Sony debuts Linux-based in-car nav / infotainment line in Japan

Sony introduced three Linux-based in-car navigation and infotainment devices in Japan today. The NV-XYZ 33, 55, and 77 feature 3D map navigation technology, media players, hard drives, GPS, and PC connectivity. And they are based on a Linux 2.4-series kernel.

The NV-XYZ Navi turns driving into a video game!

The 3D mapping interface shows actual buildings, and knows street addresses, enabling it to identify destination addresses. In the picture at right, it has identified a gas station belonging to a promotional partner. Advertising for many other businesses, such as fast food outlets, appears to be built into the maps.

A touchscreen interface provides a small qwerty keyboard and numerical keypad. The device supports gesture-based map zooming (pictured at left), and drop-down menus. At present, maps appear to be available for Tokyo and other locations in Japan.

In addition to mapping software, the device includes a range of entertainment software, including media players, a Web browser, an email client, a light word processor (the touchscreen includes qwerty and numerical keypad applications), photo slideshow tools, and more. The device's main applications menu is shown at right; click to enlarge.

Linux inside

The units measure 8 x 4 x 1.9 inches (204 x 104 x 49 mm), and weigh 25.4 ounces (720 grams). They are based on a MIPS-based processor of some kind, and boot a distribution based mainly on a MontaVista embedded OS from a cramfs filesystem on Flash memory. They include a 6.5-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) touchscreen LCD display running at WVGA (800 x 480) resolution.

All three units include a docking station enabling the unit to be affixed to the dashboard or console of an automobile (shown above). The station includes a cigarette lighter power plug. They also include a small tethered GPS unit (pictured at right) that is placed in the window. The high-end 77 model also includes an "extended" station, a cradle that fits underneath the driver's headrest in order to position the unit for backseat viewing (pictured below, left).

The 33 (low-end) and 77 (high-end) models include a home PC docking station. All models include cardbus CompactFlash sockets supporting wireless cards. The units have a USB 2.0 client interface, and appear to use the USB mass storage protocol. They also include a memory stick slot for use with digital camera memory sticks.

The devices come with proprietary Windows software called XYZ Desktop (shown at right, click to enlarge) that is used to download DVDs, CDs, maps, and other data into the units from a Windows PC or laptop. However, the units also appear to have wireless networking tools, samba, and openssh software, as well as tinylogin and busybox to provide a minimal shell environment. So, it may also be possible to transfer files using more normal procedures. However, GateKeeper copy protection may prevent this.

Supported video formats include MPEG-1/2/4, AVI (DVD), and WMV. Music formats include MP3, ATRAC3, and ATRAC3plus. The device can playback multimedia as an inset while using the navigation feature (see picture at left, click to enlarge). A remote control unit is included

The units are priced at 155,400, 176,400, and 207,900 yen (currently $1,422, $1,614, and $1,902). They are available in "quality black," and "stylish silver," with the low-end unit also available in "sporty white.

Garmin Nav devices run Gnome Linux


Garmin has posted Linux source code for its Nuvi 8xx and Nuvi 5xxx-series GPS navigation devices. The Nuvi 8xx offers a 4.3-inch, 480x272 display, and appears to be based on a Marvell PXA-3xx processor, Gnome Mobile Linux, and GeoClue location technology.

(Click for larger view of Nuvi 880)

It had been rumored since the Nuvi 880 and Nuvi 860 shipped several months ago that the devices were equipped with embedded Linux, but when LinuxDevices asked Garmin for source code in March, the company replied: "Unfortunately, the information about the operating system of Garmin devices is considered proprietary." The Garmin Linux source code page, however, now lists source code for version 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8 of the Nuvi 8xx software, as well as versions 3.7 and 3.8 for the Nuvi 5xxx.

The Linux-based Nuvi 860 and 880 appear to be identical except for the latter's addition of MSN Direct traffic reports. The 850 model, which lacks the Bluetooth-based hands-free operation available in the 860 and 880, also appears to incorporate Linux.

Garmin's Nuvi 5000

In addition, Garmin's Linux-based Nuvi 5000 (pictured at right) is based on Linux. Designed for truckers, the 5000 model runs off automotive power only, and lacks the Nuvi 880's voice recognition, Bluetooth support, and some other advanced features. However, it offers a larger 5.2-inch display with a higher 800x480 resolution.

A quick look at the Nuvi 8xx source code indicates that the devices run a 2.6.17.7 Linux kernel on a Marvell "Monahans" processor, likely either the Marvell PXA-300 or -310. The kernel seems configured to use 64MB of RAM, and to be patched with Steven Rostedt's real-time patches.

Garmin's source code listing for the Nuvi 800 is nicely organized by license, certainly a civilized touch. And, an included patch file shows lots of kernel .config files. Here's a full list of included open source packages, with a few highlights shown below:

• gnome 2.4.0
  
• gnome-vfs-2.16.3
  
• xserver-kdrive-common-0.1
  
• busybox-1.01
  
• tinylogin-1.4
  
• alsa
  
• blueZ
  
• matchbox window manager
  
• geoclue-0.9

According to a blog by Henri Bergius, the source code list indicates that the unit is based on Gnome Mobile, which was announced over a year ago as part of the Gnome Mobile & Embedded Initiative (GMAE). The GMAE platform (see diagram below) is a subset of the Gnome desktop stack that, like Gnome, is licensed under the GNU LGPL (Lesser General Public License). It comprises C, C++, and Python APIs (application programming interfaces), and is said to include GTK+ (Gimp ToolKit), GStreamer support, Telepathy instant messaging and presence, the BlueZ Bluetooth stack, E-D-S contacts and calendaring, and Avahi network service discovery.


