HP's Touchsmart tx2 is awesome because its the first consumer-oriented convertible notebook to feature a multitouch technology built into the display. The 12.1-inch screen uses a capacitive touchpanel that can track two points simultaneously, operates with fingers or a stylus, and comes with the Mediasmart 2.0 interface customized for the notebook. While Dell's oft-mentioned
came out last year with the multitouch power to simultaneously track all Read the rest of this entry »

One Laptop Per Child confirmed it will start selling the XO laptop through Amazon.com on Monday.
, where a consumer donates US$400 for two laptops, with one of them delivered to a child in a developing nation.
Only Linux-based XO laptops will be available through Amazon, said Jim Gettys, vice president of software engineering at OLPC. A Windows version will not be sold.
For now, Amazon's U.S. storefront will sell the XO. OLPC is reviewing the Read the rest of this entry »

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CNET News.com
On the outside, the Windows version of the XO laptop looks just like the Linux model. But simply booting up the device shows the Windows version bears little resemblance to the original One Laptop per Child device.
The Microsoft version offers Windows, and can run basically any software that can adjust itself to the mini-laptop's diminutive screen and modest processor.
Microsoft has managed to slim down the OS enough Read the rest of this entry »

,
,
,
CNET News.com
On the outside, the Windows version of the XO laptop looks just like the Linux model. But simply booting up the device shows the Windows version bears little resemblance to the original One Laptop per Child device.
The Microsoft version offers Windows, and can run basically any software that can adjust itself to the mini-laptop's diminutive screen and modest processor.
Microsoft has managed to slim down the OS enough Read the rest of this entry »

October 24th, 2008
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about the second Linux laptop to come here for review, the
, I talked about my frustration installing Open Office and promised to keep trying.
I’ve given up. In the process I learned an important lesson. Know your distro.
distro, and I learned what that means. This is the distro formerly known as Linspire, and before that known as Lindows.
It’s Read the rest of this entry »

SEATTLE (AP) — Tactics reminiscent of a close presidential race seem to be popping up in Microsoft Corp.'s rivalry with Apple Inc.
Just a few weeks ago, the software maker, tired of being the butt of Apple attack ads, launched a positive series of commercials highlighting the diversity and coolness of Windows users. But then in the hours before this week's product announcement from Apple, Microsoft went negative.
A Monday evening e-mail Read the rest of this entry »

There's little question that Linux on laptops (and on PCs in general) is no longer nearly as complicated or painful as it used to be. The new problem is whether notebook manufacturers are going to readily offer Linux to consumers -- both regular folks on the street and corporate clients -- outside of designated niches.
That said, there is one rapidly emerging bright spot: the new class of "netbooks" -- low-cost notebook machines that use Linux as Read the rest of this entry »

October 10th, 2008
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Our review of the latest Linux laptop, the
, has not begun auspiciously but with an important lesson.
In a Linux laptop, the bundle is all.
Let me explain. Yesterday my 17 year old son’s PC gave up the ghost. The motherboard crashed. It had to go away.
When John came home I offered him the Linux laptop.
Where’s the Internet, he asked. It took me about 20 Read the rest of this entry »

LISBON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O:
,
,
,
) launched on
Friday a software package for a Portuguese ultra-cheap laptop
for school children that the government hopes will boost the
country's technological edge in education.
Portugal started rolling out the 'Magellan' computer at
schools last month. It aims to hand out a total 500,000 of the
laptops, which cost just 50 euros ($69.29) for school children,
at home and export it to countries Read the rest of this entry »

This trial will be a great success. Everything will work great. If need be there will be one MS support person per child. The problems will come two years down the line when it turns out that vista's successor is needed to do any work with windows and doesn't run on the existing hardware. Remember the London stock exchange. Everybody knew how "Windows" increased it's stability. Now, it's two years later and nobody remembers that Windows was Read the rest of this entry »