OSCON 2008, Session 9: Ubuntu on the Go: Subnotebook and MID technologies

UME: Ubuntu Mobile Edition

Customized Ubuntu Mobile

• Can make things in Flash, HTML, Java, etc.

OEM services group

• Massachusetts primarily

Contributing to UME

• To date, very difficulty
• Samsung Ultra
• KVM install images
• In the guide, you can use the Moblin image creator
• IRC / Mailing list

Ubuntu Netbook Remix

• Atom Processors
• 4GB SSD or hard disk
• 1024x600 or higher res
• Screen size: 7" -12.1"
• WiFi, Bluetooth

Features

• Low price point
• Small and light
• Internet-centric usage model
• Use things from Ubuntu Desktop and MID

Reason

• eeePC
• Includes only the appropriate applications
• Adds a few extra apps

Tech

• No title bars, simply tabs above the application (maximus)
• There’s a little window-picker on the top left.
• Media shows up on the right
• Using metacity (metah-sity), and it apparently sortof supports compiz (compeez)

Applications

• Firefox, evolution, Pidgin, rhythmbox, fbreader, liferea, f-spot, openoffice
• Gimp doesn’t work well
• Flash, PDF reader
• Codecs: AAC, WMV, MP3

Compenents

• All are open source
• Go Home applet
• Maximus
• Human Notebook theme
• Window Picker applet
• Launcher

Future work

• Finger Friendliness
• Customization
• WWAN 2009, SIM card slot, working with Intel to make it happen

Challenges

• Limited screen, storage
• Power consumption
• Network switching
• Finger touch, application simplicity
• network-manager doesn’t do every applet

Opportunities

• $90M by 2012
• Sync, Backup
• Web services applications
  • Integration with web services (Twitter)
  • Social networking
• Location-based services