http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/freescaleFreescaleMarch 26th, 2009 by Doc SearlsFreescale may be the first semiconductor company to associate itself aggressively with portable Linux devices. The former Motorola semiconductor division is sharply targeting the low-priced Linux-based Netbook market, which is hot in the world market and just starting to get warm in the US. Early this year, Freescale launched a new processor called the i.MX515 Cortex A8 Netbook Processor. Company literature positions the part for “low-power, gigahertz performance Netbooks at sub-$200 price points”. According to CNET, Glen Burchers, director of global marketing for Freescale's consumer products group, says “Because the primary function (of a Netbook) is accessing the Internet, Linux and Firefox are a good operating system and application for that purpose.” Freescale is developing a reference design with ASUS-subsidiary Pegatron. It will feature the 1GHz i.MX51 processor, Ubuntu Linux, Adobe's Flash Player, a new power management chip and the SGTL5000 ultra-low-power audio codec. Some data:
The company is working first with Tier 1 OEMs (so watch for ASUS units) and expects products to start hitting the market in Q2 of this year—in other words, about now. Resources: Freescale Semiconductor: www.freescale.com/webapp/search/Serp.jsp “New Freescale Processors Target Linux Netbooks”: arstechnica.com/journals/linux.ars/2009/01/07/new-freescale-processors-target-linux-netbooks “Freescale Chip Aims at 1GHz, $199 Netbook”: news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10130690-92.html “Freescale, Nvidia Chase Netbook Sockets”: www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212700361 |
