Behind The Coolest Gadgets - Linux or Windows?

An anonymous reader submits "Sister sites LinuxDevices and WindowsForDevices have kicked off what they're calling the Great Embedded Device Smack-Down, to see whether Linux or Windows Embedded powers the best and coolest devices. The Smackdown highlights more than 350 gadgets in nine categories, along with some entertaining "pre-game commentary" featuring the latest market share figures for the two OSes and a whacky clipart image of Stone Cold Bill Gates taking on The Tux."

At least

[Hitch]

it seems like this is all in good fun...
it's nice to see good-natured rivalry based on merits rather than name-calling and finger pointing.

So

[Anonymous Coward]

It's embedded, so long as it runs seamlessly so that it does what it should why on earth is any customer going to give a flying fuck what OS it runs.

Number of Devices

[Noksagt]

The table of how many devices of which type run which OS seems to only list which OS devices ship with. Linux has been ported to many Windows devices, so you cna flash them to Linux. While windows should work with many of the linux devices, I think it isn't trivial to buy a license to put it on your device that shipped with Linux & to then flash it to run windows.

Re:At least

[doofusclam]

Definitely. Some folks round here could do with remembering this, rather than taking any Linux/MS remarks personally.

Re:iPod?

[Scrameustache]

It isn't even made by Apple. They bought the OS and most of the hardware spec from PortalPlayer and then customized it to their liking.

Doesn't that make it theirs then?
If they bought it, and customised it?

Re:A couple of things

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry NT 4 doesn't do USB so new Apple keyboards will be no go. Old ones are ADB bus and unless you have some sort of converter they aren't going to work either.

Re:Garmin GPS

[grub]

I had to let my fiancee by both a new pair of shoes and a new watch

She doesn't need a new watch, there's a clock on the stove! {rimshot}

Tag-team?

[Doc Ruby]

Sure, Andre the Giant might have fended off a horde of midget wrestlers. But in the embedded arena, where do PalmOS and Symbian fit into the market share? As a developer, I'm targetting the market that I can best reach. Microsoft's platforms have heavy prices in incompatibility and anticompetitive actions of Microsoft itself. But among its competitors, while Linux might lead, it's not alone. I don't expect "LinuxDevices.com" to cover that dimension of this story, but where are the numbers we can use to get the real big picture for these little platforms?

Re:iPod?

[mblase]

Doesn't that make it theirs then? If they bought it, and customised it?

No, because PortalPlayer is continuing to license (or try to license) their OS to other manufacturers of portable music devices.