  
• Battery: 4.2V 2000mAh li-ion
  
• Installed mobile software services: entertainment, broadcasting, location awareness, and co-browsing

Qplus is comprised of a reconfigurable embedded Linux kernel, system libraries, a graphic window system, and a target builder. It is said to provide:

• Real-time, low-power, optimization, and fast-boot related patches
  
• Lightweight embedded GUI based on freedesktop and GTK
  
• Embedded file system optimized for multimedia applications
  
• Media player and web browser for embedded system
  
• Fast configuration and deploy using Target Builder
  
• Fine-grained setup for kernel and packages
  
• Auto dependency check and size minimization
  
• Target system image optimization and footprint estimation

Running on QPlus is Esto, a visual software development kit that is said to include project-based source editing, cross-compilation, remote execution, remote and nonstop debugging, and JTAG-based on-chip debugging.

ETRI, located in Taejeon, Korea, is best known for contributing to CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) mobile phone technology.

The full pocketables story is available here

Hybrid nano-PC phone runs Linux (from http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7724807359.html)

Hybrid nano-PC phone runs Linux Mar. 24, 2008 (from http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7724807359.html)

A Korean company has announced a unique mobile device melding an x86-based nano-PC with an ARM-based mobile phone. Miu's HDPC can run Linux, Windows CE, or Windows XP on its 500MHz Via C7-M processor, while a 200MHz ARM9-based system-on-chip runs an unspecified mobile phone OS.

Spread the word: digg this story

Miu appears to be an ODM -- a company that designs products for other companies to market. As such, the HDPC ("hybrid dual portable computer") seems to be a proof-of-concept design available to OEMs for rebranding and manufacture, likely with operating system customizations.


Closed, there's a QVGA screen with hardware keypad and gaming controls

Why combine a mobile phone with an x86-based nano-PC? Well, you could converge mobile phone functionality with a PMP (portable media player), ebook reader, handheld game player, wireless video walkie-talkie, camcorder, navigation device, ebook reader, voice recorder, digital camera, MP3 player, and email reader, among other potential applications listed in a graphic published by Asian technology news site Aving, but likely originated by Miu.

The HDCP has been demonstrated running QPlus, a kind of general-purpose embedded distribution with a graphical configuration interface. Introduced six years ago by the Korea-based Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), QPlus now offers reconfigurable embedded Linux kernel, system libraries, a graphic window system, and a target builder. It also provides access to the Esto visual software development kit, which is said to include project-based source editing, cross-compilation, remote execution, remote and nonstop debugging, and JTAG-based on-chip debugging.

ETRI's MCC (Click for details)

Linux Qplus is also built-into ETRI's own "Mobile Convergence Communicator" (MCC), which was announced in January. Similar in many ways to the Miu HDPC, the MCC is said to offer both 802.11b/g and 3.5G cellular networking, along with digital TV reception and Bluetooth.

Alternatively, the HDCP can run Windows CE, or even Windows XP, Miu said. Since it supports the x86 architecture exclusively, XP is not often found found on mobile devices as small as the HDCP.

Pin-pointing specifications for the HDPC at this point is a matter of guesswork based on computer translations of Korean manufacturer MIU bit's website. Here's our best guess:

• Processors: Via C7-M processor clocked at 500MHz or optionally 1GHz, and ARM9 clocked at 200MHz
  
• Memory: up to 4GB of DDR2
  
• Display: 4-inch, WVGA (800x480) inner screen, 2.2-inch outer screen (320x240)
  
• Storage -- 1.3-inch 30/60GB hard drive or 4GB SSD
  
• Manual input -- thumbball mouse; keyboard; game keys, touchpad, telephone keys, function select keys; stylus for touchscreen
  
• A/V -- microphone IN, A/V IN, AV/OUT; two-channel stereo speaker
  
• WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS, USB
  
• Other I/O -- replicator port; E-ant port
  
• Expansion -- Mini SD and T-Flash slot
  
• 3- or 5-megapixel digital camera (CMOS)
  
• Li-ion batteries claimed good for seven hours normal use, or 90 in low-power mode (likely with the x86 processor powered off)
  
• Dimensions: 6.4 x 2.6 x 1 inches (160 x 65 x 25mm)
  
• Weight: 13.6 ounces (385 grams)
  
• Power -- 100~240V; 12V 2A DC in
  
• Batteries -- 4 cells Li-Ion for 7 to 90 hours
  
• Options -- Car-mounting kit with cigarette lighter attachment; hand strap

HTC's dual-processor Shift (Click image for further information)

HTC first introduced the concept of combining x86 and ARM-based processors in a single device with its Shift, a UMPC (ultra-mobile PC) that was announced last year and began shipping last month. The 1.8 pound, Shift uses an 800MHz Intel Stealey A110 processor, featuring a Pentium M core, along with Qualcomm's ARM11-based MSM7200.

