The keynote was followed by technical presentations from system architects, CTOs, and CEOs from major embedded-Linux companies, as well as an afternoon keynote entitled "Linux -- The Embedded Cinderella" from Jim Ready, CEO and founder of MontaVista.

CNN: Report from the Embedded Linux Expo & Conference

The new SDK can use H.264 hardware encoding to supplement the relatively slow ARM chips that will be running Linux in an embedded manner -- like the Panasonic TV, for instance, which was developed using an early version of SkypeKit.

ENGADGET: SkypeKit beta SDK adds Skype to any application or device

This is an especially opportune time for Linux to become the OS of choice for many of the tens of thousands of new embedded designs that emerge each year -- you can find out why in Rick Cook's "Embedded Linux Basics" article in LinuxWorld.

CNN: Report from the Embedded Linux Expo & Conference

The company has a deal with Linux purveyor Red Hat (nasdaq: RHAT - news - people ) to develop Linux for the embedded market, using Wind River tools, middleware and services.

FORBES: Wind River Gets Smart

Meanwhile, MPC Data is going after much more of a niche, but doing it well: its SwiftBoot tech can get Linux up and running an actual application on an embedded device-ready Renesas SuperH SH7724 processor in under a second (0.982 seconds, to be precise).

ENGADGET: Lineo's Warp 2 boots to Fedora on Atom in 4 seconds, MPC Data's SwiftBoot warms up embedded Linux in an instant

Clarke offered few details, but he said the technology relies on a second processor and an embedded Linux system that allows users to bypass Windows to surf the Web, check e-mail and calendar, and view attachments the moment users flip up a laptop's lid.

FORBES: Magazine Article