11/05, 1:40pm
Myka ION a home theater PC for the living room
Myka has moved on from producing media hubs by releasing its Myka ION nettop as a full-fledged home theater PC. As the name implies, the PC packs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 2GB of RAM, along with an NVIDIA Ion graphics platform to supply HD (non-Flash) video. It runs on Ubuntu Linux and includes Boxee and XBMC media center software as well as support for standard-definition Adobe Flash and Hulu's online streaming service.
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10/05, 3:15pm
Dell ZinoHD will be labeled Inspiron, specs leak
Some specs and details of the upcoming Dell Zino HD series of nettops were revealed, thanks to a recent DellZinoHD search. Two models in the Zino HD series will be offered, including the Inspiron 300 and Inspiron 400. Both have potentially been readied for Windows XP, Windows Vista or the upcoming Windows 7, with the support page also including a manual for Ubuntu.
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09/23, 3:45pm
Dell Mini 10v gets Intel's Linux OS
Dell at IDF revealed that it's about to ship a version of the Inspiron Mini 10v with Moblin Linux. The system is initially aimed at developers but will give everyone a simpler-to-use alternative to Ubuntu for web browsing and media playback. It specifically uses Canonical's Moblin Netbook Remix, a variant tailored for the screens and interfaces common to the mini notebooks.
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09/07, 9:20am
Best Buy told to misrepresent Linux
Microsoft has been sending Best Buy retail staff "training" material that deliberately attacks and in some cases distorts Linux, according to a leak from an anonymous Best Buy employee. The materials present obvious and at times true assertions about the lack of software support and users preferring a "comfortable" experience but also makes controversial statements about security and other features. Among these are contradictory claims that Linux doesn't get regular updates and yet is a problem to maintain precisely because it gets "hundreds of updates" per month.
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08/27, 4:25pm
Sharp intros NetWalker
Sharp Japan today launched a new entry into ultra mobile PCs with the PC-Z1, otherwise known as the NetWalker. Unlike most UMPCs that are based on either Windows or custom Linux versions, the PC-Z1 uses Ubuntu Linux 9.04 as its platform. Processing is handled by Freescale's i.MX515 800MHz CPU, there is 512MB of RAM and just 4GB of internal memory, though a microSDHC memory card slot lets users expand it by another 16GB. Users interact through a 5-inch, 1024x600 resolution touchscreen and the device is also light at under 1lb. The very small form factor makes the device ultra-portable, while a built-in Wi-Fi connection lets them access the Internet from these remote locations.
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05/25, 1:30pm
Studio XPS 13 gets Ubuntu
PC, notebook, monitor and related hardware manufacturer Dell has recently began offering its Studio XPS 13 notebook PC preloaded with the Linux-based Ubuntu operating system. The 13.3-inch notebook otherwise has the same key specs as its Windows Vista-powered counterpart, including the same 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, though some of the available options between them differ. For example, users can upgrade to a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo on the Ubuntu XPS 13, while those who opt for the Vista system have a choice of a different 2.53GHz and a 2.66GHz CPU.
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05/22, 3:50pm
MS Dropping 3-App Win 7
Microsoft will drop the controversial three-app limit on Windows 7 Starter Edition by the time it reaches shelves, an apparent scoop by long-time Microsoft observer Paul Thurrott indicates. Although the restriction is often softened in practice, the approach would let owners use more than three full, active apps at a time. Microsoft previously instituted the limit both to accommodate the slower systems that would likely be used as well as to push customers towards the more lucrative Vista Home Basic.
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05/20, 9:30am
Dell Mini 10v Android Demo
Dell has quietly drawn attention to its netbook plans by demonstrating Google's Android 1.5 running on an Inspiron Mini 10v (video below). Company technology strategist Doug Anson describes the mobile OS as "small and snappy" on the Intel Atom-based portable but doesn't do more than show the operating system running on the 10v alongside another system using Ubuntu Netbook Remix. It continues to show the stock home screen and doesn't show signs of customization by Dell.
