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Microsoft sez no OLPC dual-boot, still committed to XP on XO
Those of you who participated in OLPC's "Give One, Get One" program will probably be disappointed to learn that, despite earlier reports to the contrary, Microsoft has no intention of developing dual-boot Windows / Linux support for the XO laptop. According to a statement sent to BetaNews, Redmond flat out denied any work on such a project, instead claiming that it "plans to publish formal design guidelines early this year that will assist [any] flash-based device manufacturers in designing machines that enable a high-quality Windows experience." The blurb goes on to say that the company will be conducting limited XP-on-XO field tests later this month, although BetaNews notes that notebook's hardware limitations have proven problematic for the software giant, which may be forced to offer the OS on an SD card -- a move that would require a new BIOS for the XO to enable booting from removable storage.[Via Slashdot]
Neonode planning revamped OS, totally new handsets
We've just gotten out of a meeting with Thomas Eriksson, co-founder and CTO of Neonode, and we've learned some very exciting information about the company's newest, as-yet-unannounced phones. We were shown designs of the mobile-maker's next lineup of devices, including an iPhone-esque model called "Earth" which has been confirmed for production (though Thomas insisted that some features and design would change, of course). The phone will feature a 2.9-inch, true 16:9 ratio infrared touchscreen (an updated version of the Neonode N2's touch surface), HSPA connectivity, and will operate on five separate frequency bands (a first as far as we can tell), allowing 3G use in both Europe and the US. However, the most interesting thing that we were shown was a live prototype of the company's latest OS, which blows the doors off of previous iterations. The new interface is a much more robust platform, featuring a homescreen made up of a number of small widget-like icons, all updating live with things like RSS feeds, phone logs, weather, and mail. The UI is still meant to be operated via one hand, though Thomas confirmed that the device would sport a virtual QWERTY keyboard, and would deliver more PIM / smartphone features than we've seen from them in the past. The design of the interface is still being tweaked, but it looks very contemporary to current and future phone OSs we've been seeing, with lots of nice shading and alpha layers. From the little we peeped, this platform could be a contender if handled correctly -- Thomas told us that Neonode had plans underway to partner with carriers in the US, so stay tuned to this space for more info.
Is this Windows Mobile 7?
Not all the big news is coming out of CES today: thanks to Nathan Weinberg's InsideMicrosoft blog, we were able to check out a purported internal document detailing the revolutionary new input methods planned for Windows Mobile 7 as well as a ton of supposed screenshots. If this information is, in fact, accurate, it looks like Redmond is planning at least three methods of interacting with the device aside from pressing the usual buttons. First, as you might expect, is multi-touch capability á la the iPhone or Microsoft's own Surface, but it looks like WinMo 7 handsets will also be controllable via shaking and rotating the device, and even at a distance by way of camera-based gesture recognition. Again, no guarantees that any of these features will be included in the final version or that any of this info or images are even legit, but as you can see from the rather large gallery below, the mounting evidence is extremely compelling. Specifically, you'll definitely want to check out: New on-screen keyboard Gesture control Camera gesture recognition Touch-based photo editing Media player %Gallery-12782%
gOS 2.0 "Rocket" set to debut at CES
Considering the absolutely lackluster hardware present in the Everex gPC, it's a tad difficult to get psyched up about the next revision of the gOS. Nevertheless, gOS 2.0 (or Rocket, as it were) is all set to launch on Monday at CES, and while there's not much to phone home about, the inclusion of Google Gears is the most notable feature. The aforementioned bundle is an "online / offline synchronization technology from Google that enables offline use of web apps." More specifically, users can look forward to gBooth (a browser-based web cam), integration with Facebook, shortcuts to launch Google Reader, Talk, and Finance on the desktop, an online storage drive courtesy of Box.net and Virtual Desktops, which is hailed as "an intuitive feature to easily group and move applications across multiple desktop spaces." Additionally, Adobe Flash Player 9 for Linux will come preloaded, and if you're so inclined, you can download the package yourself on January 7th.
eeeXubuntu: Ubuntu distilled for your Eee
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]
Poll: What OS are you running on your Eee?
So ASUS' little low-cost monster, the Eee, has wormed its way into the hearts and minds of gadget lovers, their friends, family members, and random dudes and chicks you know (if this year's holiday wish-lists are any indication). It turns out everyone wants a piece of the 7-inch heartthrob, and that got us thinking. With the multitude of OS options for the miniscule laptop (ASUS' Xandros build, XP, Ubuntu, Debian, even OS X), we want to know: current users, what OS are you running on your Eee? %Poll-6755%
How would you change Leopard?
Alright, so you've had seven whole days (and a few minutes now on the East coast, but who's counting?) to wrap your loving / skeptical arms around Apple's latest operating system, toss it on your machine and test out "300+ new features" that Cupertino managed to include. During the past week, we -- along with quite a few others -- looked this OS up and down in order to determine if it really was worth the $129 asking price, and while we wouldn't deem Leopard unflawed, we've yet to find ourselves itching to downgrade. 'Course, we're sure there's a plethora of you out there still perusing the feature list and wondering if it'll work on your near-decade-old machine, but this space is for the resolute souls who wiped their calendar clean last weekend to sit diligently behind a keyboard / mouse and put OS X 10.5 to the test.For those of you who fit the aforementioned description to a T, we're beyond curious to know how your experiences have been. Have you found that Leopard makes your life a little less hectic? Roiled senseless by countless bugs? Are there any features you wish Steve's drones would have programmed in at the eleventh hour? Considering that over two million of you have already made the leap to Apple's latest feline, we know there's a flood of squawks just waiting to be unleashed -- so go on, we're all ears.
"Analysts" suggest that Google mobile OS isn't likely, look dumb
There just wouldn't be balance in the world if a select few didn't come out and starkly disagree with the obvious, right? Somehow, a number of analysts have managed to overlook the smorgasbord of hints, clues and signs that Google is indeed working up some form of software (or hardware) for the mobile realm, and moreover, they're speaking out to denounce the possibility. Specifically, Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner, made himself a target by stating that "building an OS is the dumbest thing [Google] could do," and he even led us to believe that he's a developer in a parallel universe by announcing that "cellular telephone code is probably the hardest code to write per line of code for anything." Still, we're beyond the point of wanting Google to come out of the woodwork and say something, but considering the numerous reports claiming that the search giant is indeed in talks with select carriers, it's hard impossible to believe that there's nothing going on behind the scenes.
24 Hours of Leopard: Front Row
Feature: Front Row is updated to work just like Apple TV, but on your computer.How it works: To tell the truth, I kind of liked the spinning icons of Front Row (and so did this kitten), but the Apple TV interface is nice, too. You can play all of your content (and even content streaming from other computers) straight through the interface, and obviously, DVDs, Podcasts, and Photos are all included in there as well. It's all built right in to every copy of Leopard, ready to operate from across the room with the still awesome Apple Remote.Who will use it: Anyone watching movies or playing media from a distance on their Mac. And especially those of us planning on picking up a mini-- hook up a video out to the TV, and you've now got an Apple TV that does so, so much more.
