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New PlayStation 3 SDK released - OS memory footprint lessened
Developer blog Innerbits has a great breakdown of the most recent PlayStation 3 Software Development Kit, version 1.60. They provide detailed information on some of the more technical aspects of the PS3's operating system from a developer's perspective. The site analyzed the memory cost of the different features of the SDK and detailed the major ones. Here are the most interesting bits: OS footprint reduced from 64MB in December to 52MB in the most recent release, roughly a 20% drop in resource cost. Friends list costs 25 MB (?!) + 8MB for startup Remote play for PS3 games possible - costs only 8 MB PS3 OS cost: 84MB | X360 OS cost: 32MB (ouch) Sony is clearly trying hard to optimize the OS, improving it every release and adding more functionality while reducing memory footprint. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go. Every megabyte that the PlayStation 3 OS uses is one less megabyte of space that developers can use for better textures, quicker load times, and faster framerates. Sony is going to have a difficult time convincing studios to incorporate the different PSN features if the developers have to devote such a large amount of memory to them.According to Innerbits, the next SDK release should be late May or June. They anticipate gaining additional memory back, so hopefully in the future we'll see more and more game companies utilize these features as their resource cost drop.
AT&T 8525 firmware update coming April 25?
If you've been staring longingly at that poor, disabled push-to-talk button on the side of your Cingular-branded Hermes, wondering just when -- if ever -- you'd be able to annoy friends and family alike with Nextel-like ease, it seems your time has nearly come. Sources tell us that a firmware update will grace the 8525 on or around April 25 (yes, of 2007), bringing an enabled PTT button, AT&T branding to match the BlackJack's, and a mixed bag of fixes for bugs in the current firmware. The same source is telling us to expect our Windows Mobile 6 upgrade come Q3 of this year, so if the April 25 date holds up, we'd say that bodes well.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
OLPC's Linux-based operating system available for download
If you've got a tick to spare, or you're simply the type who shoves any flavor of Linux on any flavor of gadgetry that'll accept it, here's yet another opportunity to kill some time and check out the OLPC a bit further. Apparently, the Linux-based Sugar OS from the One Laptop Per Child project is now available via a bootable LiveCD ISO, and according to user reports, works quite well aside from the "lack of WiFi capability" on a certain MacBook. But hey, why are you relying on us to tell you how it works out? Go on and tag the read link whilst grabbing a fresh cup of joe, and do report back with ample amounts of praise (or grouses) once you've checked things out.[Via Digg, photo courtesy of LinuxQuestions]
Toyota planning its own in-car operating system
We've certainly seen all sorts of exotic vehicles run on Windows XP before (so to speak), but Toyota execs are mulling the idea of crafting its own in-car operating system in order to keep that competitive edge alive. Currently, OS' are "built from scratch" for every new vehicle model, but the automaker is realizing that an in-house squad focused on delivering a single system to run behind the scenes could not only dramatically cut R&D costs, but also " boost efficiency and speed up development." Although Toyota wouldn't comment directly, it is presumed that the project is an integral part of the new VI (Value Innovation) initiative, in which the firm is hoping to consolidate the amount of parts used in their vehicle. Still, we aren't going to see a Toyota-branded OS until "closer to 2015," so we hope fully expect an auto-pilot feature to be in there somewhere.[Via Wired]
Microsoft: Vista sells 20 million, Microsoft Watch: We don't buy it
Microsoft says that Windows Vista sold 20 million copies in its first month of release, besting Windows XP's 17 million copies in its first two months. Engadget softens some of the press release spin, noting that 239 million PCs sold globally in 2006, so 20 million isn't a shock. But Microsoft Watch dismantles the original claim with a detailed editorial.Microsoft Watch says that Microsoft has counted sales beginning late last year before the general-public launch. The editorial also notes that license sales in the channel shouldn't count -- the "shipped" versus "sold" debate. Finally, analysts don't agree with the total.While Vista's sales numbers are being questioned, the OS is clearly going to end up on most PCs sooner or later, and the gaming world has had mixed reactions. Some developers have criticized the new OS, and some gamers have had initial driver problems. Hopefully Vista updates will fix any final issues for early adopters.Read -- Stacking Vista Licenses Too HighRead -- Windows Vista Debuts with Strong Global Sales
Vista successor "Vienna" planned for late 2009
Now that Microsoft has freed Windows Vista from the shackles of a five year development process, the company is attempting to the wow starts now us by revealing that it plans to have its next major operating system ready within the next two-and-a-half years, giving Vista's successor an expected release date of late 2009. Speaking to PC World, Ben Fathi, the executive in charge of the OS's core components, made it clear that he was referring to a whole new OS -- known to have the codename "Vienna" -- and not the upcoming Vista service pack, codenamed "Fiji." Other than this tentative release date, Ben didn't have much new information on the future for Windows: in response to the question of what Vienna's killer feature will be, he said "I don't know what it is" and then proceeded to suggest that full virtualization and a radical new user interface will be the aim. Both of these suggestions lend credence to previous reports that a break in compatiblity with older applications and a new user interface would be Vienna's flagship features. Now all we've got to do is wait (and hope that the changes aren't too radical.)
