RMI delivers Android capability for mobile connected applications

COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2009, TAIWAN & CUPERTINO, USA: At COMPUTEX Taipei 2009, RMI Corporation, a leading provider of high-performance processors for communication and media rich applications, announced the availability of a complete Android version 1.5 (“Cupcake”) reference design for mobile connected applications.

The Android solution benefits from the power-optimized, high performance Alchemy processor family and brings a complete turnkey solution aided by partnerships with Embedded Alley, a leading provider of embedded Linux and Android solutions, and MIPS Technologies Inc., a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for home entertainment, communications, networking and portable multimedia markets.

“By bringing the Alchemy processor to the market with Android capabilities gives us an additional advantage for success with MIDs and connected media devices,” said Mike Wodopian, vice president and general manager, RMI. “The power-optimization and the high-performance processing offered opens up a variety of applications and capabilities that our customers are demanding.”

“The MIPS architecture brings a powerful capability to the Android market, giving our licensees such as RMI the flexibility to meet the needs of their customers in the connected portable media market and beyond,” said Art Swift, vice president of marketing, MIPS Technologies. “With our focus on Android combined with RMI’s innovative developments, the world’s leading consumer electronics suppliers will be able to implement capabilities and features that were not possible before.”

The Alchemy Android reference platform is the ideal solution for mobile connected applications such as MIDs, Netbooks, AVN, Home Media Players, PMPs and PND devices. The Android solution runs on the Alchemy Processor family and highlights:

* A powerful open connected applications platform, customizable for each device.
* Android V1.5, with libraries and Dalvik VM optimized for MIPS.
* Broad support for all significant Video and Audio content standards.
* High performance processing at ultra-low Alchemy power levels.

The Embedded Alley Development System for Android-based devices supports cross development for both platform and application software. It targets MIPS architecture devices, with support for the RMI Alchemy Processor family development board (BdAu) and HMP Processor solutions.

In the development system, Embedded Alley provides an up-to-date production kernel (2.6.29), run-time libraries, the Android application framework and off-the-shelf applications. Embedded Alley has optimized the Android Dalvik VM and bionic library for MIPS processor cores and enables developers to prototype and test using the Android Device Emulator, an Eclipse-based plug-in for the Embedded Alley Development System, and customize the emulator to match their end products.

“Together, Embedded Alley and RMI deliver a turnkey solution for OEMs creating multimedia, mobile internet, automotive and a wide range of other applications,” said Matthew Locke, Embedded Alley COO. “Embedded Alley expertise and experience in enabling Android-based devices and applications, and the power of RMI Alchemy processors, make an unbeatable combination.”

In its suite at the COMPUTEX Taipei conference, RMI, along with MIPS Technologies and Embedded Alley featured multiple demonstrations of the Android platform including a Home Media Player (HMP) running Android. Attendees can see the power of Android in several applications, including full internet browsing capability.