Ubuntu Mobile Announced

Placid writes "The BBC has up an article detailing the 'Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded' project which was announced by Matt Zimmerman, Ubuntu's CTO, on the Ubuntu developers mailing list. Zimmerman stated that 'These devices place new demands on open-source software and require innovative graphical interfaces, improved power management and better responsiveness.' According to the article, Intel will have their finger in the pie too, as they've recently announced a prototype device running Ubuntu. Part of the project's goal is to maximise the power saving abilities of a planned low-energy chip codenamed Silverthorn. The chip will be just one-seventh the size of normal chips, and consume only 10% of the power of existing processor. What does this mean for projects such as OpenMoko? Healthy competition, or the beginning of the end?"

Competition

[janrinok (846318)]

Surely, this will be good for competition?

Re:

[ClaesMogren (894070)]

I'm sure it will be good for the competition, and it will make more people interested in getting their applications to run on embedded devices. Ubuntu is generally good at contributing patches upstream and I'm sure this will give the GNOME Mobile And Embedded [gnome.org] initiative an extra push. It's nice to see free and open software becoming more widespread on other devices than just PCs.

Re:

[link7 (966918)]

I'm sure it will, and don't call me Shirley.

I also never heard about openmoko

[by Anonymous Coward]

http://projects.openmoko.org/ [openmoko.org]

Hosted Projects: 20
Registered Users: 525

That's not so much... Even http://opensource.y7.ath.cx/ [y7.ath.cx] doesn't cover them...

Only 10% of power?

[dcskier (1039688)]

Sounds great, but rather bold prediction of using only 10% the power of existing chips. I seem to remember the crusoe chip [wikipedia.org] being hyped like this, until it was released.

Re:

[viewtouch (1479)]

I was able to do something useful with the crusoe chip, running this portable wireless X terminal. http://www.viewtouch.com/mobile.html [viewtouch.com] The problems were that Hitachi sold these in small quantities at three times the price it sold them in larger quantities and that Hitachi stopped manufacturing these without any notice.

These devices can and do work. What's needed are hardware designers and manufacturers who are absolutely convinced that mobile devices are NOT going away, that they need to be able to be a

Ohhh, embeded you say.

[jusDfaqs (997794)]

Now i get to see exactly how fast I can txt "sudo aptitude update -y && updatedb"

SMIRK

But...

[AltGrendel (175092)]

...will it run Beyrl? [beryl-project.org]

Momentum

[FredDC (1048502)]

It seems like Ubuntu is gaining alot of momentum in different areas right now. I hope they can make all/alot/some of the objectives they set for themselves real.
 
Especially the fact that larger hardware/software companies are willing to work together with them (the Dell deal, now Intel with this chip) looks like a big step in the right direction! What's good for one distro is good for every distro as far as I'm concerned. If Ubuntu becomes more mainstream perhaps we'll finally be able to get some good drivers for our hardware and such!

Re:

[Hercynium (237328)]

Well, while Canonical's approach *seems* to be working, I personally am skeptical of the long-term maintainability of all these projects. Granted, they've got money right now and they might as well spend it developing and advancing Linux... but can they make their efforts profitable?

RedHat has managed to pull this off... but they had to take their previously more diverse product offerings and pare them down to just serve the applications/server market - since everything else was simply not profitable.

What w

OH NOES THE END!!!11!1

[drinkypoo (153816)]

What does this mean for projects such as OpenMoko? Healthy competition, or the beginning of the end?

Unless it is based on anticompetitive practice, competition is always healthy.

If the other projects deserve to survive, because they add substantial value, then they will continue to exist. Otherwise not.

I have to say, I'd really appreciate a version of Ubuntu that would run on my iPaq. I installed Familiar but it wasn't all that exciting (it did, however, work. I don't want to take anything away from those guys.)

Re:

[morgan_greywolf (835522)]

If the other projects deserve to survive, because they add substantial value, then they will continue to exist. Otherwise not.

Or if they solve different problems. For example, OpenMoko may be better for OEMs manufacturing embedded or mobile devices, while Ubuntu will probably be better for aftermarket installs, since Ubuntu will likely be much easier for the end-user to install and upgrade.

buy a phone

[Mariani (700617)]

Does anyone know when/where/how to get a hold of a phone capable of running an open os? Information is really scares on that subject, can seem to find many answers on the openmoko site. People are developing for it, so there must be a way to get a hold of one right?

You can buy the Neo1973 from FIC

[by Anonymous Coward]

At the http://openmoko.com/ [openmoko.com] website after May 10th.

Here you are.

[harry666t (1062422)]

http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9423084269. html [linuxdevices.com]

N800 and Maemo

[lexarius (560925)]

The N800's Maemo distribution is based on Debian, and while it does have a development community, things are a bit lacking right now. Would be nice if this device were supported, since a dist for many devices will probably get more development done for it than a dist for approximately two devices.

A nice thought.

[Lumpy (12016)]

Most embedded Linux installs are hand made. usually you do not need a full distro for an embedded device but a smaller subset to get the job done.

I hope that Ubuntu project can create something that is workable that also delivers where all other embedded linux distros fell on their face, Size and performance.

Honestly a kernel+busybox+your custom app is all that is needed for most embedded linux uses. and can be rolled together by your in house engineers in a day.

Now trying to make a inly multi-purpose low power generic device is a different story but is the exception in the world of embedded lnux.

Re:

[TobascoKid (82629)]

Now trying to make a inly multi-purpose low power generic device is a different story but is the exception in the world of embedded lnux.

But that's what they (Intel) are trying to make, an Intel version of the Nokia N800 (which also runs a Debian derived distro)

...or

[by Anonymous Coward]

"Healthy competition, or the beginning of the end?"

...or a false dilemma?

More like Maemo than OpenMoko

[TobascoKid (82629)]

Looking at the article, this seems to be more about a version of Ubuntu for Web tablets instead of mobile phones. It looks like Intel are using Ubuntu for their Nokia N800 style device.

Re:More like Maemo than OpenMoko

[Nom du Keyboard (633989)]

At some point, somewhere, the entire internet will be found to be illegal.

That's because it will all be echoing: 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C0

I OpenMoko built on OpenEmbedded

[wiredog (43288)]

Which is a descendant of OpenZaurus, which is a descendant of Debian/Arm. I wouldn't be surprised, therefore, to see Ubuntu building on one of those. It'd save them lots of effort.

Intel...

[evilviper (135110)]

Intel will have their finger in the pie too, as they've recently announced a prototype [...] chip [that] will be just one-seventh the size of normal chips, and consume only 10% of the power of existing processor. What does this mean for projects such as OpenMoko? Healthy competition, or the beginning of the end?"

Or more of Intel ridiculously over-hyping future products?

Ubuntu for grannies

[packetmon (977047)]

How Ubuntu and Linux for luser will erode the Internet [infiltrated.net]

Re:

[MrNiceguy_KS (800771)]

The Batmobile runs on bats? No wonder you never see Batman stopping by the gas station.