July 3 - 8:15am EDT   Only Windows PCs may be required to carry China's controversial Green Dam Youth Escort content filtering app, computer makers said on Friday. Although the government officially requires every computer sold in the country to have the software included, any system that can't install Green Dam, including any of Apple's computers or Linux PCs, doesn't have to bundle it. The exemption also applies to any computer that doesn't meet the "technical requirements" for an install, according to one anonymous PC vendor. [full story]

July 2 - 3:40pm EDT   Chinese electronics maker Inkia has recently launched a pair of nameless Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) powered by 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPUs, with both 7-inch and 5-inch versions. Each is equipped with an 800x480 resolution touchscreen, 1GB of RAM and solid state drive storage up to 32GB. The preloaded operating system is either Linux or Windows XP. Other features common to either system include 3G support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. [full story]

June 30 - 11:30am EDT   Mozilla today published the final version of Firefox 3.5. The new version of the Gecko-based browser emphasizes speed with overall improvements as well as a new JavaScript engine, nicknamed TraceMonkey, that dramatically improves the speed of sites using such code; Mozilla estimates 3.5 is about as twice as fast as 3.0. Privacy and security are also bolstered with a new private browsing mode as well as better anti-phishing and malware detection. [full story]

June 25 - 4:40pm EDT   First unveiled back in March, the Touch Book from Always Innovating is due to ship sometime in July. The device uses an 8.9-inch touchscreen with 1024x600 resolution and can be used as a tablet PC, or like a more conventional netbook-like PC with the addition of the optional snap-in keyboard. [full story]

June 24 - 10:30am EDT   The first fruits of the Intel-Nokia partnership could come within a matter of weeks, the Taiwan-area Commercial Times newspaper claimed today. Stating the rumor as fact, it insists that reports of Nokia netbooks are true and that a portable based on Intel Atom chips could come as soon as this summer. Its details aren't known, but Quanta would be contracted to build the computer. [full story]

June 23 - 3:05pm EDT   The Splashtop instant-on platform from DeviceVM is coming to Sony's VAIO NW-series notebook PCs and Acer's AspireRevo nettop PCs, as per a pair of Tuesday launches. Sony's implementation of the platform is called Quick Web Access, while Acer calls its RevoBoot. In either case, Splashtop, which could be described as a lightweight Linux operating system, allows users to access the Internet within a few seconds but without having to boot the full operating system. [full story]

June 23 - 9:40am EDT   Cisco today aimed its Linksys routers at the open-source community with its first modern-era, 802.11n Wi-Fi router using Linux. The WRT160NL gives power users more control over the operating system driving the network device without having to resort to hacked firmware. It's also more flexible in hardware, the company says, as the antennas are mounted externally and on removable connectors that let users choose either stronger antennas or simply rotate the pre-supplied ones into an ideal position. [full story]

June 16 - 11:10am EDT   Garmin-ASUS at CommunicAsia on Tuesday said that its decision to launch Android phones next year will mark the end of the partnership's custom Linux variant. The nuvifone G60 will now be both the first and last phone to run the in-house OS and all future nuvifones will either use Android or else, like the M20, Windows Mobile. Reasons for the switch haven't been explained to CNET but likely center on both the true smartphone-level feature set as well as the reduced work of using an existing OS rather than developing from scratch. [full story]

June 14 - 9:35pm EDT   OpenOSX has released V3.0 of its WinTel application. The software is used to operate Microsoft Windows and Ubuntu Linux within a window on Mac OS X. The update includes a disk image with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed and runs most of the instructions of the virtual machine natively to boost running speed. Utilizing an emulation mode, the application mimics several different processors including PowerPC, Sparc, MIPS, and ARM. [full story]

June 10 - 4:30pm EDT   Econo-Keys recently announced the addition of its EK-76-TP mobile keyboard that flips over to reveal a touchpad. While not completely functional, as users would be hard-pressed to use both the keyboard and touchpad simultaneously, the EK-76-TP is ultra-portable, measuring in at about 9 by 3.5 by 0.4 inches. The keyboard sports a USB interface and is compatible with Windows and Linux operating systems. [full story]

June 10 - 3:55pm EDT   Finland-based Elektrobit has recently demonstrated a cellular-voice-enabled mobile Internet device (MID) known as the Reference Device and based on Intel's next-generation Atom processor, codenamed Moorestown. The device will also sport a special build of the Linux-based Moblin v2 operating system optimized for use in MIDs and with cellular phone support. The EB design was co-developed along with Intel and Ericsson, and will be offered to companies in custom specs. [full story]

June 10 - 12:05pm EDT   HP today acted on two of its planned system updates by launching them through its online store, including an unannounced processor. The new dv2z costs slightly more than promised at $625 but now has a white color trim option and starts with a single-core 1.6GHz Athlon Neo, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive with Radeon X1250 integrated video. Adding a dual-core 1.6GHz processor costs $25; in a surprise, an option now exists for a 1.6GHz Turion Neo that likely boosts performance still for an additional $75. [full story]

June 10 - 9:20am EDT   Virgin Mobile USA on Wednesday announced it will soon offer a pre-paid 3G Internet access service called Broadband2Go. Users will need to buy a Novatel MC760 USB modem, which will access the web via Sprint's EV-DO Revisoin A network. The modem plugs into the USB ports on Mac, Windows, or Linux computers and has an internal dual-band diversity antenna with an option for an external antenna for better performance in remote areas. There is also a microSDHC slot in the modem that allows users to add as much as 16GB of storage. [full story]

June 9 - 8:15am EDT   Logitech this morning upgraded its V220 wireless mouse with its first color and pattern options. Normally only coming in dark gray, the three-button notebook mouse now has blue, pink, purple and red solid colors as well as three patterned versions that draw on those same colors. It shares its RF-based nano USB receiver with higher-end mice like the VX Nano and can leave the connector plugged into a notebook even when it's in a bag. [full story]

June 5 - 2:45pm EDT   In spite of warnings of delays, Garmin president Cliff Pemble today at a shareholders' meeting said the company was "getting very close" to launching its nüvifone line on sale in the US through a carrier. The touchscreen GPS phones are now through the second stage of carrier testing and thus not far away from being used. Surprise demand from providers meant the company had little reason to follow original plans and release the phone at full price but unlocked. [full story]