BeIA Introduction

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BeIA FAQ

Internet Appliance Presentation

BeOS for Desktops

BeIA FAQ Frequently asked questions about BeIA What exactly is an Internet appliance? An Internet appliance is a dedicated device designed to specifically access information from the Internet for a given purpose. It is typically always on and has a user interface that fits its purpose. The software and hardware are seamlessly tied together, so the user does not know there is even software contained in it. For instance, you may have an Internet appliance in your kitchen that is oriented around ensuring that you are fed-meal planning, home scheduling, menu ideas, ordering groceries, setting up reservations, checking the weather, watching the news, getting a cooking tutorial, and listening to music. Such a device could be a flat panel device that fits right into your counter just like your microwave does now. Why won't everyone just use a computer to log on to the Internet? The PC, although it is a wonderfully expandable and open device, has several drawbacks as a dedicated Internet device. First, it takes an inordinate amount of time to get on line. It requires a large amount of knowledge to use it. It is not responsive and stable like a consumer electronic device. The PC forces people to work in ways that may not be right for the task at hand. For instance, you do not have to "boot" your television or "shut down" your CD player. PCs are often in the wrong part of the house to accomplish what you want to do. In order for the web to truly become ubiquitous, new classes of devices, with purpose-built user experiences, will be created. The PC is great for business style applications, but it isn't the right tool for every use. Isn't a web browser and Internet connection all I need to create an Internet appliance? First, most existing web content has been created for PCs running full-featured browsers such as Internet Explorer. That assumes a high-resolution screen, access to all web options like JavaScript, SSL, CSS, XML, and major plug-ins such as RealPlayer G2. Devices will be compared to that current web experience and anything that cannot render current web pages will be considered inferior. Additionally, current content most likely will not be rewritten to fit unusual formats, so a device must work with what exists today in terms of content. Finally, consumers have grown up with the immediacy and media richness of television. They will expect their web devices to be just as direct and offer the same kind of multimedia experience. A simple browser without animations, sound and video will not gain acceptance among consumers. Why is BeIA the best software platform for Internet appliances? Be offers a complete end-to-end software solution for system builders. BeIA meets the key requirements of builders and consumers: Requirement Benefit Modular with small footprint Use just the pieces necessary for a given device within the cost considerations. Scalable for larger applications Can easily build larger applications and add new applications as time goes on. Easy growth path for families of devices. Easily customizable user experience Can completely control the user experience down to the pixel. HTML front end for everything allows designers to do all the work and to update look easily from a server. Fast localization into other languages. Stable, responsive environment No rebooting, forgiving to consumers' quirky ways. Immediate interface. Media savvy, low latency, supports all popular formats Responsive, glitch-free playback of media to deliver an immersive, media-rich experience beyond flat web pages. Upgradeable quickly, extensible Fast and clean development environment enables manufacturers to change, update and augment from the server side. Popular plug-ins RealSystem G2 Player and Flash allow for exciting additions to regular web content as well as QuickTime, AVI, WAV, MP3 and others. Integrated full-featured browser Vast majority of web content and pages will load and render properly. Users can shop, search, interact without limitation. Consistent and full input/output options Support for new protocols like USB, IEEE1394 give developers a way to add new functionality without having to write their own drivers. Java VM Enables further customization and hosted applications. Multiple hardware reference designs Give many choices for price and functionality. Applications and server services Adds additional functionality desired without the manufacturer having to do the work. Integration services A single point of contact to put all the pieces together. Easy to use, modern development environment Quick, inexpensive development of standard PCs for rapid time to market. Why shouldn't I use open source software for my appliance project? If time to market is a critical consideration for an Internet appliance project, BeIA makes far more sense than using open source software. Also note that open source licensing conditions often require the release of improvements to the community as a whole-in other words, to one's competitors. What integration services does Be offer? Be has relationships with major technology partners including Intel, Sun, RealNetworks, and National Semiconductor to name just a few. This means we have drivers for USB, IEEE 1394, printers, cameras, and audio devices; codecs for playing and recording audio and video; font technologies, and much more. Additionally, we are bringing together a number of partners to provide device vendors a menu of choices to include hardware reference designs, applications, relationships with e-commerce companies and ISPs, and in-house design work if necessary. Is BeIA a turnkey solution for Internet appliances? Yes, we provide all the elements for a vendor to deliver a device. What are BeIA's hardware requirements? We draw from the "PC clone organ bank." BeIA runs on x86 architecture (Intel, National Semiconductor, AMD) and Power PC processors. Device vendors can choose from a number of systems with a variety of add-ons. BeIA requires a minimum of 8MB of persistent storage (such as CompactFlash) and 32 MB RAM on a single-processor machine like the National Semiconductor Geode GXM chip, and can run on multiprocessor systems with hard disks and Open GL acceleration with a multichannel audio card. What is an entertainment appliance? A new wave of entertainment devices that will look like home stereo components is emerging that added access features for greater functionality and growth. One such device might archive and catalog an entire CD collection, push tunes down to a handheld MP3 player, stream Internet radio, allow for time-delayed listening, and stream different audio to different rooms of the house. Another might allow for time-delayed watching of television or movies that come from the Internet or cable, interactive game playing and additional program information. We see such devices networking with other devices in the house via several emerging home networking protocols such as HPNA and Bluetooth. Why is BeIA the best software platform for entertainment appliances? Because of Be's strong media foundation, BeIA is perfectly suited as the underlying software for such devices. Media is not only broadband but also needs to be highly deterministic. A device cannot drop a frame of video or a sample of audio. Television has conditioned consumers to expect that a true video experience does not include dropped frames. BeIA's multimedia tuned engine insures glitch-free and responsive devices.

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