Video: Compal and FIC netbooks running Moblin v2.0 Beta
June 12, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Despite Computex Taipei finishing last week, we are still hearing about a number of models that didn’t share the limelight last week. Amongst them are two netbooks from ODMs that were spotted by NetbookNews at the Intel booth running Moblin v2.0 beta, the Compal KTV00 and FIC CW001.
The Compal KTV00 was a reasonably slim model with some similarities to Dell’s Inspiron Mini 10 due to its huge touchpad and integrated mouse buttons within the touchpad itself. It comes with a 10-inch (1024 x 600) glossy display. The keyboard itself looked average, whilst it was powered by the N270 Atom CPU.
The 10-inch FIC CW001 looked quite average. It did have some dedicated buttons for ‘Home’, ‘Email’ and ‘Pictures’, although they didn’t seem to work at the booth. Other notable points of interest included an Expresscard slot, which isn’t found on too many netbooks. The keyboard an touchpad seemed a bit small, whilst VGA ports and a Kensington lock were fond at the rear. Check out both videos after the jump. Read more
Ubuntu 10.04 targets 10-second boot time
June 10, 2009 at 10:54 pm
The developers behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution have some ambitious targets for its 10.04 release penned in for 2010. It aims to drastically reduce the boot times from 25 seconds, as observed in the current 9.04 version, to just 10 seconds for 10.04.
Ubuntu 9.04 and in particular Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.04, already saw a considerable improvement in boot times. Boot time decreased from 65 seconds in version 8.10 to only 25 seconds in 9.04. This is expected to be improved further for the next release, Ubuntu 9.10 which is codenamed Karmic Koala. Ubuntu 10.04 will follow the release of version Karmic. Read more
Video: Jolicloud demoed on touchscreen netbook
June 10, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Jolicloud is already looking like an accomplished netbook OS, even in this early Alpha stage. The OS has been built with the netbook in mind from the ground up, taking note of the smaller screen sizes and also utilising cloud computing. Netbook Italia has also shown how well the OS works via a touchscreen, just in time for a wave of touchscreen netbooks expected to arrive in the second half of the year.
They do this on an 8.9-inch Acer Aspire One A150 netbook that has been modded with a touchscreen display. The video below shows this in action on the alpha ‘Robby’ release and you can see them using both finger and pen stylus input. TechCrunch also has a hands-on review of Jolicloud that is worth checking out. Read more
Novell considers Moblin open-source app store
June 10, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Application stores for mobile operating systems are all the rage these days, with Apple’s app store one of the most successful. Whilst app stores exist for most mobile platforms including Android, Palm and Nokia’s Ovi store, not much exists for the desktop market.
Novell is looking to change that by introducing an “open-source apps store” which would bring a wealth of free software to Linux users. This is set to appear in an openSUSE edition of the Moblin OS. This app store will differ in that Novell won’t be asking for a single penny in exchange for a download. Read more
Opera 10 Beta – a worthy browser for your netbook
June 5, 2009 at 11:19 pm
The Opera 10 Beta is now been released for public consumption. For those of you that have steadfastly been happy with Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari or even Internet Explorer, now is the perfect time to take Opera for a test drive. The reasons to do so become even more important to a netbook user when you consider the improvements that have been made.
One of the biggest is Opera Turbo, which uses special compression technology to boost browsing speeds when using dial-up connections. How this works is that web pages are sent to Opera’s own servers first which compress them by up to 80% before they hit your browser. One obvious area where this will come in very handy is in mobile devices and netbooks. Read more
Video: Pegatron smartbook with Freescale CPU hands-on
June 5, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Pegatron first showed off this very thin and lightweight smartbook back at CES in January. This particular model reappeared at Computex and NetbookNews.de managed to get hands-on with the unit. The 10-inch netbook was running on a Freescale IMX51 800MHz ARM-based CPU and Xandros Linux. The most notable aspects appear to be a very lightweight, fanless glossy model with 8 hours of battery life.