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05/19, 8:15am
Dell Latitude 2100
Dell on Tuesday kicked off the launch of its first netbook meant for schools or business-oriented users. Unlike the Inspiron Minis, the Latitude 2100 is toughened against the rougher use likely in a class and has a sturdier chassis as well as a rubberized surface, including a unique texture on the lid that's deemed easier to grip. In a first for Dell and most non-tablet netbooks, the 2100 has the option of a touchscreen that can be used for very visual educational apps or just as a simpler alternative to the trackpad.
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05/12, 10:45am
Dell Inspiron Mini 10v
Dell on Tuesday ended speculation and unveiled the Inspiron Mini 10v, a budget version of the regular model launched earlier in the year. The new version switches to the lower-priced 1.6GHz Atom N270 instead of the slower but more battery-friendly 1.33GHz Z520 and drops to a 120GB hard drive from the regular 160GB. As a result, the netbook also uses GMA 950 integrated video in place of the GMA 500 specific to the Z-series Atom chips.
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05/06, 12:05pm
Dell Mini 9 Android Claim
Mobile software developer Bsquare has potentially spoiled Dell's release plans by saying it was porting Adobe's Flash Lite animation plugin for Dell netbooks running Google's Android platform. The company specifically references the Inspiron Mini 9 and suggests that the 8.9-inch portable is the likely main target for the OS. Whether Flash Lite would appear in-browser, or when Bsquare expects the port to ship on a production netbook, isn't mentioned.
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04/06, 11:50am
Dell Inspiron Mini 11 Leak
A new Dell roadmap leaked this weekend has at least partly confirmed plans by Dell to introduce one of the first systems based on Intel's CULV platform. Slotting in between netbooks and regular notebooks, the Inspiron Mini 11 discovered by NetbookNews would have an 11.6-inch display as well as "laptop like" performance and input, but in a design that would remain thin and light. It would also use Windows Vista and could potentially replace the Mini 12 as a result.
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03/23, 2:05pm
ATT on New iPhone
AT&T has reportedly made statements supporting a new, faster iPhone in the June timeframe. Citing one or more unnamed executives at the provider as "100% confirmed" sources, BGR hears the new iPhone will be unveiled "around mid-June" and that speed should be a particular focus. It's suggested that this may include (but wouldn't be limited to) AT&T's planned 7.2Mbps 3G upgrades that should roughly double the theoretical peak download speed on AT&T's network.
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03/02, 12:25pm
Always Innov Touch Book
Tech startup Always Innovating is using the start of the DEMO expo today to unveil the Touch Book, a system which its creator considers one of the first truly hybrid netbooks. The system can work both as a traditional notebook or as a convertible tablet but can also detach the keyboard entirely from the system to use it as a stand-alone touchscreen device. A set of magnets built into the back even lets users mount the screen on a refrigerator or elsewhere.
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02/24, 4:25pm
Dell Mini 9 with Ubuntu
Dell has seen steady sales growth and low return rates with its Inspiron Mini 9 netbooks running Ubuntu, despite reports that MSI experienced substantially higher return rates with its Wind series running SuSE Linux compared to the XP platform, according to Laptop. A third of the Mini 9 devices are shipped with Linux. "We have done a very good job explaining to folks what Linux is,” says Jay Pinkert of Dell.
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02/18, 3:45pm
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 Spec
Dell this afternoon provided official details for the Inspiron Mini 10, including its final release details. The 10-inch netbook's trim levels mostly match those of earlier leaks and will carry a 1.3-megapixel webcam, 3-cell battery, a 160GB hard drive and HDMI output in all models. The system's 1GB of memory will be fixed in place, but users will have the pick of either Ubuntu Linux 8 or Windows XP Home as the operating system.
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01/22, 2:00pm
MS Win 7 App Store Survey
Microsoft has issued a survey to Windows 7 beta users that suggests the software developer may create a central repository for downloading and updating apps besides its own, Ars Technica notes. The questionnaire asks users to rank the importance of various features for a single location for "finding and managing updates" for programs, including the option of downloading, installing and updating non-Microsoft software.
