Moblin
Moblin, short for mobile Linux, is an open source project focused on developing software for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and other new categories of devices such as netbooks and nettops. Intel launched the Moblin.org site in July 2007 and significantly updated the site in April 2008 with the launch of the Intel Atom processor family at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai. A custom SDK is also available on the site. The Moblin 2 OS was specifically designed to run on an Intel Atom processor in a netbook. In April 2009 Intel turned Moblin over to the Linux Foundation.
Moblin.org has released the beta version of its open-source Linux "Moblin v2.0 for Netbooks and Nettops" stack. The Moblin beta shows extensive upgrades in the user interface (UI), including a new toolbar (pictured), and an "m_zone" home page that aggregates social networking content.
Moblin v2.0 beta for Netbooks and Nettops - It's here...
The Moblin steering committee is happy to release the Moblin v2.0 beta for Netbooks and Nettops for developer testing. With this release, developers can begin to experience and work with the source code of the visually rich, interactive user interface designed for Intel Atom based Netbooks. The Moblin v2.0 user experience has been designed from the ground up to provide unique ways to engage with the internet, aggregate your social networking activity, and enjoy your media content. The new user experience and core applications were developed using the Clutter animation framework, leveraging heavily from GL and the physics engine.
Moblin 2.0 Netbook Beta Introduction
In short, Moblin is shaping up to be a fancier, better-looking, and more polished successor to the stripped-down Linux distributions that appeared in the very first netbooks. Apparently, Intel has even implemented a physics engine and OpenGL acceleration to make the user interface look prettier and more dynamic.
You can "test drive" the Moblin 2.0 beta by downloading the 680MB installation image over on this page and loading it up onto a USB drive. (Instructions are up here.) Intel says it has tested the image on the Acer Aspire One, Asus Eee PC 901 and 1000H, Dell Mini 9, MSI Wind, Lenovo S10, Samsung NC10, and HP Mini 1010 and 1120NR (the 1120NR supports "wired networking only for now," though).
Sources:
- Moblin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Moblin - Intel® Software Network
- Moblin v2 beta targets netbooks
- Moblin v2.0 beta for Netbooks and Nettops - It's here... | moblin.org
- YouTube - Moblin 2.0 Netbook Beta Introduction
- Moblin 2.0 beta hits the web - The Tech Report
Related:
- Moblin 2.0 Beta available for download :: TweakTown
- Moblin makes the Linux 'desktop' more Mac-like | The Open Road - CNET News
- Save money with a netbook - USATODAY.com