Leopard unboxed: it's a disc in a box
If you want a blowout, a blowout is what you'll get. Just as we did for Microsoft's Vista, we're serving up an unboxing of Apple's latest operating system hours before it's slated to go on sale. Thanks to the wonders of on-time early delivery, a certain individual managed to unbox his copy of Leopard already, and he's got the pictures to prove it. Click on to the read link to see what's waiting for you later today, but don't expect anything out of the ordinary, okay?[Thanks, Ben]
Pepper Computer: "we're not dead"
Pepper Computer, manufacturer of the original Pepper Pads and developer of the Pepper Linux OS, has admittedly seen better days. After months of silence from the firm's executives led forum members to write the company off as dead, CEO Len Kawell has finally responded to users' pleas and posted a summary of Pepper's current state of affairs -- but not before we left a message at headquarters stating our intentions to write up a deathwatch piece this week. According to Kawell, both the OS and Pepper Pad 3 -- which is manufactured and supported by Hanbit -- are still alive and well, though poor sales of Pepper-powered OEM devices have meant declining revenue for the company -- resulting in what sounds like considerable downsizing. At this point, without the money to pay developers, Pepper is looking to either sell its distro or open source it, although even the latter route requires resources that seem to be in very short supply right now. If you're looking to contribute to the project in some way, make sure to chime in by clicking on the Read link; you can help them out and help save us from having to pen yet another teary corporate obituary at the same time.[Thanks, moorashj]
Leopard/Parallels/Windows bundle on Mac Warehouse
If you haven't preordered Leopard yet, but both plan to get it and have a need for a little Windows action, Mac Warehouse has the deal for you. They're offering a bunch of Leopard, Parallels, and Windows XP (or Vista, but seriously, Vista?) for just $279. That's basically getting Parallels for free, and a little over $100 off the price of XP Pro. If you haven't bought any of these yet, and plan to use all three, that right there is a tasty deal.And speaking of deals, we've gotten a lot of tips about this, so even though we've mentioned it before, it's probably worth another mention: Amazon is going aggressive on Leopard pricing, so they're offering it for only $109, twenty bucks off the price elsewhere.Of course, buying Leopard in either of these ways won't get you the satisfaction of being there on Friday when Apple's new operating system goes on sale. But then again, how much are the crowds and the lines worth to you?Thanks, Michael!
Microsoft giving Vista Business / Ultimate users 'downgrade' to XP option
It's no shock that Windows Vista isn't, shall we say, universally loved, and it's also unsurprising that a plethora of businesses have voiced their preference to keep on runnin' their operations on Windows XP. Presumably in response, Microsoft is "quietly allowing PC makers to offer a downgrade option to buyers that get machines with the new operating system but want to switch to Windows XP," but the program only applies to Vista Business and Ultimate editions. The likes of Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo and Dell all have processes in place to ensure that customers have the ability to downgrade if they so choose, and while some firms are still selling their PCs with XP pre-installed, debates are already swirling around how long that tactic can remain in place.
How would you change Windows Vista?
What do you get when you take a product used by hundreds of millions of people every day, add a few new features / polish up the interface, and then try to get everyone to shell out a grip of money for this delay- and bug- plagued upgrade? No, we're not talking about New Coke, although Microsoft probably could have learned a lesson from that failed experiment when it went about developing what would end up being Windows Vista, namely that consumers demand more than some glitz and fancy new packaging if they're to abandon an old, reliable friend. And besides that impressive Aero GUI -- which many PCs can't take advantage of anyway -- what is Vista really offering us that XP didn't? A crash-prone new media player? Exclusive "ultimate extras" that have so far amounted to a lame shareware game? A thousand chances a day to feel important when bequeathing "Administrator privileges" on all those demanding processes? You can probably tell by now that we're no Vista proponents, and having run the new OS exclusively for almost six months at this point, we're actually about to "make the leap" back to XP. But we're not willing to give up on Redmond just yet, and the beauty of all these service packs and "Patch Tuesdays" is that some of our suggestions could conceivably be incorporated into a product that's already hit the market. So, what does Microsoft need to do to make Vista (and its price points) more palatable (short of re-releasing it based on the WinFS file system)? Loosen up the DRM restrictions? Toss the controversial WGA? Put all possible features in a single SKU like certain other companies? Well come on, we're positive that there's no shortage of suggestions out there, so let's hear 'em!
Windows Home Server coming August 27th?
