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Android-powered G1 phone is an enticing platform for app developers

Lee Schlesinger

December 31, 2008 2:00:00 PM

The free and open source software community has been waiting for the G1 cell phone since it was first announced in July. Source code for Google's Android mobile platform has been available, but the G1 marks its commercial debut. It's clearly a good device, but is it what Linux boosters and FOSS advocates have long been anticipating?

iPhone applications for the Linux user

Lee Schlesinger

November 18, 2008 7:00:00 PM

The iPhone and iPod Touch haven taken the mobile market by storm. Apple's AppStore is full of interesting applications that take advantage of the two devices's capabilities. But what's in there for Linux users? Sadly, GTKPod and Amarok cannot yet transfer files on an iPhone with the 2.x firmware upgrade, but there are other interesting ways your iPhone can interact with your Linux desktop and even servers.

First look: Mozilla's mobile Fennec browser

Lee Schlesinger

October 22, 2008 7:00:00 PM

Mozilla released the first workable alpha version of its new Fennec mobile browser last week, showcasing a new interface optimized for small-screen devices. Despite the slimmed-down look, however, Fennec makes use of the same Mozilla technologies under the hood that are well-known in Firefox. In my testing on my own handheld device, I found Fennec an enticing browser with a well-thought-out interface.

Indamixx sound box plays on Linux base

Lee Schlesinger

October 21, 2008 9:00:00 PM

Hip hop artists might not be the most obvious target for Linux evangelists, but a little-known distribution called Transmission is making waves. It's what powers Indamixx, a pro audio production system that runs on a customised Samsung handheld computer created by Trinity Audio Group. Developed by 64 Studio Ltd. on a mixed Debian/Ubuntu base, Transmission and its bundled applications are a quintessential open source story.

RipCode builds video transcoding device on Linux base

Lee Schlesinger

August 06, 2008 9:00:00 PM

When RipCode decided to build a video transcoding device three years ago, it used MontaVista Linux Professional Edition, a platform designed for developers who want all the benefits of an open source development environment.

Maemo 4.1 bring mail and packaging improvements to Nokia's Linux-based tablets

Lee Schlesinger

July 08, 2008 7:00:00 PM

Nokia released version 4.1 of it's Linux-based Internet Tablet platform Maemo last month. 4.1 is a minor update to the operating system, but it boasts two important features that answer long-held complaints: an improved open source email client, and migration to a package updating system more like that of a desktop Linux distribution.

Nokia buys Symbian, will open Symbian OS

Lee Schlesinger

June 24, 2008 11:00:00 PM

Symbian, the company behind the popular proprietary mobile/embedded operating system of the same name, just turned 10, but it won't see its next birthday. Nokia, which had long owned a substantial portion of Symbian, announced today that it would be buying the rest of the company, 52% for about &euro264 million, or approximately $410 million. In addition to purchasing Symbian, Nokia says it will be open-sourcing the Symbian operating system.

Book review: Open iPhone Application Development

Lee Schlesinger

June 03, 2008 9:00:00 PM

Johnathan Zdziarski's book Open iPhone Application Development is a guide writing applications for the iPhone without engaging the restrictions of Apple's official software development kit (SDK). The book takes readers on a concise tour of iPhone jailbreaking, setting up the free compiler tool chain, writing basic Objective-C apps, and the available libraries and APIs. Apple might not like this book, but if you need to develop for the iPhone or just want to learn more about how it works, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better practical resource.

Using ultra-mobile Linux with a Nokia Internet Tablet (video)

roblimo

May 12, 2008 4:00:00 PM

I'm on the go all the time, and sometimes that makes it hard to stay connected. I could carry my laptop with me everywhere, but that can be a pain, especially when I am on my bike. To meet the demands of my daily life I have constructed a lightweight, ultra-portable, Linux-based computing solution. I use a Nokia 770 tethered to a Nokia N75 mobile phone (when Wi-Fi is not available) and a Bluetooth PDA keyboard. This video explains the how and why of the solution.

The iPhone SDK and free software: not a match

Lee Schlesinger

April 15, 2008 7:00:00 PM

Apple's recently released a software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone, but if you were hoping to port or develop original open source software with it, the news isn't good. Code signing and nondisclosure conditions make free software a no-go.

