Freescale launches comprehensive multimedia development platform for advanced consumer and general embedded de

Freescale launches comprehensive multimedia development platform for advanced consumer and general embedded devices

Packed with powerful enablement technologies, Freescale’s i.MX Product Development Kit supports Microsoft’s Windows Embedded CE 5.0, Windows Embedded CE 6.0 and Linux operating systems

ORLANDO, Fla. (Freescale Technology Forum) – June 17, 2008 – Mobile, portable and other embedded device developers can significantly shorten development cycles for multimedia applications by utilizing the i.MX Product Development Kit (PDK) from Freescale Semiconductor. This three-stack hardware system includes a board support package (BSP) and robust, product-ready software that enable engineers to quickly create multimedia devices for consumer, automotive, industrial and general embedded markets. The PDK is initially available for the widely-adopted i.MX31 multimedia applications processor.

The PDK’s integrated modular design is engineered to enable a more efficient development process – a critical benefit for accelerating hardware and software integration. The PDK simplifies development with three separate, reusable modules that work together for streamlined software creation. The i.MX31 PDK features:

• A CPU module: a single board computer containing the i.MX31 processor based on the powerful ARM-1136™ core, memories, and Freescale’s MC14783 power management IC.

• A Personality module: a peripherals board that manages advanced end-product functionality such as touchscreen capabilities, accelerometers and wireless connectivity technologies such as Bluetooth and WiFi.

• A Debug module: a common interface board for all existing and future PDKs, the module contains the functions necessary for software and applications development, including serial, Ethernet, and JTAG interface.

The i.MX31 PDK includes an optimized Windows Embedded CE or Linux BSP, multimedia framework, demo applications, and wireless connectivity protocol stacks — all backed by the company’s renowned engineering technical support team. It also incorporates many of Freescale’s key technologies including the MMA7455L 3-axis digital accelerometer, which provides motion detection that recognizes natural human movement. Some examples in small portable electronics include gesture recognition, tilt to scroll in all directions, or silencing a phone by tapping it.

Freescale’s industry-leading MC13783 power management IC is also utilized in the PDK, allowing multimedia products to offer robust features with low power consumption. The MC13783 offers an abundance of different power saving modes, giving the system developer the ability to make trade-offs between power consumption in stand-by and recovery times.

Additional value-added software, such as multimedia codecs, is available for download on the i.MX website (freescale.com/imx). Freescale’s high-performance multimedia codecs enable a series of popular audio, video and image applications using i.MX multimedia applications processors. The multimedia codecs are provided as fully-functional, product-ready software packages.

A comprehensive ecosystem supporting i.MX multimedia applications processors includes tool chain providers, system integrators, middleware and multimedia partners, board vendors and key operating systems partners.

At this year’s Freescale Technology Forum, June 16 -19 in Orlando, Florida, developers, journalists and analysts are invited to view demonstrations of the i.MX31 PDK.

About Freescale’s i.MX31 multimedia applications processor

The Freescale i.MX31 multimedia applications processor is designed for a broad range of applications such as portable media players, portable navigation devices, automotive entertainment systems, ultra portable handheld computers and a broad range of industrial, healthcare and general purpose applications. Based on ARM® core technology, the i.MX31 family is engineered with Freescale’s Smart Speed™ technology to deliver powerful performance while minimizing power consumption. Extensive integration helps to reduce your design time significantly. The entire i.MX Family supports a broad range of platforms such as those based on the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems, as well as a number of leading real time operating systems. All i.MX processor package options are RoHS compliant.

Pricing and Availability

The i.MX31 PDK is available now. The recommended resale price is $2,500 USD and includes the 3-stack hardware solution, tested and verified BSPs for the Windows Embedded CE 5.0, Windows Embedded CE 6.0 and Linux 2.6.24 operating systems, enhanced software such as multimedia frameworks and wireless connectivity stacks, demonstrations of optimized codecs, and technical support directly from Freescale and Freescale’s authorized distributors. For a limited time, a 25 percent off introductory price coupon is available on the Freescale website.

For more information including documentation, tools support and orderable part numbers, please see the product pages at www.freescale.com/imx31pdk

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies with 2007 sales of $5.7 billion (USD). www.freescale.com

Supporting Comments from Freescale Alliance Members Follow

Adeneo: “We are pleased to offer both Windows® Embedded CE 6.0 and Linux BSP support for the i.MX31 PDK platform,” said Warren Lubow, Senior Director of Operations, Adeneo America. “The PDK enables developers to unlock the full power of the i.MX31 multimedia applications processor while having the support of Adeneo as a systems integration partner for the customers development and customization needs.”

AGS: “Advanced Geospatial Solutions Ltd. (AGS) and Freescale have worked together to showcase RealityMobile™, a 3D visualization solution that enhances current navigation products, on the i.MX31 PDK. RealityMobile’s API enables easier and efficient integration of full 3D visualization into Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs),” said Gary Pallet, General Manager, AGS. “We have taken advantage of the i.MX31 PDK form factor to showcase the demonstrations that also enable the 3D graphics accelerator built in the i.MX31 processor.”

