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The Icon Bar: News and features: Another piece in the Picsel puzzle...
 

Another piece in the Picsel puzzle...

Posted by Tim Fountain on 12:29, 27/10/2000 | , , ,
 
Chris Evans has spotted an article in the Glasgow Sunday Herald about mystery company Picsel Technologies. Here's a snippet:

"The cause of all the fuss is a piece of software, e-Page, that can sit on a tiny computer chip and allows existing text and graphics from the internet, or other information sources in any file format, to be downloaded on to a handheld device, in the same form as a traditional PC. If, for example, you wished to view a Microsoft Word document, a streaming video image or an internet page, Picsel's technology allows you to view them perfectly without actually relying on the original software to do so."

Among the 19-strong staff who work at there are ex-RISCOS Ltd. programmers Justin Fletcher, Matthew Bullock and Dave Thomas, and RISC OS programmer Joseph Heenan; but up until now we haven't actually known what the company does. Don't get your hopes up about handheld devices running RISC OS though, as this isn't going to happen.
 
  Another piece in the Picsel puzzle...
  (12:38 27/10/2000)
  [martin] (13:00 27/10/2000)
    Richard Goodwin (13:30 27/10/2000)
      Tim Fountain (13:54 27/10/2000)
        Justin (14:25 27/10/2000)
          Matthew (14:27 27/10/2000)
            Joseph (14:30 27/10/2000)
              Tim Fountain (15:11 27/10/2000)
                Justin (18:57 27/10/2000)
                  Andrew Weston (19:23 27/10/2000)
                    David Thomas (23:55 27/10/2000)
                      Gav (01:07 28/10/2000)
                        Tim Fountain (12:31 28/10/2000)
                          Justin (16:40 28/10/2000)
                            Richard Goodwin (07:59 29/10/2000)
                              keith dunlop (18:59 3/11/2000)
 
David Thomas Message #88136, posted at 12:38, 27/10/2000
Unregistered user "Could we be seeing handheld devices running RISC OS in the not-too-distant-future?"

No.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
[martin] Message #88137, posted at 13:00, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88136
Unregistered user Then I wonder what all these people are doing there?

(Apart from playing networked computer games in the office ;-)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Richard Goodwin Message #88138, posted at 13:30, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88137
Unregistered user Perhaps the machines are based on RISC (ARM) chips, but not running RISC OS?

The fairly large processing power for a much smaller requirement of electrical power compared to x86 chips (4eg), coupled with recent moves to add extras to ARM chips so that they can do pretty much everything without too much extra circuitry, mean ARM chips are targetted at mobile devices quite a lot these days.

For instance, for a while now we've had ARM chips with memory controllers etc. built in - like with the A3010, and now the RiscStation stuff (I think!). Now add LCD and serial port controllers, stuff like that, and all you need for a new PDA is the chip, the stuff to plug your LCD screen or serial lead in to, and much less in the way of extra (and so costly) addition components in between.

That's probably over-simplifying technical stuff I only half understand ;) but a knowledge of programming for these chips in machine code would be an advantage when working for a company that uses ARM chips.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Tim Fountain Message #88139, posted at 13:54, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88138
Unregistered user :)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Justin Message #88140, posted at 14:25, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88139
Unregistered user Why is it that people seem to assume that if you've worked with RISC OS, that's all you're going to do in the future ? Blinkered, RISC OS users ? Nah...

Oh, and I think you'll find that Dave Thomas is an ex-RISCOS Ltd employee too :-)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Matthew Message #88141, posted at 14:27, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88140
Unregistered user But that is all they can do.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Joseph Message #88142, posted at 14:30, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88141
Unregistered user Well I can hold my RPC in my hand. You lot clearly have small hands...
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Tim Fountain Message #88143, posted at 15:11, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88142
Unregistered user There was no assumption, merely speculation. Several of RISC OS' most famous (perhaps fame is the wrong word...) programmers move from the company who are responsible for RISC OS, to another company who're doing "something" with handheld devices. It's not that big a jump to make.

Oh and I know Dave worked for ROL. I've edited the news item to make that a little clearer.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Justin Message #88144, posted at 18:57, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88143
Unregistered user Infamy... mu-ha-ha-ha-ha...
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Andrew Weston Message #88145, posted at 19:23, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88144
Unregistered user Good luck to the Picsel staff and they're clearly talented people. Nice to know what they're doing but I suspect that it's largely irrelevant to most people dedicated to RISC OS.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
David Thomas Message #88146, posted at 23:55, 27/10/2000, in reply to message #88145
Unregistered user Oh, by the way. The product is ePAGE. Small 'e', the rest in capitals. :-)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Gav Message #88147, posted at 01:07, 28/10/2000, in reply to message #88146
Unregistered user Infamy? ... as in 'they've all got it Infamy'
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Tim Fountain Message #88148, posted at 12:31, 28/10/2000, in reply to message #88147
Unregistered user Tell the Sunday Herald, I'm only quoting from their article :).
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Justin Message #88149, posted at 16:40, 28/10/2000, in reply to message #88148
Unregistered user It's just a pity that you missed out on the cool photo that went with the article. Ah well...
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Richard Goodwin Message #88150, posted at 07:59, 29/10/2000, in reply to message #88149
Unregistered user Well, if anyone can source us a copy...
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
keith dunlop Message #88151, posted at 18:59, 3/11/2000, in reply to message #88150
Unregistered user Aha now we know where the RISC OS ltd. coders got poached to.

I hope you lot are deep in ARM-code learning how to remove the IOMD/VIDC problem....

TTFN ;-)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 

The Icon Bar: News and features: Another piece in the Picsel puzzle...