Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft), Author at CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

August 28, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

The Open Invention Network Aims to Protect Linux and Open-Source Software with a Patent Non-Aggression Pact

When we covered Alibaba XT910 RISC-V processor earlier this week, the company confirmed working with open-source companies to make the source code is available for the chip, but that there were legal challenges to do so for a high-performance core. The company did not expand on what legal challenges there were, but I’m pretty sure it’s about patents and potential lawsuits. But there may be a solution, or at least a way for companies to protect themselves to some degree against patent trolls, thanks to the Open Invention Network (OIN) which I discovered in a press release about UNISOC recently joined the organization. So what does the Open Invention Network does exactly? We enable freedom of action for Open Invention Network community members and users of Linux/OSS-based technology through our patent non-aggression cross-license in the “Linux System,” which defines the commitment. We will continue to grow our community and the […]

August 28, 2020August 28, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Tiny, Waterproof AirBolt GPS Tracker Works with LTE-M and NB-IoT Cellular Networks (Crowdfunding)

We’ve previously covered small waterproof LTE Cat M1 and NB-IoT GPS trackers such as Mictrack MT825, but AirBolt GPS tracker offers another option and promises an even longer battery life of up to 12 months. At 37 x 34 x 11mm, AirBolt GPS may also be the world’s smallest waterproof GPS tracker on the market, as well as the lightest at just 21 grams, both of which are characteristics that make the tracker especially suitable for pets like cats and dogs, as well as track luggage, keys, bicycles, etc… AirBolt GPS tracker key features and specifications: SoC(s) Unnamed, but considering Nordic Semi is listed as a partner it should be nRF9160 SiP with Arm Cortex-M33 MCU core, 1024 KB flash, 256 KB SRAM, NB-IoT, LTE Cat M1, and GPS connectivity There’s also Bluetooth 5.1 so one of the nRF52 chips might also be included. Connectivity Bluetooth 5.1 with long-range and […]

August 27, 2020August 27, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Monarch Go Pi HAT Adds LTE Cat M1 Connectivity to Raspberry Pi Board

After introducing Renesas ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality HAT for Raspberry Pi earlier this month, Avnet is back with another Raspberry Pi HAT namely Monarch Go Pi HAT that adds LTE Cat M1 connectivity to Raspberry Pi boards and other compatible SBC’s with a 40-pin GPIO header. The expansion board gets its name from Sequans Monarch Go LTE-M modem itself based on the Sequans Monarch GM01Q LTE IoT module that supposed to support both LTE Cat M1 (eMTC) and NB-IoT. The solution is certified by various operators in North America, Europe, and Asia, and ships with a Verizon ThingsSpace IoT SIM. Monarch Go Pi HAT specifications: LTE IoT Connectivity Sequans Monarch Go LTE modem with Cat-M1 (& NB-IoT?) connectivity Pre-installed Verizon ThingsSpace IoT SIM USB – Micro USB port for debugging and programming Expansion MikroElektronika shuttle click site with 3.3V I/O: I2C, SPI, GPIO, UART Voltage I/O translator – 1.8V to […]

August 27, 2020February 16, 2021 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

PocketBook Color is a More Affordable 6-inch Color eReader

As we noted earlier this month the first color eReaders are coming to market, but the $299 price tag of Onyx Boox Poke2 Color eReader may have some people thinking twice before purchasing this type of device. The good news is there’s now a cheap alternative with PocketBook Color available on Newegg for $229 with the exact same E-ink Kaleido 4096-color display. PocketBook Color (PB633-N-WW) hardware specifications: SoC – Allwinner B288 dual-core Arm Cortex-A7 processor @ 1 GHz System Memory – 1GB RAM Storage – 16GB eMMC flash, MicroSD card slot up to 32GB Display – 6-inch 4096-color 16-greyscale E-Ink Kaleido touchscreen display with 1448 x 1072 (greyscale) resolution; 300 DPI for greyscale, 100 DPI for color; built-in frontlight for comfortable reading in darker places Audio – Via headphone connected to micro USB adapter or Bluetooth only Wireless Connectivity – Wi-Fi and Bluetooth USB – 1x Micro USB port Sensors […]

