Crenk » Operating system

Not A Netbook, the Litl Is A Webbook

Luis Sandoval — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:50:08 +0000

When I first say the Litl, I was somewhat underwhelmed, and the name alone does not lend itself to thinking of anything grand. It was not until the Litl is unboxed and set up that you start to see just how powerful this little device really is. Coming in at approximately $700 is “a mix between a netbook and a [digital] photoframe on steroids,” says the site.

While under the hood it packs the same hardware that a standard netbook would offer, it’s what you can do with it that makes this device so unique. Take for example the OS. The OS that comes packaged with this device is proprietary and completely customizable. Make it fit your mood, your style, or your event, no matter how you slice it, it’s the OS that can represent your needs. Now pair that with the fact that the screen goes beyond the 180-degree tilt and completely swivels back on itself to prop itself up.

The screen remains completely functional can can display data such as weather reports, Facebook feeds, photos from Flickr or Shutterfly, or just about anything that can run independenty while you and/or your audience can watch. If you’re looking to take your netbook to the next level and get something a bit more out of it, then I highly suggest the Litl and let us know what you think.

Google Chrome OS To Launch Within a Week

Steven Finch — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:01:04 +0000

Google’s Chrome OS project, first announced in July, will become available for download within a week.

Google has previously said they are working with Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Toshiba on the project. It is expected that Google will be very careful are launch and will only endorse a small set of devices for installation.

There has been a lot of news around the Google Chrome OS, including Linux OS and reports that it was going to launch back in October.

Mac OS X Server v 10.6 Snow Leopard Available as Free Trial Direct from Apple

Steven Finch — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:25:01 +0000

Apple is currently offering corporations Mac OS X Server v.10.6 “Snow Leopard” for a free trial.

Mac OS X Server v.10.6 “Snow Leopard” has everything you need to deliver standards-based workgroup and Internet services, providing an ideal solution for education, small businesses, and large enterprises. The amazing features in Snow Leopard Server make it easy to share contacts and calendars, collaborate on projects, access information remotely, create and distribute podcasts, and more.

Snow Leopard Server offers countless behind-the-scenes features, which greatly reduce IT time and effort, improve compatibility in mixed environments, enhance support for iPhone and iPod touch users, and boost the already robust security of Mac OS X Server. With a full 64-bit operating system, Mac OS X Server is designed to maximize the computing potential of today’s Xserve and Mac Pro systems and dramatically increases the total number of simultaneous system processes, threads, and network connections that the server can utilize. Designed to handle the most demanding server operations, Snow Leopard Server is up to twice as fast as its predecessor.

All you need to do to receive your copy is fill out the form located here. You must be a USA citizen however.

A Sneak Peak At New Netbook Operating System

Luis Sandoval — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:33:38 +0000

Netbooks have hit the scene and it’s all the rage. Is this a fad? Many report that netbooks do not offer the same experience as a full sized laptop and has sub par hardware. With a price tag under $500, I think most users understand what they are getting when they get the product.

I’m actually in the market for a netbook myself, looking at the MSI Wind, but as I research the various types of netbooks, it’s interesting to see an OS built specifically for a netbook.

Introducing Jolicloud, a Linux-based operating system being created by Netvibes founder Tarig Krim. This screenshot shows the merging of desktop and cloud applicatons with icons that are easily recognizable for users. Future updates will include a touchscreen that users can interact with, especially considering the smaller size of the screens.

I look forward to the release of this OS and hopefully have a review posted.

Photo Credit TechCrunch

Are Mac Users Ready for A 3D Experience?

Luis Sandoval — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:34:07 +0000

Apple has always been known for innovation. They’ve had a lot of failures, but they are one company not afraid to push the boundaries of usability and design. A lot of people are still not on the Mac band-wagon, and there are those that making the conversion as we speak, but as a whole are we really ready for a 3D experience with our OS?

Back on July 11th of this year I reviewed AT&T’s Pogo browser, an attempt for a 3D environment based OS that failed miserably simply because the application was so taxing on the computer’s resources. Having moved on, Pogo has faded into obscurity with little or now usage as far as I know.

Fast forward five months, we now have Apple looking at a 3D environment for Mac OSX. According to the AppleInsider, designers are looking for ways to maximize screen real estate while creating a new experience. While appreciated, earlier attempts have failed, but perhaps it was the execution.

