Shuttle unveils X500V all-in-one with Linux

Posted in Shuttle by Shane McGlaun on September 4th, 2009

shuttlex500v-sbShuttle is well known in the small form factor market and is becoming increasingly known for producing some cool all-in-one computers as well. Shuttle made its name producing barebones small form factor systems that appealed to gamers looking for a desktop computer that was easy to take to and from a LAN party.

Shuttle unveiled a slick new all-in-one computer today called the X500V that will make fans of open source operating systems happy. The machine is called the X50 All-in-One PC and ships with openSUSE Linux preinstalled.

Mac and Linux keycaps come to Das Keyboard

Posted in Keyboards by Shane McGlaun on July 16th, 2009

daskeyboard-sbThe Das Keyboard has been around for a while. The first time we saw it the keyboard was all black and had no letters or other symbols on it. That meant that the average geek who needed to see the keys and symbols the Das Keyboard wasn’t an option.

Not too long after it debuted, a new version of the Das Keyboard with letters and symbols on it was introduced. The company who makes the Das Keyboard announced today that Mac and Linux specific keycaps were now available for the Das Keyboard.

Linksys WRT160NL Linux-powered media sharing router

Posted in Linksys by Conner Flynn on June 23rd, 2009

Linksys WRT160NL Linux-powered media sharing routerLook at this. Routers are getting just a tad sexier after all. And if you have some media to share with those around you, the Linksys Wireless N Storage Router is a nice looking option. It’s a sexier refresh of Wireless G, throwing in external R-SMA antenna connectors, USB connectivity (for your external drive) and an integrated media server.

The device can stream to PCs or UPnP AV digital media adapters, and it supports FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS file systems in both read and write mode. It’s available now for Just $109.99.

DisplayLink offers Linux source code for USB GPUs

Posted in Computer Components, Video Cards by Shane McGlaun on May 18th, 2009

displaylink-sb1USB graphics adapters are a great way for Mac and PC users to add additional screens to their computers without having to open the computer up or install a new video card. DisplayLink reported last week that it had sold 1 million USB GPUs, without support for Linux.

The company has now announced that it will be releasing the source code for Linux under the LGPL agreement to allow developers to build drivers to support DisplayLink GPUs on Linux notebooks, desktops, and servers.

Luxeed u5 color-changing LED keyboard available for pre-order with mac, linux support

Posted in Keyboards by Conner Flynn on April 30th, 2009

Luxeed u5 color-changing LED keyboard available for pre-order with mac, linux supportYou might remember that Luxeed LED multicolor keyboard we featured last August. It’s back with a new update for 2009. Mac and Linux users can now get in on the action with the Luxeed U5 keyboard. It’s like a rave for your fingers.

It improves on the original Luxeed by adding multi-platform support. The Luxeed L5 also makes changes to the LED system to reduce ghosting. Plus they’ve added a firmware updater utility and improved the responsiveness of the keys.

Shuttle unveils X270V Linux Barebone PC

Posted in Shuttle by Shane McGlaun on April 20th, 2009

shuttlex270v-sbIt wasn’t so long ago that if you wanted a HTPC, the best you could hope for was a computer roughly the size of your average cable box and a bit thicker. Today there are a number of very small and thin HTPC systems available that are sized more like a Nintendo Wii.

Shuttle has announced a new machine, that is larger than the Wii for sure, but still compact enough to fit into an entertainment center or onto your desk called the X270V nettop. The little machine is designed to run openSUSE Linux and features an Intel Atom processor.

Envizions EVO Smart Console

Posted in Games by Conner Flynn on April 4th, 2009

Evo Smart Console is Linux-basedWe first told you about Envizions new console back in October. It goes by the name of the EVO Smart Console will be powered by an AMD Athlon 2.4GHz processor, and will be accompanied by a Fedora-based Linux distro. The open-source console will give you game play, Internet access, VoIP communications and HD video playback all in one box.

It should work with Envizions “cloud” computing service, where users can pick up Amiga-based games and a video on demand service where you can choose from over 10,000 titles. The beta shipment for developers will begins next week with a 100 units. More systems will be released later. We have some updated specs below.

Dell says large portion of Mini 9 netbooks are sold with Linux

Posted in Dell by Shane McGlaun on February 24th, 2009

Dell Mini 9We have heard from several sources — including MSI — that return rates for netbook based on Linux are much higher than return rates on XP-based netbooks. MSI told Laptop Magazine that the Linux return rate on its netbooks was four times that of XP machines.