Storage is catered for by a 4GB SSD meaning that the weight doesn’t creep above 800g. The Pegatron netbook includes a 4-in-1 card reader, USB 2.0 ports and a VGA out. As you would expect with an ARM-based chip, wireless connectivity includes 3G, GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Build quality was found to be good, despite some flex in the palm rest area. The keyboard had good feedback but only had a small right shift key. Interestingly, a second model (with the same hardware) was shown running the Movial OS, which I’ve not heard of before. It was similar to Asus’ Easy Mode OS. There is no idea on cost right now, but hopefully it won’t be too far off the Wistron N900z’s predicted $200 price tag. Check out the video after the jump. Read more
Moblin gets Linux distro backing & Android app support
June 5, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Moblin, the Intel-backed Linux operating system tailored for netbooks, has been growing in momentum over this past week at Computex Taipei. It has been pushing Moblin V2.0 along with the Linux Foundation, who took control of the project in April.
A number of operating system vendors (OSVs) have already committed to Moblin. This includes Linpus, who will offer its Moblin V2 Linpus Linux Lite in two versions, one with a Linpus UI and one with Intel’s UI. Canonical will release an “Ubuntu Moblin Remix”, whilst Novell demoed its SUSE edition of Moblin Version 2 on Acer and MSI hardware at Computex. Xandros also demonstrated its “Xandros Moblin 2 solution” on an Asus Eee PC in at Computex. Read more
Video: Wistron N900z smartbook hands-on
June 3, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Computex has been a revelation for the new type of smartbook devices that have emerged. Whilst some may view these devices as underpowered, they will only get stronger as time goes on in our view. Freescale showcased some smartbooks of its own, including the 10-inch Wistron N900z.
The N900z uses an 800MHz Freescale ARM-based CPU, runs Ubuntu and has a 4GB flash drive. Battery life is very good at around 10 hours of life. Laptop Mag went hands-on with the bland-looking device. They liked the rubberised keys on the keyboard but found the touchpad to be unusable. Performance wasn’t that great though, with some hiccups when trying to play a video whilst having two applications open. With the applications closed, the video played fine.
There is no timeline as to when this device might launch, but Freescale expects it to cost around the $200 mark when it does. NetbookNews also went hands-on with the device and we’ve attached a video of it after the break. Read more
Jolicloud website now live, private alpha to launch imminently
June 2, 2009 at 11:57 pm
The Jolicloud website is now live. There’s not too much on there right now, you’ll find a new Blog page where you’ll find continuous updates along with Jolicloud’s twitter feed. There is also a list of supported hardware, it’s only an initial list and will be added to as time goes on. I found the most useful part the ‘First Look’ section, which gives you a number of screenshots which are annotated to give you an idea of what to expect.
It all looks very user friendly and invites for the Alpha will start to be sent out in the next couple of days. Due to some bug-squashing and server issues it may take some time before invites start to arrive though. On the site you’ll also find the Jolicloud Manifesto which lays out the ideas behind the operating system. Read more
Jolicloud Alpha OS Video Demo
June 2, 2009 at 11:20 am
There are a number of Linux-based operating systems that are being tailored for the netbook experience. Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.04 and Moblin have recently shown off their OS’, and it looks like Jolicloud will be just as impressive, if this video demonstration by NetbookNews is anything to go by. Jolicloud is based on Ubuntu with touted faster boot times and improved internet surfing.
As you can tell by the ‘cloud’ part of the name, Jolicloud has been customised for cloud computing, to get Jolicloud you must register for an account. The bulk of Jolicloud is run from the Internet, rather than being installed locally on your netbook. The creators describe it as a ‘Social OS’. This means that it has support for services like Facebook, Twitter and Skype built-in. Any updates are seen on the front page of the OS screen.
