Intel's Mobin 2.1 Will Compete with Windows
Intel's open-sourced Mobin 2.1 operating system could give Microsoft some trouble in the desktop and mobile markets.
CNET is claiming that Intel's new open-source Moblin 2.1 (short for Mobile Linux) operating system could take on Google's Android and even Microsoft Windows in the mobile and desktop markets. CNET got a good taste of Moblin 2.1 this week at the Intel Developer Forum, saying that the OS will focus on a variety of devices including in-car systems, smartphones, Mobile Internet Devices, and even nettops.
When the OS finally hits the market, Moblin 2.1 will arrive in three flavors: one for nettops, one for Netbooks, and one for handhelds. CNET said that the smartphone version will run on Atom chip-based devices, capable of touch-screen and gesture input. Users will be able to move through different applications running in the background; the OS will also provide shortcuts to social-networking applications.
As for the Netbook aspect, CNET kept it short, saying that Dell recently began selling its $299 Mini 10v Notebook with an option for Ubuntu Moblin Remix, with other PC makers lined up to manufacture Moblin-based netbooks as well. The nettop news was even shorter, saying that with Windows XP on the way out, Microsoft will need to spit out a version of Windows 7 that will be cheap enough for the Netbook and nettop market. Intel is quietly watching with Moblin 2.1 cocked and ready for an assault.
But, as CNET points out, overall the success of Intel's Moblin 2.1 will depend on third-party software availability. The company has launched its Atom Developer Program to draw in developers for the new platform. "Moblin puts Intel in competition with Microsoft on several fronts, opposing Windows Mobile on smartphones and Windows desktop on Netbooks and nettops," CNET's Lance Whitney said. "But the two still need to play together."
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Moblin not mobin
LOL
One has to wonder why Microsoft shafted their customers over and over in attempts to appease Intel (bloated software, pushing up CPU requirements, the whole Vista compatible debacle, etc.) when Intel just act like any normal business and do what's in their interest, even when it contradicts Microsoft (e.g. the public acknowledgement that they decided to skip Vista, and now directly competing with Windows).
Have tried it on my P4 laptop - did not boot - the CPU was too old, Booted it on my desktop - Q9550, and most of the stuff (wasn't detected) - mainly GPU (280GTX), sound card - (XFi PCIe), and network (integrated Broadcom Gigabit)... Ok, it's been awhile ago and it was a prerelease of Moblin (not Mobin as Shrex pointed out), but the general experience was somehow flawed... I understand that it is targeted at specific devices and so on... but it somehow did not work for me - the UI was sort of designed for a phone or something and did not work for a "desktop" user... It's good to see them doing it but it won't compete with Windows...
My 5 cents anyway...
I guess this will possibly help out Linux but I really don't like the idea of using a proprietary Intel software/Linux OS (as opposed to GNU/Linux)