Dell is doing something that MSI must not be because Dell claims that a full 1/3 of its Mini 9 netbooks sold ship with Ubuntu Linux and the return rate is comparable to the return rate of XP-based Mini 9’s. Dell says that part of the reason for the comparatively low return rates on its Linux-based machines is that it does a very good job educating users on what Linux offers.

Samsung: Three Android phones and a Linux handset for 2009

Posted in Samsung by Conner Flynn on February 17th, 2009

Samsung: Three Android phones and a LiMo handset for 2009According to Reuters, Samsung will sell “more than three” Android phones by the end of this year, and plans a phone using Linux-based software before 2010.

No word on which countries will get them first, but the company’s head of product strategy Won-Pyo Hong said that the US and Europe would be covered by this year’s end. Linux has had little success in cellphones so far, but that is changing with the LiMo platform and Google’s using Linux for it’s Android platform.

Jolicloud: A new OS that your netbook will love

Posted in Notebooks by Conner Flynn on January 25th, 2009

Jolicloud: A new OS that your netbook will loveCheck out that pic. This is an OS that could find it’s way onto your netbook very soon. Tariq Krim created this Jolicloud operating system, which is an OS designed specifically for netbooks. As we all know, netbooks are fitted with underpowered CPUs and not nearly enough RAM. That calls for a new kind of OS that will make things easier under those conditions.

Jolicloud is basically a modified version of Linux that will give you faster boot times compared to other Operating Systems, and as you might expect from the pic, it seems to be all about icon-based navigation. There isn’t a ton of info at the moment, but it looks promising.

Gdium netbook bound for U.S. market

Posted in Netbook by Shane McGlaun on December 31st, 2008

Gdium NetbookThe netbook market is rapidly getting crowded as everyone who can field a netbook jumps into the market. This means that every time you look around someone is bringing a new netbook to store shelves and most of them share virtually identical specs.

A new netbook is said to be coming to the U.S. sometime in January called the Gdium. The machine has the typical 10-inch screen and while the CPU isn’t mentioned, it’s likely the common Atom we are used to seeing inside everyone’s netbooks.

The Atari joystick is back

Posted in Games by Conner Flynn on November 14th, 2008

Atari joystick is backDo you miss such classics as Q-Bert and Pitfall? Chances are you’ve figured out by now that your vintage Atari Joystick won’t plug into your computer, no matter how you try to shave the connector into a rough USB shape. Lucky for you, Legacy Entertainment’s classic controller looks exactly like an Atari joystick, but it’s Windows / OS X / Linux compatible, and connects via USB. Supposedly, it will run with “nearly any emulator,” so get the 80’s tunes ready and get ready to play some old classics on your PC. Only $14.99.

The Linux Space Cube, apple-sized computer

Posted in Computers by Conner Flynn on August 28th, 2008

The Linux Space Cube, apple-sized computerThis thing looks like it’s alien in origin, but it’s made right here on Earth. It’s the future people! It’s the size of a small apple. And they crammed a lot inside. A 300 MHz processor, 16MB of onboard flash memory, 64MB of SDRAM, and a 1GB CompactFlash card loaded with Red Hat Linux. On the outside, it’s got a single USB port, VGA, Ethernet port, RS232 port, and mic and speaker plugs.

The entire deal is powered by a 5V plug. But that’s not all. It’s also got a “Space Wire” port, which is a proprietary interface used by people like the ESA, NASA and JAXA, for when the Cube actually goes into space. Get it? Space cube. But it’s not just for space, you can get your own soon, “once a few technical issues have been ironed out”. They will retail for as much as $2,769.

Chumby now available for purchase

Posted in Smart Devices by Darrin Olson on February 19th, 2008

Chumby is on sale now for general consumers to purchaseThat little cuddly, bean-bag like Chumby computer device we had talked about last year is finally available for sale to everyone. We thought it would hit sometime last fall but it looks like it took a little longer.

The Chumby comes in 3 colors of latte, black or pearl with a retail price of $179.95. The small device comes with a customizable Linux OS and WiFi bringing it updates on a frequent basis according to the company. Among the many built-in features it can bring in news and weather information, work as an alarm clock, play music, view photos and email along with whatever else you’d like to make it do yourself.





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