Enhance your music player with Rockbox

Lee Schlesinger

March 18, 2008 3:00:00 PM

In order to carry samples of my audio and video work to tradeshows, I need to be able to play a wider variety of audio and video formats than is available on any of the pocket devices out there. Fortunately, the open source Rockbox operating system doesn't require sacrificing nifty features like FM tuning and recording or voice recording and playback. And format compatibility is not the only reason one might want to install Rockbox. In fact, Rockbox was developed primarily with another purpose in mind: improving sound quality.

Syncing your BlackBerry on Linux

Lee Schlesinger

December 21, 2007 4:00:00 PM

If you use Linux on your desktop, and you also happen to have a BlackBerry handheld device, you're probably aware that Research in Motion, the company that develops the BlackBerry platform, offers nothing in the way of support for its devices on Linux -- but the intrepid geeks in the free software world do. Thanks to to the efforts of the Barry and OpenSync projects, I just finished syncing my BlackBerry 8800 with my Evolution contacts on my Ubuntu 7.10 desktop.

Mobile phone management under Linux

Lee Schlesinger

December 18, 2007 4:00:00 PM

Even people who don't live and die by their mobile phones sometimes need to send SMS messages. Did you know you can do that from your computer? Likewise, it's easier to clean your mobile phone of all the numbers you've not been dialing in the last few years using a mouse, rather than navigating repeatedly through the phone's menu system. Here are some Linux tools that can help you manage your cell phone.

Writing J2ME applications in Linux

Lee Schlesinger

December 18, 2007 9:00:00 AM

If you want to make the most out of your Java-enabled handheld device, you can write Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) applications (also called midlets) on Linux and run them on your mobile platform. Here's how easy it is to get started; we'll write a HelloWorld application you can run on your cell phone.

Linux.com's 2007 holiday gift guide

Lee Schlesinger

December 10, 2007 9:00:00 PM

Admit it -- you put off your holiday shopping this year and now it's crunch time and you don't know what to get everyone on your list. Because we feel your pain, we've put together a last-minute shopping guide with ideas for some of your geekiest friends.

Control your Linux PC from your mobile phone with Amora

Lee Schlesinger

December 05, 2007 9:00:00 AM

Standing next to your laptop to control the slides during a presentation is not cool. Nowadays everyone uses a presentation device or their laptop's remote controller, but a presentation device can be expensive, few laptops come with a remote controller, and for those that do, Linux compatibility may be an issue. The Amora project turns your Symbian mobile phone into a Linux presentation device using Bluetooth.

Nokia's new OS streamlines, syncs tablet platform with desktop Linux

Lee Schlesinger

December 04, 2007 7:00:00 PM

Nokia recently announced its Linux-based N810 tablet, and although the device is not yet widely available, the accompanying software is. The new operating system, designated Internet Tablet OS2008, is available as a free download for owners of the previous N800 model. In that rarest of all outcomes, the new release actually improves the older tablet -- it is faster, improves battery life, and should make it easier for developers to port applications over from desktop Linux.

Developer crafts Linux support for Logitech Harmony remote controls

Lee Schlesinger

November 14, 2007 9:00:00 PM

Logitech's Harmony series of programmable universal remote controls ship with Windows and Mac OS X configuration programs. That wasn't enough for Phil Dibowitz, though -- he set out to build his own Linux support.

Meet the chumby

Lee Schlesinger

October 17, 2007 9:00:00 PM

I've been pacing the chumby maternity ward for nearly a year, waiting for this unique wireless device to see the light of day. I recently took delivery of my own little bundle of chumby joy and, at first look, I think it will make a great addition to my growing gadget family.

Linux on cell phones: the trend is up

Lee Schlesinger

September 17, 2007 9:00:00 PM

This summer, in a perfect storm of activity, the cell phone suddenly became a full-fledged wireless computer. Those prime-time TV commercials promoting the iPhone downplay the telephone application to emphasize data-rich Internet media capabilities -- email, Web surfing, GPS navigation, music, photos, and video -- all on a cell phone. Hard on Apple's heels, a blitz of new handhelds is beginning to vie for attention, led by Motorola's US launch of the Linux-based RAZR² V8, now taking place. Has Linux become a contending competitive platform, pushing open source to the front of the stage in this market?

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