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01/19, 8:45am
CrunchPad Tablet
News site TechCrunch today revealed that it's much closer to launching a promised low-cost, touchscreen Internet tablet. Referred to now as the CrunchPad, the device has a 12-inch, 1024x768 touch display but includes netbook-grade components to keep the price and size down: the nearly button-free device will use a VIA Nano processor, 1GB of memory and a 4GB flash drive that are just enough to hold an interface that boots directly to a custom WebKit-based browser in Ubuntu Linux.
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01/05, 9:40am
Freescale Netbook ARM CPU
Freescale began its year today by introducing a new i.MX chip it hopes will gain a foothold in netbooks. The i.MX515 is based on the same ARM architecture shared by many smartphones and set-top boxes but is tuned for the higher performance of the mini notebooks, with clock speeds ranging between 600MHz and 1GHz. It also touts rare support for DDR2 memory and an integrated OpenGL graphics core capable of both 3D as well as accelerated 2D, such as video in Adobe's Flash Lite.
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12/16, 4:10pm
Dell Mini 12 Linux
Dell on Tuesday quietly expanded its options for the Inspiron Mini 12 with Linux and XP options. The new trim levels let the PC maker provide both an open-source alternative as well as offer a significantly better-performing alternative to the original, which was previously forced to use Windows Vista. The Linux version also lasts longer and runs for up to six hours despite using the same three-cell battery as the XP system.
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12/11, 10:50am
HP Desktop with Linux
HP on Thursday broke new ground for itself by introducing its first-ever Linux desktop aimed at small offices and schools. The HP Compaq dc5850 now has the option of SUSE Linux preinstalled rather than having to choose FreeDOS and install the open-source software afterwards. It also comes preloaded with multiple similarly open-source apps such as OpenOffice as well as its web browser, e-mail and IM suites; schools also get access to about 40 educational games and learning tools.
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12/08, 10:25am
Dell Inspiron 1545 Leak
Dell has unwittingly revealed a major revision to its Inspiron notebooks courtesy of a company-hosted technology guide discovered late yesterday. The Inspiron 1545 will be one of Dell's first truly mainstream notebooks with a 16:9 aspect ratio display and should switch from today's 15.4-inch LCD to a more movie-friendly 15.6-inch, 1366x768 (WXGA) screen with the option of an LED backlight. It should also mark a jump to Centrino 2 that carries anything from a 2GHz Celeron to a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo and will bring GMA 4500MHD integrated video as a result.
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11/14, 5:10pm
Ubuntu in ARM SoC systems
Thanks to a newly announced partnership between chipmaker ARM and commercial Ubuntu sponsor Canonical, Ubuntu Desktop, a Linux-based operating system, will come to low-power ARMv7-based System-on-Chip (SoC) processors commonly used in portable electronic devices. ARM announced the co-operative effort on Thursday, which will enable small computer devices to bring with them integrated graphics processing while using up as little power as possible. The operating system will be optimized by Canonical for specific applications and OEM requirements put forth by device manufacturers.
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11/10, 11:05am
Silicon Mountain Allio
Silicon Mountain today leapt into the US and released the Allio series of hybrid HDTVs and PCs. The screens include the regular features of TVs such as a built-in HD tuner and HDMI input but also have full desktop-class PCs inside. The feature gives the option of Blu-ray or DVD playback built into the TV but also PVR features rare in US-shipped TVs. It also access to web-only video services like Hulu and picture-in-picture viewing of TV and software on the same large picture.
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09/18, 12:10pm
Toshiba intros netbook
Toshiba UK on Thursday announced that its first netbook entry, the NB100, will arrive on the UK market next month. The device will be built around an 8.9-inch, 1024x600 LCD display, with processing power coming courtesy of Intel’s 1.6GHz Atom chip. Virtual memory will top out at 1GB, while onboard storage comes by way of a 120GB hard disk. The device will be available with either Linux Ubuntu 8.04 using OpenOffice 2.4 or else Microsoft's Windows XP Home.
