“Linux could soon become a major challenger in handheld
computers and other portable gadgets. Today, most of the attention
in the handheld world is trained on the battle between Palm – which
makes the ubiquitous organizer of the same name – and Microsoft,
whose Windows CE operating system and Pocket PC device so far have
been unsuccessful in unseating Palm. Another handheld device maker
attracting notice is Handspring, a licensee of Palm’s OS that was
started by Palm’s co-founders. Handspring’s stellar initial public
offering last week raised $200 million and gave the company a
market value of $3.4 billion after its first day of trading.”
“But Linux might well be a dark horse ready to race against
Palm, Microsoft and others for mobile devices of all stripes. The
open source OS has quietly won over some very big backers in the
handheld arena, including Compaq Computer, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and
Intel. These and other companies are actively developing
prototypes of devices running lightweight versions of Linux. By
year’s end, dozens of manufacturers will have Linux-based handheld
computers, Web appliances and other gadgets on the market, industry
executives predicted.”
“We’re seeing a ton of development on Linux,” said Lynn Comp,
product marketing engineer at Intel’s handheld computing division,
which markets the company’s StrongARM microprocessors. “It’s going
to start showing up a great deal in products over the next 12 to 24
months.”