Operating Systems

Another Day, Another Distro: Antergos Linux Is Born
May 23, 2013

They say springtime is a season of rebirth and renewal. Not only have we seen the birth of Cloverleaf from the ashes of Fuduntu, but now Cinnarch has gone through a similar transformation. No real death was involved this time. Rather, the Arch-based distro decided to give the Cinnamon desktop at its foundation the proverbial boot, calling it "too much a burden to maintain/update going forward."

Jolla Floats 1st Sailfish Smartphone
May 20, 2013

Jolla on Monday launched the first smartphone to run its Sailfish operating system. The handset, which is now available for preorder, will come with a removable back plate designed to let the phone user customize its interface. Jolla was founded by former Nokia employees who wanted to continue the development work the company had started with the MeeGo OS.

Will BlackBerry, Nokia or Amazon Replace Apple or Google?
May 20, 2013

Apple and Google are currently at the top of the mobile device heap, but both companies are vulnerable at the moment. Apple has lost its iconic CEO and appears to be chasing Samsung, and you can't lead by following. Samsung is the dominant player on Android, but Google and Samsung are having relationship problems at the moment. Both have been quietly expressing dissatisfaction with the other.

iOS Loses Market Share as Windows Phone Gains
May 16, 2013

Android continues to rule the global smartphone marketplace with the OS accounting for 75 percent of shipments worldwide in Q1, according to the latest IDC report. Apple's once-dominant iOS had only 17.3 percent of the market. Windows Phone unexpectedly took third place from BlackBerry, which was relegated to fourth.

Linux: The Gold Standard of Code
May 16, 2013

There are few things more gratifying to those of us here in the Linux blogosphere than seeing the many and varied virtues of our favorite operating system get officially recognized. It happens with increasing regularity these days, of course -- after all, there are so very many virtues to consider -- but recently an example emerged that has been warming FOSS fans' hearts ever since.

Nvidia Raises Its Shield
May 14, 2013

Nvidia will begin taking preorders for its $349 Shield handheld gaming device on May 20, and it will begin shipping at the end of June. Formerly known as "Project Shield," the portable gaming system features a 5-inch pop-up screen that is connected to a handheld game controller. The Shield can display images in 720p, or 1280x720, resolution.

Ubuntu Strikes Out on Its Own Again
May 13, 2013

If Canonical has shown anything over the past few years, it's that it's not afraid of doing things differently. Ever since the arrival of Unity in Ubuntu 10.10's netbook edition back in 2010, it's been clear the company is "marching to the beat of its own drum," as they say, with a growing focus on mobile and convergence. Well, last week brought yet another example of Canonical's independent-mindedness.

Linux, Freedom and Cold Cash
May 09, 2013

Well it's spring storm season in many parts of the world, so it should come as no great surprise that we've had some storms here in the Linux blogosphere as well. The latest example? None other than an intriguing poll about paying for Linux. Could you, would you, do you pay for Linux? the poll asked. The question had barely hit the airwaves when the stampede began.

Vaio Fit May Be the Laptop Windows 8 Has Been Looking For
May 07, 2013

Sony introduced its new line of entry-level laptops on Tuesday. The new Vaio Fit series starts at around $550 with the Fit E, which offers Intel's Core processors, discrete Nvidia graphics processors, and hybrid hard drives, as well as a full-sized keyboard and trackpad. The step-up Vaio Fit, at $649, offers an aluminum chassis.

All Things Appy: Top 5 Android Camera Apps
May 01, 2013

As the geek world drools over the first 13-megapixel smartphone camera -- the Android-driven Samsung Galaxy S4 -- we take a look at the current state-of-play in the must-have camera app genre for Android. Ready, set, go. Occasionally an app comes along that blows everything else away.

What Happens When Android Fails?
April 29, 2013

I've just finished doing yet another news program on the increasing risks of using an Android phone, and the discussions have started to drift to the potential for class-action lawsuits, commercial plane crashes, and cyberdisasters that would make 9/11 seem trivial -- all connected to this platform.

FOSS Fact or Fiction? A Tale of Two Surveys
April 29, 2013

It's a well-known fact that statistics can be manipulated to suit virtually every occasion and purpose, but every once in a while an example comes along that illustrates that rule with breathtaking clarity. Case in point? Two recent surveys on the topic of FOSS that came out in the very same week.

Ubuntu 13.04 Emerges to Less-Than-Stellar Reviews
April 26, 2013

Canonical has released Ubuntu 13.04, also known as "Raring Ringtail," on the desktop. However, the release failed to thrill many reviewers, whose complaints included the point that Canonical had left out several features, including privacy protection and the Windows-based Ubuntu Installer.

Have Linux Distros Gotten Too Tubby?
April 25, 2013

The size of Linux's waistline has long been the focus of recurring attention here in the Linux blogosphere, even drawing occasional criticism from Linus Torvalds himself. Recently, however, a fresh weight-related complaint was made -- not about the kernel itself, but about today's Linux distros.

All Things Appy: 5 Best Windows 8 Sports Apps
April 24, 2013

You can do a whole lot more than watch your favorite sports on television these days if you take advantage of a second screen. The concept is simple: The big TV screen provides the visual action, while your laptop or tablet dishes out in-depth analysis and social media commentary on the side. Windows 8 has some superb apps for this purpose.

Android: A Second Career in Security?
April 23, 2013

Many of us have a wealth of decommissioned corporate-provisioned mobile devices: We've bought them, handed them out, and seen them used successfully for years. Now they're on their way to the great docking station in the sky. However, because these devices are already off the books adapting them for specific security functions can mean achieving certain goals practically for free.

Farewell, Fuduntu: The Untimely Demise of a Winning Linux Distro
April 22, 2013

Last Monday delivered both death and taxes. April 15 was not only the day U.S. taxes were due, but also the day two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon. The magnitude of that tragedy is far beyond the scope of this column, of course, but Monday also brought a casualty -- albeit on a much smaller scale -- to those of us here in the Linux world. It wasn't a human death, fortunately.

Is 'Linux' a Word Better Left Unspoken?
April 18, 2013

It's no secret that brand image is a crucial consideration in most any consumer product's success, and Linux is surely no exception. That's been a hot topic of conversation before, but recently it's popped up again with a fresh new twist. "The Linux Inside Stigma" was the title of the post that started the ball rolling this time, and rolled it has.

Competitors Ask EU to Rein In Google
April 10, 2013

Microsoft and Nokia are part of the coalition of companies that filed a complaint with EU antitrust regulators claiming that Google is using its Android mobile operating system to promote its own products and services. Made public Tuesday by lobbying group FairSearch, the action comes as European regulators are reportedly near a settlement with Google over concerns that it has abused its search dominance.

Microsoft Leads Anti-Google Antitrust Chorus in EU
April 09, 2013

Google is the subject of another antitrust complaint in Europe, this time filed by FairSearch, a coalition of companies that allege the search giant is using its Android operating system to unfairly promote its own apps and data. One of the well-known FairSearch members is Microsoft, no stranger to past regulatory antitrust actions regarding its browser and operating systems.