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Think ASUS netbooks threw Linux out the window? Think again: the Eee PC 1001PXD, 1011PX and1015PX are about to get Ubuntu configurations. Harking back to when the famous netbook line launched running Xandros, these Ubuntu loaded machines could help Linux reach a larger audience. Canonical representatives are pitting the new netbooks against Windows-powered machines, telling  The Inquirer  that Ubuntu is competing with Microsoft, not other Linux distributions. That's quite a goliath you picked there, Ubuntu. Are a trio of Atom notebooks enough to win the war on Windows? Considering  Dell  abandoned their love of Linux over a year ago, we're guessing no. The Inquirer

A trio of sources speaking to  Bloomberg  have seemingly shed light on Acer's concerns with Microsoft's new tablet strategy. Seems that the boys beneath Ballmer hope to speed delivery of the company's new tablet OS by limiting variations. To accomplish this, Microsoft is offering incentives to chip and computer makers that agree to form sole alliances (i.e., one chipmaker works exclusively with one computer manufacturer) including enhanced feature sets and lower prices on Microsoft software. Under the plan, chip suppliers will be able to select a second company to produce a clamshell-style laptop using Microsoft's next wares. The plan is not mandatory and does not apply to desktop use of Microsoft next operating system, according to  Bloomberg 's sources. However, if true, then it represents a dramatic departure from Microsoft's traditional war-of-attrition approach to the laptop and tablet market that has resulted in a near limitless choice of brands and confi...

We're live from Microsoft Windows president Steven Sinofsky's keynote at D9, and there's something rather exciting on stage -- a pair of experimental Windows 8 dev boards running an OS that looks very much like Windows Phone 7's Metro UI.  All Things D  actually sat down with the man earlier today and got a sneak peek at what to expect starting with the live tiled screen you see above -- and yes, like Windows Phone 7, this OS is designed for touch. There'll be two kinds of applications for Windows 8, one that runs in a traditional desktop, and the other pseudo-mobile apps based on HTML5 and Javascript, but both environments -- rather, the entire OS -- have been designed from the ground up for touchscreen use. Keyboard and mouse will still be options for both sets of programs, but there are multiple virtual sets of keys for different form factors, including a split keyboard for vertical slate use. Multitasking is simply a matter of swiping running apps into the ce...

A web of rumor and suggestion has been spun in recent weeks about a new tablet-oriented version of Windows. But when major players like Acer start moanin' and complainin' about how they're going to make hardware to run the new OS, that's when you know something  has  to be afoot. According to Bloomberg , Acer CEO J. T. Wang spoke up at Computex to berate Microsoft for being too restrictive in what processors it will permit to carry its new baby, saying it is "really controlling the whole thing, the whole process." And he wasn't just speaking for Acer either, because he added that chip suppliers and PC makers "all feel it's very troublesome." It begs the question, if Steve Ballmer is borrowing Apple's approach and becoming a control freak, why doesn't he just go whole hog and build a Microsoft Tabletfrom start to finish?  Bloomberg

It's been nearly twenty years since Linus Torvalds let loose Linux on an unsuspecting world, and yesterday he finally updated the open source OS kernel to version 3.0. This third iteration, currently named 3.0.0-rc1, comes 15 years after 2.0 first hit the web and brings driver support for Microsoft Kinect -- a move that should have visions of sugar plum fairies (or maybe just Android avatars) dancing in hackers' heads. Also included is code optimized for AMD's Fusion and Intel's Ivy and Sandy Bridgesilicon, and some updated graphics drivers, too. Despite these tasty new treats, Torvalds is quick to point out that this new release is an evolutionary change and unleashing the big three-oh was all about moving into a third decade of distribution, not about overhauling the OS. There's still work to be done, as it is a release candidate in need of refinement, but curious coders can grab the latest Linux at the Kernel.org  source link be...

