Digital media is coming home. This time, though, it's not staying at the personal-computer level. The home-entertainment, mobile, and automotive segments are all gearing up for digital systems and solutions. To help them along, Royal Philips Electronics (www.philips.com) and Intel Corp. (www.intel.com) have collaborated to create a new digital-multimedia reference platform.

Called Pronto++ Software & Systems, this platform will enable Philips and its original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to create next-generation, interactive digital audio and video devices running on Intel PXA250 processors. The platform consists of reference hardware, a complete stack of enabling software, and multimedia services geared toward consumer simplicity and ease of use.

As part of the Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture, the PXA250 processor is based on the company's XScale technology. This technology enables low-power, high-performance building blocks for the wireless, handheld, and consumer-electronic market segments.

The Philips Pronto++ Software & Systems platform is available immediately. It offers two sets of solutions. The first one comprises fully integrated hardware devices that include software and services. The second solution is made up of software-only solutions for other devices, including personal digital assistants, smart phones, and notebook PCs. For more information, go to www.pronto.philips.com or http://developer.intel.com.