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The iPad has yet to hit shelves, and yet it has already become clear that a tablet war will likely consume much consumer attention in 2010.  Apple, to much applause, has announced its champion, and Windows will likely respond with an arsenal of 3rd party devices. But who will carry the open source community’s banner into the fray?  Joojoo Tablet has fallen from favor once it became clear it would run a browser-based OS, and the other Android tablets have failed to garner much attention.

Notion Ink’s ADAM appears to be standing ready to fill this hole. It’s a Linux-based tablet that already has set its eye on defeating the iPad, and the spec list does not seem to betray it in that regard:

• 10″ Transflective LCD, Pixel Qi Screen 1024 x 600 with low power mode
• Multitouch capacitive screen
• Dual Core ARM Cortex A9 with NVidia Tegra 2
• HDMI 1080p Out
• 3 USB Ports
• Battery life: 160 hours backlight off, 16 hours video playback
• Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth
• Multitasking
• Rear trackpad
• Adobe Flash Support
• Camera
• SD Card Slot

The truly revolutionary component on this tablet is its screen, which incorporates Pixel Qi technology to give a similar experience as e-Ink when the backlight is off. This gives the tablet its godly battery life,  and allows it to directly challenge the reading experience of eReaders.  It is a powerful tablet, and the device’s multitasking with Flash support is undoubtedly a response to the iPad’s inability to do either.

Still, this thing comes with some weird quirks. It is unclear what the OS shall be on this tablet, as three are listed in the spec sheet (Android, Ubuntu, Chromium). Pricing is  highly variable, $327-800, but still easily competitive with Apple.  All that remains is to see how well Notion Ink will market this and get public support behind it.  For now, it seems like Linux’s best shot to take the mainstream.

Via Gizmodo, image via Notion Ink.

Since my dad taught me how to dual-boot Mandrake Linux 7 with Windows ME in my early pre-teen years, I have not owned a single computer that hasn’t had a Linux distribution on it.  And for many years, KDE was my desktop manager of choice.   Sometime around KDE 3.4, I deemed KDE too clunky and left it to experiment with other desktop managers.

Still, I never forgot about my roots in the Linux world, and indeed KDE 4 brought KDE significantly forward towards modern desktops.  Now, KDE seems to be turning towards everyone’s favorite rising PC market: netbooks. KDE 4.4 is a massive version release touting 7293 bug fixes and 1433 new feature implementations. The  result is a promised new, cleaner experience, with the majority of the changes relating to the actual Plasma desktop.

Specifically for netbooks, KDE has made this particular announcement:

Plasma Netbook debuts in 4.4.0. Plasma Netbook is an alternative interface to the Plasma Desktop, specifically designed for ergonomic use on netbooks and smaller notebooks. The Plasma framework has been built from the beginning with non-desktop target devices in mind as well. Plasma Netbook shares many components with the Plasma Desktop, but is specifically designed to make good use of the small space, and to be more suitable also for touchscreen input. The Plasma Netbook shell features a full-screen application launcher and search interface, and a Newspaper which offers many widgets to display content from the web and small utilities already known from Plasma Netbook’s sibling.

This means KDE is stepping up to the plate for a true netbook experience.  I tried KDE 4.4 on my laptop, but haven’t used it enough to consider switching away from GNOME.  Still, it is good to see that the Linux community is viewing netbooks as a legitimate shot to enter the mainstream market. And KDE is arguably the most Windows-esque desktop manager providing an easier transition for first time users. If you want to give it a spin, go download any KDE based Linux distribution (i.e. Kubuntu, openSUSE).

Via KDE.

Ubuntu Netbook Edition probably is the best shot for a layman’s attempt at Linux on a netbook.  Surprisingly, Ubuntu now appears to be making strange software decisions left and right.  Canonical has announced that UNE 10.04 will not come with OpenOffice, long deemed the open-source Microsoft Office challenger, and will change the default office service to Google Docs.

Now, while the premise and case for Web 3.0 and Cloud Computing seems strong, Google Docs has oft been criticized as an incomplete suite, with limited functionality at best. It does not have the same richness which makes OpenOffice at least comparable to Microsoft Office. Also, this decision comes in stark contrast to Canonical’s move to ditch Google as the primary search engine for Firefox.

