ARM Community: A Sweet New Market with ARM Graphics at the Core - ARM Community

In November 2011, the world did not know that it would be possible to pack a 1080p capable GPU, a 1.2 GHz CPU, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth into a USB stick sized device until FXI Technologies demonstrated the Cotton Candy™ any screen micro computer in fabulous New York. Something happened when we did that. First of all, it showcased the possibilities enabled by the ARM ecosystem. FXI was a small, but dedicated team in Norway and South Korea that had pulled out something new and sweet (some would say fluffy) from the magic hat of innovation. Second, it showed the world that high-end ARM SoCs are not confined to smart phones and tablets and mobile devices, but can drive any screen and any potential application. There is an ongoing string of innovation validating this point since, most recently with the announcement of the ARM-powered Samsung Chromebook.



The reception from the general public on Cotton Candy was marvelous. In fact, so marvelous that FXI had to double in size just to handle the sheer volume of requests from the market. Within a few weeks, we were sitting around the tables across major cities in the Northern hemisphere with market leading retail brands, enterprise solution providers, security companies, cable operators, network operators, even some smooth operators, operating system providers, health care institutions, educational institutions, law enforcement, secret intelligence operations, cloud service companies, app developers, automotive companies, in-flight entertainment system companies and the list goes on. I came to think about a discussion with my old friend and VP of Technology in the Media Processing Division in ARM, Mr. Jem Davies, about toasters being smart one day. For the record, we have had a discussion with a manufacturer of toasters as well.

FXI is moving in a rather multi-dimensional fashion with the Cotton Candy any screen micro computer compared to the followers that have started to address the form factor. This is attributed to our key differentiating IP, the Any Screen functionality that Cotton Candy is offering allowing the device to control and take over the user interfaces of PCs and Macs in addition to PC monitors and TV screens. This, together with a platform approach in our business model, allows partners to add value to the Cstick™ Cotton Candy (video) and take this value to virtually any screen in a consistent fashion.

We see that there is currently a hole in the market cloud business services, apps or eco-systems, which do not fit the old PC paradigm, and which cannot be implemented and controlled on top of an OEM Android or iOS device. This hole can be filled with the any screen micro computer. Since its commercial launch in September 2012, over 160 companies and institutions have acquired Cotton Candy through our development initiative and are adding their solutions, services and apps to it for specific market verticals.

The key to success for the Cstick Cotton Candy any screen microcomputer is to gain buy-in from these companies and developers. To further enable that, we are working closely with ARM, their development group, and the strong ARM ecosystem to drive more innovation and new market opportunities for this entirely new form factor – the any screen micro computer.

Borgar Ljosland, Chief Executive Officer of FXI Technologies, is a serial entrepreneur with 15 years of experience from the semiconductor industry. He was the co-founder and CEO of Falanx Microsystems, acquired by ARM (2006). He joined ARM as a part of the executive team establishing the ARM Media Processing Division, in charge of business development. Borgar has contributed to 13 patents, is currently the CEO of FXI Technologies, and was the driver behind the original FXI patent.

ARM welcomes its wealth of Partners in the ARM Connected Community (CC) to submit guest blogs to be published on our multiple community blogs. If interested in participating please submit email inquiries to Tell.Us@arm.com.

The ARM Connected Community (CC) is an extensive ecosystem covering all aspects of ARM processor-based design, from chip implementation through to system and device design. The CC provides a platform for collaborative innovation, with multiple types of forums for members to work with one another, and with customers, to solve industry challenges, all with the purpose of enabling designers to focus on differentiating features and an accelerated time-to-market for ARM powered solutions.