Dec 3, 2015 - 9:00 AM

TAIWAN, Hsinchu – 2 December 2015 – MediaTek Labs today announced the MediaTek LinkIt Smart 7688 development platform, the latest addition to the LinkIt portfolio of development platforms. This new platform offers a variety of programming options and enables rapid development of advanced Wi-Fi based devices such as IP cameras, surveillance devices, smart appliances and Wi-Fi gateways that make use of cloud services.

Two versions of the platform’s Hardware Development Kit (HDK) are available: the LinkIt Smart 7688, which includes a microprocessor unit (MPU) based on the MediaTek MT7688AN system-on-chip (SOC), and the LinkIt Smart 7688 Duo, which in addition to the MPU includes a microcontroller unit (MCU) and is Arduino compatible. Both development boards feature built-in Wi-Fi, generous 128MB RAM and 32MB Flash, and a wide variety of options for connecting peripherals.

“MediaTek Labs is focused on stimulating innovation in IoT and is pleased to extend its LinkIt family of development platforms to the open-source and web developer communities, enabling broader product development for a more connected world,” said Marc Naddell, VP of MediaTek Labs. “The new LinkIt Smart 7688 development platform will appeal to a wide range of developers because of its open-source software compatibility, support for several popular programming languages and use of Linux.”

The LinkIt Smart 7688 will benefit three developer communities:

• OpenWrt: Developers can use the standard OpenWrt SDK to create native C applications for their IoT device, taking advantage of over 2000 software packages offering additional functionality. Web and mobile app developers: With support for Node.js and Python, the platform offers an easy route into IoT development.
• Arduino: (LinkIt Smart 7688 Duo only) Makers can use the popular Arduino IDE to develop applications for the MCU and have realtime control of peripherals.

LinkIt Smart 7688 is able to take advantage of the MediaTek Cloud Sandbox for data collection, visualization and analytics during development. Learn more about the platform by visiting https://labs.mediatek.com/helio7688.

Availability and Cost

The MediaTek LinkIt Smart 7688 and 7688 Duo development boards are available to ship globally from Seeed Studio today. The LinkIt Smart 7688 costs $12.90, while the LinkIt Smart 7688 Duo costs $15.90. Both boards can be purchased from http://www.seeed.cc/7688.

A fully open-source version of the Wi-Fi driver is in development and expected to be made available by MediaTek Labs in the coming months.

MediaTek Labs launched in September 2014 and continues to provide developers, makers and service providers with SDKs, HDKs and documentation, as well as technical and business support. To learn more about MediaTek Labs, visit https://labs.mediatek.com.

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About MediaTek

Since 1997, MediaTek has been a pioneering fabless semiconductor company and a market leader in cutting-edge systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile devices, wireless networking, HDTV, DVD and Blu-ray. Our tightly-integrated, innovative chip designs help manufacturers optimize supply chains, reduce the development time of new products, and extend a competitive edge in crowded markets. Through MediaTek Labs, the company is also building a developer hub that will support device creation, application development, and services for the Internet of Things era. By building technologies that help connect individuals to the world around them, MediaTek is enabling people to expand their horizons and more easily achieve their goals. We believe anyone can achieve something amazing. And we believe they can do it every single day. We call this idea Everyday Genius and it drives everything we do. Visit mediatek.com for more information.