BeIA: The Platform for Appliances
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Accessing the Internet should be as easy as using a television or telephone. Be has applied its proven expertise in modern, streamlined, modular operating systems to this challenge and created a new platform to provide information, entertainment and rich Internet experiences to consumers.
BeIA delivers a responsive user experience and the kind of stable
environment that consumers have come to expect from traditional home appliances. We offer vendors the ability to completely customize an Internet appliance's user interface, so they can create an experience and image appropriate for their target environment. Using BeIA, an Internet device will feature instant-on capabilities to eliminate start-up and connection delays, native TCP/IP networking to guarantee reliable performance in both broadband and narrowband applications, a modular architecture so that vendors can easily create customized implementations, and support for both x86 and PowerPC processors.
BeIA in Information Appliances
Information appliances are devices designed primarily for web browsing, e-mail, e-commerce, chat and other community features. These devices are often compact, inexpensive systems with simplified user interfaces. They can be tethered or wireless, stand-alone or connected, and controlled via touch screen or keyboard. Dedicated appliances eliminate the complexity typical of most personal computers. Non-PC users will enjoy their ease of use, while PC-savvy users will appreciate the convenience of
a device always ready to perform dedicated tasks.
BeIA in Entertainment Appliance
Entertainment appliances are designed to deliver a targeted, media-intensive experience. Integrated home entertainment systems allow consumers to actively participate in television/Internet simulcasts, view and edit home video footage, play stand-alone or online games, and stream multiple channels of MP3 audio to various rooms of the house. BeIA allows for scalable interfaces ranging from a standard remote control to fully customized touchscreen interactions. BeIA is poised to become an integral part of the connected home, where we find a marriage of consumer electronics, communications and computing power.
BeIA Features and Benefits
Internet Appliance Features
Opera Browser - |
Uncompromised full-screen viewing of web content |
HTML 4.0 - |
Complete support of the worldwide standard |
JavaScript - |
Adds interaction and flexibility to popular websites |
SSL 2.0 & 3.0 - |
Support for worldwide standards for secure transactions |
PersonalJava - |
Use of platform-independent applications |
RealNetworks RealSystem G2 - |
Support for the leading standard in streaming media |
Dynamic code loading and unloading - |
On-the-fly updates without rebooting |
Compressed file system - |
Higher performance and lower cost for inexpensive devices |
USB - |
Support for keyboards, mice and other popular peripherals |
Serial and parallel port support - |
Support for legacy peripherals |
Entertainment Appliance Features
64-bit journaling file system |
- Enables enormous file sizes and better asset management |
IEEE 1394 |
- Provides a wide variety of input/output options |
AVI, MPEG, QuickTime |
- Support for standard file formats |
DV, MPEG1, Cinepak, Indeo, wavelet codecs |
- Playback of compressed video using system-level decoders |
MP3 Encoding and Decoding |
- Compatibility with ubiquitous audio format |
OpenGL Support |
- Advanced 3D graphics and applications, high quality video effects in real-time |
Streaming audio/video |
- Network playback of media |
Dynamically loaded codecs |
- Extensible support for new audio types |
CD ripping and burning |
- Capture and archive audio, personal music management and publishing |
BeOS Media Kit |
- Professional quality audio applications |
Low latencies |
- Real-time effects and monitoring |
Sample accurate synchronization |
- Phase-accurate mixing and editing |
Microsecond timing |
- Precise control of all processes |
Multi-channel audio input/output |
- Record and playback multiple tracks, surround mixes |
Transparent multiprocessor support |
- Scaleable for improved performance |
Unlimted sample rate/bit depth (mixed in floating point) |
- Highest quality signal representation for studio level production enviroment |
Isochronous USB |
- Allows precise timing functions over USB |
BeIA Hardware Requirements
Processors - x86 (Pentium-class or better), PowerPC (all)
Storage - 8MB of persistent storage (such as Compact Flash)
Memory - 32MB RAM
Display options - VGA, SVGA, television
Peripheral types - USB, IEEE 1394, serial, parallel