Sitara™ ARM® processors offer a cool treat this summer, adding support of Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich"

DALLAS, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) is offering developers a cool treat to kick off their summer right. TI today announced the availability of a new software development kit (SDK) that brings Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich") to TI's Sitara™ AM335x and AM37x ARM®-Cortex™-A8 processors. This complete software offering allows innovators to fully evaluate Android 4.0 on embedded applications running on TI's Sitara processors. For more information or to download the free SDK, click here.

The perfect fit for low-cost, low-power, Android 4.0-based applications

For the first time, Sitara ARM developers can take advantage of Android 4.0 for low-cost, low-power applications, including wearable gadgets such as watches, goggles, display panels for home appliances and automation, education and enterprise tablets that are non-video centric, point-of-sale terminals, portable navigation devices and industrial control applications.

"This milestone of bringing Android 4.0 support to our Sitara platform demonstrates TI's commitment to advancing opportunities for the open-source community," said Adrian Valenzuela, marketing director, Sitara ARM processors, TI. "Bringing Android 4.0 to the Sitara platform enables developers to use the stunning features that this latest Android flavor delivers to embedded applications, such as innovative video, imaging and graphics effects, robust user interfaces and more."

Quickly and easily evaluate Android-based applications

Complete with pre-integrated connectivity and 3D graphics capabilities, the SDK provides a stable software foundation that can be utilized on a wide range of Sitara processor products.  To help developers quickly and easily integrate and evaluate Android-based applications, the SDK is fully tested for functionality using the Android compatibility test suite on the AM335x evaluation module (EVM), Beagleboard-xM, BeagleBone, AM37x EVM and Flash Board platforms. The SDK includes:

• Linux kernel
• Boot loaders (uboot/x-loader)
• Android 4.0.3 "Ice Cream Sandwich" operating system (OS)
• 3D graphics using Imagination Technologies' POWERVR™ SGX OpenGL® driver and libraries
• TI's WiLink™ 6.0 combo connectivity drivers for Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth® v2.1 technologies
• RowboPERF, a performance measurement and benchmarking application
• Host tools for Android debugging with TI's Code Composer Studio™ integrated development environment
• Application notes, guides and test results to help developers with their designs

Pricing and availability

The Android 4.0 SDK for TI's Sitara ARM Cortex-A8 processors is available for free download today, with no development or production restrictions. Developers interested in experimenting with the latest Android code for Sitara can also visit the open source community at arowboat.org. Developers can begin evaluating on a variety of TI platforms including:

• Full-featured AM335x EVM (TMDXEVM3558) for $995.
• AM37x EVM (TMDXEVM3715) for $1,495.
• BeagleBone from www.beagleboard.org for $89.
• Flash Board, available for $699 from www.theflashboard.com.

Additional software support

Sitara ARM processors offer software support for popular OSes to enable microcontroller-like programming, including the following solutions:

• Support for Linux, Android and Windows Embedded Compact 7 operating systems
• Compatible security solutions and real-time operating systems available from third parties, enabling further product customization and simplifying development
• StarterWare software package, allowing developers to program these microprocessors like a microcontroller, without requiring an operating system
• TI EZ SDK, allowing demo in minutes and development in less than an hour

For more information

• TI's Android software development kit
• Join the TI E2E™ community
• Check out ArowBoat's community page
• Follow TI on Twitter
• Like TI on Facebook

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at www.ti.com.

Trademarks

Sitara, Code Composer Studio and TI E2E are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.

ARM processor  | Sitara ARM  | ARM Cortex a8 | ARM Cortex

SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated