It's only beta at the moment, but the open source community just kicked Ubuntu 8.04 out into the wilds. As you'd expect, the update brings an increment to Ubuntu's quaint, alphabetical naming convention. In other words, the new Hardy Heron will supplant the current Gutsy Gibbon as we make our way towards an October release of Intrepid Ibex. Got it? Good, now do yourselves a favor and check out Ubuntu's latest. Then decide for yourself if Hardy Heron's April 24th go-date means something special for you.

Ubuntu lovers, rejoice. The Round Rock powerhouse has saw fit to add the open-source OS to yet another one of its products, this time the recently released Inspiron 1525. No surprises here -- just a vanilla 1525 with Ubuntu 7.10 loaded in along with built-in DVD playback capabilities and a warm, fuzzy feeling to boot. It should be noted, however, that US users will be forced to wait until "later this month" before being able to snap up one of these rigs, while consumers in the UK, France, Spain and Germany can indulge right away.

We're not sure that you'd want to do it, but it's nice to know that you can do it. If you're really sick of the native OS that came with your Eee -- or you're trying to feel out what a Cloudbook would be like if you could buy one -- you can now install Everex's Google-centric gOS onto your system with little-to-no effort, simply by following this ten point breakdown. You'll need an external optical drive, a wired internet connection, and probably an hour or so, but once all is said and done, you can break free of Xandros and roll deep with the Ubuntu-based gOS. How the software performs on the miniscule laptop we couldn't say, but at least now you can show your friends how truly unique you are.

[Thanks, Tom]

Everything's free in America, for a small fee in America! Or something like that. Don't mind us. Dell is shipping its XPS M1330 laptop with a DVD-playing version of Ubuntu 7.10 pre-installed in the States now, exactly as promised. Everybody else got this about a week ago, but we're not bitter: the $954 US starting price sure beats the 799 Euros those suckers over there have to drop.

[Thanks, Nigel]

Whoa Dell, what's this? An exclusive, XPS M1330 in Germany sporting an Ubuntu 7.10 pre-load with full DVD and webcam support? Where's the Stateside love, yo?

Update: Dell tells us it's also available in the UK, France, and Spain. Headed to the US in "a week or so."

[Thanks, Roland K. and Andrew M.]

Although it was (and still is, really) astoundingly easy to simply point the finger and laugh at Everex's completely unsightly, totally underwhelming TC2502 gPC just months ago, it appears that this thing may actually have a chance at gaining a wee (keyword: wee) amount of steam in the desktop market. Shortly after finding its way to Wal-Mart shelves, the box sold out -- a feat few surmised would actually take place. Furthermore, it seems to have sparked, or at least been the poster child of, a quiet revolution of ultra-cheap, open source-based machines, tagging along with the likes of Asus' Eee PC, Shuttle's KPC and the recently announced Linux PC from Mirus Innovations.

On the real, the rig was absolutely lambasted in a PC Mag review, but truthfully, we aren't exactly shocked given the hardware selection and (relatively) unfamiliar operating system. Then again, we've a sneaking suspicion the reviewers in this scenario weren't the target individuals Everex (and Wally World, to be frank) was gunning for. Stepping back, it's hard to miss the recent infatuation by the general public with machines touting rock bottom price tags and nary a hint of the world's most widely used OS, so in a sense, these guys and gals must be doing something right, be it marketing or otherwise. Still, we figure we'll need more than an abacus to count up just how many tweaks our dear readers would make to the gPC if given the chance -- maybe starting with the atrocious chassis and the dearth of wireless connectivity options -- so don't let us down, alright?

