Sidekick Mobile Phone with NetBSD: Microsoft's Next?
Over a year ago Microsoft bought the software company Danger, popular in the U.S. for its Sidekick mobile phone. A new model is coming out, this time running on NetBSD.
Indications are clear from the Hiptop3.com site (claiming no affiliation with Danger but still leaning heavily toward Sidekick) that Microsoft is planning to equip its next generation of Sidekick devices with the NetBSD platform. Hinting at this is a Microsoft job posting for a NetBSD developer and a Danger employee mailing list post from a few years back. Apparently Danger had been working on a NetBSD port as far back as 2007.
The Sidekick LX model for 2009, which should start appearing mid-year, runs on an ARM processor. The hardware originates from Motorola and Sharp. For a long time it was assumed that Microsoft would equip the Sidekick with its Zune software based on Windows CE, the only OS from Microsoft with the ARM processor. If the rumors on Hiptop3.com were to prove true, Microsoft is more likely inclined to drop the Windows CE support in favor of the more reliable NetBSD.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Keep Android Open
Google has announced that, soon, anyone looking to develop Android apps will have to first register centrally with Google.
-
Kernel 7.0 Now in Testing
Linus Torvalds has announced the first Release Candidate (RC) for the 7.x kernel is available for those who want to test it.
-
Introducing matrixOS, an Immutable Gentoo-Based Linux Distro
It was only a matter of time before a developer decided one of the most challenging Linux distributions needed to be immutable.
-
Chaos Comes to KDE in KaOS
KaOS devs are making a major change to the distribution, and it all comes down to one system.
-
New Linux Botnet Discovered
The SSHStalker botnet uses IRC C2 to control systems via legacy Linux kernel exploits.
-
The Next Linux Kernel Turns 7.0
Linus Torvalds has announced that after Linux kernel 6.19, we'll finally reach the 7.0 iteration stage.
-
Linux From Scratch Drops SysVinit Support
LFS will no longer support SysVinit.
-
LibreOffice 26.2 Now Available
With new features, improvements, and bug fixes, LibreOffice 26.2 delivers a modern, polished office suite without compromise.
-
Linux Kernel Project Releases Project Continuity Document
What happens to Linux when there's no Linus? It's a question many of us have asked over the years, and it seems it's also on the minds of the Linux kernel project.
-
Mecha Systems Introduces Linux Handheld
Mecha Systems has revealed its Mecha Comet, a new handheld computer powered by – you guessed it – Linux.