Chinese phone designs run Linux

Shenzhen, China-based smartphone design company Tranzda Technologies is marketing five phone designs that use its NewPlus Linux phone application stack. All five Tranzda designs include GPS, along with optional features that include WiFi, cameras, and biometric fingerprint authentication.


Tranzda's TFX320, TGP369, TFX326, TGP802 designs

Tranzda's phone models include:
TGP-369 -- Based on an ARM9-based Samsung S3C2440 clocked at 300-400MHz, with 64MB SDRAM and 64MB flash memory. The phone supports CDMA 2000 1X (450/800/1900MHz) transmission, as well as SMS, Color E SMS, and Cai E formats, says Tranzda. The phone has a 2.8-inch, 240 x 320 QVGA TFT LCD touchscreen, as well as a MiniSD Card slot and a USB port. Major features include WiFi, GPS, and a 1.3Mpixel camera. Multimedia support includes WMA, MP3, MIDI, AMR, AAC, and MMF audio playback, and MPEG-1, MPEG-4, DIVX, XVID, and H.23 video. The phone weighs 5.3 ounces (150 grams) and is powered by a 3.7 Volt rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery.

TFX-326 -- Identical to the TGP-369 except that instead of CDMA, it supports EDGE/Quad-Band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). It also offers a RFID (radio frequency ID) expansion option.

TGP-802 -- Identical to the TGP-369, but supports GSM/GPRS Tri-Band (900/1800/1900 MHz), and like the TFX-326 supports a RFID option. More notably, it offers biometric fingerprinting, says Tranzda.

Tranza TFX-320 -- Supports EDGE/Quad-Band GSM like the TFX-326, but instead of using the Samsung processor, it is based on an "AV115" processor. Possibly a multi-chip module (MCM), the AV115 is said to combine ARM9 and ARM7 cores with a DSP (digital signal processor). No RFID option

Additionally, GPS module maker Antenova Ltd., of Cambridge, England, reports that Tranzda used its RadioNova M10214 GPS subsystem in a fifth design. Tranzda has not yet shared details about the "T818" design on its website, but Antenova describes it as a tri-band EDGE model that offers GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, and multimedia functions in a half-inch (13mm) thick device. It is also said to run the NewPlus stack.

Tranzda's phone designs support its TDA Mobile Linux distribution and NewPlus Mobile Linux stack. Tranzda appears to supply its designs with a development kit, and the NewPlus stack.


Tranzda NewPlus architecture

The NewPlus stack is said to resemble Trolltech's Qt framework or Microsoft's Foundation Class libraries. It appears to include a modular set of applications including a WAP 1.0/2.0 browser, PC synchronization tools for data and music, messaging and email clients, and PIM (personal information management) software.


Tranzda NewPlus interface screens

Tranzda used the NewPlus stack earlier, in its PM328 phone design. In addition to Linux, NewPlus is available for Windows, or for porting to RTOSes, Tranzda says.

Stated Greg McCray, CEO of Antenova, "China manufactures almost half of the world's mobile phones. Many are designed by innovative Independent Design Houses (IDHs), such as Tranzda."

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