According to rumblings on the internet, the new Cloudbook from Everex that's worming its way into Wal-Marts across the US this weekend will be getting a big brother soon. If you believe what they say (they being Paul Kim, director of marketing at Everex), we can expect a 9-inch version of the Eee-competitor to make an appearance in June, boasting a larger keyboard, more memory, and possibly new "skins" (but please, no tattoos). The Linux-equipped computer will clock in around $500, and will be part of the Ubuntu-based gOS family. The company also has plans to introduce a variant of the smaller CloudBook called the DevBook, a $400-500 laptop aimed at developers with a touchscreen and swappable side-panel accessories, plus a $399 standard size 15.4-inch laptop, and a "mini" desktop with a dual-layer DVD drive, as well as DVI and S-Video outputs for $499.

[Via Eee Site]

Well here you have it. After the rumors surfaced back in July, Acer is offering Ubuntu 7.10 as a pre-load on their 14.1-inch Aspire 4315-100508C model with 1,280 x 800 resolution, 1.86GHz Celeron M 540, 512MB memory, 80GB disk, and DVD optical drive. Better yet, the price is just NZ$699 -- that's $553 in US greenbacks. The offer appears to be good in New Zealand only for the moment. Toe dipping the consumer waters are we Acer?

[Via Geekzone]

Calling that thing pictured above a "case mod" is a near travesty, but we're at a loss for words outside of that. This box is almost devoid of specifications entirely, but judging by the artwork on the "chassis," it's powered by a totally rare Intel Pentium 3 CPU, hums along on Ubuntu and features a curiously placed fan, audio in / out, VGA output, a power supply and lots of fasteners tape. Truth be told, we're not even certain this concoction is capable of processing anything, but at least it's primed for a shipping label should the creator opt to cut his / her losses.

[Via Technabob]

Dell continues to tread lightly in the inviting waters of Linux with newly announced support for Ubuntu 7.10 -- AKA, Gutsy Gibbon. Available now in the US on Inspiron 530 desktops or Inspiron 1420 laptops. The new systems also include built-in DVD movie playback. Our friends in England, France, and Germany will get their Gutsy Gibbon fix later in the week but only on Inspiron 530 systems. So why the two month delay since 7.10's release? Dell says, "they take the time to do extensive testing on our systems to make sure that customers have as few issues as possible." Fair enough.

[Via Desktop Linux]

For all you Eee users out there who've been trying to squeeze Ubuntu into the little white box, some help is on the way. A kind and enterprising Linux enthusiast has used their precious time and energy to put together an Eee-customized build of the much-loved OS, which includes fully-integrated hardware support, native wireless drivers, functioning Ethernet support, tweaks for low-resolution desktop environments, and a bunch of other little enhancements that will make using Canonical's powerhouse a lot more pleasant on your tiny laptop. Word on the street is that development and refinement continues on the build, so expect improvements as time wears on. Now, if only someone could perfect that Amiga OS build for the Eee...

[Via Digg]

We honestly didn't know what to expect from Wal-Mart's $200 Everex gPC, but it looks like the early results of putting Linux in front of Middle America are overwhelmingly positive -- Wal-Mart's online warehouse has already sold out of the cheapo Linux box, and users both savvy and new are filing enthusiastic reviews. Of course, it's still early and we can't imagine anyone getting too down on a $200 computer, but it certainly looks like Team Ubuntu is making a strong play to shift the balance in those OS wars.

[Via Slashdot]

Everex -- riding high on the semi-propulsive steam that is currently buoying the company into the public eye (due to its Ubuntu-based, $198, "gOS" Wal-Mart desktop) -- is about to take things to the next sub-level. According to reports, the company plans to launch a line of ultra-cheap laptops next year, ranging in size from 12.1-inch to 17-inch, starting at under $300. Like its desktop brother, the portable computer will feature the company's custom operating system, which puts the emphasis on Google webapps with familiar icons, and a launch-bar with links to the ubiquitous portal's content. "The intent of gOS is to take [Linux] to the consumer and do what Steve Jobs did with Mac OS X-- to take an alternative OS and package it for the consumer," says David Liu, founder of gOS -- though it's clear they've got an uphill battle for the hearts of Wal-Mart buyers. There's only one question on our minds: will the laptop be as hideously ugly as the desktop?