Wind River Platform for Android
The Open Handset Alliance's Android software development kit is one of the most exciting and innovative approaches to mobile device software platforms. A complete stack, it comprises a Linux core, mobile middleware, application framework, and user interface, all within an open source licensing structure that invites extensions and enhancements. Using this open source stack as the foundation, Wind River offers Wind River Platform for Android, a fully compliant commercial software platform from which original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers, and operators may quickly add branding, personalization, and innovation. Wind River Platform for Android is the basis to rapidly deliver a customized solution to fit specific market needs without having to reinvest in bringing up core platform components and ensure their stability.
Reasons to Use Commercial Android Platform
- Minimizes risk associated with open source software
- Reduces project schedule risk
- Allows multi-SKU planning against a committed release roadmap
- Improves software quality and diminishes support burden
- Enables shift in resources to innovate differentiating features
- Speeds platform development with select independent software vendor (ISV) preintegration
- Supports rapid customization without losing compliance
- Leverages Wind River's customer relationships across the entire mobile ecosystem
- Makes use of Wind River–developed Android optimization technology across the entire stack
Android Benefits and Features
Android user interface enhancements (click to enlarge)
Benefits
- Validation via rigorous manual and automated test cases improves software quality and drives software development.
- Transparent documentation of the open source license origin mitigates software risk.
- Commercial backing for a complete, delivered solution enables multigenerational product development.
- Automated test framework integrates test execution, target control, results collection, and reporting into a single platform to speed software quality assurance.
- Open Handset Alliance alignment with continuous Wind River investment delivers predictability and stability.
- Commercial support from certified support centers worldwide, backed by service level agreements, ensures on-time project completion.
- Optional professional services enable innovation.
Flexible user interface personalization (click to enlarge)
Key Features
- Validated Android Cupcake distribution, with published roadmap support for Open Handset Alliance (OHA) releases
- Full CTS compliance
- Automated test suite
- Meta test framework—many tests/one button, many results/one report
- More than 25,000 tests, including Iperf, IOZone, LTP, and hundreds of Wind River–authored tests
- Test-authoring tool for client-created tests
- CTS compatible
- Enhanced branding support
- Boot-up screens
- Termination screens
- Locked idle screen slide shows
- Options for new widgets and skins
- Extended gesture options
- Making a call
- Sending SMS messages
- Extended application framework
- Hardware-software optimizations
- Board integration and hardware acceleration
- Communication enhancements: Wi-Fi, USB, Bluetooth
- ALSA optimizations
- Boot-time acceleration
- Power management and optimization
- Master reset/restore function
- IxChariot ARM 11 Endpoint integration
Wind River in the OHA
Wind River has been an active leader in Open Handset Alliance (OHA) activities since April 2007. Wind River was the first Linux Commercialization Partner in the OHA. Since then, Wind River has worked with operators, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and semiconductor providers to architect, develop, and deliver Android-based products. Wind River has worked on virtually all leading mobile silicon that has been enabled or optimized for Android.
Also, Wind River has made important contributions back to the OHA in such key technology areas as Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA), V4L2 integration, hardware abstraction layer, testing and compliance, and general bug fixes.