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09/12, 8:40am
Dell Z530 Leak
British online retailer Tesco today unintentionally slipped details of the Dell Inspiron Z530. The portable appears to be the final version of the E Slim netbook leaked earlier in the year and would sit considerably above the Inspiron Mini 9 in terms of performance. Beyond the larger display, which outputs at at a much sharper 1366x768 resolution, the system would switch to a 40GB hard drive instead of the 16GB flash-based maximum of the Mini and would carry 1GB of RAM as a minimum.
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09/04, 12:25am
Dell Mini 9
Dell today is revealing the full details of the Inspiron Mini 9, its first netbook. The 8.9-inch portable once rumored as the Inspiron 910 shares a similar design to larger Inspirons but, apart from the smaller screen, uses a 1.6GHz Intel Atom chip and Ubuntu Linux to significantly shrink its size without significantly affecting its responsiveness or its feature set. The system weighs just under 2.3 pounds but has features that are often missing from some netbooks, including a near full-size and spill-proof keyboard (through eliminating a few non-essential keys) as well as built-in Wi-Fi and three USB ports.
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09/01, 11:30am
CTL 2go Nettop
Classmate PC reseller CTL plans to set a new floor for desktops with a nettop that shares the same design philosophy as Intel's portable. The 2go pc nettop will cost as little as $149 thanks to its use of a 1.6GHz Atom processor but desktop-oriented parts. The price undercuts ASUS' Eee Box in part by introducing the entry-level model as a barebones kit: the system comes without its own hard drive and leaves the user to pick the default storage as well as an operating system. This entry system will also have 1GB of memory.
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08/27, 9:45am
Dell Vostro A Series
Dell this morning gave its Vostro line a refresh made for regions where cost is a concern but still offering features that are rare almost anywhere. The A860 is Dell's first 15.6-inch notebook and uses a 16:9 aspect ratio display in a redesigned, more rounded chassis than normally squared-off Vostro notebooks. It sheds costs both by having the option of budget Celeron M processors as well as by offering the choice of Ubuntu Linux in place of a costlier Windows Vista install. A 14-inch parallel, the A840, uses a slightly more conventional 16:10 ratio display but with similar internals.
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08/07, 1:40pm
New Dell Ubuntu notebooks
Dell has begun shipping two new Ubuntu Linux variants of existing computers, according to an announcement. The first of these is the Studio 15n, which follows shortly after the release of the standard Studio 15. In its top configuration, the system can be equipped with a 2.56GHz Core 2 Duo, a 1920x1200, 15.4-inch display, 4GB of RAM, and a 200GB hard drive running at 7200rpm. It is limited to integrated graphics, but has a starting price of $700.
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07/23, 12:10pm
Ubuntu Head Asks Mac Rival
Canonical head and chief architect of Ubuntu Linux Mark Shuttleworth late Tuesday told developers at the O'Reilly Open Source Convention that Linux should go "beyond the Mac" in terms of its software experience. While not specific, he notes that the open source operating system should be at least as "crisp and clean" as Mac OS X while still offering the community benefits that come with fully opened code.
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06/05, 11:05am
Dell mini Inspiron in Aug
Dell's recently uncovered mini Inspiron system will arrive by mid-summer but with unusual sacrifices to reach its goals, says APC in an interview with the PC designer. The still unnamed micro notebook is now known to be scheduled for a launch no later than August and has the advantage of a much larger keyboard than normal for an 8.9-inch portable through its dropping the traditional row of F-series keys; the change is necessary to allow the remaining keys to be larger, Dell senior VP Alex Gruzen explains.
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06/05, 9:00am
VIA Mini-ITX 2.0
VIA this morning continued a string of announcements for its computer platforms with the launch of Mini-ITX 2.0, its latest platform for mini desktop PCs. The spec for mainboards is designed to allow small (6.7in square), quiet systems using processors such as VIA's own Nano but is unique in mandating a full-speed, 16-lane PCI Express 2.0 slot; the requirement gives all systems room for a fast video card, virtually guaranteeing support for DirectX 10 and OpenGL 2 in games and other apps that demand advanced 3D; an integrated DirectX 9-class chipset is also present as a fallback.