Do you like Android 3.1? Do you like tablets slimmer than the iPad 2? You might want to talk to Samsung in that case, because the Galaxy creator has put those two features together on its Galaxy Tab 10.1 product page and has compounded the excitement with a tweet saying the tablet is mere days away. Now, there's a bit of conflicting information here, because Samsung's tweet actually promises Android 3.0, but the Tab 10.1 page clearly lists the harder, better, faster, stronger Android version as the one that comes with the slate. Additionally, our conversations with Samsung at Google I/O earlier this month indicated that the June 8th launch date that we've been taking as gospel until recently is a little shakier now, with a slight delay possibly being caused by the desire to install the latest Honeycomb on board. So maybe the tweet's accurate in saying the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is coming in just a few days, it just depends on your definition of "few." ...

Microsoft's proper preview event for the next big release of Windows Phone may be mere hours away, but there's still time for a bit of good old fashioned web sleuthing before then. Latest on our radar is this Microsoft Developer Network page listing out all the APIs in Silverlight for Windows Phone  7.1 . That's right, your eyes do not deceive you, there's a whole extra decimal added to the OS number, ostensibly signifying the move to the Mango update we're all so hungry for. We'd previously heard the moniker of Windows Phone 7.5 bandied about, but that was based on supposition more than anything else, and a .1 upgrade makes sense in light of the curent 7.0.7 version number. Fuller details will be forthcoming later on today, but for now, pencil in the number 7.1 alongside the dream specs of your next Windows Phone.   Mobiletechworld MSDN

We're still waiting for a peek at some new hardware, but today's MeeGo Conference in San Francisco has now produced an announcement of another sort. Four companies -- including Red Flag Software, Linpus, 4tiitoo AG, and China Standard Software Company -- have announced that they're each planning to incorporate MeeGo 1.2 into their new MeeGo-based operating systems. All four will be geared towards tablets and feature a "MeeGo-based user interface," while the ones from Red Flag and Linpus will also apparently support netbooks. Head on past the break for Red Flag's press release, and look for its OS to make an appearance at Computex in just over a week's time. Intel

Google's second (and final) day of I/O 2011 was all about Chrome, and unfortunately for those yearning for a Chrome OS tablet, it looks as if your dreams will remain unfulfilled. Sundar Pichai, Senior VP of Chrome, spoke candidly about the company's intentions during an executive Q&A session follow this morning's keynote, and he didn't bother to mince words: "[Chrome OS] is a new experience we're working on. It's hardware agnostic in a sense. We are fully, 100 percent focused on laptops. Most of the web usage -- greater than 90 percent -- is on laptops. That's what we're working on today, and we have no other plans on any other form factors." Any other form factors outside of the Chromebox, we're surmising. Goog's been pretty steadfast in its approach to Chrome OS; it's being marketed as a software + hardware package, with both working in lockstep to provide a (more or less) guaranteed user experience. To that end, the outfit...

Having spent a good part of our day yesterday negotiating with iTunes and downloading a whopping 666.2MB file to update our iPhone to version 4.3.3 -- a version, we might add, whose sole claim to fame is the  removal  of things -- we know well the pains of updating Apple's mobile software. Those aches, however, may soon be coming to an end.  9to5Mac  has multiple sources informing it that Apple and Verizon are scheming to start delivering iOS updates over the air from this fall, or just as soon as iOS 5 is made available. Untethered OS updates are a familiar feature to users of other smartphone operating systems and even the iOS-infused Apple TV, but getting Apple's mobile devices up to date has so far always required going through the company's own cable and software. There's no reason to believe this wireless update feature will be limited to Verizon, mind you -- that's just where the informants are coming from in this instance -- though Apple wil...

