Canonical bringing Ubuntu to ARM-powered devices

It was inevitable, really -- now that ARM processors are bound for netbooks and the like, it follows logic that ARM would tag team with Canonical to bring along Ubuntu support. The two firms have collaborated in order to "bring the full Ubuntu Desktop operating system to the ARMv7 processor architecture (targeting the Cortex-A8 and Cortex -A9 in particular) to address demand from device manufacturers." They even go out of their way to assert that this is all about bringing Ubuntu to "new netbooks and hybrid computers," though we're still hopeful that the OS will find its way into even more diminutive ARM-powered devices in the future. Sadly, you'll have to wait until April of 2009 to see the fruits of this so-very-special relationship.

[Via CNET]

[unruled @ Nov 16th 2008 6:20AM]

The MSI wind doesn't have an ARM processor, it has an intel atom (x86) chip.

Not sure why its in this picture.... :P

[Macdelaney @ Nov 16th 2008 8:32AM]

Because there isn't a ARM based netbook yet?

[zmjjmz @ Nov 16th 2008 11:48AM]

Yes there is. Look at the OpenPandora. That's pretty close to an ARM based netbook.

[gad get @ Nov 16th 2008 6:23AM]

Ubuntu phone!

[ethana2 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:21PM]

If you're going to try Ubuntu Mobile (the one for phones), make sure you do it in a virtual machine because otherwise it will irreparably SCREW your gnome desktop.

[ybd @ Nov 16th 2008 1:38PM]

Ping pong ping pong ping pong ping...

[Dillon @ Nov 16th 2008 4:43PM]

If I could have Ubuntu on my Dell x50v, this would be the best handheld news I've heard in years.

[Nick K. @ Nov 16th 2008 6:27AM]

We're one step closer to having Ubuntu on our iPhones. Canonical is doing the heavy lifting for us by writing the OS for the ARM architecture... We just need someone to port for iPhone!

[Markarian @ Nov 16th 2008 8:39AM]

The iPhone comes with FreeBSD/Darwin. That's gotta count for something, right?

[ssam @ Nov 16th 2008 8:54AM]

there is not much work needed to port ubuntu to ARM. Linux has worked on ARM for years. Debian has an ARM port. Ubuntu just need to add ARM as an architecture (they already have i386, amd64, ia64, sparc, powerpc ...). 99% of linux apps will just need a recompile to work. opensource FTW.

[Taylor @ Nov 16th 2008 1:55PM]

That's what i've been waiting for, an iPhone ubuntu port! Since debian already worked on ARM though, i can't see this changing much - someone would have done that if they could.
-Taylor

[weg @ Nov 16th 2008 9:16PM]

@ssam: I guess a lot of people will return their Linux powered ARM netbooks once they realise it doesn't even support Flash, Silverlight, or the Acrobat reader, and all those other little gadgets out there that don't come with source code.

[Hel @ Nov 17th 2008 11:43AM]

Granted, I'm all for having Ubuntu run on my iPod Touch, but I don't see how even Ubuntu and it's legions of loyal developers are going to best the fantastic UI that is already there. They'll need to write some libraries to deal with the multitouch. Even then, the fact remains that most Linux programs are not set up to use multitouch well.

[fosron @ Nov 16th 2008 6:49AM]

Cool, we'll have Ubuntu powered Nokia's :D

[Kai @ Nov 16th 2008 7:07AM]

Does this mean that they will port apps such as OpenOffice, GIMP, etc. to the ARM platform as well?

[ssam @ Nov 16th 2008 8:57AM]

all these apps just need a recompile to work on ARM. debian already has a ARM port (some people run it on N800 and N810). opensource FTW

[ethana2 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:25PM]

I don't like the thought of Java running on a mobile device.. I'm sure it happens all the time, but an office suite?
The second KOffice 2 comes out...

[sam @ Nov 17th 2008 6:02PM]

@Ethana: OpenOffice is (mainly) not written in Java. Even if it were, newer Java VMs are extremely efficient, operating at very near native application speed... although desktop Java apps still tend to use a lot of memory, something that might be more problematic if running on a phone. Netbooks have plenty, though, usually 512MB+. And OpenOffice uses a lot of RAM anyway without regard to the Java parts. ;)

And if you don't like the idea of Java running on a mobile device, presumably you haven't owned a phone in the last decade? :) Java ME has shipped as standard on over 2 *billion* mobile phones.

@this story: cool. If ARM processors can really make netbooks last longer on a charge (and cost less too), that'd be great.

[Max Shanly @ Nov 16th 2008 7:15AM]

The iPhone has an ARM Processor. Hopefully you catch my drift.

[Chris @ Nov 16th 2008 8:24AM]

So does iPod Touch!

[ethana2 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:26PM]

That would be the ULTIMATE jailbreaking.

[reisa @ Nov 16th 2008 7:29AM]

It's the post I've waited my entire avatar for!

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Nov 16th 2008 5:03PM]

Your avatar fits way better than mine does.

[SimonRichards @ Nov 16th 2008 7:41AM]

Open Pandora, anyone? xD

[jercb123 @ Nov 16th 2008 10:49AM]

I am very exited for the open Pandora project it has much potential and a lot of community support

[Mac @ Nov 16th 2008 7:45AM]

I have been using ARM cpus for a while (for embedded electronics). Even though i like the design, I guess it cannot technically compete with Atom, Via and AMD's future netbook CPU. I guess highest practical and available clock speed is 400MHz.

Even if they can give out something, it perhaps cannot compete for a long time. Some people hesitate to buy VIA (even though it is X86 compatible), then I think ARM's will have a limited influence in netbook market.

[Macdelaney @ Nov 16th 2008 8:37AM]

If i recall correctly at the same clock speed this should perform better than a x86 based processor, and ARM based processor consume a lot less power as far as I know. We'll just have to wait and see.

[meth @ Nov 16th 2008 8:58AM]

Isnt Nvidia's 800mhz TEGRA CPU an ARM processor? Isnt this the one that does 1080P and consumes under 1W of power?

Rock on.... The videos of TEGRA in action look rather good. Add a decent OS like Ubuntu and it can give Atom Netbooks a good run for the money. Might get Intel to get Poulsbo SCH out in the real world!

[Mac @ Nov 16th 2008 10:47AM]

Yes, I just looked at Tegra specs and it seems quite promising. I guess this is the fastest ARM11 implementation. Fastest Atmel ARM CPU is for example 400MHz. NEC has faster than that but this one is even faster.

Considering the integration of GPU into it, it should be quite good for handhelds. However I guess a netbook will need more than that GPU.

[jercb123 @ Nov 16th 2008 10:52AM]

U dont know what u are talking about because the Pandora ( openpandora.org ) has a 600 mhz ARM and they can OC it to 900mhz

[Mac @ Nov 16th 2008 8:01PM]

I don't know what I am talking? Pandora uses Arm-Cortex-A8 not ARM11. Can you read?! I said fastest ARM11.

[loosely_coupled @ Nov 20th 2008 3:00AM]

WRONG! First of all, The current-gen ARM11 (ARMv6 instruction set) CPUs run up to 800Mhz and are available in multi-core versions. but forget about ARM11, it is already old...

The future of ARM is in their new "Cortex series". (ARMv7 instruction set) The Cortex-A8 is ready to go at up to 1.0Ghz, and is more than 2X faster than ARM11 at the same clock speed. The next-gen is the Cortex-A9, which is actually an out-of-order core (like most PC processors and unlike the Atom), runs at up to 1.0Ghz, and is available in single, double, and quad-core.

The Cortex-A8 is already available in TI's new OMAP3 series of SoCs, and will be found in future Nokia Tablets and cellphones, as well as a new iPhone model among others. Cortex-A9 should be ready late 2009 or 2010 and will be incredibly fast...

[JIm Jones @ Nov 16th 2008 7:45AM]

Personally, I think Ubuntu is like the greatest thing since sliced bread!

Jess
http://www.privacy.de.tc

[Oli D @ Nov 16th 2008 8:03AM]

i think its the best thing since breadbuntu personally,
oh ive gotta go my phonebuntu is ringbunuting, gotta gobuntu!


ahh how i love that word

[ryan @ Nov 16th 2008 8:43AM]

que?

[avis @ Nov 16th 2008 9:29AM]

I don't understand why it's a news? debian was always there on many non-x86 archs..Ubuntu is a debian derivate

[urandom @ Nov 16th 2008 10:25AM]

It's news because it's corporate support (as opposed to community support). And it's also better than Xandros.

[thethirdmoose @ Nov 16th 2008 11:13AM]

I accidentally the whole sentence.

[Level 5 @ Nov 16th 2008 11:29AM]

phonebuntu - make it happen yesterday!

[ethana2 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:24PM]

They don't call it phonebuntu, they call it Ubuntu MID Edition.

[ethana2 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:23PM]

Does this mean they'll add ARM to the architectures they build PPA packages for?
...can we get PPC yet?

[ethana2 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:28PM]

Is that dangerous?

[Morten @ Nov 16th 2008 12:57PM]

Um the Open Pandora is laptop that runs arm ^_^

[DarkLight @ Nov 16th 2008 4:26PM]

No the Pandora isn't a laptop, it fits in a single hand.

It would be unusable if you put it in your lap.
You should see the size comparsion with the DS so you get the idea..
In the photos it looks MUCH bigger than it really is (altough that's not what she said)

[Jamie @ Nov 16th 2008 1:06PM]

If only it had worked on any of the computers I've installed it on. It's never detected any wifi hardware, so I can't use it. Boo.

[Jeffery @ Nov 16th 2008 6:17PM]

Actually, that Boo should go to Broadcom and co. I agree that it would be nice if Linux had better hardware support, but some companies don't make it easy. e.g. BCM's website said "Linux support"... I had to go through about 5 people on the phone to get someone who finally said (a bit sheepishly) "well, by that they mean that you could /theoretically/ write a Linux driver for it"
That said, every release just gets better :D

[SiXiam @ Nov 16th 2008 1:14PM]

Yeah, my G1 and yes the iPhone too, may get Ubuntu, though I'm sure were going to have to hack it in there...

[Major4Play @ Nov 16th 2008 1:14PM]

I don't think I'd hire someone who is "fullz qualified"

[wootman @ Nov 16th 2008 2:10PM]

The Pandora seems like the obvious choice for the picture, just sayin.

[Jon @ Nov 16th 2008 2:32PM]

This is good; I can't describe how efficient ARM is over x86 and how GOOD it is that they are expanding out of embedded devices. It has instructions to assist virtual machines, virtualization, and vector calculations. If this goes well, maybe we could see an ARM desktop and give x86 a run for its $!