AmigaOS 4 reviewed
ArsTechnica got a look at a pre-release version of AmigaOS 4 a full two years ago, but as those familiar with the much-loved platform know all too well, things move slowly in Amigaland, which accounts for why the final version of OS is only now available for download. As before, the folks at ArsTechnica got one of the first looks at it, installing the OS on their coveted Micro AmigaOne box in hopes of reliving good old days of 1989. While they end up giving the OS a thumbs up for the most part, it's unfortunately not without its failings, and probably only of interest to die-hard Amiga fans and those curious what all the fuss was about. On the upside, the installation is apparently fairly straightforward, and the OS itself has been given a bit of facelift, with the usual shininess added to spruce things up. The OS hits its biggest snags when you go online, with a browser that doesn't support CSS and an email application that doesn't support HTML, although both would seem to be only temporary problems should development pick up. Of course, to try out the OS for yourself, you're gonna have to track down an AmigaOne system of your own, which is no easy feat, given that the only company making 'em has ceased production. Those of us not so lucky will just have to hold onto the faint hope of an Intel port somewhere down the line.
The Linux Foundation forms, issues call to arms
The open source community fired its latest shot over the bow of the SUSE-loving SS Microsoft today, announcing that the two leading bodies of Linux proponents -- the Open Source Development Labs and Free Standards Group -- have been folded into a new, seemingly corporate-sponsored organization that promises to "promote, protect, and standardize Linux." Christened The Linux Foundation, the new consortium will not develop or distribute any products, but instead is tasked with three primary objectives: to enable the independence of select developers by funding their work, while at the same time providing legal support and advice for members of the community; to act as a neutral forum for collaborative projects or for members to air their grievances; and to help Linux gain market share with respect to Windows. All of the commercial interests which previously belonged to the OSLD and FSG will also play a leading role in the newly-formed body, leading some critics to argue that it was actually heavy hitters like IBM, HP, Fujitsu, and Hitachi pushing for this merger in the hopes of growing the $14.5 billion infrastructure that has reportedly developed around Linux. Still, none other than Linus Torvalds himself has thrown his weight behind the foundation -- which now pays his salary, mind you -- suggesting that the original goals of the OSDL and FSG had largely been met at this point, and that standardization is a laudible pursuit. Both groups' memberships still need to approve the proposed merger, but if all goes according to plan, you can expect to see the LinFo begin its work sometime in early February.Read- Press release [Via TG Daily]Read- NY Times coverage [Via ZDNet]
Debian released for PlayStation 3
Linux distribution Debian Live has been released for PlayStation 3. All of the components have been neatly packed into one ISO file, meaning you can burn the entire package onto a single CD, pop that badboy into your PS3, and install. What you do with the operating system after that is beyond us. We're just a video game site, remember?So is this why IGN chose PS3?[Thanks, DBX00]
Vista already getting passed around the internet
It hasn't even been out of the nest a full week yet, but already those nefarious software pirates who drive prices up for everyone else have taken the little birdie known as Windows Vista and begun passing it around the interwebs like a hot potato. A quick search of the more popular BitTorrent sites reveals that numerous copies of the RTM version of Vista are available for download, but being the law-abiding netizens that we are, we can't verify that these are actual working packages or simply 4GB archives of nasty spyware. We really shouldn't have expected anything different from the "free software movement" -- after all, the same thing happened with OS X Leopard after August's WWDC -- but we're sure Microsoft is pleased that this group of "early adopters" has given its latest and greatest product a de facto thumbs up. Just a friendly reminder to everyone who's taken it upon him / herself to load up a copy of the yet-to-be-released OS: enjoy it while you can, because once Redmond starts sending out updates and checking the validity of your install, that boatload of crippled features is going to make your PC a real pain in the ass to operate.[Thanks, Monsieur Cedric]
