CONFIRMED: No restrictions in Windows 7 for netbooks – Plus what features you will miss in Windows 7 starter and basic versions

Netbook manufactures won’t be forced to cut down version of Windows 7 as Microsoft has allowed the netbook manufactures to install any version of Windows 7 in the netbooks as per their wish.

“OEMs and ODMs have the choice to install any version of Windows on a netbook,” said a Microsoft UK spokespersont to tgdaily. “[But] Starter is an entry version and doesn’t have many of the consumer or business features. The three application limit isn’t there anymore.”

I still expect most of the netbook manufactures going after the Windows 7 starter or Windows 7 Basic version to keep the costs as low as possible.

Click on read more to know what features you would missing in Starter and Basic versions

How To Control CPU Speed of your Atom-powered ASUS EEE PC in Ubuntu Linux

Since the release of Ubuntu 9.04 Linux for netbooks, I have finally started using Linux more than I used to. However, there was one thing that I found that was missing from the Ubuntu that ASUS offered for Windows XP: Super Hybrid Engine (SHE). This allowed you to downscale the speed of the processor which played an active part in improving the battery life. Unfortunately, ASUS never made SHE available for the Linux OS. Luckily, Grigori of geekmind.org has made a utility known as eee-control that lets you downscale as-well-as upscale the CPU speed as per your requirement.

eee-control is an easy-to-use utility for controlling Eee PC hardware under Linux. It can toggle hardware (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.) on and off, lets you configure all hardware hotkeys, enables aggressive powersaving, and more.

Now, when I am on AC-power, I use my EEE 1000H in performance mode and when I am mobile, I use it under powersave mode to prolong the battery life. Earlier, I used to get 3.5-4 hours in Linux and now, I am able to get 5 hours in Ubuntu Linux, which is pretty respectable for a netbook.

The eee-control automatically starts when you log-in and resides in the taskbar so that you always have access to it when needed.