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Intel Acquires Mobile Linux Developer OpenedHand
nerdyH writes with the news that Intel has acquired OpenedHand, the developer of 'Poky Linux' and Matchbox. "The UK-based embedded Linux services team will join the Intel Open Source Technology Center, and will focus on Moblin development for mobile Internet devices and other mobile devices." The article notes that Intel's Moblin initiative had "failed to generate much interest" among developers when first announced earlier this year; this acquisition might help it catch the attention of more Linux developers.
Weren't Openhand working closely with the Openmoko project? If so, will Intel pull them out of their work on the Neo/Freerunner?
ilovegeorgebush
Intel doesn't really need help. I don't recall them having problems.
It's interesting that Intel is venturing in the mobile world.
As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields.
I wish Nokia would now make an Atom-based Maemo tablet... cross-compiling is a pain in the ass, especially with Nokia's "scratchbox" environment.
wanna bet this isn't gonna help intel much?
Wanna bet it will?
I see this as pretty big news. Little-known Linux house gets purchased by Intel. They didn't stand a chance of getting bought by MS, Google, or any other powerhouse. Now, the little Linux vendors will be looked at in a new light. HP, AMD, and will start taking more notice of the little Linux vendors, and that means that VC's will too. This is great news and presents new opportunities for Linux startups.
How will this help Intel? Since when has trend-setting _not_ helped Intel?
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
Its what type of Linux, they are buying a Linux vendor that primarily deals with handheld and embedded devices so intel maybe making a bigger move into these categories
Of course it's to knock out one competitor out, but not the one you'd think : Intel is going after ARM with it's Atom processor.
"and that means that VC's will too"
What?
You mean that the Viet Cong is going to buy Linux?
Damn.
You mean that the Viet Cong is going to buy Linux?
No, I meant Vatican City.
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
Since when has trend-setting _not_ helped Intel?
Maybe Itanium was an exception.
"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
Anonymous for an obvious reason: I work for Intel.
I wonder if this means that Intel will start using it as the seed of a clearinghouse, instead of hiring their linux talent in-house.
It will be interesting to see if Intel takes the wide and different groups of programming teams, and just having this absorbed company make the generic apps, and in a way unify the applications corporate-wide (which is good for FOSS in general IMHO). Meanwhile, the individual groups can still make the drivers and chip-specific code, but will be smaller for each group (which saves money, but I know a lot of people who will very likely be downsized if that happens, and Intel has already been on a downsizing streak over the past few years).
I wasn't surprised to see Intel moving into the mobile and smaller-device space over recent years (Atom, Canmore, Moorestown). They almost own the CPU market, are making aggressive moves into GPUs, and this leaves them with not much else for growth in those two areas, so they are branching out from what I see (and what they've been pushing PR-wise)