The new Jolicloud website and private Alpha should be launching very soon, so keep your eyes peeled if you want to try it yourself. Check out the video after the jump. Read more
Video: Foxconn netbook shown with Linpus Lite Moblin v2.0
May 31, 2009 at 10:03 am
With Computex just around the corner, Foxconn couldn’t help revealing details on its SZ901 netbook that runs Linpus Lite Moblin v2.0. The 10.1-inch netbook specs are your usual Intel N270 Atom CPU, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD and a 3G module, however it’s the OS that catches the eye.
Linpus is not set to fully reveal its work with Intel’s open-source OS team until next week (the video only shows the boot-up sequence). Apart from the OS and 3G module, this netbook looks distinctly average. The inside is glossy while the keyboard appears to have some flex. The bottom has easy access to the RAM and HDD. It will come with a 1.3MP webcam and 3-cell battery.
Foxconn is an ODM so the SZ901 will likely be branded by its partners. We’ll look for further details, including price, launch date and possible partners, next week. Check out the video after the break. Read more
Qualcomm plans new breed of netbooks dubbed “smartbooks”
May 29, 2009 at 8:48 am
Qualcomm has formally announced that it will release a new class of gadget called smartbooks, which are powered using its Snapdragon chipset. As the name suggests, smartbooks will fit somewhere between the traditional netbook form-factor and a smartphone.
Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon processor offers the brains and connectivity (both Wi-Fi and cellular 3G, not to mention GPS and Bluetooth) for a smartbook on a single chip, allowing for smaller devices. The device that will be always connected via 3G and boast significantly better battery times than seen in most netbooks. These devices will run Linux or a mobile operating system and last eight to 10 hours on a single battery charge. Whilst most netbooks include Wi-Fi connectivity, 3G or GPS integration is very much an option, if it exists at all. Read more
Jolicloud Alpha to launch early June + netbook compatibility list
May 28, 2009 at 11:55 am
Jolicloud has been developing a new Linux-based operating system targeted to netbooks for a while now. For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting further news, you’ll be pleased to hear that the invite-only Alpha will be launching on June 1st along with the new website.
There are now a number of Linux based netbook operating systems that are starting to shape up very well. Along with Ubuntu Netbook Remix, Moblin recently highlighted a completely revamped UI to much acclaim. We are waiting to see how Jolicloud differentiates itself, but there’s not too long to wait now.
The first private alpha release will be codenamed Robby (after Robby the Robot) and if you are interested you should stick your email down on the official site now. We also have a confirmed netbook compatibility list for Jolicloud, which we have attached after the break. Unfortunately. Jolicloud will not work on the Dell Mini 10, although the 10v will work. Read more
Symbian netbook future is ‘superconverged’
May 22, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Symbian has already demonstrated that it can port its OS to the Intel Atom processor and this could be a precursor to future Symbian-based netbooks. In an interview with Techradar, Tim Holbrow, who is the chief of the newly formed Symbian Foundation said: “it (Symbian) can already run on netbooks. Will we see them on the market? “I think so, yep.” Before adding cryptically, “but I think the question is, will netbooks carry on being netbooks?”
Holbrow also feels that netbooks could be threatened by the continuing convergence of mobile phones. “What we’re seeing at the Symbian Foundation is a move towards superconvergence… all of your technologies all converging into one device,” he said. “We can see a world in two or three years’ time where mobile devices start to eat into the world of laptops and netbooks… obviously cameras are already doing it.”
Personally I find it hard to believe that something like a phone and netbook will converge at any point. If mobile phones got any bigger than they are, than they would lose their portability. And if you keep the mobile phone size where it is today, then that would only offer a compromised ‘netbook’ experience.
Nokia’s next-gen tablet OS pictured; coming to netbooks?
May 20, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Nokia has made a number of noises about entering the netbook segment at some point in the future. There have not been many rumours surrounding what this netbook may look like; all we’ve had are a few rumours on possible ODM partners used to manufacture the product. One of the key questions though, is which OS will Nokia decide to use?
Symbian may be a strong possibility, given Nokia’s association with the platform. However, another possibility could be a version of its upcoming tablet OS, especially since touchscreen netbooks are expected to become more prevalent as the year progresses. Read more
Recent Comments