Smartphones to get mobile flavor of Ubuntu Linux

While having a flavor of Linux on one's smartphone isn't unheard of, it could become at least somewhat more popular now that a common variety is scheduled to make its mobile debut. After years of Linux-on-a-handset talk from just about every direction imaginable, the developers of Ubuntu are hoping to "extend its open-source software development to handheld internet-enabled devices." Reportedly dubbed the Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded project, the operating system could be headed to your mobile device thanks to a collaborative effort between Ubuntu programmers and Intel, which shouldn't come as any surprise considering its recent infatuation with the open-sourced OS. Of course, Ubuntu is a surefire candidate for OS of the month given all the press its meandered into of late, but developers did note that designing a mobile GUI and configuring the power management capabilities would be quite a challenge. The best part, however, is how quickly the mobile rendition will be rolled out, as we can all mark our calendars for a simultaneous release with Ubuntu 7.10 this October.

[Chris @ May 7th 2007 8:24PM]

where the hell do you get "handset" from this? it says it's for the new chipset Intel is making, for the UMPC.

maybe eventually there will be a handset version, but not anytime soon. ubuntu has a really long way to go to get trimmed down to what maemo, familiar, and openmoko are providing.

[Jonathan Keim @ May 7th 2007 8:24PM]

Alright :-D

M$ and Palm can't get it right, so now we can try linux

[3rdsun @ May 7th 2007 8:36PM]

Score a touchdown for Ubuntu. hoot!

[Naveed @ May 7th 2007 9:24PM]

This is a market i think linux can get a really big market share in over the years quickly if they make a good product. WIndows mobile doesnt own the cellphone market like they do the PC, most dont even have smartphones.

[Urza @ May 7th 2007 9:33PM]

Might work. Ubuntu sucks on PC though. Hardware support is horrible.

[Shadyman @ May 7th 2007 9:48PM]

Do you mean laptop or desktop? Desktop hardware support is great. Some laptops are still lacking.

There is a place on launchpad.net to submit your bugs, either way.

[dave @ May 8th 2007 3:46AM]

Hardware support on ubuntu is awesome for me. i have a cheap little pci wifi card in my desktop that worked perfectly and instantly with no hassle. i admit that its not so good on my laptop as it failed to notice my usb wifi dongle and wont let me put the resolution up to my native one but
overall its been great to me and im using it right now as my main os.

[Urza @ May 8th 2007 5:31AM]

Both. I've tried it on three computers. The first one, my brother's laptop, it installed, but it took a week to get Ndiswrapper working with the wifi card. The other two were desktops, and the installer wouldn't even start up. Mandriva on the other hand works perfectly on all of them. Even picked up the wifi cards without any problems.

[randomwalker @ May 7th 2007 9:43PM]

Did you mean handheld when you wrote handset?

[wellingj @ May 7th 2007 11:27PM]

Although if you have been following Linux hardware at all it's pretty easy to buy a computer that is, dare I say, "Linux Ready"....


And cheaper than "Vista Ready" to boot.

[Jeff Waugh @ May 8th 2007 1:34AM]

Ah, coverage of Ubuntu's announcement, but no coverage a couple of weeks ago about the upstream efforts that make much of this possible? I did submit it. :-)

Check out the sweet devices that the GNOME Mobile & Embedded Initiative is powering (including the Intel/Ubuntu efforts): http://www.gnome.org/mobile/

[michael @ May 8th 2007 1:55AM]

Forget about Windows Mobile and Palm. This will also beat the iPhone too. Ubunti rocks!

[Matt @ May 8th 2007 10:49AM]

Noobuntu is bad for Linux in the end...

[Stephan @ May 8th 2007 11:45AM]

I just wish they would work on making everything completley hassel free. I know windows is not there, but damn they are a lot further along. I know it is mostly because the hardware vendors don't write drivers for linux, but that just means we need more manpower writing those drivers, not getting side tracked.

[Zach @ May 8th 2007 1:14PM]

So does this mean I could load the Ubuntu Linux Mobile Edition onto my Windows Mobile Powered Cingular 8125? 'Cause that would be cool.

[Ratteler @ May 8th 2007 1:40PM]

Let me know when I can install it on my T-Mo Dash.

[deepstore @ May 9th 2007 8:26PM]

UBUNTU....just got a really great info while watching this movie with tears in my eyes on mm2.ubuntu is a stick used and passed on through ancestors in africa...stick is a support which means YOU ARE NEVER ALONE.....wow

[Greg Conquest @ May 15th 2007 6:44AM]

The ubuntu mobile that is being written about would perhaps be designed for a specific device, it sounds like a new device, even. So, the kernel would have to be recompiled for each processor, and the other components would be selected for their availability for Linux. In other words, hardware compatibility rates of the desktop would have no bearing on the mobile version.

There is currently no standard platform to write such an OS too, unless ubuntu and intel designed this new OS to run on the Windows Mobile devices . . .