Intel to Unveil Linux-Based Mobile Internet Device (MID) Platform

Intel will introduce its Mobile Internet Device (MID) platform at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing this week. The MIDs will feature embedded Linux operating system and from 4-inch to 6-inch touch-screen displays providing from 800 x 480 to 1024 x 600 resolution, according to Intel’s document.

The RedFlag MIDINUX Linux distribution used in Mobile Internet Device will provide these small computers with communication applications such as Firefox web-browser, e-mail client, RSS news reader, instant messaging and VoIP software, as well as with various multimedia applications.

The “Platform Driver Support” section of the document mentions WLAN, WWLAN, GPS, Bluetooth, USB and Mobile TV features. According to MIDILINUX’s software list, the MID has a web camera.

The Intel’s papers say the new devices will have 256MB and 512MB of system memory, depending on model. There is no information on MID’s processor.

The MID will have boot time of 18 seconds, and resume time of around 3.2 seconds, according to Intel.

It was reported earlier that Intel will also unveil its new ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) platform at IDF this week.

Intel’s .pdf Document

[…] Intel today officially annnounced the Ultra Mobile Platform 2007, formerly codenamed “McCaslin”, designed for use in Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPC) and in Mobile Internet Devices (MID). This second-generation ultra-mobile platform uses Intel’s new A100 and A110 processors, 945GU Express Chipset, and ICH7 I/O Controller Hub. […]

[…] Intel has showed the upcoming Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) and Mobile Internet Device (MID) platform, codenamed “Menlow“, during its Developer Forum 2007 in San Francisco. The new platform is scheduled for launch in the first half 2008 and is comprised of the “Silverthorne” 45-nanometer processor and the “Poulsbo” chipset, which is based on a single-chip design. […]

[…] MIDs generally have smaller displays than UMPC devices. Another difference is that MIDs run Linux OS instead of Microsoft Windows, commonly preloaded onto UMPCs. […]