<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">There is currently not an ARM Linux library for Skype.<DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jun 10, 2007, at 1:37 PM, Thomas Gstädtner wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">There are some things that are not true here.<BR>True is, that x86 is on the bottom of popularity, because of the disadvantages.<BR>Also it's true, that linux runs on x86. Linux's also running on SPARC - but nobody would use SPARC in a phone, so that is simply no reason for using x86. <BR>But it is not true, that skype only runs on x86. There is skype for Win Mobile devices [1] (I haven't ever seen a win mobile device using x86) which mainly are ARM/XScale based. Skype is also working on getting their software running on Symbian (Series60) - a platform only used on ARM. <BR><BR>It is also false that flash/shockwave only runs on x86. My Nokia 7710 (ARM9 based) has opera mobile with flash-plugin and it works perfectly.<BR>The Nokia 770/N800 - also ARM based - has a flash-player as well.<BR> <BR>So I still see no reason for having a energy comsuming x86-monster in my phone. :)<BR><BR>[1] <A href="http://www.skype.com/intl/en/download/skype/mobile/">http://www.skype.com/intl/en/download/skype/mobile/</A><BR><BR> <DIV><SPAN class="gmail_quote">2007/6/10, Matthew S. Hamrick <<A href="mailto:mhamrick@cryptonomicon.net">mhamrick@cryptonomicon.net</A>>:</SPAN><BLOCKQUOTE class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Before we run off and predict that the sky is falling, let's consider<BR>a couple of things:<BR><BR>1. This is a prototype. This is not a product. This is a system that<BR>demonstrates how small you can make a device with the new C7-S <BR>processors. Also... take a look at how many discrete components are<BR>on the board. Now open up any of your mobile electronics and compare.<BR>It's doesn't completely destroy your BOM cost to have these<BR>components, but it does add a bit of manufacturing cost. Adding $12 <BR>to the cost of the phone is pretty much a deal-killer for "mobile<BR>phones," but not for "smart phones" and "mobile terminals."<BR><BR>2. No. the only reason for an x86 cell phone is not to run windows. <BR>ARM is very popular for WinCE devices. Less popular is MIPS. And<BR>somewhere at the bottom of the popularity scale is x86. But... it is<BR>there. There's also an operating system called Linux that's been<BR>known to run on x86 devices. And... if you were wanting to build a <BR>mobile phone with the Skype libraries installed, right now, your only<BR>option is x86.<BR><BR>3. CDMA. I agree, it is odd that CDMA would be their first choice.<BR>Perhaps they were working closely with a customer that had a specific <BR>requirement for CDMA, or maybe they engineer they tasked with the job<BR>of building this thing was more familiar with CDMA. But the major<BR>manufacturers like Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, etc. all make both GSM and<BR>CDMA versions of their phones. I sorta got used to companies <BR>releasing GSM phones first, as there's a larger market. But CDMA is<BR>definitely an important player in China, South Korea and the US.<BR><BR>So my guess is... somewhere out there in China is a group that wants<BR> to make a CDMA2000 phone for sale in the domestic market. They're<BR>trying to build a smart-phone or a "mobile terminal" like the<BR>blackberry or Treo. Market penetration of Linux phones in China is<BR>much better than it is here in the states or Europe. So maybe they're <BR>interested in using an x86-only library on a mobile device. My guess<BR>is Skype. Furthermore, my guess is they approached Via with the idea<BR>of using one of their processors. Via referred them to Epia who began<BR> designing a demo board. The deal fell through and now Via needs to<BR>find an application for these processors, so publicizing this<BR>prototype is a way of getting people to think about x86 embedded.<BR><BR>IMHO, the only reason you would want to have an x86 based processor <BR>like the C7-S (which is still an order of magnitude worse in power<BR>consumption than ARM processors) is to run x86 specific code. So<BR>yeah... that could be XP/embedded, but it could also be some x86<BR>specific Linux library. <BR><BR>Just my $0.02.<BR><BR>-Cheers<BR>-Matt H.<BR><BR><BR>On Jun 10, 2007, at 12:16 PM, Robin Paulson wrote:<BR><BR>>> When you look at the board you see that there is not much space left.<BR>>> It seems there's no GSM, no WiFi, no other chip already. <BR>><BR>> i've heard talk elsewhere of a built in cdma module. that's an odd<BR>> choice considering the number of operators switching to gsm, but i<BR>> would assume via will change/add to this down the track <BR>><BR>>> And as I always say: The only reason for using x86 in small and<BR>>> embedded<BR>>> devices is running Windows.<BR>>> I really don't want to have Windows on my phone. No CE/Mobile, <BR>>> exceptionally<BR>>> no XP/Vista. Do you? :)<BR>><BR>> hell no, i ditched win long since. but some people will<BR>> and there are a number of closed pieces of software only available for<BR>> x86. flash is one of them, shockwave another. maybe skype, i'm not <BR>> sure what that runs on<BR>> add in things like a half decent fpu (compared to arm anyway) and the<BR>> platform starts to approach desktop functionality for all sorts of<BR>> applications. as the oqo has partly shown, there's no reason a mobile <BR>> (pc/phone) can't be a desktop as well with the addition of a proper<BR>> qwerty kb and monitor when the user gets to the office<BR>><BR>> this is an awesome development, i'm in 2 minds myself whether to buy a <BR>> pico itx or wait for this next year<BR>><BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> OpenMoko community mailing list<BR>> <A href="mailto:community@lists.openmoko.org">community@lists.openmoko.org </A><BR>> <A href="http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community">http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community</A><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>OpenMoko community mailing list <BR><A href="mailto:community@lists.openmoko.org">community@lists.openmoko.org</A><BR><A href="http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community">http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE> </DIV><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>