To: linuxce-devel@linuxce.org, linux-arm@vger.rutgers.edu, Subject: Open Source software running on iPAQ H3600 Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 14:05:55 -0700 From: Jim Gettys <jg@handhelds.org> On April 19, Compaq announced the iPAQ H3600. Many people have recognized the interesting capabilities of this device, and Compaq Research has been receiving inquiries from the research and open sourcen communities about it. These same communities have expressed great interest over the last several years in the Itsy pocket computer, a research prototype device with many hardware similarities to the iPAQ H3600, but running open source software. To satisfy these inquiries, we are happy to make the following announcement: Compaq's open handheld program ------------------------------ We have three primary goals: o Promote development and discussion of open source software for pocket and wearable computers in general, o Ensure that the results of our research in pocket computing (e.g. power management) are available to the community, o Ensure that current open source software runs on our new hand held computer. Open handhelds website ---------------------- Towards these goals, we have established the http://www.handhelds.org web site to act as a resource for open source software on handheld and wearable computers in general, not limited to Compaq's hardware. We hope that you will join us in making open source software work well on handheld and wearable computers in general, and you will join us in making open source software run well on our platforms. Linux for the iPAQ H3600 ------------------------ Compaq's Corporate Research group is porting current versions of the Linux kernel and XFree86 X server to the H3600, and updating to this software base the software developed specifically with the Itsy handheld computer. Most of the Itsy software, based on Linux 2.0.30, was made available to the open source development community in February. For the last several months we have been submitting patches to support the iPAQ H3600 back into the Linux and XFree86 development streams. The hardware design specification of the iPAQ H3600 is available and the mechanical specifications for the expansion packs will be available on Compaq's web site soon. While our kernel efforts are currently primarily focussed on Linux, a project has recently started to port NetBSD, and we will be happy to answer questions from people interested in porting other operating systems to the iPAQ H3600 PocketPC, which will become available for purchase in June. While we have been making great progress with Linux on the iPAQ H3600, the system is still in development. Linux 2.3.99pre1 was booted recently (since updated to Linux 2.4.0-test1-ac7) at Compaq's Cambridge Research Laboratory, and we are working on device drivers for the hardware and on integrating features developed in the Itsy software into current versions of open source software. XFree86 4.0 is also running on the iPAQ H3600. Mailing Lists ------------- Please join the mailing list handhelds@handhelds.org to discuss open source software for handhelds and wearable computers. We have also established the "linux@handhelds.org" and "netbsd@handhelds.org" mailing lists to provide forums to discuss specifically Linux and NetBSD kernel issues on handheld computers. To subscribe to either of these mailing lists, visit: http://www.handhelds.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/handhelds http://www.handhelds.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/linux http://www.handhelds.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/netbsd or send mail to: handhelds-request@handhelds.org linux-request@handhelds.org netbsd-request@handhelds.org Further information about Compaq's handhelds research and products ------------------------------------------------------------------ Information about the iPAQ H3600 product can be found at: http://www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/pocketpc/ Information about the Itsy handheld computer can be found at: http://www.research.compaq.com/wrl/itsy The hardware specification for the iPAQ H3600 can be found at: http://www.handhelds.org/specs/Compaq/iPAQH3600/ http://www.handhelds.org/specs/Compaq/iPAQH3600/iPAQ_H3600.html Information about Compaq's corporate research labs can be found at: http://www.research.compaq.com/ For more information, please join one of the mailing lists mentioned above. Press inquiries should contact Eileen Quinn, eileen.quinn@compaq.com, at 408-285-9272. Credits ------- The Itsy Team: Compaq Western Research Lab: Joel Bartlett, Lawrence Brakmo, Keith Farkas,A William Hamburgen, Marc Viredaz, Deborah Wallach Compaq Systems Research Center: Timothy Mann, Carl Waldspurger (now at VMWare) The Open Handheld Team: Compaq Cambridge Research Lab: George France, Jamey Hicks, Frank Bomba, Edwin Foo Compaq PAAD: Ed Gould, Tom Lawler, Dave Redell Compaq SEA: Blair Fidler, Charlie Flynn, Dirk van Hennekeler, Greg McCane Compaq CPCG: Jim Mann, Ken Nicholas Compaq Research: Jim Gettys, Dick Greeley, Ken Salsman Others: Self: Keith Packard, Nicolas Pitre, Stan Thomas Our thanks to Kelly Martin who has been kind enough to make the domain handhelds.org name available. - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/