Hardware
Everex is known for its gPC, a low-cost Linux-based desktop computer that it sells through Wal-Mart and other retailers. Everex's newest product, which is planned for release next month, is a Linux-based subnotebook intended to compete with the Asus Eee PC. An anonymous source informed LinuxDevices.com that the Cloudbook, which will be available for $400 next month, is equipped with a 1.2GHz Via processor, 512MB of RAM, a seven-inch screen, a 30GB hard drive, and a 1.2 megapixel camera. The laptop will ship with gOS, the same Linux-based operating system that is featured on Everex's gPC.
ASUS Computer International (“ASUS”) recently received feedback from one of its valued customers with questions concerning the purpose of a seal stating, “Warranty Void If Removed” over the access door to the single SODIMM slot on some models of the ASUS Eee PC. ASUS wishes to assure its customers that merely breaking or removing this kind of seal will not void the ASUS Limited Warranty.
The first thing to address: Are these two devices truly competitors? The answer is yes - but only to consumers who don't know what they REALLY want. You see - Both are extremely portable 800x480 Internet centric Linux devices in the $400-$470 street price range. However, both have clear cut advantages in certain areas that would only be of benefit to people who knew those advantages beforehand and used them as a basis for a purchasing decision.
The good news for everyone is that you can get a good, solid laptop for under a grand these days. The bad news for Vista users is that many of those laptops, even though they're sold with Vista, have nothing like enough resources to run Vista decently.
"ASUS is bound by the GPL to make the sources for the software they’re distributing available, even if they have not modified them. (Check the license if you don’t believe me.) ASUS has posted a 1.8GB ZIP file on their website that they claim is the sources, but it’s not — it contains a few .debs (not even the versions that ship on the machine) and some kernel headers. (Perhaps they figured nobody would pull 1.8GB from their slow-as-molasses site and find out.)"
"Linux Hardware has posted a look at the new Intel "Penryn" processor and how the new processor will work with Linux. Intel recently released the new "Penryn" Core 2 processor with many new features. So what are these features and how will they equate into benefits to Linux users? The article covers all the high points of the new "Penryn" core and talks to a couple Linux projects about end-user performance of the chip."
Can the masses be wooed by Linux? Second-tier PC maker Everex teamed up with a startup called gOS to build the gPC TC2502, a $199 VIA-powered Ubuntu 7.10 Linux system with an Enlightenment E17 interface. Although they assure us that the "g" doesn't stand for Google, the PC's productivity will be almost solely derived from Google apps accessed through Firefox: Mail, Calendar, News, Maps and Documents & Spreadsheets. It will also come with OpenOffice.org 2.2 and some other freeware Linux faves. But again, the question is, will the Wal-Mart crowd bite the bait?
Nokia has just introduced the N810 Internet Tablet, its third stab at a Linux-run Wi-Fi tablet and the second since bringing these devices under the umbrella of its Nseries of consumer-orientated smartphones.
"Software has become easier to customize in the past decade, but hardware, for the most part, remains closed: Apple's battle to keep people from hacking the iPhone is a case in point. Although most consumer electronics are collections of smaller devices--cell phones typically include cameras and voice recorders, for example--users can't swap out the devices or modify the way they work.
Essentially, the Eee PC is a highly portable notebook computer with a difference, to make a difference: it is more compact than most notebooks; eschewing hard drive for flash storage, it is more lightweight and rugged; relying on Linux (users can also opt for Windows Vista), and industry-standard connectivity, it is also low-cost.
Atmel Corporation and TimeSys announced today a free Linux Board Support Package (BSP) for Atmel's ARM9-based AT91SAM9 Microcontrollers.
Fiire announced the FiireStation 1, a 1" thick media connection for the FiireEngine designed to fit behind a Plasma or LCD TV. The FiireStation 1" runs the media client software of the LinuxMCE software suite, giving access to the LinuxMCE collection of services including HD Video playback, full advanced PVR capability, Smarthome control facilities for lighting, HVAC, irrigation, and other home systems, Security camera access and integrated VOIP.
On Thursday Acer contacted ZDNet.co.uk with the following statement: "At this moment in time Acer UK does not have a PC available with Linux pre-loaded, but we are looking at introducing one in the future."
Acer will not release Linux-based laptops in the UK due to a lack of demand, despite launching an Ubuntu-based machine in Asia.
NASA's new SGI Altix system is expected to be installed in August at the NASA Advanced Supercomputing facility at the Ames Research Center. The new system will be the first supercomputer to operate 2,048 processor cores and 4TB of memory under a single copy of Linux(R) -- creating the largest Linux single system image (SSI) in the world.
