[ Thanks to John
Gowin for this link. ]
“The Linux world is expanding into new horizons later this month
as VTech, better known for its phones and game consoles,
releases a new operating system for its palm-sized PDA, the Helio.
This operating system, according to Mark Padgett of VTech/Helio,
will be a modified Linux kernel — the first of its kind to run on
a PDA.”
“The original Helio OS, nicknamed the VTech OS, is a proprietary
PDA OS running only on the Helio system. This OS will not
necessarily be dropped altogether by VTech after the release of the
new Linux OS, but will most likely be maintained but not updated as
new releases of the Linux Helio OS are developed and marketed by
VTech for their PDA.”
“The new Linux OS for the Helio will be released sometime around
the third week of June 2000, just in time for PCExpo in New York,
at the end of the month. At that time, the company will announce
the OS open for development to the Linux community, and will be
encouraging open source program development using this OS through
an incentives program, which will include development of different
categories of software for the Helio, such as games, utilities,
etc. Programs chosen by VTech/Helio for special attention will
receive incentives that include special donations to the Linux Open
Source Foundation in the name of the developer of choice, or a cash
grant for further development of Linux programs for the Helio OS or
other Linux systems, open to the developer’s choice.”