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05/29, 3:15pm
Dell Mini Inspiron Teaser
Dell has quickly acknowledged the existence of its unintentionally revealed micro notebook at the Wall Street Journal's D6 Conference by posting first details of the device. Secretive about most of the device, the company says the system recognizes calls by the community for a Dell UMPC and says its founder describes the design as a computer to reach the "next billion internet users." The photo file names notably make reference to a "mini Inspiron" and confirm styling very similar to the much larger Inspiron models.
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04/24, 4:05pm
Nokia N810 Ubuntu and Qt
Nokia today revealed to Ars Technica that it will soon add support for new apps and also a new version of Linux to its Nseries tablets, such as the N810. Following the company's acquisition earlier this year of Trolltech, the Finnish device maker now says the Linux-based Maemo operating system on the Nseries will support apps written for the Qt framework; this will permit not just apps written for Qt on other versions of Linux but also cross-platform apps. Eventually, a single program should work with both Symbian phones (such as Nokia's N95) and Maemo devices, the company explains.
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02/26, 11:25am
Ubuntu Mobile
Canonical today hoped to preempt all comers today with news of Ubuntu Mobile. Its first Linux variant aimed at handhelds, the software is tailored for the Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) expected to launch in spring based on Intel's Silverthorne technology and is designed to recognize basic iPhone-like gestures such as swiping to scroll through menus and websites. A scrolling visual front end based on Flash or Clutter replaces the traditional Ubuntu desktop and is designed to be used solely with fingers, including with an on-screen keyboard.
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02/21, 5:15pm
Dell, Ubuntu in Canada
Dell today announced to its Canadian and Latin America customers that the Inspiron 1525n now has the option of shipping with Ubuntu Linux 7.1, as well as with the Canadian models of the XPS M1330n and Inspiron 530 – the latter two will ship throughout Latin America soon. Like the previously announced US, UK, Spanish and German models, the computers will feature DVD playback capability. Support options are available starting at $65 for 30 days, all the way to $275 for 1 year of standard support from Canonical.
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02/18, 2:50pm
Inspiron 1526 and Ubuntu
Dell today tackled two new versions of its mainstream Inspiron notebooks with models aimed at both retail and at Linux users. Quietly slipping into its retail offerings, the Inspiron 1526 opts for an AMD platform in place of the Intel-only 1525 but otherwise leaves the slimmer 15.4-inch design unchanged: a 2GHz Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor and an ATI-branded Radeon X1270 integrated graphics chipset replace the Core 2 Duo and Intel X3100 options of the earlier system. A 2-megapixel webcam, 2GB of memory, and 250GB of storage come with the stock system, which normally ships for $900 at Best Buy and should drop to $750 after immediate discounts.
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01/31, 12:00pm
Dell XPS M1330 Linux in US
Dell this morning followed through on its promise last week and began offering the XPS M1330 with Linux in the US. The system is the first XPS in the country to come preloaded with Ubuntu Linux and brings features that were not previously options with Dell's Linux systems, such as an LED-lit display and a slot-loading DVD burner.
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01/23, 12:50pm
Dell XPS M1330 with Linux
Dell today continued its releases with word of its first notebook outside of the Inspiron 1420 to carry Linux. The XPS M1330n is the first high-performance system from the PC maker to come with Ubuntu instead of Windows and adds features that have previously been off-limits to earlier systems running the OS, including the option of a 64GB solid-state drive, a 320GB rotating disk, as well as a display with a webcam and an LED-backlit display. DVD playback support is already installed rather than requiring an add-on software pack, Dell adds.
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12/18, 11:55pm
Dell tries Ubuntu
Dell recently announced that it is shipping systems loaded with Ubuntu Linux v7.10 and feature DVD playback. Currently loaded in the Inspiron Desktop 530 N, and the Inspiron Notebook 1420 N systems in the US – with English, French, and German models being offered later this week – these machines represent a first, but large, step by the computer manufacturer, as it seeks to eventually offer Ubuntu with its entire product lineup as an alternative to Windows. After a lengthly portion of time between the Ubuntu release and its implementation in Dell's computers, users have access to the stability of Linux, with a few Dell-added bonuses as well.
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