Ubuntu Linux 8.10 Offers Better Mobility
Canonical on Monday introduced the next version of the Ubuntu Linux desktop, targeting consumers' love of mobile PCs with technology for connecting to a wireless carrier's 3G network through a mobile phone.
In addition, Canonical introduced a server edition of Ubuntu 8.10 that includes improvements in virtualization, Java development and system management. The desktop and server editions are scheduled to be available for free download Oct. 30.
In the desktop version, Canonical has the ability to detect and connect to 3G networks via a notebook's 3G modem through dongles, a mobile phone connected to the PC or a Bluetooth link. The feature is aimed at making Ubuntu a better choice as an operating system for netbooks and other ultra-mobile PCs. Netbooks, a fast-growing segment of the notebook market, are defined as sub-$500 notebooks with screens 10 inches or smaller. The devices, which have keyboards too small for serious document creation, are used primarily for e-mail and Web-browsing.