Intel, NTT DoCoMo pen multi-OS standard
Managing one smartphone operating system can bring even the most technically competent folks among us to their knees -- but how about two? Intel and NTT DoCoMo have put their noggins together to draw up a standard for dual-booting two platforms on a handset: one of the manufacturer's / carrier's choosing, and another at the user's discretion. Apparently, the standard will ensure that if one OS crashes, the other will still be usable, and calls will be able to be placed and received regardless how badly the user fubars the installation. While we'd like this to ultimately lead to Treo 750s with multiple personality disorder, we suspect the whole initiative will ultimately be restricted to a handful of NTT DoCoMo specials.[Via The Inquirer and WM247]
Vista license transfers not as restrictive as initially reported
Those of you planning on upgrading to Windows Vista in January -- and yes, despite the supposed delay in shipments to hardware manufacturers, the commercial version of the OS is still on track for the stated rollout -- will be happy to learn that the seemingly unfair limitation on license transfers will not be nearly as severe as we first reported. According to a spokesperson in Microsoft's Licensing Department, simply swapping out a component such as a CPU or graphics card will not require you to re-activate Vista; only replacing a hard drive plus another piece of your rig at the same time will necessitate a re-activation. And instead of the single license transfer stipulation that we'd heard before, Redmond has now gone on record saying that you can re-install Vista up to 10 times without penalty -- and possibly more, though that will apparently be decided on a case-by-case basis. Of course, you still won't be able to pay for one copy Vista and run it on multiple machines simultaneously; but hey, that's to be expected, and trying it will get you every bit of functionality-crippling frustration that you deserve.
Microsoft exec avoids confirming Vista release
We should start off by saying that this could be nothing but cautionary corporate-speak, but rather than confirming the scheduled January ship date for Windows Vista -- which is what everyone at the company's annual analyst meeting wanted to hear -- Microsoft exec Kevin Johnson seemingly opened up the door to fresh delay rumors by telling attendees that the beleaguered OS will be released "when it is available." Johnson's comments came as a response to analysts who wanted to know if Vista was still on track for a January release; instead of a simple "yes," however, he told the group that "we are going to ship the product when it is ready, and we are going to take it milestone by milestone." Now, what sounds like a non-denial of further delays could simply be part of a new policy to avoid making specific promises, but following Bill Gates's recent "statistical analysis" that Vista is only 80% likely to ship in January, this development is troubling to say the least. At this point we don't really know what to expect anymore, and since our current XP-powered setup already does everything we need it to, we're getting pretty close to not caring if Vista is ever released at all.
Qualcomm, KDDI, manufacturers to collaborate on OS
Symbian, Windows Mobile, ALP, and NTT DoCoMo's Linux consortium apparently aren't enough, and KDDI's thinking there's room for at least one more mobile platform in the world. The Japanese carrier has rounded up Qualcomm, Sanyo, and Toshiba to get cracking on a brand new OS with initial commercial availability coming toward the end of 2007. The platform, which KDDI would presumably like to eventually drop on most or all of its models, will include the operating system itself plus software for messaging, "wireless applications," and "running cameras." We reckon these folks' efforts would be better spent hooking up with NTT DoCoMo on their platform, but corporate egos being what they are -- well, let's just say we don't see KDDI jumping on that bandwagon any time soon.[Via The Register]
Parallels Desktop official release, discount pricing ends July 15th
After months of betas and release candidates, Parallels has brought their fantastic Desktop OS virtualization software to an official release. As you might remember from their last release candidate, they have also listened to user feedback and bundled their Compressor Server tool for optimizing virtual disks and streamlining the amount of disk space they take up, which also brought the final price up to $79.99. However, until July 15th, Parallels is still offering a discount price of $49.99, so get those credit cards out if Boot Camp doesn't quite cut it.[thanks for the tip, Mark!]
