Freescale extends Android platform support for i.MX applications processors

AUSTIN, USA: A month after joining the Open Handset Alliance, Freescale has introduced a new evaluation kit that speeds and simplifies the development of compelling applications based on the Android platform and Freescale’s i.MX51 processor.

Android enables innovative end user experiences. The i.MX51 applications processor, based on the powerful ARM Cortex-A8 core, works together with the Android OS to deliver an ideal solution for the development of high performance, low power and cost effective mobile devices, such as smartphones.

A new Freescale i.MX51 evaluation kit (EVK) incorporating the Android OS is designed to help customers drive innovation and create differentiated products. Based on the latest Android kernel/release, the i.MX51 EVK runs the Android OS with highly accelerated multimedia codecs and graphics.

In addition, the common code base across Freescale i.MX Board Support Packages (BSPs) greatly streamlines porting efforts to next generation i.MX processors. Included in the kit are binary images for the Android OS on i.MX51, patches for Freescale source, and documentation such as a reference manual, user’s guide and release notes.

Freescale is proud to be a member of the Open Handset Alliance™ - a group of mobile and technology leaders responsible for the creation and proliferation of the Android OS and an open mobile ecosystem. Freescale contributes kernel code and drivers via the Android Open Source Project.

Key Features of the i.MX51 EVK with Android BSP
• High performance and low power operation
• Optimized multimedia codecs in the Android framework that include:
o ARMv7 optimizations
o Hardware acceleration using Video Processing Unit (VPU)
• Hardware acceleration for graphics
o 2D graphics for UI rendering
o OpenGL/ES for 3D applications
• Latest stable Android kernel/release

Available now, the i.MX51 EVK ships with software BSPs on accompanying pre-flashed SD cards for an outstanding out of the box experience. In addition, Android OS BSP images for the i.MX51 processor can be downloaded from the Freescale website. The Android OS sources can be obtained from http://source.android.com. The Android OS is also supported on other select i.MX processors through Freescale’s vast ecosystem.