Open Source -- Engadget

open-source posts

Stanford's open-source camera could revolutionize photography, you'll still use 'Auto' mode

by Darren Murph posted Sep 6th 2009 at 1:10PM

Here's the moment where you pretend that a breakthrough in a given industry would just revolutionize the way you do work, yet you know -- deep down in your heart -- that you'd never take advantage. Okay, so maybe you would, but your friend wouldn't. At any rate, a gaggle of boffins at Stanford have set out to "reinvent digital photography" with the advent of the open-source digital camera. The idea here is to give programmers the power to conjure up new software to teach old cameras new tricks, with the hope being to eliminate software limits that currently exist. In fact, a prototype shooter has already been developed, with the Frankencamera hinting at a future where owners can download apps to their devices and continuously improve its performance and add to its abilities. The actual science behind the concept is stupendously in-depth, so if you're thinking of holding off on that new Nikon or Canon in 2034, you might want to give the read link a look for a little more encouragement.

[Via HotHardware]

Continue reading Stanford's open-source camera could revolutionize photography, you'll still use 'Auto' mode

Nokia and Intel collaborating on new Linux-based phone OS called oFono

by Nilay Patel posted May 15th 2009 at 1:11PM

Between Android and the myriad of LiMo builds out there, we're not sure the world needs another open-source phone operating system, but Nokia and Intel seem to think differently: the two behemoths have joined up to develop oFono, a Linux-based mobile OS for GSM handsets. We don't know many details, but he project seems to be pulling people from both Intel's Moblin initiative and Nokia's Maemo project, and job postings from a "major handset company" searching for a GUI designer in either Dallas or San Jose have appeared, so it sounds like something big is in the works. We'll see.

Read - oFono web site
Read - PhoneDog post about the job listing

Shuttle intros Atom 330, SUSE Linux-packin' X270V nettop

by Darren Murph posted Apr 17th 2009 at 6:59PM

Go 'head, Shuttle -- break on out of that shell! The company notorious for pumping out the same barebone rectangle with a different model name and a few extra ports has finally seen fit to do something a touch different, and what we're dealt is the X270V. This so-called Mini-PC relies on Intel's 1.6GHz Atom 330 to push the computations, while up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM keeps things in order. There's also gigabit Ethernet, 6-channel audio, a PS/2 connector for the retro folks, six USB sockets and VGA / DVI outputs. Shuttle also claims this bugger is energy efficient, though it doesn't go into great detail about just how much it'll save you each month. Oh, and it also comes loaded with openSUSE 11 (a Linux flavor, for those unaware). Interested? Move to Europe and plop down at least €299 ($390).

[Via Slashgear]

Gallery: Shuttle intros Atom 330, SUSE Linux-packin' X270V nettop

TomTom becomes Linux licensee, minds are filled with wonder

by Darren Murph posted Mar 23rd 2009 at 10:41AM

Call it coincidence or call it fate, but nary a month after Microsoft filed a patent lawsuit against TomTom over Linux-based GPS systems, TomTom has just been taken into the warm, loving arms of the Open Invention Network. Said company, which was formed to "enable and protect Linux," has just extended the Linux ecosystem with the signing of TomTom as a licensee. What this means is that TomTom is now cleared to leverage the benefits of Linux and all patents owned by OIN; the only catch is that TomTom cannot "assert its patents against the Linux System." 'Course, TomTom has been friends with Linux for quite some time now, but this deal could lead to faster development and enhanced innovation compared to what we've seen in the past. Color us intrigued.