Nokia surprises, unveils Internet Tablet 2006 OS for 770
So instead of revealing that upgraded version of the 770 Internet Tablet as we expected them to today, Nokia flipped the script on us and announced that the Google Talk and keyboard features we had been anticipating will actually be coming in the form of a software upgrade. The good news is that these new features -- part of the company's so-called Internet Tablet 2006 OS -- will be available to current 770 owners through a simple update, although those folks who were expecting a hardware QWERTY option (and not just an on-screen "thumb board") are certainly going to be disappointed. On the plus side, the new OS will support SIP-based VoIP solutions, with Nokia specifically mentioning that a version of the Gizmo Project client is forthcoming. IT2006 will become the default operating system on 770 units, and will be available as a free download to existing 770 users, beginning sometime this quarter.
Happy birthday, Tiger
Reader JP Dane-Castro wrote in to remind us that it was exactly one year ago today that Apple starting shipping the world's most advanced operating system, Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.Take stroll down memory lane by reading Apple's press release. Now, when is Leopard shipping?
Parallels releases VM Compactor 1.0 beta
Parallels sure has been busy these last couple of weeks, as they have now produced a beta of VM Compactor for Intel-based Macs (as well as Windows and Linux), an app that helps optimize VMs (virtual machines) and compresses the amount of physical disk space they use. The nice thing about VM Compactor is that it can help optimize VMs created with software other than their own Workstation, such as Microsoft's Virtual PC and VMware's Workstation.If you aren't quite familiar with why software like VM Compactor needs to exist, here's a quick example: with an app like Parallels' Workstation (which has been creating so much buzz in the Mac world lately), you can install and run multiple operating systems, such as Windows and Linux, inside of Mac OS X. This is referred to as 'virtualization' and is a bit different - and some would say more useful for general tasks - from using something like Boot Camp which requires you to shut down Mac OS X in order to boot into Windows.Well, over time, these other OS installs, called 'virtual machines,' can begin to take up extra and needless space on your hard drive, even when Parallels Workstation compacts and compresses their installation after each time you finish using them. This is where VM Compactor comes in: its purpose is to clean up, optimize and strip the fat out of these installs to make sure they run as well as possible and take up the least amount of disk space necessary.Parallels VM Compactor is in beta and offers a 30-trial, which suggests it should be available for retail purchase within the next month.
Switched On: Boot Camp - The Miffing Manual
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a weekly column about the future of technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:"All right! Listen up, maggot! Welcome to Fort Dragg. I am your Commanding Microsoft Office-er Sgt. Pepper! How do you like that for trademark infringement, Apple Corps? I bet you came here today because you wanted to serve your computer company by beta testing Boot Camp? Well, let me tell you something. It ain't gonna be easy, you puke!"Over the next 50 minutes, I will become your father, your mother, your Apple Specialist, your third-tier tech support person, and your best friend! Your heart may belong to Apple but your butt belongs to me! Your precious vendor won't support other operating systems, so you better be quicker than a FireWire 800 port, because if you ain't, you just may blow your disk up with your laser mouse."You come here as a sack of rotting apples unfit to touch a scroll ball! But I will tear down your hard drive into partitions until you cry. You will feel the burn like a driver CD. You will break like compatibility with classic Mac applications. Your identity will be so far gone that Spotlight won't be able to find it. Remember, there is no Windows ME in 'team.' If you can reset your system clock, you will leave with a time-killing, dual-booting, PC game-running machine! Do you hear me!?""Sir! Yes, sir!"
Windows Vista delayed - again
I almost decided not to post this on the grounds that a lot of us probably won't be surprised, but then I figured it might still be good for a laugh.A friend passed me an article at CNET which reports that Vista has been delayed yet again to January 2007. Windows chief Jim Allchin explained that a few complications would force some PC vendors to wait until '07 to get their hands on the über-delayed upgrade to Microsoft's OS, while others could have it as soon as November 2006. As a result of this quirk, Microsoft ultimately decided to push the hold button again, kicking Vista's debut into January of 2007.Here's hoping Apple will capitalize on this latest roadblock in Vista's development. With Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) still slated to land this year, along with the recent announcements of a new chip from Intel and WWDC's move to August (perhaps for a Leopard release?), I wouldn't be surprised if 2006 turns into a fantastic year for Apple.[thanks to Damien for the pic]
