Operating Systems

Mystery Motorola-Google Phone Dials Up Web Speculation
March 13, 2013

A video and photos of what could be the first Motorola-Google smartphone have appeared on the Web, showing a standard Android phone with a Motorola logo at the top left of the device's screen and the words "Motorola Confidential Property" along the screen's bottom edge. The Vietnamese website hosting the images, Tinhte, lists the mystery phone as having a 720p 4.65-inch AMOLED 320 ppi screen.

Report: Apple to Relinquish Tablet Crown to Android
March 12, 2013

Android tablets -- especially those with smaller screens -- will continue to gain market share this year at the expense of the iPad, which is expected to give up its spot as the No. 1 tablet platform, according to a report released Tuesday by research firm IDC. The trend toward screens measuring 7-8 inches will drive worldwide tablet shipments to 191 million by year's end.

Japan Offers Springboard Over Great Firewall
March 12, 2013

Researchers at Japan's University of Tsukuba grad school have launched a virtual private network that could allow Chinese netizens to get around the country's zealous Internet police. The VPN is free and utilizes volunteers who have different Internet service providers around the world.

Man Overboard: GNOME Cofounder Joins the Mac Side
March 11, 2013

It seems that the FOSS community sees its ranks expand just about every day, as new fans of free and open source software join the fold. What's much less common is to see former advocates of Linux and FOSS change their minds and depart. That's pretty much what happened last week, when GNOME cofounder Miguel de Icaza announced that he had abandoned desktop Linux in favor of Apple's Mac platform.

Apple Widens US Lead but Rivals' New Phones Are Coming
March 07, 2013

Apple's iPhone grabbed the first place spot in U.S. smartphone sales during the holiday quarter, increasing its lead over rival handsets before Samsung, BlackBerry and other competitors launch new devices this spring. The company took a 37.8 percent share of the domestic smartphone market during the three months ending in January,

The Puzzling Case of the Chromebook Pixel
March 07, 2013

Here in the Linux blogosphere, most fans of FOSS are nothing if not outspoken with their many opinions. Those opinions tend to be unequivocal on matters large and small, so it's always notable when a new technology comes along that leaves bloggers scratching their heads in uncertainty. That's a rarity, needless to say, but just recently a shining example emerged: the Chromebook Pixel.

EU Fines Microsoft $731M for Flubbing Browser Deal
March 06, 2013

After Denmark announced it was seeking US$1 billion in back taxes from Microsoft, the tech giant was hit with a $731 million fine from the European Union. The fine is for Microsoft's failure to promote a range of Web browsers, not just Internet Explorer.

All Things Appy: Top 5 Windows 8 Tools
March 06, 2013

Forget software, applications and programs. While you're at it, forget utilities -- they're now called "tools." The future is apps, and Windows 8 is not going to be left out. Windows 8 has been designed for touch, yet many of us still use keyboards and mice. Consequently, our No. 1 spot is dedicated to a tool for translating commands.

Advocating for Linux on the Front Lines and in the Kernel
March 04, 2013

Well March has arrived here in the Linux blogosphere and with it, widespread hopes for the rebirth and renewal of spring. Linux Girl wishes she could say things have been calm and tranquil over the past few days, but of course they haven't -- this is the Linux community we're talking about, after all. There have been many trials and tribulations for Linux fans recently.

Linux Admin Tips, Tricks and Tools of the Trade
February 28, 2013

Here in the Linux community, most of us enjoy high-level debates about strategies and trends just as much as the next technology enthusiast does. At the end of the day, however, it seems safe to say that what we tend to relish most of all is a good ol' nuts-and-bolts discussion of the tools and tricks of the trade.

IE 10: It's Not Just for Windows 8 Anymore
February 26, 2013

In what could be a boost for Microsoft in the browser wars, the company on Tuesday began offering Internet Explorer 10 to Windows 7 users, giving them the same enhanced Web surfing features previously only available to those who had access to Windows 8. The company will automatically update Windows 7 users' browsers in 95 languages over the next few weeks.

And Now, Ubuntu for Tablets - Wait, What?
February 25, 2013

Six weeks have passed since Canonical's splashy debut of Ubuntu for phones, but for many here in the Linux blogosphere, the memory is still crystal-clear. It came as some surprise, then, to see follow-up news announced so soon afterward. The news this time? None other than Ubuntu for tablets.

Google Propels Chromebook Pixel Into a Blurry Future
February 21, 2013

Google on Thursday announced the Chromebook Pixel, a branded touchscreen netbook with a price tag that consumers may balk at, considering the cost of rival offerings. The Pixel will be available in WiFi-only and 4G LTE versions, priced at $1,300 and $1,450, respectively.

In Search of Linux's Greatest Moment
February 21, 2013

There's no denying that Linux has had a lot of great moments since the turn of the millennium, and Linux Girl has done her best to highlight each and every one of them -- at least over the past six or so of those years. Recently, however, the question was the subject of a new poll that prompted vigorous debate.

HTC Puts New Design Spin on the One
February 19, 2013

HTC launched its newest smartphone Tuesday, sporting a revamped interface and new entertainment features. The HTC One has a 4.7-inch display in an industrial-looking aluminum body. It also has a refreshed Sense interface, HTC's take on the Android operating system. The One's entertainment options include a 1080p Super LCD 3 display.

HP's Mobile Revival May Include Android
February 15, 2013

HP is reportedly working on a series of Android devices, the first of which could be a high-end tablet powered by Nvidia's Tegra 4 processor. The move is a sensitive one for HP, which tried to crack the mobile market in 2010 by purchasing Palm for $1.2 billion, but saw that investment go down the drain.

Microsoft's Dell Play: Smart Save or Nokia 2.0?
February 14, 2013

It's no secret that partnerships involving Microsoft tend to make Linux bloggers nervous, and given the lessons of history, it's not exactly any wonder, either. So FOSS fans will have to be excused for the anxiety with which they've watched the latest developments with Dell. CEO and founder Michael Dell is attempting to take the company private through a leveraged buyout.

ZE Rescue Disk Fixes GRUB Bugs
February 13, 2013

The ZE Rescue Disk is a very handy rescue tool to fix damaged or missing hard drive sectors that prevent a computer from booting into its operating system. It runs automatically as a boot-repair rescue tool at startup from the optical drive. ZE Rescue Disk provides what was a missing link in permanently recovering from failed boot sequences.

eScholar's Mike Gargano: Nothing Can Stop Open Source
February 12, 2013

eScholar's only business is helping state and local education agencies get the best bang for their buck from collecting and using educational data to drive better school performance results. That sometimes involves helping its customers work with data gleaned from a variety of commercial and open source enterprise databases.

Attack on Fed Exposes Weak Patch Maintenance
February 11, 2013

While many Americans watched the wrap-up of the Super Bowl Feb. 3, the band of hackers called "Anonymous" broke into a Web-facing server at the Federal Reserve and pilfered a list of some 4,000 people who work in the banking industry -- many of them ranking executives at banks and credit unions. Later in the week, the Fed acknowledged the break-in.