Slashdot Mirror
Nokia and Loki Together on Linux Terminal
barrettlight50 writes "Nokia released news that they plan to distribute Linux games from Loki Software with their up and coming Media Terminal due out this fall." I'm hearing rumblings from people who have their hands on this box, but am still waiting for more meat. What remains to be seen is if Nokia will embrace the Open Source model, and let us hack the hell out of their box. Here's hopin'
The Xbox/Media Terminal comparison is deeply incorrect.
This is first and foremost a Cable/Broadband access device (look at the supplied libraries - lots of HAVI, lots of MHB stuff, but little gaming-related stuff. Look at the Nokia Pirates and Parrots game)
Yes, it will play games. So do the OpenTV and cable set-top boxes - but they aren't terribly good because that is not the prime function of the system.
It's optimised for streaming video and web access. This is a sounder straegy than the reverse (build a games box, make it a web access platform later as the deceased Dreamcast, PSX2 and Xbox teams plan(ned)). High-end consoles tend to end up in otaku household who already have those things.
This will end up in houses where people don't want a computer: it allows Nokia to own a portion of the market that isn't online. As such its an evolution upwards from set-top boxes of the past - the open sourcing of it also makes sense in this context. The closed set-top boxes are usually very good at decoding MPEG streams but useless for any rich services - open sourcing means a million developers working out neat home automation and video gadgets (and yes, games, but not of a Quake level. Stones might work).
Given a million eyeballs all business problems are trivial.
-- need more time?
There's been a lot of media hype about Linux in the news for the last several years, although very little that the average 'guy in the street' gets to hear about, or finds very relevant. :)
Now, with this on the way, we find a big brand name that many seem to identify with 'cool' (can you count the number of young teens chasing the latest images for their Nokia phones, and identifying that with the brand 'Nokia'?) that's leveraging Linux.
If it sells well, which, given Nokia's marketing engine, it should do.. Just think.
When people say "Linux, that's that hard to use unfriendly system, isn't it?", you can point to their easy to use box by the TV, and politely let them know that they're already using Linux...
Once people get the idea there's nothing to be afraid of, then a lot of the FUD from Redmond counts for naught.
It's a far cry from beating Windows on the desktop, but it's certainly stealing a march on MS in getting market penetration of product.
Bravo, Nokia. I'll be watching this with interest.
Malk
The even have their own OSI approved license. NOKOS, the Nokia Open Source License.
There's no place I can be, since I found Serenity.