ARM: “The recently-launched i.MX31 device support in the ARM® RealView® Developer Suite enables developers to quickly begin developing on the Freescale i.MX31 PDK,” said Mark Onions, Director of Marketing, System Design Division, ARM. “The RealView Developer Suite now offers a seamless experience for i.MX31 users, enabling them to focus on product and software development rather than device and tool configuration, thereby directly accelerating time-to-market.”

BSQUARE: “The i.MX31 PDK greatly simplifies the handheld consumer product development process,” said Larry Stapleton, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, BSQUARE. “Leveraging our experience with the i.MX architecture, BSQUARE has ported Adobe® Flash® LiteTM software to the i.MX31 PDK. OEMs who want to build compelling user interfaces on i.MX31-based devices using Flash authoring tools can view BSQUARE’s Flash demo at the Freescale Technology Forum in Orlando, Florida, June 16-19, 2008.” Visit BSQUARE at pod 1210 and 1211.

CSR: “Wireless connectivity is a must have for designers using Freescale’s Product Development Kit based on the i.MX31 multimedia applications processor. The i.MX31 PDK integrates a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi module incorporating CSR’s embedded wireless technologies and provides all the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functions integrated into the board support package allowing OEMs a faster time to market,” said Domink Hughes, Platform Partner Manager, CSR. “More and more customers are demanding the combination of CSR’s BlueCore and UniFi technologies providing designers with the best integration option, offering the industry’s best power consumption and performance figures.”

Express Logic: “Express Logic’s award-winning BenchX Eclipse-based IDE will be demonstrated at Freescale Technology Forum 2008 in support of Freescale’s advanced i.MX31 Product Development Kit (PDK),” said John Carbone, Vice President of Marketing for Express Logic. “The i.MX31 PDK provides a rich set of capabilities for embedded development, and our BenchX IDE simplifies the process with an intuitive GUI and full target connectivity. In addition, our ThreadX RTOS also supports the i.MX31 PDK, giving developers comprehensive development software that will enable them to bring new designs to market more quickly and more successfully.”

Green Hills Software: “The i.MX31 PDK is an attractive small-form factor development board well suited for customers developing and deploying i.MX31-based products on Green Hills Software’s MULTI, INTEGRITY, and family of RTOSes with the Green Hills Probe,” says Robert Redfield, Director of Business Development, Green Hills Software.

Mentor Graphics: “We are pleased to offer highly optimized support for the i.MX31 PDK platform, helping Freescale customers create innovative, highly differentiated products in less time,” said Neil Henderson, General Manager, Mentor Graphics Embedded Systems Division. “Nucleus OS combined with our advanced UI technology enables developers to unlock the full power of the i.MX31 applications processor with a complete and versatile software platform that cuts significant time and risk out of product development.”

MontaVista: “MontaVista has just released a new Linux support package that delivers Mobilinux 5.0 support for the i.MX31 PDK, and we are enthusiastic about being part of this new Freescale offering,” said Patrick MacCartee, Director of Product Management, MontaVista Software. “The embedded developers and designers who are our customers have shown strong interest in this new PDK, especially in its high level of feature integration into a near form-factor outline. We expect this PDK to be very successful, and plan to expand our support for Freescale i.MX PDKs in the future.”

Opera: “Opera is happy to partner with Freescale to bring the full Web, especially popular Web sites such as YouTube, in a fast, secure and innovative way, to handheld devices leveraging the power of the i.MX31 processor in the new i.MX31 PDK.” says Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software.

QNX: “QNX is extending its long term relationship with Freescale with its support for the i.MX31 PDK. The QNX demonstration at the Freescale Technology Forum highlights the power of combining Freescale multimedia processors with the performance and reliability of the QNX Neutrino® realtime operating system (RTOS) and the QNX Aviage family of middleware products. The form factor and modularity of the PDK make it an excellent platform on which to base demonstrations of our integrated multimedia and advanced graphics support.” said Linda Campbell, Director of Strategic Alliances and Segment Marketing at QNX Software Systems.

Quadros: “The PDK is a complete platform that gives the developer access to the many rich features of the i.MX31 processor,” said Jim Yastic, Quadros, Business Development. “Quadros has its full range of RTOS and middleware products available to help rapidly build embedded applications on this powerful and flexible architecture.”

Syncromesh: “The Freescale i.MX31 PDK is superior in concept to previous platforms in terms of packaging and form factor,” said Alan R. Weiss, CEO Syncromesh Computing, LLC. “Arrival quality was excellent, and in our experience as software and hardware developers building real products, we believe that the kit can be a good starting point for high performance, low power designs.”

Trolltech: “The Qt cross-platform solution offers an efficient framework for creating and for deploying rich user experiences on the widest range of desktop, mobile and embedded devices in the industry, including Linux and Microsoft Windows Embedded CE,” says Chuck Piercey, VP Product Management at Trolltech. “We have been working with Freescale closely for the last few years, and we see the i.MX31 applications processors and PDK as a powerful development platform that our mutual customers can leverage to deliver higher value solutions in less time and with greater reliability.”

VirtualLogix: “VirtualLogix has worked closely with Freescale to enable our VLX real-time virtualization™ software for the i.MX31 PDK,” said Mark Milligan, Vice President of Marketing at VirtualLogix. “We recognize tremendous market potential and believe that the combination of VLX and the i.MX31 PDK unlock powerful capabilities for our mutual customers to rapidly deliver more secure, advanced products.”