Current status

This page lists our intended goal for the SDK, our roadmap so to speak. We are working to get there, step by step.

Currently, you can develop for the iLiad by downloading the Crosscompiler Toolchain. This toolchain runs on any standard i368/i686 Linux distribution, for instance Ubuntu. You can download this toolchain in the download section.

Applications you have created with this toolchain can be run on the iLiad by requesting a development package from iRex, to be sent to your iLiad via iDS. This package allows you to execture so-called shell-scripts under root permissions. This effectively gives you full-blown access to your iLiad: you can open the network connection, install a SSH server, etc, etc. You may request this package here .

As of yet, there is no way to (safely) install a new kernel and there are several places where you could mess up your iLiad software beyond self-repair. Until a means to fully recover your iLiad software is made available, we do not encourage you to start poking around the system unless you know what you are doing!

SDK

The philosophy of iRex is to provide an eReader platform that allows for maximum flexibility in terms of supporting formats for reading and, thereby, access to available content. Therefore, the main target for our software development team is to build a device that can support many (if not all) mainstream document types that are available on the market keeping the user interface for the consumer always the same. For the generic user the experience of working in (for example) a PDF document should be the same as working in an OEB document.

This philosophy has resulted in "the multiple viewer" concept, whereby a single user interface drives multiple "viewers" that are optimized for a specific format. The interface between the user interface and the viewers uses a standard set of API calls allowing easy addition of new viewers without the need to change the rest of the system.

However, since there are so many different document types available, it is virtually impossible for iRex to develop all viewers by itself. To cater for this, iRex relies on the support of both commercial/third parties as well as the Linux Open Source community.

With respect to the latter, we are well aware of the potential risks incorporated in this open approach. However, we acknowledge and fully appreciate the power of the Open Source developers’ community, and trust it will appreciate and respect our position.

Furthermore, we also trust that the world wide development community understands and acknowledges the fact that iRex needs to strike the right balance in order to:

• provide a platform that publishers fully trust and support so that commercial content can be delivered;
• generate revenue to recover the initial investments made over the last years;
• generate revenue in order to develop the next generation products;

and for most to:

• provide a product to the consumer that he/she enjoys using.

Keeping the above in mind, iRex will release two versions of the SDK:

• We will offer a development tool environment at no cost to our iLiad users that will suffice for most development needs. Developers can connect to the iLiad using a SSH connection over TCP/IP and logon to a development account where they can add additional executables (format viewers) on the iLiad. More details about this SDK will be announced in the coming period.
• For commercial applications that use the iLiad hardware and software as a platform a development agreement needs to be in place in order to provide end-user support, service and product warranty. The development environment is the same as for private developers with the addition of a JTAG probe allowing extensive debugging and tracing of the new code to increase development speed.

Private Developers

In order to become a ‘private’ developer for the iLiad platform, below procedure needs to be followed in order to setup the iLiad development environment:

• developers visit this web-site to register themselves as a developer;
• after registration, the iDS will send a file to your iLiad that will install the development environment automatically;
• by connecting the iLiad to your PC using the network connection you can logon to the developer environment;
• tools and an example of existing viewers can be downloaded from this web-site;
• all functions including communication, file access, touch screen input and display access are made available for the developer.

When a viewer is developed, several possibilities exist:

• The viewer can be installed by any iLiad user (even non-developers) on the iLiad internal memory, that can be accessed using the USB connection to the PC, allowing developers to distribute their viewer to all iLiad users.
• iRex may decide to formally support the viewer as a default viewer for a specific document type. If an iLiad user tries to open content that requires this viewer, but that is not yet available on its iLiad, through iDS the viewer can be made available automatically at the next connect cycle.
• A combination of the above.

Commercial Development

iRex will consider entering into a development agreement if:

• the new software is developed as an addition to existing iLiad software leaving the current functions in tack. Examples are additional content format support or additional hardware support.
• a formal business agreement is in place covering development support and volumes.
  

Based on this iRex will assign resources to:

• work with your engineering team to get them started quickly.
• answer technical questions during the development process.
• align development activities to add functions to the platform .
• support evaluation of your software releases.
• provide access to pre-releases of our new software to test compatability.
• arrange distribution of the additional software to iLiad using the iDS.

To initiate this 'development agreement' we would like to receive your contact details and we will contact you as soon as possible to discuss your request.