Intel to buy Wind River!

This is big news.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/141400-intel-wind-river-another-player-throwing-its-hat-into-the-ring

I suspect this will cement support for Moblin on the Atom SBC.

My guess is the Intel deal will go through, with Intel. People with software IP, for example IBM, Google and Microsoft, might be slow to co-mingle their IP with all the versions of the GPL. With control of software, Intel will be in the catbird seat for the two big "Bill of Material" items in the sub $400 notebook market- which seems to be the only market that counts right now.

Also, the sub $400 device is a product where 'quick to market' counts, and where the hardware integration of (cameras, voice, inertial sensors) has just begun. The situation is simple for the ODM. Buy an Intel Atom CPU chip with good software support, or buy some other chip and get a hobbyists software kit.

Lawrence Ricci

The Internet of Things will happen, and will be different

The technology to build the pervasive interent is falling into place as we speak. These technologies are real and becoming part of devices today.

I like the Intel Atom CPU , the Nokia NoTA , Websphere and Microsoft .NET framework for example. With these tools, expect the "things" to become "platforms" for content.

The format of the "things" (e.g. small screen and touch) , ther network connect (e.g. costly and poor) the places they are used (e.g. cars and Starbucks) will change the content, in the same way the Internet of 17 inch color screens and broadband changed to content from the Internet of CGA and dial up.

Content will change, new media will emerge on new platforms. This has happened before.

Let us not forget the Olsen Twins got rich not from the TV show, but from the "Direct to DVD" movie industry and a distribution deal with WalMart. The Olsen's may be a small niche of the entertainment industry, but a niche with three commas in its commercial value is pretty nice.

Considering the media of things, I think the content will skew to short segments, suitable for bus rides or waiting in line. My bet is something like the old SNL "Mr. Bill" series, "Celebrity Death Match" or some YouTube favorites like "Two Hot Girls in a Shower" or "Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machines Show" and of course, "RocketBoom" None of these will get the third comma, but they might well get two commas in their net worth.

Lawrence Ricci
www.EmbeddedInsider.om

Will it Still be MODBUS?

Technology, to stay in sync, may have to move slowly. Perhaps it will move most slowly in the geographically distributed infrastructure.

I just saw this posting in Energy Business:

Evaluating Pipeline Projects - Dominion Resources is about to make a major investment in its pipeline infrastructure. Its Ohio subsidiary has filed an application with Ohio regulators to replace nearly 20 percent of its 21,000-mile pipeline system over 25 years at a current cost of $2.6 billion. Once approved, modernization will begin next year.

Here is a 25 year plan to a major technology upgrade. What do you bet the the electronics/Controls are based on the 'de jure' Modbus protocol, now perhaps 35 years old? Protocols between things- especially things made by different companies- tend to change very slowly.

Can you name a protocol, still in use today, from the end of the century before last?

Lawrence Ricci

http://www.embeddedinsider.com/

Trust and Web 2.0

Nicole Ferraro at Internet Evolution ran a quick survey about where people will leave trusted information. Worst- social networks. Next worst- Google.

This survey is serious news.

We live in the world of ‘2’. Peer ‘2’ Peer. Business ‘2’ Business. Friend ‘2’ Friend.

Jeff Jarvis at Buzz Machine tells us: “Distribution is not king, Content is not king. Conversation is the kingdom and the King is Trust."

Trust is all about the relations between 2 entities, and if Web 2.0 can not master ‘2’ then it will be limited.

Lawrence Ricci
http://www.embeddedinsider.com/

Is the Web bigger than Pizza?

It seems almost every pitch of every value proposition of every website is based on locating pizza shops. OK, I guess the iPhone took this up a notch to Calamari. But pause to think: is the total value of Web 2.0 limited to the advertising budgets for Pizza? Are we in some form of “Irrational Exuberance”

If I want to buy Pizza I look at the magnet on my refrigerator, or stop at the shop on the way to the party. Web has nothing to do with my Pizza buying.

I think the value will be found in deeper values then commerce. The value will be Social affiliation, linked to the objects we use to show or place in social groups. Flashing Bluetooth ear sets may evolve to jewelry. Our new ego-mobile may link us to other ego-mobile owners directly, bypassing, or more like augmenting, the owners group website. Our home may be wired into our homeowners association. Our sports team poster may evolve to a ‘digital picture frame’ with shared content from the players and fans we know.

We need to go past the internet we see through a 17 inch diagonal monitor. It will be the internet that follows us to work, to play. We need the internet that knows where we are and what we are doing- and most important –what we will need


Lawrence Ricci
www.EmbeddedInsider.com

Wearable Computers

Here is an interesting embedded application- smart shoes for ladies of the evening, developed by the Aphrodite project.

Based on GPS and wireless alarm technology, these shoes are represented as safety devices. While they may have some utility in this function, they are just as likely to be used by pimps to track their stable and count shoes-off tricks to determine money due. But if a women in that line of work wanted to really benefit from tech shoes like these, she would like some nice, colorful messaging on that screen, perhaps on the theme ‘hi sailor, new in town’.

Silly shoes aside, wearable computers are here. Zypad is one of the best. Zypad is for a practical user, the company that hires a mobile, hands-on worker, who still has information entry and information access as a primary task (not like the above mentioned mobile professionals) . We are left to wonder about the future of consumer wearable devices, sold to the person who uses them, not his employer.

As device become mobile and personal, we need to understand they become less like tools to do a job and more totems to show social affiliation. So many tech companies seem to get this wrong. Microsoft developed the SPOT watch so users could check stock prices in elevators. So what? The reason I wear my SPOT Watch is because it identifies me as an alpha geek. (although I must admit the combo of watch plus Outlook Schedule and Alarm is useful, plus movie times and weather) . But bottom line, a SPOT watch is an alpha-geek totem. Fashion companies understand 'totems', so they know how to differentiate a $10 Timex from a $10,000 Rolex- and they know it's not just $200 of gold and diamonds.

What consumers really need are totems that activate and display based our social affiliation. A cell phone, or an ornamental brooch or ring that reacts when near a Facebook friend could be cool. Bluetooth and a Smartphone, and downloads with the Facebook API, make this possible today. More than affiliation, these devices could show our state of mind, or receptiveness. Remember the mood ring? Why not a real mood indicator with respiration and perspiration detectors?

Could be interesting

Lawrence Ricci

http://www.embeddedinsider.com/

Low cost computing for the poor

Much has been made of the $100 wind up computer for the 3rd world. http://www.news.com/2100-1044-5884683.html . It has always seemed to me that this was a solution in search of a problem. Certainly, I do not think the targeted markets (the poor of Brazil, China, Thailand, Egypt and South Africa) would list high cost of Dell PC’s as one of their top ten needs.

I came across another approach that is needs focused: health care for poor.

The platform suggested is existing cell phones, probably the recycled type, that are far below the $100 price point, and are backed by in-place networks with government controlled and subsidized pricing. Microsoft is kicking in a million dollars of seed money to study this application http://research.microsoft.com/ur/us/fundingopps/RFPs/CellPhoneAsPlatformForHealthcare_RFP.aspx
It is interesting to see that the need to culturally integrate the platform by inclusion of social networking, etc. is part of the RFP

Certainly, the field of ‘telemedicine’ is being pursued in first world economies with vigor. Much can be done with special purpose devices. http://www.applieddata.net/Devices/Industry_Health_Fitness.asp

I wonder how this will develop?

Lawrence Ricci
http://www.embeddedinsider.com/