The Kernel Goes Green

I dream of a day when I would be able to do all the computing I want
and still help reduce the electricity I consume. A good sample of
consumer level energy-saving PC would be the Zobu PC
(http://www.zonbu.com/home/). And with the advent of energy-saving
hardware, the software eventually followed. The Linux kernel is going
the opposite of the behemoth we know as Micro$oft. Linux's maintainers
are making the kernel go green for practical and environmental reason
(http://news.com.com/Linux+coders+tackle+power+efficiency/2100-1007_3-6192865.html).
It's a win-win, if you asked me. A win for the consumer and a win for
the environment.

AvantGo on My Treo650

I've started using AvantGo
(http://my.avantgo.com/home/index.html?learn_more=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantgo.com%2Ffrontdoor%2Findex.html)
to download webpages ("news channels" in AvantGo lingo) to my Treo.
Its a great convenience to be able to sync your Treo of your PC and
read the pages without having to be tethered to the internet. Useful
when travelling in areas without a decent wireless signal. Or when
you're just trying to save on data charges -- like me! I hate Smart's
metered GPRS (http://www.smart.com.ph/SMART/Value+Added+Services/Data/AV_Text_Gprs.htm).
The only downside was the darn app ate up a huge chunk of my phone's
internal memory. I might just have to find something lighter.
Suggestions, anyone?

Nvidia Joining the High-Performance Chips Fray

A few months back, I was surprised when ATI launched it's Stream Processors. I posted about how simple the idea was that I was surprised nobody really thought of it before ATI did. Nvidia is now joining the fray with its Tesla Processors. The Folding@Home project could really use one of these babies...

Defiant

In the face of FUD-inducing inveigled threats of Microsoft to sue, Ubuntu and Red Hat remain defiant. I expected nothing less from these Linux behemoths. I especially like the fact that Mark came out and published his take on the whole affair.

As Microsoft refuses to say what patents the Linux kernel is violating, it should have been obvious from the start that this is nothing more than saber-rattling on the part of M$. The beast is baring its teeth, gnashing as it goes, trying to scare all that care to look. They refuse to say what these patent infringements are because they know once they disclose them the whole Linux community will come together, modify Linux and make it impossible for them sue. If they're not willing to say what patents Linux is violating, then I say have Novell, Xandros and Linspire disclose the all the details of the deals they inked with Microsoft. Or better yet, induce Microsoft to start suing today! So the Open Invention Network (OIN) can start filing counter suits against M$. Using patents as canon fodder -- now that's an idea!

Linux System Administration

It would be nice to receive this as a gift, wouldn't it?

Gadgets on a Budget

Clearly the best benefit of the ever-advancing nature of technology is
the development of cheaper devices that enhance our personal
functionality.

A few days ago, I received a parcel containing the Treo650 that an
aunt of my wife had sent me. It was a gift, a very generous gift. And
I would like to thank her publicly. Thank you Aunt Edna! Your
generosity is boundless :-)

The Treo renewed my interest in handhelds and personal computing
devices. I had previously owned a Palm Tungsten T3 and I've been
yearning for another Palm handheld ever since I sold it. The only
thing holding me back was the price. These devices are not cheap. I
have been, in the months in between, content with reading press
releases of Palm, Inc. Can you tell I'm a fan? Anyway, the launch of
Palm's UMPC(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-Mobile_PC), the Palm
Foleo(http://www.palm.com/us/products/mobilecompanion/foleo/), did not
escape my notice.

With Palm's entry into the UMPC bandwagon, my other dream (owning a
laptop) was slowly coming into reality. The prices, I predicted, would
come down. As Moore's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law)
bears its full weight on the pace of chip development, we see products
coming out of the pipeline a lot more cheaper and smaller. My hopes
died when I saw the $599 price tag. I also chanced upon this article
(http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/05/seven_sexy_alte.html) proposing
alternatives to the Palm Foleo, albeit just as expensive or even more
so.

My hope's were revived when I saw Asus' announcement in Taiwan's
Computex expo that it is launching a spawn of Intel's Classmate PC
program (http://www.intel.com/intel/worldahead/classmatepc/). The Asus
Eee PC701 (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/archives/2007/06/05/intel_classmate_becomes_199_asus_eee_subnotebook_pc.html)
was unveiled in the midst of spectators' "oohs!" and "aahs!". They
said the units would come to American shores as early as August this
year for $200. That's cheap! It's very barebones (specs here:
http://www.gadgettastic.com/2007/06/09/asus-eee-specs/). However, if
most of your computing time is spent surfing the internet and
retrieving mail, then this PC is for you. It even has built-in WiFi to
boot.

I'm eagerly anticipating it's release in Asia and I sincerely hope
this thing reaches Philippine shores. It would definitely be a great
device for my wife. She thinks she's a technophobe and half the time
she asks me about the computer. A simple connected device like this
could simplify things enough for her to do her extra work at home at a
fast enough pace. I just know she would love something as convenient
as this. I still have to convince my wife about how wonderful it is to
have a small personal device you can take with you all the time. I
love it when technology shrinks technology, the shrinking price tag
being a wonderful side effect of it all. My wife does too, she just
doesn't know it yet.

The Little Box That Could

I just read about the $99 PC (Gizmodo article here:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/exclusive-hands_on/22-things-to-know-about-the-99-zonbu-linux-pc-262952.php).
With the right mix of hardware and open source software, cheap PCs for
everyone can become a reality. And to boot, it was designed with ease
of use in mind so even non-geeks wouldn't be apprehensive about using
linux. The PC connects you to the internet with minimal fuss. It saves
on electricity by using a low-power chip and a Compact Flash card for
storage (in lieu of a hard drive that needs more power to spin its
disks), so it "green". Its all pluses as far as I am concerned. I'm
looking forward to this piece of technology. I hope they'll market
this outside the US or at least make it available (ship it)
internationally. Check it out.