Samsung: at least three Android phones and a LiMo handset in 2009

by Darren Murph posted Feb 17th 2009 at 6:27PM

While Acer unveiled its plan to launch a pair of Android phones this year via the slightly ancient pen-and-paper method, Samsung used an even trustier method: spoken word. According to Reuters, the company's head of product strategy Won-Pyo Hong affirmed that Sammy would sell "more than three" Android phones by the end of this year, and furthermore, it would "definitely" unwrap a phone using the LiMo Foundation's Linux-based software before 2010 dawns. Hong wouldn't disclose whether those Google-powered handsets would hit America, Europe or elsewhere first, but he did remark that both the US and Europe would be covered by the year's end. We'd love to say we're totally unaffected by such a tease, but c'mon, who has that kind of patience?

gOS Cloud instant-on OS shown on video

by Darren Murph posted Dec 4th 2008 at 6:18AM

Good OS' latest operating system was just announced this week, but already some cool cat with a video camera and some serious credentials has managed to record a sneak peek. Quite honestly, the instant-on gOS Cloud system isn't all that amazing to watch tick, but if you're looking for a brief glimpse at what's apt to be fleshed out at CES, head on south of the break.

Continue reading gOS Cloud instant-on OS shown on video

Kogan intros world's second Android phone: Agora / Agora Pro

by Darren Murph posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 10:23PM

We'll be totally honest -- we pretty much blew Ruslan Kogan off when he proclaimed that he was about to push out a $199 Android phone by the year's end. And truthfully, the guy still hasn't totally delivered, but you won't find us kvetching about more Googlephones, regardless of MSRP. The Agora (AU$299; US$192) and Agora Pro (AU$399; US$256) are available for pre-order as we speak, though neither one is scheduled to ship out until the end of January. For those unfamiliar with Kogan, it's an online-only enterprise that has wares built specifically to its dimensions in China, and so far as we can tell, it's as legit as they come. As for specs, the Agora packs a 2.5-inch touchscreen (320 x 240), 3G networking, a backlit QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth 2.0 and a microSD card slot; the Pro adds in GPS, 2-megapixel camera and WiFi. So, with unsubsidized prices this low, are you willing to take a chance?

[Via iTWire]

Nokia could give Linux a spin in high-end mobiles

by Darren Murph posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 3:29AM

To anyone even remotely familiar with Nokia's history, this tidbit won't come as a surprise at all. In fact, we've been hearing "Linux" and "Nokia" in the same sentence for years. At Nokia World in Barcelona -- the same place where the almighty N97 (pictured) was unveiled -- Ukko Lappalainen, vice president at Nokia's markets unit, informed Reuters that "in the longer perspective, Linux will become a serious alternative for our high-end phones." Potentially more interesting was his followup line: "I don't see anything in Android which would make it better than Linux maemo." Quite frankly, we'd be entirely more interested if this was some revolutionary epiphany, but it's basically just more of the same song and dance. Now, if an N98 pops out next month with a freakishly awesome and nimble mobile variant of Ubuntu, well -- that's a horse of a different color.

[Via LinuxDevices]

Fedora 10 goes live: your download awaits

by Darren Murph posted Nov 26th 2008 at 3:12AM

Just six short months after Fedora 9 hit the tubes, in flies Fedora 10 to give you something new to tinker with over Thanksgiving break. The latest iteration of the Linux-based OS bundles in OpenOffice 3.0 and touts a "wide range of improvements in areas such as virtualization management, networking, boot time and security." Don't mind us, though -- you can delve as deep as you like in the release notes while your download progresses.

[Via PC World]

Canonical bringing Ubuntu to ARM-powered devices

by Darren Murph posted Nov 16th 2008 at 6:09AM

It was inevitable, really -- now that ARM processors are bound for netbooks and the like, it follows logic that ARM would tag team with Canonical to bring along Ubuntu support. The two firms have collaborated in order to "bring the full Ubuntu Desktop operating system to the ARMv7 processor architecture (targeting the Cortex-A8 and Cortex -A9 in particular) to address demand from device manufacturers." They even go out of their way to assert that this is all about bringing Ubuntu to "new netbooks and hybrid computers," though we're still hopeful that the OS will find its way into even more diminutive ARM-powered devices in the future. Sadly, you'll have to wait until April of 2009 to see the fruits of this so-very-special relationship.