We're sure Microsoft is going to announce some more official details about Windows 8 one of these days, but until then we'll just have to make do with the seemingly unending stream of tidbits being unearthed from the leaked version of the OS. Most notably, this latest batch includes the most conclusive evidence yet of a Windows 8 app store, including the logo pictured above, and a slew of other references at the code level -- things like the ability to download a trial app and then unlock the full version (rather than re-download it), for instance, and the existence of things like screenshots and system requirements in the app store listings. Another recent leak has also revealed some new cloud-based settings options that could let you take your desktop profile and other personalizations from one computer to another, and even give you the ability to sync apps from that aforementioned Windows Store between PCs. All that, plus support for 3D displays and WiFi Dir...

If you're hankering to be riding the very latest mobile software from Apple, hit up your iTunes, for version 4.3.2 of iOS is now available for downloadin' and updatin'. Fixes for occasional "blank or frozen" FaceTime video and iPad 3G issues get top billing, while the obligatory security updates fill out the rest. The size of this mighty software drop? A hefty 666.2MB. Update : Well, someone's skipping class today. A tethered jailbreak is already in the wilds, if you dare. Thanks, Jeff! Update 2:  Looks like Verizon customers are getting a slightly different update of their own: iOS 4.2.7. It promises only "bug fixes and security updates."

You had to know it was a matter of time before Windows 8 showed up on these great internets for all to download -- illegitimately. An early version (6.1.7850) has been making the rounds at manufacturers and it's finally escaped the confines of beta labs. We haven't braved the torrent sites ourselves to download this, and we certainly wouldn't recommend that  you  do, but the screenshots we've seen definitely peg this particular revision as a slight evolution of Windows 7, seemingly not including all the revolutionary tweaks to come. It's still early days, remember. Plenty of time left for the magic to happen.   Redmond Pie ,  Neowin BetaArchive

As recently as a year ago, Windows XP was the kingpin of PCs in the US with 43.1 percent market share. But that's rapidly changing. StatCounter shows that while Mac OS X is creeping up slightly and Windows Vista continues its death march, Windows 7 is on the rise, steadily closing the gap with trusty ole' XP. Last month, XP's share sank to 32.17 percent, while Windows 7's edged up to 30.84 percent, leaving the latter poised to overtake XP -- something the much-maligned Vista never did. And if early numbers are to be believed, it's already happened: StatCounter says that for the first week in April Windows 7's share (among desktops, at least) totaled 31.71 percent, compared with XP's 31.56. Either way, it seems Microsoft has convinced consumers that it's finally safe to upgrade. TechAbsolute , Royal Pingdom StatCounter

Lest you thought HP's Windows 7 slate was for large businesses and its upcoming webOS ones were reserved for consumers, not so fast. In a video (embedded after the break for your viewing pleasure), HP touts Citrix running on its forthcoming Touchpad to show it can play nice with enterprises' IT departments, too. As with Chrome OS, Citrix Receiver runs inside the browser, letting people choose the desktop apps they want. Both platforms, it seems, are capable of running computer-aided design applications in the cloud, with HP showing a 3D model in AutoCAD eDrawings Viewer. The frame rate isn't as fluid as HP would have you believe, but getting started appears idiot-proof, thanks to some large, tap-able icons. In any case, with 80 percent of the Fortune 100 already deploying the iPad, it's wise of HP to woo corporate customers with webOS. Isn't that right, Microsoft? PreCentral ...

When a tablet version of Chrome OS was teased back in February of last year, we found it a legitimately exciting proposition. Now that we have Android's Honeycomb iteration designed specifically for slates, however, we're having to wonder just why Google's still chasing that keyboard-less dream with its web-centric OS. CNET has been doing some snooping in and around the latest iterations of Chrome OS, where it's discovered numerous pieces of circumstantial evidence, such as a new onscreen keyboard, suggesting tablets are still very much on the menu. Chrome OS kicked off life on the development device known as Cr-48 and will resume availability this summer courtesy of Acer and Samsung, though we'd kind of assumed it would stick to notebooks now that Android's making a sincere effort on devices bigger than an EVO. Mountain View has responded to CNET 's queries with a pretty inconclusive statement, saying only that "We are engaging in early op...