Linux is all around

Suddenly, I found Linux is everywhere. Somewhere, somehow, you will use a digital device that runs Linux.

• PDA - Sharp is the major vendor that exploits Linux technology entensively for their Zaurus series PDA products. Although the PDA market is vastly dominant by Palm and Pocket PC products, Sharp's involvement in Linux PDA delights many DIYers and software developer like me that treats Linux PDA as a toy for hobby interest. A Korean maker YOPY, also produced highly rated Linux PDAs. In terms of features, Linux PDAs is comparable to Palm and PPC, but I feel that it is more a hacker product than a user product.
• Boardband Router and Firewall Appliance - Not to mention, my home Linksys WRT54g router runs Linux. Thanks to Linksys releasing the code and a complete built package, there has been some good known hacked firmware providing features in additional to the official one. SNAPgear is another company that delivers enterprise-class security applicances. It customizes Linux to provide features for firewall, VPN, intrusion detection and content filtering. Suprisingly, server hardware giant Sun, supplies Linux-based iForce VPN/Firewall Appliance. Sun explains the use of Linux as to expand more options to their customers.
• Mobile Phone - Samsung SCH-i519 (only be found in Samsung China) and Motorola A760 are two well-known Linux PDA phones. From their features, they are comparable and competitive to those Smartphone and symbian-based PDA phone.
• AV, Entertainment , and Set-top box - Sony's CoCoon is a harddisk-based video recorder designed for replacing the VHS tape recorder. It uses MontaVista Linux Professional Edition 2.1 as its embedded OS. There are other set-top boxes such as media player, TV tuner, video-on-demand and music-on-demand that are also based on Linux

Linux starts emerging into enterprise as well. Although many of the Linux systems are not ready for mission-critical applications, it is indeed very capable as a file and mail server. Some small-to-medium sized enterprise also run Apache Web server and FTP on a low-cost Linux server. My best wish is some years after, we can see a Linux game console.

P.S. : This 'blog title is inspired by Wet Wet Wet's famous song, "Love is all around", and "X'mas is all around" from the movie "Love Actually".

... Linux all around me.. and so the feeling grows...