Moblin 2.0 BETA officially released – Tailormade for Netbooks
Moblin.org has officially released Mobile 2.0 BETA. The Moblin OS is tailor-made for Atom-powered netbooks.
The best part about Moblin is that it is Open-Source version of Linux and can be used with almost any processor. The Moblin is based on Fedora-based Linux. The Moblin 2.0 OS includes Firefox, Open Office, GIMP and Skype.
Unlike Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which supports only 1024 x 600 resolution, the Moblin 2.0 OS supports upto 1920 x 1200 resolution. The director of Intel’s Open Source Technology Center says,
We would like to invite and encourage everyone to test the beta. We feel the code has reached a level where both developers and enthusiasts can play with it. While fine tuning, bug fixing, and polishing is ongoing, so is performance improvement, all of which you should start seeing rolled into the weekly builds.
Here is Moblin’s main screen on a normal netbook with 1024 x 600 resolution
Features of Moblin 2.0 BETA
New, visually rich user experience, optimized for netbook and nettops, building on the latest open source graphics technology, such as Clutter, DRI2, and KMS. The user experience is provided mainly through the toolbar and panels, available at the top of the screen.
- The myzone, acting as the ‘home screen’ panel. It provides instant access to your synchronized calendar, tasks, appointments, recently used files, and real-time updates from your friends on social networking sites.
- Aggregation of your social networking content. This provides you with the ability to see your social networking activities on one screen, easily interact with your friends, and update your status and site information. Twitter and Last.fm are the currently supported social networking sites, with more to come.
- A web browser optimized for the Moblin 2.0 netbook user interface. Based on the latest Mozilla browser technology revised into a Clutter shell, the browser gives you access to the whole internet, as well as advanced features, such as video embedding and the latest Flash plug-in, while integrating seamlessly into the user interface.
- A ‘Zoomable’ media player. This player brings your media collection to life as you zoom from viewing all media down to focusing on an individual picture, movie, or audio track. The media player can detect and index media on external USB devices, as well as UPnP devices on your network.
- A user interface for connection management and an updated connection manager (ConnMan).
- And, of course, support for Linux desktop applications. Moblin is built using GNOME Mobile Technologies and supports existing Linux desktop applications.
Related Content
Sign up to the Gadgetmix Newsletter (free) for news and reviews mailed directly to your mailbox CLICK HERE
I tried an earlier beta, that left me wondering this: Does Moblin allow you to install software on the netbook? There doesn’t seem to be a repository or anything in it. I like the OS, but I really need things like drop-box.
Well, if you read the last feature, it is clearly written that it supports Desktop Linux apps.
Let us know if current desktop apps work for you!
Well, bugger if I could find the repository on the last preview release. I’ll give this one a try. Thanks.
Indeed. It looks really snappy on my Acer Aspire One. I rather like the interface, but there’s no apparent way to add extra applications. Mind you, I’m not a terminal jockey.
“Unlike Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which supports only 1024 x 600 resolution, the Moblin 2.0 OS supports upto 1920 x 1200 resolution.”
Not true. Ubuntu Netbook Remix supports any resolution – I’ve run it on an external monitor using 1280×768. Get your facts straight.
May be on external monitor, but I have heard that it does not support more than 1024×600 on the netbook’s screen
[...] the Moblin OS that we mentioned few months back? Emerged from its beta status and now moving up to V2, its the Intel’s Moblin OS [...]
[...] being available as BETA to the users from past few months, Moblin has finally announced the final version of it. Give it a [...]
HI.
Moblin have openoffice suite, I install moblin in my Acer One, and can´t use the open office