MontaVista Software today announced the new 5.0 release of MontaVista Mobilinux, the mobile operating system used in 90 percent of Linux-based smartphones. Mobilinux 5.0 will enable manufacturers to deliver new mobile devices (such as phone handsets, GPS devices, portable medical devices, and wireless point-of-sale terminals) to consumers more quickly and with new functions, breakthrough connectivity, fast performance, NSA-level security, and battery-extending dynamic power management.

"No other mobile operating system today gives developers so many ways to unleash their creativity to add new functions," said Jim Ready, CTO and founder of MontaVista Software. "Mobilinux 5.0 delivers new technologies invented by MontaVista for configurable dynamic power management, plus a powerful security framework that MontaVista's competitors can only dream about. This is simply the best OS ever built for mobile devices."

In addition to providing a platform for the features common in smartphones today (such as touchscreen control, email processing, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, video cameras, multimedia and Adobe Flash display, and more), the flexibility of Mobilinux 5.0 enables developers to easily provide custom functions. Mobilinux supports Linux standards, so designers can add functionality by including off-the-shelf Linux utilities without worrying about function loss due to incompatibility. Built-in support for emerging methods of connectivity and new I/O types (including a full-featured Linux networking stack with IPv6 support) increase device functionality by enabling devices to communicate and interact with new types of software and other devices.

MontaVista Mobilinux 5.0 highlights

NSA-level mobile security

MontaVista Mobilinux 5.0 is the first mobile operating system to include MontaVista MicroSELinux, a compact version of Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux), developed by the National Security Agency (NSA) to protect the confidentiality of messages and the integrity of files and system software. MontaVista MicroSELinux prevents malicious software from intruding into a device and taking control. 

Dynamic power management

Fully configurable Mobilinux power management includes APIs that extend battery life to support power-hungry multimedia. 

Built-in connectivity

MontaVista Linux can connect to more types of software and devices than any other Linux. Mobilinux 5.0 saves months of development time by providing out-of-the-box support for SDIO (Secure Digital Input Output), Wi-Lan/Wi-Fi over USB, Bluetooth over USB (supporting wireless headsets, headphones, and other items), USB On-The-Go, ALSA sound drivers, GStreamer, plus many new devices and the protocol stacks to support them. 

Speedy startup

Phones using Moblinux 5.0 typically boot in less than 5 seconds and can place a phone call in less than 10 seconds. MontaVista supports prelinking, so applications start quickly, enabling fast shut-down and resume from sleep in less than half a second. 

Small footprint

Mobilinux 5.0 can be configured to run in as little as 2 megabytes and for a typical mobile phone with basic functionality, less than 14 megabytes.

Multicore processor support

Mobilinux 5.0 supports both single-core and multicore processors, and supports devices built with multiple processing chips as well as devices that combine multiple processors on one integrated CPU chip. 

Lower phone build costs

Built-in functionality and integrated connectivity reduce the amount of custom development required. Linux compatibility enables the use of low-cost off-the-shelf Linux applications and utilities. The ability to get fast performance from low-end processors can reduce hardware costs. Integrated real-time technology enables baseband and application processor consolidation. And MontaVista Mobilinux 5.0 is royalty-free.

MontaVista Mobilinux 5.0 will be available worldwide in November 2007. Initial platforms supported will include OMAP 2430 from Texas Instruments, with OMAP 3430 following shortly. Six additional platforms will be added in early 2008.