BluOnyx is a brand of Mobile Content Server introduced in December 2006 by LSI Inc (formerly Agere Systems). The first prototype models of the BluOnyx were demonstrated at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with mass distribution expected later in the year. The purpose of the device is to store digital media away from the computer, creating a single place where many users with different mobile devices can connect. The device utilizes software which is "pushed" directly onto the phones, rather than have the device connected to a computer.
Design
There are 3 subsystems in the BluOnyx: The Storage Subsystem, The Application Processing Subsystem and the Connectivity Subsystem.
The Storage Subsystem can be made of either Hard Disk Drives or Flash chips. The BluOnyx is expected to come in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 10GB and 40GB storage sizes.
The Application Processing subsystem has Agere's Application Processing Engine layered with extra software. LSI has embedded an open operating system called VxWorks and made it open to 3rd party developers who said they want a free hand to bring innovative new applications to the end user. The chipset in this subsystem includes the Application Processor and the power management chip.
BluOnyx has only two buttons — a power button and a button to permit others (non-owners) to access it via Bluetooth and WiFi.
The Bluonyx is DRM compliant.