[Via CNET]

First T-Mobile G1 tethering "solution" comes to light

by Darren Murph posted Nov 4th 2008 at 2:42PM

Are you excited? Giddy? You should be. The inevitable has occurred, and even though it's far from elegant (and far from guaranteed-to-work), tethering on the T-Mobile G1 is a go. According to a few users over at TmoNews, this particular solution enables owners to share the G1's data connection via USB, which -- for all intents and purposes -- is tethering. You're going to have to put in some serious ~~days~~ minutes to get everything up and running properly, but trust us, it'll be worth it. Navigate down to the links below for all the instructions you could ever need... hopefully.

[Via AndroidGuys]

Read - G1 tethering instructions
Read - TmoNews discussion

OpenMoko working up Android-based handset?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 30th 2008 at 8:40AM

OpenMoko, the company most famous for its altogether open Neo FreeRunner, is reportedly quite close to kicking out an Android-based handset. Before you get all shocked and appalled, let's look at this rationally. If you'll recall, we actually got wind of such an occurrence way back in April of this year, and some of those very details are jibing nicely with what we're hearing now. Apparently a company dubbed Koolu will be looking to OpenMoko for the design, and we could see a device emerge as early as next month. Initial specs for the elusive mobile include a 400MHz / 500MHz Samsung 2442B CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, a 2.84-inch 640 x 480 resolution touchscreen, 802.11b/g WiFi, aGPS / GPS, inbuilt accelerometer, a pair of "hard" buttons, Bluetooth support, a 2.5mm headphone jack (boo!) and a microSD card slot. Obviously we'll have to wait and see if any of this pans out, but we'll be the first to cross our fingers and hope for yet another Android phone in the mix.

[Thanks, Charles]

BMW asks other automakers to collaborate on in-car open source platform

by Darren Murph posted Oct 24th 2008 at 4:59AM

In March of last year, we heard that Toyota had a mind to create its very own in-car operating system to "boost efficiency and speed up development." Now, it's bruited that BMW is asking any automaker who will listen to join hands in order to jointly develop an open source in-vehicle platform. The company has stated that it plans on having an open source system in a vehicle that sells 200,000 or more units within the next five to seven years, and while employees from rivals were on hand when the proclamation was made, no one was rushing to call dibs on first. Still, it sounds as if BMW will be forging ahead with or without any assistance, though bigwig Gunter Reichart did assert that BMW was "inviting other OEMs to join it [and] to exchange with it." In an apparent attempt at providing comic relief, Jim Buczkowski (Ford's director of global electrical and electronics systems engineering) stated that through its partnership with Microsoft, it already had 280,000 vehicles on the road with an open system. Hmm, clearly our definitions of "open" are somewhat incongruent.

[Via Motor Authority, thanks Laminaatplaat]

Apricot yanks Linux option for PicoBook Pro: it's for your own good

by Darren Murph posted Oct 22nd 2008 at 6:10PM

Just last week, we heard that Apricot Computers would be offering its PicoBook Pro with Linux or Windows XP, but evidently its marketing department caught wind of the same trend that MSI picked up on earlier this month. If you'll recall, MSI found that Linux-infused netbooks get returned four times as often as units with Windows XP, and while the official word is that Apricot "made this decision to ensure customers had a smooth installation of their operating system," our bets are that it's just sidestepping the potential headaches associated with selling something outside of the status quo. As of today, the Windows XP version (or only version, as it were) is going for £299 ($483) -- a full £20 ($32) more than the previously cheapest edition.

[Via Yahoo!]

Boxee / XBMC now available on Apple TV

by Darren Murph posted Oct 1st 2008 at 8:00AM

If you were curious as to why Boxee suddenly became available for OS X 10.4 users, here's your sign. The underpinnings of the Apple TV are indeed based on Tiger, thus paving the way for Scott Davilla, a developer for the aTV-bootloader project, to announce that Boxee and XMBC can now be installed on Apple's set-top-box. In order to take advantage, you'll need the aTV Flash bootloader on a bootable USB drive, an Apple TV and the software in the links below. Currently, things are setup to run on Mac only, though PC / Linux versions are promised for next week. After signing up for a Boxee invite, jump on past the break for the step-by-step guide to getting this going.