Other software changes include the fact that Gimp has been removed from Ubuntu Desktop 10.04 and graphics programs in general from UNE, Tomboy Notes removed from UNE, and gbrainy (a brain teaser game) has been added.  While it’s understood that developers are trying to optimize application selection for netbook users, they run the risk of alienating Linux newcomers by limiting their options.

Via Slashdot.

Jim Zemlin, the Linux Foundation’s executive director, identified the inhibiting factor to mobile Linux’s growth on his blog last week, in response to the iPad’s launch.  It was not a specific hardware or  software defect he mentioned, but instead the culture of the Linux product world.  Quite simply, he said, “Apple’s consistent user experience is far closer to magical than most things currently running Linux”.  It is a sobering but honest point that he makes regarding one of the iPad’s indisputable advantages.

The iPad, despite its lack of features and questionable pricing scheme, is fairly immune to attacks regarding its UI.  If staying true to the iPhone formula, it will likely capture the attention of  general market and garner acclaim for its smoothness and user experience.  This elegant performance that Apple boasts is something that has eluded Linux interfaces for decades now.  Only recently have its desktop platforms attained the level of consistency that people expect from an Apple OS.

Does this mean Linux already is forced to sit out in the free-for-all that is the tablet market? Far from it, argues Zemlin.  Future Linux products will be spared from the oft-called “Apple Tax” that prevents the iPad from entering impulse-buy territory.  Furthermore, even if Linux lacks the oh-so-important “magic”, it does offer something most computer users take for granted: freedom.  As stated by Zemlin:

“Apple is the most locked down closed system imaginable, from the software ladened with DRM, all the way down to the custom silicon they use for their Apple A4 chip. Commercial success is important, but freedom is also important.  ”

Ultimately, what can be taken from this is that the Linux does have its sights set on cornering the mobile market, and it is not afraid to improve itself in order to get there.  Undoubtedly, it does not plan on being pushed into oblivion as it was for much of the desktop market and sees the tablet field as a chance for redemption.

Via Ars Technica.

A peculiar announcement came from Ubuntu’s development staff earlier this week.  On Tuesday, Rick Spencer of Canonical posted that it planned on making several minor and ultimately cosmetic changes to Firefox on Ubuntu’s next release.  The first is relatively benign, making the default Firefox homepage be the selected default search engine for Firefox’s search bar. However, the interesting part is that the new default search engine for Ubuntu will no longer be Google, but instead Yahoo!. This also effectively makes Yahoo! the new default home page.

So what’s Canonical’s explanation for this sudden and strange shift? It seems to be that the company has established a new revenue sharing deal with Yahoo! in order to help fund the Ubuntu project.  However, this will undoubtedly be unsavory to much of the original Ubuntu base for a number of reasons.

First of all, it arguably shows  that Canonical is caving into corporatism and losing the puritanical openness it’s known for.  Secondly, Yahoo! is now powered by Bing, which means this effectively becomes a revenue sharing deal between Canonical and Microsoft.

Google already has two distributions of Linux (albeit each is far from traditional distros) in the works -  Android and Chrome OS – and Microsoft has ownership over one of the most major players of Linux, Novell’s SUSE.  Whether or not Microsoft has some sort of interest in Ubuntu is unsure at best, and is probably unlikely.  However one thing is evident: major corporations will play a role in shaping Linux and open-source’s fate, regardless of what its users and adherents would wish.

Via Canonical Development Boards, image via Yahoo!.

Looks like we’ve got another example of a netbook user getting royally screwed. This time it’s not from AT&T, but Best Buy. Why? Some guy has discovered that, under Best Buy’s Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Plan, installing Linux is enough to void your warranty.

The user wrote on the Consumerist blog:

“My four month-old netbook’s touchpad and power adapter all stopped working. I took the machine into Best Buy for service under the Geek Squad’s Black Tie Protection Plan on Saturday, and demonstrated its problems. The manager of the Geek Squad informed that installing Ubuntu Linux on my machine voided my warranty, and that I could only have it serviced if the original Windows installation was restored. Furthermore, he insisted that the touchpad and power adapter had been broken because I installed Linux.”

Best Buy may have a point – driver conflicts can happen if you switch OSes, so as long as Windows was restored all should be well. Right?

Not so. Apparently, the store’s Geek Squad manager told him that his installation of Linux had “permanently voided” his warranty.

It will be quite an issue if Best Buy stands by its ruling, so if I had to guess I’d expect that they either amend their policy or let the guy off the hook and replace his netbook.

Via TorrentBomb.

Google has answered Mac and Linux user’s prayers this Tuesday by announcing that it has made betas for Chrome that will be compatible with both OSes. These are not final perfected versions of Chrome, but due to the open-source nature of Chrome they should quickly grow to become bigger and better.  Mac OS X 10.5 or later is necessary for the Chrome’s Mac beta, while the Linux beta runs on Gnome and KDE.

Chrome delivers ultra high-speed web browsing with loads of cool features. Now Mac and Linux users have a chance to judge for themselves if they will abandon their current reliable browsers for  this lightning speed (but possibly quirk-riddled) creation.

Via WebMonkey.

Computer manufacturer Haleron is promoting a new Linux-based OS that will be able to run Linux, Windows, and Android applications. The new Linux OS is based on SUSE Linux, but it includes WINE, which will help in running Windows applications. There’s also additional software that’s included in the package that will let you run Google Android applications.

The netbook version of Haleron’s new Linux OS is 420 MB. There’s also a desktop version of Haleron’s new Linux OS. Installation can be a bit tricky, but if you’re interested, PenDriveLinux has simplified instructions on formatting a USB drive to prep for installation. The actual Haleron Ocean OS can be downloaded here. You’ll need to register for a free account.

If you test out Haleron’s new Linux OS, we’d love to hear what you think!

Canonical has hinted that Ubuntu Netbook Remix is going to be renamed Ubuntu Netbook Edition, as found in the Blueprint for Ubuntu 10.04.

The change is more symbolic than anything, but it is a sign that netbooks are starting to get more dedicated attention. This may also be a move by Canonical to contrast the specificity of its products with  Microsoft’s. Microsoft offers OEMs a crippled version of Windows 7 in newer netbooks, and if netbook users get the hint that Canonical gives a damn about them, they may be more willing to make the switch.

Netbook Remix is mostly distinguished from ordinary Ubuntu Linux by using a series of categories (Accessories, Games, Internet, Office, etc.) rather than dropdown menus in the interface.

If you just can’t wait, you can get Ubuntu Netbook Remix from Canonical here.

Via OMGUbuntu.

The Moblin Linux project has finally announced a release version of Moblin 2.1 for Intel Atom machines. The new edition promises to include the “broadest feature additions, customer requested improvements, and overall polish to date”. I’m already a fan.

Specifics include improved 3G support, Bluetooth supprt, an app installer, localization improvements, a better browser, sexier UI, and naturally bug fixes and performance upgrades.

The release is a mere 745MB, so you might be able to sneak it onto a CD. Otherwise, just use a USB stick, you cheap bastard.

Moblin 2.1 is supported on both  Intel Atom and Intel Core 2 machines, but GMA-500, Nvidia and ATI graphics aren’t supported yet. Let’s cross our fingers for version 2.2.

Interested in Moblin 2.1 for your netbook? We’ve got everything you need to know right here, plus a download link for those ready to take the plunge.

Via Moblin.

ABI Research, whose recent projections for the netbook industry expected 35 million netbook sales for 2009, announced that in 2009 Linux will represent 32% of netbook sales. Microsoft, on the other hand, claims the number is around 7%.

Furthermore, ABI says Linux wil overtake Windows by 2013 due to netbook sales in less-developed countries.

An increasing number of netbooks running on the ARM processor are expected to propel Linux over Windows as the leading processor by 2013. This is expected to be driven by consumers in less-developed countries that buy a Linux netbook as their primary PC.

How will Microsoft react to the increased presence of Linux? Maybe it’ll start discounting the price for Windows Embedded CE or Windows Mobile, versions of the OS that are able to run on ARM processors within netbooks.

Via ComputerWorld.

It’s November, ladies and gentlemen, and you know what that means: it’s time to count down to Black Friday!

Huliq recently included netbooks on its list of what it expects to be the most popular items this Black Friday, and has uncovered some interesting hints about what we could expect this shopping season.

Word has it that a 9″ Linux netbook will be available for an insane $129 this year. This sounds like it could come in the form of a refurbished Dell Mini 9 or Eee PC 900 series netbook, depending on who’s doing the selling.

Another popular offering could be the 15.4″ Compaq CQ-139WM, which isn’t a netbook but runs a 160 GB HDD and 2 GB of RAM for only $298.

The latest version of Ubuntu is available for download today. Unbuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 is the last interim release before the third Long Term Support Edition. All Ubuntu forks (including Kubuntu and Xubuntu) have also been updated to version 9.10.

Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 includes several changes from previous versions. Ext4 has replaced ext3 as the default file-system, empathy has replaced Pidgin as the instant messaging client, and the Palimpsest Disk Utility has replaced GParted as the partition manager. There are also several updates featured in Ubuntu 9.10, including updating the GRUB boot loader to version 2, Firefox to version 3.5, and GNOME to version 2.28.

If you’re interested in learning more about Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 or getting it for your netbook, you can download it here.

Via TomsHardware.

Jolicloud, a custom-made Linux OS designed specifically for netbooks, has an emphasis on bridging the gap between web and desktop applications. It also heavily focuses on social activities and has the capability of sharing your computing activities (such as when you install an application) with your Jolicloud contacts.

The Jolicloud netbook OS is still in alpha testing, but recently, all existing Jolicloud users have been allowed 10 invites, which they can send out to their friends. If you’re interested in checking out the OS, start asking around. Maybe your friends can send you an invite.

Here’s another example of a company breaking into the netbook segment of the portable PC market. Kogan is famous for cheap, online-only AV products (mostly TVs) but has recently introduced the Agora Netbook.

Many companies tend to enter the segment with something unique, but that doesn’t really seem to be the case with Kogan. The Agora netbook has a 10.1″ screen display with 1024×600 resolution, is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, has an Intel GMA 950 graphics chipset and a 160 GB hard drive – pretty typical specs for a netbook.

At least Kogan can boast about equipping their netbooks with Linux, if that’s even something to boast about. The netbook uses gOS, which is a Google-heavy Ubuntu port, and many of the applications included with the machine live in the Google Cloud. The six-celled battery that comes with the netbook is also angled at a good degree that’s comfortable for users to type at and the keyboard size is reasonable.

Via PCAuthority.

As the Intel Developer Forum continues this week, a new Linux netbook based on Moblin is expected to make an appearance.

Back at the Linuxcon Conference in Oregon, Jim Zemlin of the Linux Foundation dropped the info:

“You’re going to see this week interesting new netbooks coming out that are killer. They have the cool factor and they’re priced right.”

So what does that mean to Zemlin? Apparently, within a year, “no one will buy hardware or software” and netbooks will be free with wireless service contracts. We’ve heard that claim before.

Zemlin believes that this will give the Linux netbook world an edge over the Microsoft establishment:

“Microsoft’s economics don’t fit into that at all.”

Via PCWorld.

The Chinese CZC C9 netbook has to be setting some kind of record for its size, coming in at 50 mm and a mere 750 grams. Yet, somehow, it still manages to look clunky:

Running an ARM11 processor, the CZC C9 has an 8.9″ display with a standard 1024 x 600 resolution. It has 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal memory, USB ports and VGA.

Nicely enough, the machine can run for 9 hours on a single charge. Some of the credit for that may go to ShenZhen Zichuang Technology’s customized Linux OS, trimming some fat from the system. For a mere $220, this Spartan netbook might just hold the interest of some cost cutters out there.

Via UberGizmo.

The newest version of Ubuntu Netbook Remix is here, and though it’s just a touch-up of the old version, the interface has been amended in some pretty appealing ways.

This version is called Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala Alpha 4 Netbook Remix, and it gives you more access to the desktop while still allowing use of the UNR program launcher you may be familiar with. Menus are resizeable for this purpose, and folder animations have also been reintroduced.

You can get Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha 4 from Canonical, as always.

Currently, Dell offers Ubuntu Linux 8.04 on its Mini 10v netbook, but will soon (in the next few weeks actually) be upgrading to version 9.04 (codenamed Jaunty Jackalope). On its future netbooks, the company is planning to pre-loading Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which is specifically designed for smaller screen sizes.

According to PCWorld, “It’s [Ubuntu's] Web-centric design provides quick access to online applications, and the OS builds in support for a larger number of drivers.” If you need to catch up on the details of this OS, you can learn more about Ubuntu Netbook Remix (version 9.04) by reading one of our past articles.

According to Todd Finch, Dell has also recently expressed interest in possibly offering smartbooks, mobile devices that are similar to netbooks. Smartbooks are mostly Linux-based and designed for individuals who greatly rely on the Web for their computing needs.

Whether or not Dell will decide to manufacture smartbooks in the future is still currently uncertain, but we’ll let you know if we hear more news on this subject.

Via PCWorld.

Image via GeekRentals.