Kynetics Overview

Our partner Kynetics - Toradex preferred Android integrator - provides full software stacks for the most popular embedded application processors focusing particularly on NXP i.MX SoCs.

Android Binary Images

Install Android on Toradex modules directly from the Toradex Easy Installer:

• Toradex Easy Installer Android Images

Alternatively, download the images from Kynetics website (sign-in required):

• Kynetics Android - Binary Images

Android Source-code

You can download the source-code bundle, build instructions, and any extra documentation from the Kynetics website (sign-in required):

• Kynetics Website - Toradex Board Support Packages (BSPs)

You also need to register on the NXP website, as part of the source code is only provided after you accept the NXP end user license agreement(EULA). The exact software name and version is provided in the Kynetics source-code bundle PDF named Kynetics Android BSP - Getting Started Guide from the previous link.

• NXP Android Vendor Package

Kynetics Services

Kynetics also provides services and utilities related to their Android offerings:

• ViBE: bundled source code and build environment.

• Update Factory: artifact content and software update delivery.

• For source-code customization services and support; get in contact with Kynetics.

Android Evaluation BSPs

Kynetics provides open-source Android Evaluation BSP releases for i.MX 8 and i.MX 8X-based SoMs. The BSPs are provided in binary image format and in source-code. In addition, Kynetics provides binary images for i.MX7 and i.MX6-based SoMs.

Kynetics BSP Support Strategy

The details of the Kynetics and Toradex policy for Android Evaluation BSPs are provided below, please read carefully:

Supported hardware

• Computer on Modules:
  • Apalis iMX8QM 4GB WB
  • Colibri iMX8XQXP 2GB WB
• Carrier Boards:
  • Ixora Carrier Board for Apalis family.
  • Iris Carrier Board for Colibri family.
• On-module Wi-Fi and Bluetooth:
  • Supported out-of-the-box for all respectively supported Toradex SoMs that have on-module Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
• Displays and touch controllers:
  • Capacitive Touch Display 10.1" LVDS for iMX.8 variants that have LVDS output both on the SoC and on the SoM edge connector. The touch controller for this display is supported.
  • Capacitive Touch Display 7" Parallel for SoM variants that have parallel RGB output both on the SoC and on the Toradex SoM edge connector. The touch controller for this display is supported.
  • Any other displays and touch controllers supported on the NXP release.

Other Toradex SoMs and Hardware

Kynetics can on-demand, support all Toradex offerings equipped with NXP i.MX6, i.MX7, i.MX 8 and i.MX 8X SoCs, including custom carrier board designs from customers and partners. You must get in contact with Kynetics for more details.

Evaluation BSP distribution format

• Binary images in Toradex Easy Installer format.
• Source-code bundle with build instructions.

Souce code and documentation availability

You need to download source-code from 2 places, both require sign-on and that you accept the end-user license agreement (EULA):

• Kynetics Website - Toradex Board Support Packages (BSPs)
• NXP Android Vendor Package

Details about the source-code release:

• U-Boot and Linux-based kernel are available on public repositories.
• Kynetics Vendor Package is available upon registration on a private area of Kynetics website. It contains:
  • Toradex product definitions.
  • Patches to AOSP and the NXP release, if any.
  • Build scripts and miscellaneous files.
  • Android build manifest.
• Kynetics documentation is comprised of a changelog and a getting started guide.
  • Instructions on how to build Android from sources and how to flash it to the Toradex modules.

Notes on BSP components

• The U-Boot bootloader is based on Toradex release and NXP release that supports the latest Android BSP.
• The kernel and device tree are based on the Toradex offerings, given that they are aligned with NXP releases to support a particular Android version.
• Android port is customized by Kynetics on top of NXP releases, to support Toradex SoMs.
• Bugs from the NXP release are not necessarily fixed.
• Update Factory OTA client application is supported by Kynetics out-of-the-box.
  • The OTA service is a paid offering by Kynetics.
• Kynetics may provide demo applications to showcase hardware access using their proprietary userspace drivers.

Release cycle

• Kynetics releases its official BSPs up to a maximum of 8 weeks after NXP releases its base BSP.

Support and customization

Since the BSPs are meant for evaluation, we expect that you don't use them in production environments before doing some further customization.

• We recommend Kynetics paid services for customization and support.
• You can choose other third-party Android integrators from, e.g. our partner's list.
• You can do customization on your own on top of Kynetics release, which has greatly reduced complexity compared to porting the whole BSP from NXP by yourself.