The Shift runs Windows Vista Business edition on the Stealey CPU, much like a normal UMPC or laptop. In addition, users can toggle over to the MSM7200 and run what HTC calls SnapVUE, an environment based on a modified version of Windows Mobile. Where Vista would deliver about two hours of battery life, SnapVUE can keep operating for up to two days, HTC claims.

At just 6.4 x 2.6 x 1 inches, however, Miu's HDPC is significantly smaller than HTC's Shift.

Availability

The Miu HDPC will be available in July in Korea, priced between 400,000KRW ($400) and 500,000KRW ($500), Miu said.

滑蓋全鍵盤新造型 HTC手機新專利圖曝光

HTC一直以來就以其智能手機而聞名，它旗下的智能手機也是暢銷世界各地。在其產品中有些具有QWERTY全鍵盤又是側滑造型，如HTC S730。

HTC滑蓋全鍵盤智能手機新專利圖

　　日前，國外某網站又曝光了HTC的一個新專利圖，就是HTC側滑QWERTY全鍵盤手機的最新設計，國外的網友更是根據該專利圖的樣子PS出了該機的成型圖片，下面就帶大家來看看這款未來或將面世的新造型智能手機。

PS出來的HTC滑蓋全鍵盤智能手機

BIOS boots to Linux in one second (from http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5429881813.html)

From http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5429881813.html

BIOS boots to Linux in one second Mar. 10, 2008

Firmware company General Software announced that it is selling customized, quick-booting versions of its Linux-compatible BIOS firmware to the medical device industry. The company says its "Embedded BIOS with StrongFrame Technology" can boot to lilo (Linux loader) in less than a second.

Fast boot times are key in the medical device market, where products compete on "time to waveform" (TTW), General Software said. Yet, most BIOSes available for x86 chipsets were built for the desktop market, and thus have not been optimized in this area, according to Steve Jones, General Software CTO.

Jones explained, "Hard drive spin-up normally takes so long that the BIOS has to wait for it anyway. Take away the spin-up time and you're left with POST that should complete in hundreds of milliseconds, but instead takes tens of seconds."

Jones said that after hard drive spin-up delays, waiting for video card firmware to load is another major time-waster. "Depending on the video controller, it can take between 0.5 and 5 seconds, typically. Next to hard drive spin-up, this is actually the most significant part of POST and accounts for most of the time spent in the one-second measurement here. Other things, like keyboard controller initialization, mouse and keyboard device initialization, and USB initialization, all take hundreds of microseconds, and basically nickel-and-dime the POST time."

Jones said the claimed sub-second boot time to lilo was measured between pushing the reset button on a Soyo motherboard with an Intel 815-class chipset, and the moment when the lilo prompt appeared, showing that the drive was being read. Jones says the feat was accomplished by using "Quick Boot" tuning tools available in the General Software Embedded BIOS Adaptation Kit, which is said to offer more than 1,000 configuration options at the source level. Using it, General Software or Kit licensees can tune x86 BIOS code to specific hardware, eliminating the time-consuming scans and unneeded code branches found in desktop x86 BIOS code. Another touted benefit is faster certification, since there are fewer code-paths to test.

General Software said its medical device customers include Siemens Acuson and GE Healthcare.

Availability

Embedded BIOS with StrongFrame Technology is available now for a wide variety of devices, including medical equipment.

New report examines Android, Linux (from http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6187662735.html)

New report examines Android, Linux Mar. 10, 2008 (from http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6187662735.html)

British research group Visiongain says it has released a report on Android, the Google-backed Open Handset Alliance's (OHA) Linux- and Java-based mobile phone specification. The report appears to include lots of background on Linux and the market for embedded Linux OSes, tools, and services.

Entitled "Google's Android and Mobile Linux Report 2008," the Visiongain report promises to inform readers how Google will modify its business models in the desktop web market to adapt to Android's mobile realm, and how it plans to "liberate" mobile content and applications. The report also claims to explore the business strategy of Google's key Android manufacturing partner, Qualcomm.

The report includes primary research, tables, graphs, charts, news, and insights, says ReportLinker.com. The published table of contents includes sections on Google, the OHA, the LiMo Foundation, and the Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) Forum, as well as the mobile phone market in general. Other sections provide background on Linux and Linux-based products, with chapters on specific Linux-based mobile phone development software such as MontaVista Mobilinux, Trolltech Qtopia, and OpenMoko.

The following are a few of the many chapters devoted specifically to Android:

• Android Runtime: The Dalvik Virtual Machine
  
• Integrated WebKit Browser
  
• Insufficient Guidance for Android UI Development
  
• Android Mapping GUI
  
• Satellite Image on Android
  
• PacketVideo Media Formats and Protocols
  
• Open Standards versus Operator Lockdown
  
• Android: Overcoming the Open-Source Security Risk?
  
• Potential Conflicts within the OHA

Availability

The Visiongain report, "Google's Android and Mobile Linux Report 2008 - A Google-led Initiative to Reshape the Mobile Market Environment," is said to be available now for an undisclosed price at ReportLinker.com.