Gnome Mobile/GMAE architecture

According to Bergius, this is the first commercial implementation of GeoClue, a Linux-based "modular geoinformation service built on top of the D-Bus messaging system." GeoClue is designed for creating location-aware applications on mobile Linux devices.

Consumer features of the Nuvi 880

The Nuvi 880 offers voice recognition for hands-free interaction and can recognize shortcut phrases such as "Find address," says Garmin. The unit's Bluetooth radio enables users of compatible Bluetooth phones to make hands-free cellular calls using the 880's speaker and microphone.

The device provides voice directions in numerous voice styles, as well as City Navigator NT street maps, says the company. In addition to 2D maps, the device offers 3D digital elevation maps, plus "millions" of points of interest (POIs). Users can save their own custom POIs, as well as assign proximity alerts for upcoming POIs. For the near-sighted and forgetful, the Nuvi 880 can even be set to automatically mark a parking position when the device is removed from its optional windshield mount, enabling users to find their cars on foot.

Nuvi 880

The three free months of MSN Direct (not available with the Nuvi 850 or 860) provides real-time local weather, traffic, movie times, gas prices, stock information, and local news and events, says Garmin. The Nuvi 880 also offers a route planning feature that lets users save 10 routes, as well as an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points for later trip review.

Additional features include an MP3 player, audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, currency converters, games, and an alarm clock. Audio can be fed through the car's sound system using the unit's wireless FM transmitter. There is also a new photo navigation feature that is said to let users download Google Panoramio pictures and "navigate to them." Optional plug-in microSD cards provide Garmin Travel Guides for greater detail.

Specifications posted by Garmin, as well as gleaned from the source code, includes:

• Processor -- Monahans (Marvell PXA/3xx)
  
• Memory -- "solid state" storage, and probably 64MB of RAM
  
• Display -- 4.3 inches (10.9 cm); 3.81 x 2.25 inches (9.7 x 5.7 cm); 480 x 272 pixels, WQVGA color TFT
  
• Expansion -- 1 x microSD slot
  
• USB -- 1 x USB port; optional USB mass storage device is compatible with Windows or Mac OS X only
  
• Bluetooth -- 1 x Bluetooth 2.0; hands-free dialing feature
  
• Dimensions -- 4.9 x 3.1 x 0.7 inches (12.5 x 7.8 x 1.8 cm)
  
• Weight -- 6.2 ounces (176 grams)
  
• Battery -- removable, rechargeable lithium-ion; up to 4 hours
  
• Other features -- FM transmitter; headphone jack/audio line-out; Garmin Lock anti-theft feature
  
• Operating system -- Gnome Linux 2.4.0

Other Linux-based navigation devices that have shipped to date include the popular TomTom Go, the Sony NV-XYZ, and the Naviflash Europe.

Availability

The Nuvi 880 is available now for $1,070, says Garmin, and the Nuvi 5000 is available for $857. Linux source code for the Nuvi 8xx and Nuvi 5xxx navigation devices should be available here. More information on Nuvi navigation devices may be found here.

Developers to test the open-source OS on a real device
evelopers have created an easy way to load Android, Google Inc.'s mobile phone operating system that is still in the works, on Nokia Corp.'s N810
open-source handheld devices.


The development is of interest to people who are trying to build applications for Android rather than to general users. "So, from the point of view of someone who just wants to use his N800 and doesn't necessarily want to experiment for the sake of experimenting, what does running Android get me?" one person asked on the Internet Tablet Talk Web site that is sharing the technique for loading the software on the devices.



"Probably not much," a respondent wrote back. In the future, however, it means that anyone could decide to run Android on the devices and use applications developed for the operating system, the respondent said.
For developers, the discovery is exciting. "Testing on a physical device is way different than testing in an emulator," said Mike Rowehl, a mobile developer who has loaded Android on his N810.

Ericsson with the U500 solution!!!
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) today announced its U500 mobile platform, a next generation architecture with a triple processor solution and a powerful multimedia subsystem, enabling new multimedia functionality and advanced multitasking capabilities. The U500 will not only pave the way for new consumer services, but also improve the usability and quality of existing multimedia services.

Robert Puskaric, head of Ericsson's mobile platforms business, says: "The U500 is a powerful multimedia platform with performance, graphics and usability, more resembling a mobile computer than today's mobile phones. With the U500 platform Ericsson will keep its world leading position within the multimedia mass market for years to come."

The U500 mobile platform is a response to the rapidly growing demand for advanced multimedia features and services requiring enhanced user experience. Designed for mass market mobile devices, the U500 is capable of groundbreaking features such as high quality camcorder, 12 Mpix camera, WVGA displays, advanced 3D gaming and 3D user interface, CD quality audio performance and high resolution video for a true mobile TV experience.