Below is an image that shows the environment, attribution goes to AppleInsider:

Here is another thanks to AppleInsider:

These are just a few of the patent images that Apple has filed, and you can see more on AppleInsider.

What are your thoughts on the 3D environment? Necessary or just eye candy. In my experience, Pogo was not a good option because of how taxing it was on resources, but can Apple overcome that downfall and streamline it to integrate flawlessly into their systems?

Windows 7: Screenshots and Features Leaked, But Can It Hide The Pain Caused By Vista?

Steven Finch — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:33:39 +0000

Currently at the Microsoft PDC 2008 they are showcasing the new Windows 7, the latest Windows OS. Windows 7 is being demonstrated and also new user interface enhancements are introduced. The new Windows 7 desktop has many changes compared to Vista. It features a thicker taskbar, improved system tray and no sidebar. Here are some of the screenshots of Windows 7 from PDC 2008.

With the sidebar you can see that it is now a lot larger and actually shows the icons below the taskbar, instead of being an overlay which it is in Vista.

Apart from the basic taskbar being thicker, there isnt too many changes in the basic design.

Over at Sizlopedia they have been able to get leaked information about what new and improved features are going to be in the new Windows 7.

BitLocker Drive Encryption

Should your computer be lost or stolen, BitLocker protects your data by helping to prevent offline software attacks. Turning on BitLocker encrypts the hard drive where Windows is installed, including all information that is stored on that drive.

Device Information Retrieval

It downloads information from Microsoft for your hardware devices and displays it in the Windows 7 Devices and Printers control panel, and when you first install and use a device, in the Device Stage.

Driver Protection

Driver Protection helps prevent the operating system from starting drivers that are known to cause stability problems. These drivers are listed in a Driver Protection List database that is stored on your computer

Dynamic Update

Dynamic Update enables Windows 7 to perform a one-time check with the Windows Update website to get the latest updates for your computer while Windows is being installed. If updates are found, Dynamic Update automatically downloads and installs them so your computer is up to date the first time that you log on or use it.

Desktop Gadgets

Gadgets are programs that run on the desktop and provide at-a-glance information, and easy access to frequently used tools.

Homegroup

HomeGroup allows you to easily link Windows 7 computers on your home network so that you can share pictures, music, videos, documents and devices. It also makes them ready to stream media to devices on your home network such as a media extender.

Internet Printing

When you use this feature to print, you will first need to connect and authenticate yourself to an internet print server. Internet Printing makes it possible to use printers located anywhere by sending print jobs using HTTP.

People Near Me

This new feature allows you to send invites for programs to other people in the local networks.Users who are invited need to have it installed on the computer as well.

All these changes are very interesting but are they going to make Windows 7 be a smashing hit and leave all the worries about Vista behind them?

Review: EyeOS Provides File Accessiblity Anywhere

Luis Sandoval — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:21:52 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

EyeOS has been developed with the multi-computer user in mind. If you find yourself using computers at home, at the library, at the office, at a cybercafe, or a friends house, EyeOS is the desktop web application for you.

While I feel the desktop web application market is a bit watered down, EyeOS is not without its definitive features. EyeOS is literally an entire operating system built inside a web application and more. Through this web application you have access to sophisticated file management protocols, an entire office suite with compatibility across any computer you are using, a fully featured PIM application system as fully functional as having MS Outlook, and finally your own internal neworking services to include email, bulletin board services, and RSS Reader.

Like other desktop applications you have the ability to configure the web app to your liking. The tools are fully customizable and easy to use. Being an open source platform, users are encouraged to participate in making EyeOS better, if not more functional for yourself. The ability to link to your mobile devices is also a feature that few will want to pass up.

The EyeOs team states they want to center work and entertainment all in once place to avoid OS compatibility issues across the varous computers we use. What puzzles me is how this is actually functional in a world full of laptops and key chain drives. I welcome the EyeOS team to comment because I fail to see the relevancy of this web application.

Nevertheless, if you are a frequest user of desktop web apps, and are looking for something bigger and more in depth, experience EyeOS. In the time that I used this web app, it definitely stands out from the rest with its bevy of offerings.