C'mon, don't act surprised -- it's not like you didn't know Windows Home Server was on the home stretch. Nevertheless, if a date prominently listed on Microsoft's own Support Lifecycle website is to be believed, WHS will be "generally available" on August 27, 2007, and it also lists the mainstream support retirement date as October 9, 2012. Of course, we wouldn't place our bets on pre-fabricated boxes to start shipping with the software on the 27th, but if you hunt hard enough, you're likely to find it in one channel or another. Circle the date folks, yet another new flavor of Windows is nearly here.[Via I Started Something]
Lenovo says "no thanks" to Vista for 2008 Olympics
Poor Vista, you really can't buy a break. First you've got legions of users angrily awaiting a decent update for a whole slew of problems, then there's the CEOs taking pot-shots at you, and now, Lenovo, supplier of the 2008 Olympic Games' computer systems says it's sticking with XP. Word on the street is that all vital computing tasks for the Games will be handled on XP-enabled PCs, while some internet lounges used by athletes will be equipped with Vista systems. According to Yang Yuanqing, chairman of Lenovo, "the Olympic Games require mature, stable technologies and it's not a place to try new technologies." Yang, we're pretty sure a legion of Vista users feel similarly about their desktops. You can almost hear Microsoft's sharp intake of breath from here.[Via Slashdot]
Japanese automakers collaborate on operating system
Earlier this year, Toyota was reportedly mulling the idea of crafting its own in-car OS, but now the firm -- along with nine other Japanese companies -- will be collaborating with the Economy, Trade, and Industry Ministry to develop "an operating system for automotive electronics." The initiative is supposedly in reaction to similar joint developments going on with a number of European car outfits, and will aim to "create a global standard in the field." Dubbed JasPar (Japan Automotive Software Platform Architecture), the venture will include big shots such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Denso, and Toshiba, and you can look for a prototype version to reach completion in 2009.[Via The Raw Feed]
Palm's Linux OS not surfacing until 2008?
That sound you're hearing is the collective sigh from everyone patiently waiting for Palm to actually get its act together and unveil its depressingly overdue Linux mobile OS. Yet again, it seems we've been fooled into believing that Palm actually had its ducks in a proverbial row, as BrightHand is now reporting that Palm CEO Ed Colligan recently announced on a conference call that "products based on the new Linux-based platform won't be available until some time next year." Interestingly enough, Colligan also insinuated that the firm would "continue to use Windows Mobile and Garnet OS / Palm OS II for the foreseeable future." Wait, they can actually see some light at the end of this perpetually growing tunnel? We sure as hell can't.
OS X makes itself at home on Sony Vaio UX
If you think running OS X on your Xbox 360 (well, the PC-stuffed version) is 1337, how about cramming Apple's latest operating system on a handheld Vaio? A long-winded sev7en over at MicroPCTalk has apparently taken it upon himself to do just that, and while we'd offer up kudos if he simply shared photographs and nonchalantly bragged about his success, offering up a full blown installation guide is darn near saintly. The aptly-named Mac OSUX project allows users to more easily carry OS X around in their cargo pockets, and all that's reportedly required (or recommended) is a Vaio UX, copy of OS X, a docking station, external USB 2.0 optical DVD drive, keyboard and mouse, and marginal reading comprehension skills. If you fit the aforementioned mold, feel free to hit the read link and get to it.
Linus Torvalds to Microsoft: put up or shut up
Aw snap. Just when you thought the Microsoft / open-source relationship was getting bad, it's now getting even worse, as yet another turn has been taken in the on-again, off-again love affair between the two. Soon after Microsoft's General Counsel claimed that free and open-source software (FOSS) -- a bundle of which related to Linux -- violated precisely 235 of its patents, Linus Torvalds decided to fire back on behalf of the little guy. In an interview with InformationWeek, Mr. Torvalds retorted by suggesting that it is actually "a lot more likely that Microsoft violates patents than Linux does," and even noted that if "the source code for Windows could be subjected to the same critical review that Linux has been, Microsoft would find itself in violation of patents held by other companies." Of course, he backed his statements by stating that the "fundamental stuff was done about half a century ago and has long, long since lost any patent protection," and closed things up by insinuating that Redmond should put its cards on the table so that Linux users prove 'em wrong, or better yet, "code around whatever silly things they claim." As if you couldn't tell, them's fightin' words, folks.[Via IDM, image courtesy of TACTechnology]
