Powertop 2.0 Saves Laptop Juice
The largest power consumer in a notebook computer is the monitor and CPU, but other components are also good at drawing power. Now the software Powertop has reached version 2.0 and brings several new elements to the table. (more…)
Ubuntu 11.11 Almost Here
Hard tohold on for 13 October? The second beta of Ubuntu 11.10 is available for download for those who are impatient. Ubuntu 10.11 will be released in October 13 but it is already possible to download the second beta. (more…)
Linux 3.0 Kernel – What’s New?
Twenty years after the Linux kernel was first released and eight years after Linux 2.6 arrived, we have arrived at Linux 3.0. What’s new in the latest kernel? (more…)
World’s Cheapest PC?
How cheap can a Linux computerbe? If we are to believe the English Foundation Raspberry Pi may be just £15 or roughly $25. This includes a circuit with an ARM processor, 128 megabytes of memory, a USB port and an HDMI port for the display. There will also be support for SD memory.
The computer, which also is one of the world’s smallest, is still at the prototype stage, but Raspberry think they may be for sale within a year. The OS is a stripped down version of Ubuntu 9.04. The computer should be able to run 1080p displays, capable of OpenGL and even touchscreens.
The price is just for the bare necessities though. You will have to “upgrade” it with a keyboard, monitor and USB hub, but the sticker price away is nevertheless the lowest we’ve seen so far. According to the Foundation these little machines are targeted for schools and institutes.
Via Linux Devices
News in OpenSuse 11.4
OpenSUSE is a community-driven Linux distribution sponsored by Novell. The technology in openSUSE usually finds its way into Suse Linux Enterprise Server and Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop eventually. Now OpenSuse 11.4 is available for download and there are lots of news.
In opensuse you can choose from several window managers, including KDE Plasma desktop 4.6.1, Gnome 2:32, Xfce 4.8 and LXDE. FreeType in openSUSE 11.4 will provide better-looking fonts. Opensuse 11.4 will also come with a preview of Gnome 3 due later this spring. (more…)
Security flaw in Adobe Flash Player also Affects Reader
Adobe warns of a new security hole in Adobe Flash Player, which has been used for targeted attacks by embedding a Flash object in an Excel sheet. Adobe Reader is also affected.
Adobe has released a warning about a new critical vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, which has been used in targeted attacks. Adobe is now working on an update that should close the security hole.
The security hole is found in the latest version of Adobe Flash Player, which in recent years has been plagued by serious security holes and has been seen as taking candy from kids for the computer criminals. They have used Adobe vulnerabilities in browsers and operating systems with limited control over security.
Tablets are considerably faster in the next generation
Chip manufacturers have some hot processors on the way to the next generations of iPads and Android tablets. Most of them will have multiple cores with ARM architecture, which hold back the power consumption.
For people who dream of buying an iPAD or an Android tablet, one thing is now clear – there is considerably more horsepower under the bonnet of the next generation.
What do we want from tablets?
Here are a few suggestions. (more…)
Mozilla updates Firefox for Android: Improved Speed and Stability
Mozilla has released an updated version of Firefox 4 for Android that is both faster and more stable.
Yesterday Mozilla released the latest Firefox 4 beta for Android and Nokia N900 (Maemo). According to Mozilla, this will be the last test version released before the final version is ready in a few weeks.
The latest version should be much more stable than the previous test version of the browser that was released just over a week ago. Performance should also be improved significantly.
Firefox 4 for Android supports syncing bookmarks, passwords and open tabs if the user also uses the latest version of Firefox 4 on other computesr.
The latest beta of Firefox 4 for Android available for download from firefox.com, or download the browser from the Android Market.
Microsoft Bans Open Source for Windows Phone 7
Open source is not welcome on the official marketplace for Windows Phone 7 apps. Application developers who want to publish their work on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Marketplace may not license the code under licenses such as GPLv3, Affero GPLv3 or LGPLv3, it is clear from the licensing agreements that developers have to accept when they use the service.
Here are parts of the agreement:
“The Application must not include software, documentation, or other materials that, in whole or in part, are governed by or subject to an Excluded License, or that would otherwise cause the Application to be subject to the terms of an Excluded License.”
“Excluded Licenses include, but are not limited to the GPLv3 Licenses. For the purpose of this definition, “GPLv3 Licenses” means the GNU General Public License version 3, the GNU Affero General Public License version 3, the GNU Lesser General Public License version 3, and any equivalents to the foregoing.”
This comes from Red Hat’s open source prophet Jan Wildeboer who has looked into the agreement. Jan emphasizes that he is not a lawyer and that the blog reflects his own personal opinions. All open licenses are not prohibited, however. BSD, MIT/X11, the Apache license and Microsoft’s own MS-PL (permissive license) is fine to use.
