IBM Picks Qtopia Over PalmOS And PocketPC

Bill Kendrick writes "ZDNet, Geek.com and others are reporting IBM's decision to choose Trolltech's Qtopia (the embedded version of their Qt library, used by the Sharp Zaurus PDA) in their forthcoming devices. See the announcement at Trolltech's website, and an earlier press release at IBM.com." Here's an earlier post about the new IBM reference platform.

Trolls?

[ThumbSuck]

TrollTech?

Trolls! They invade everything nowadays

QuickTime...How does it work?

[AnonymousCowheard]

Entrepreneur: QuickTime is the latest business machine that lets you go back in time and correct all the bad business decisions you made.

Boss Hog: We need to go back and dump sugar in them Duke Brothers' gas tank. Get onto it, Rosco!

IBM HINT: There is no QuickTime...

It says so.....

[Anonymous Coward]

"You may or may not know that Qtopia is also used by the Sharp Zaurus Linux PDA (both the Sharp software and OpenZaurus distros use it). "

In the post: "the embedded version of their Qt library, used by the Sharp Zaurus PDA"

Re:This can hardly be a surprise

[dhovis]

With IBM's resources, they should be able to take the technology all the way.

Yep,

Just like OS/2....

From the same guys who brought us OS/2...

[Anonymous Coward]

How is it IBM always seems to miss the trolley when it comes to picking the right platform? Yes indeed, why should IBM use a proven, well-supported platform like Windows CE/PocketPC based on the same technology as the leading desktop operating system, or a truly innovative platform like the new Palm OS, based on BeOS technology and built from the ground up for the handheld market, when they can grab some tacky warmed-over open-source products designed for the desktop with an outrageous memory footprint and an unfriendly, rough design, as they have done with Linux and QT?

Its a good thing there are industry leaders like Palm and Microsoft that continue to promote true innovation against the tide of inferior products from the likes of IBM. Now lets hope this fails quickly so embedded linux can die the quick death it deserves, and IBM can quietly sign on to sell OEM PocketPC systems afterwards without losing too much face.

Feudalism?

[hirschma]

I think that you should serf the internet over to dictionary.com :)

Will this

[SomeOtherGuy]

sync with my lotus suite applications running os/2 on my ps/2? And please tell me that it will cost a good 25-30% more than the competition....go big blue.

Re:Go Trolltech!

[xombo]

So is this topic where I will see things like: (+5, Troll)?

IBM track record is abysmal

[gelfling]

They couldn't even make a go of rebranded Palm units. They killed off their own z50 WinCe micro laptop. They don't have a credible minilaptop in the US (Japan only thank you very much). They can barely get their own Lotus Easysync to work with Lotus Notes desktop applications. Their machines are getting bigger and bigger, not the other way around.

If anything this is a test bed for some kind of embedded technology subproject.

Their heart isn't in it. This is a throwaway project - some bright execuweenie in training has been given a bag of burnable cash to show what he can do for the benefit of Sam Palmisano and Co.

Re:Linux footprint too general-purpose.

[swillden]

Think of all the drivers people are downloading and will never use.

So don't build the parts you don't need. This is one of the huge advantages of having the source code.

Last time I checked, Linux may not be desirable in handhelds because the kernel is growing, growing, growing

Dang. I guess I need to find something else to run this handheld on. I mean, since the 2.4.18 kernel that it's currently running can't fit. And I thought I still had half of my 32MB free, even with Linux, busybox, Qt, and a couple dozen apps, but I guess "cat /proc/meminfo" is lying to me...

and the new features don't realy put a dent in the desire for such computing that needs to be small and quick on the sleep and resume modes.

You mean my PDA *doesn't* really suspend and resume in less than a second? Man, do me a favor and go tell kids that Santa Claus doesn't exist or something, because you're really getting me down.