In this issue:
- The Big Story Of The Week
- Community Notes
- The Week That Was
- Coming Up
Indrema Developer Network Launches, CEO Gildred Clarifies
Certification and Copy Protection Goals
Linux-based game console maker Indrema revealed a little more
about their plans this week with a webcast and a followup
teleconference announcing the launch of their Indrema Developer
Network website, which features the first release of their
developer kit.
There weren’t a lot of surprises, but there was one subtle
change:
Indrema’s previously announced fee structure for developers used
to center around the notion that there would be no royalties at
all, and the certification fees involved would be charged to
for-profit game developers. With Monday’s announcements, that
changed subtly. Free software developers will now pay a
certification fee (a nominal amount, described as a “token” by a
representative who couldn’t provide hard numbers) to get their
games released for the system, and for-profit developers will pay a
certification fee and royalties on each title.
The other interesting bit out of the announcements came from
solid information on Indrema’s approach to copy protection: they’ll
be using it, and they won’t budge on that. More on that
tomorrow.
Some related press releases were also sent out along with the
site launch:
Community Notes
Two sites caught our attention this week:
Community: MobiliX.org – A New Site Dedicated to Mobile Linux
Users
“MobiliX.org is a new site for mobile Linux. The maintainers have
provided links to numerous documents and sites centered around the
use of Linux on handhelds, laptops, and other mobile computing
devices.”
Community: Hack-a-NIC (Hacking the ThinkNIC Internet
Appliance)
“Part of the fun of consumer systems is hacking them: from the TiVo
to the i-opener, hackers have delved into the guts of their
previously sealed boxes and figured out what makes them tick. The
ThinkNIC, produced by an Oracle spinoff, is the latest to succumb
to prying fingers…”
The Register: Intel claimed to have squeezed IBM to dump
Transmeta
“IBM’s decision to dump its planned Crusoe-based ThinkPad 240 had
nothing to do with benchmarks, and everything to do with Intel,
according to sources close to Transmeta. Quanta, which was to build
the machines, was surprised when the project was abruptly
cancelled; one Transmeta partner who declined to be named told The
Register: “It was on schedule, fully functional, and IBM were very
happy with it.”
The Register: Desperate Dell begging Transmeta for a Crusoe
deal?
“Dell’s cosy relationship with Intel, and a little carelessness
with secret files, is causing the company serious grief with
Transmeta, a usually reliable source alleges. “Dell has been
calling Transmeta every week for the last two months,” he says, but
Transmeta won’t return the calls.”
Transmeta’s Crusoe not ready for mainstream – Gartner
“Kevin Knox, senior analyst at Gartner, said: “The two major
advantages Crusoe has are that it goes into a small system and its
power savings. But the question is exactly how much power does it
save? An extra hour would not be enough to justify moving away from
Intel, but three to four would be worth it.”
Transmeta shares soar despite Crusoe doubts
“Trading in Transmeta shares began at $21 on Tuesday and closed at
$45.25 – putting a $5.7bn valuation on the Intel contender.
Transmeta had already sold 13 million shares at $21 to
institutional investors on Monday, beefing up its coffers by
$273m.”
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