August 27, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments

Testing Hercules OTT Realtek RTD1395 4K Android STB Development Board

This is a guest post by Promwad, a software and hardware product development company with DTV & STB development expertise and know-how. Recently, they received a package from Realtek, their partner in Taiwan. There was a Realtek RTD1395 development board inside – Hercules 32-bit OTT – with 2 GB RAM and pre-installed Android 9 OS. Promwad team tested what it’s capable of and how it can be used by hardware and software engineers who design new TV set-top boxes and develop embedded software. Hercules OTT board is an Android IPTV box that plays videos of any formats with a maximum resolution of 4K. Streaming services such as Youtube, Netflix, etc. are supported via Dash and HLS. Also, the board supports other Android apps, including audio/video calls and conferencing. Realtek introduced RTD1395-based boards back in 2018. IP and cable TV operators used them in their subscriber devices. The RTD1395 chip with […]

August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

SwiftIO Arm Cortex-M7 MCU Board Targets Apple Swift Programming Language

Swift programming language has been developed by Apple for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and Linux. The programming language works with Apple’s Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks, as well as existing Objective-C code written for Apple products. MadMachine has now created an Arm Cortex-M7 development board, named SwiftIO, specifically designed for Swift programming language through MadMachine IDE and SwiftIO framework. SwiftIO hardware specifications: SoC – NXP i.MX RT1052 Arm Cortex-M7 Crossover Processor @ 600MHz System Memory – 32 MB SRAM Storage – MicroSD card slot supporting standard and high capacity SD cards USB – 1x Micro USB connector for power, 1x Micro USB connector for serial communication Expansion – 2x 46 GPIO headers with 12x 12-bit analog to digital (ADC) converters, 4x UART, 2x CAN, 2x IIC, 2x SPI, 14x PWM Misc – On-board RGB LED, download and reset buttons Power Supply – 5V via Micro USB port Dimensions – […]

August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

NODE Mini Server V3 Transforms Raspberry Pi 4 Into a Server or Mini PC

Hardware hacker NODE has had a busy month starting with the announcement of Zero Terminal V3 modular Raspberry Pi Zero W powered handheld PC, and now he’s just showcased NODE Mini Server V3 that transforms a Raspberry Pi 4 into a compact server or mini PC. The project brings all ports to the same side in a similar fashion as Argon One enclosure through the use of custom adapter boards, but also enable easy integration of USB SSD drives, easier access to the MicroSD card socket, and support for fanless or dual-fan cooling. Besides the Raspberry Pi 4 SBC, NODE Mini Server V3 includes the following components: HDMI Micro HDMI Male Component. “Wedge Type” as this HDMI connector on Aliexpress. HDMI Type A Connector (47151-1001) USB Pololu USB 2.0 Type-C Connector Breakout USB-C Male Plug Breakout Board Male USB 3.0 Plug (692112030100) Female USB 3.0 Connector (48405-0003) Storage USB3 to […]

August 26, 2020September 12, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Huawei Pledges One Million Dollars in Huawei Mobile Services App Innovation Contest

Those are challenging times for Huawei with the company having to stop developing and manufacturing Kirin processors, and their temporary license to get support from Google has recently expired. But necessity is the mother of inventions, so Huawei has stocked up on chips to give it time to find alternatives and is developing its own software ecosystem. But app developers won’t simply spend time working on apps for the platform without some incentive, so Huawei has launched the HMS App Innovation Contest with one million dollars in prize money. HMS stands for Huawei Mobile Service and looks like the equivalent of GMS, with the app store being called “HUAWEI AppGallery”. The contest is open to developers in most countries, but unsurprisingly there’s no option for developers in North America (USA/Canada). However, the contest is global and it still looks possible to get a Huawei ID from any country. The schedule […]