Hewlett Packard has released a custom version of Ubuntu Linux designed for netbooks. For the HP Mini 1000 Mi Edition, to be exact. Under the hood, the operating system is based on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron. That means it can run pretty much any application that runs on Ubuntu including OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Thunderbird, Sunbird and Pidgin. In fact, it comes preloaded with all of those applications plus a few more. It’s also fairly easy to install other Linux staples like image editor GIMP.

But what makes the Mi Edition software stand out is the graphical user interface which looks nothing like Ubuntu or even Ubuntu Netbook Remix. When you first boot up the Mi Edition software you’re greeted with a screen with a web search engine, a list of favorite web sites, and shortcuts to your music and photos. If you click the Start New Program button, a program launcher will open that separates your applications into Internet, Media, Utilities, Work, Play, and All tabs. The settings manager shows you everything you’d find in the typical Ubuntu settings screens, but it’s arranged in a new way that makes it easier to find what you’re looking for with fewer clicks. HP has also added a custom media player called HP MediaStyle that looks a lot like Apple’s FrontRow. MediaStyle provides you with a simple full screen interface for navigating music, videos, and photos. 

Lately it seems as though people are finding ways to do more and more with their iPhones. Well I am starting to believe this statement as it seems that there has been a successful port of the 2.6 Linux Kernel working on the iPhone! Although they haven’t gotten all of the drivers functioning yet I can bet that it will only be a matter of time before they get more and more stuff working which is simply amazing in my book. Even more cool this works on both generations of the iPhone as well as the first generation of the iPod Touch! If I can ever get around to getting my hands on one of these suckers I defiantly plan on trying it out since I have become somewhat of a Linux fan as of late!

What we have:

- Framebuffer driver
- Serial driver
- Serial over USB driver
- Interrupts, MMU, clock, etc.

What we have in openiboot (but hasn’t been ported yet):

- Read-only support for the NAND

What we don’t have (yet!):

- Write support for the NAND
- Wireless networking
- Touchscreen
- Sound
- Accelerometer
- Baseband support

Here is a video of a short demonstration:

Here is a LINK to download the files needed! Also, here is a LINK to the readme.txt if you would like to try it for yourself! So enjoy!!

Ok, being a semi-new Ubuntu Linux user myself the extended use of the command line in Linux was somewhat of a speed bump for me and my undertaking of the operating system.  A few months back I decided to start dual booting my desktop to both Windows XP and Ubunut Linux. It has indeed been a fun experience for me learning what about what all cool things Linux has to offer (almost all which is open source aka FREE). The only real downside to it is when I am trying to add something or tweak some type of setting in the system I find myself constantly running to google and searching for what command I need to run or what system files I need to edit. Although around 90% of it isn’t hard once I find how to do it, It just usually slows the process down quite a bit when I have to stop everything and search the web for something that might fix the problem I have run into.

So I happened to come across a program in the past few days that made most of my tweaking easier than eating pie! This open source program is called Ubuntu Tweak. Basically what it does in a nutshell from what I have been able to get out of it is allow you to modify certain features in Ubuntu to your liking through this program’s user interface. Then it goes and actually makes the changes to the system “the hard way” so you don’t have to fool with it. Although it can’t do everything in tweaking your system, the good news is that it is a good place for newcomers to Linux like myself to get started and getting Ubuntu setup how they would like.

Features of Ubuntu Tweak:
- View of Basic System Information(Distribution, Kernel, CPU, Memory, etc.)
- GNOME Session Control
- Auto Start Program Control
- Show/Hide and Change Splash screen
- Show/Hide desktop icons or Mounted Volumes
- Show/Hide/Rename Computer, Home, Trash icon or Network icon
- Tweak Metacity Window Manager’s Style and Behavior
- Compiz Fusion settings, Screen Edge Settings, Window Effects Settings, Menu Effect Settings
- GNOME Panel Settings
- Nautilus Settings
- Advanced Power Management Settings
- System Security Settings

Ubuntu Tweak Website
Download Ubuntu Tweak!