A Hewlett-Packard PC with Linux?
According to a recent story in BusinessWeek, Hewlett Packard has been exploring the possibility of using something other than Windows Vista for some of its computers. The article has some denials from HP spokespersons, but their denials seem weak and uncertain in wording, so odds are, they’re correct in some form or another.
Apple and Mac computers are grabbing increasing market share; at least some of Apple’s new sales are coming at the expense of companies like HP and Dell. It has to be frustrating to Windows OEMs like HP that they don’t really control the complete user experience the way Apple does. HP has a history of wanting to control the user shell more closely, so that loss of control must really irritate them at times.
The idea that HP might create its own operating system from scratch is crazy (and expensive and unnecessary), so they had no problem denying that rumor. Part of the article, confirmed by HP, was about their efforts to “innovate on top of Vista”, in HP’s words. That could simply be some tack-on applications, or added functionality at the BIOS level for certain functions, but I have a hard time believing that would solve a lot of consumer problems. It may even create a whole new set of compatibility issues.
The big question is whether HP is pondering the use of Linux on its consumer PCs. This is territory already explored by the successful Asus Eee PC. That tiny notebook offers both Linux and Windows — but it’s Windows XP. Microsoft has made it clear that XP is OS-non-grata its future plans, so the Linux option may be HP’s best alternative. This would turn the whole OS/PC world pretty much upside down, and MS would be none too happy to see one of its biggest partners defect to Linux.
There are plenty of Linux distributions that HP could use, so the engineering effort could boil down to making sure that high-quality Linux drivers are available (sometimes not a given). HP could push most of that work down to their chipset suppliers such as Intel and NVidia. Sure, they’d want to brand their Linux user interface with some sort of custom HP look, but that shouldn’t take long and wouldn’t cost much, more than likely. Some Linux gurus would probably volunteer testing and ideas for nothing, just to see it happen.
HP has tried to be a good partner with Microsoft in the past, and hasn’t always been rewarded with much loyalty for the effort. One example came to light in a lawsuit where MS told HP execs that Vista would require high-end video hardware, and HP accelerated a redesign of their product lines to support the new chipsets Vista needed. Then, Microsoft backpedaled and said that less-capable video chipsets, the ones in HP’s soon-to-be-defunct products, could be labeled “Vista Capable.”
Microsoft has some options to keep HP consumer products Linux-free. Microsoft will probably use the carrot of a price break or marketing money, similar to the way Intel appeased OEMs with the Intel Inside program. In essence, Microsoft can price Vista or XP in a way that “pays” HP to not use Linux. That may ultimately be an offer HP can’t refuse. Either way, MS needs to step up and do something it appears, or an HP box with Linux may become reality.
iPhone 2.1 Firmware upgrade results - good (so far)
Apple released the 2.1 firmware upgrade for the iPhone on Friday, and so far (from the reports and feedback from various websites from users and reviewers), it seems to have resolved many of the speed and battery issues with the phone, and fixed many of the little bugs that plagued the iPhone.
Numerous issues have been documented since the iPhone’s launch, and have been the subject of several lawsuits against Apple.
Many have said the dropped calls issue is better as well, and app install and backups are much quicker and more stable. A few select customers are still having issues, but overall the phone’s standing among many of its users has greatly improved. It (almost) makes up for the rather dismal launch of iTunes 8 (documented in an earlier post on this blog) that went along with this firmware update.
Yes, it’s only been 1 day or so, but early reviews seem to be very positive. It seems Apple engineers and programmers have a right to give themselves an (early) pat on the back.
Windows 7 in official closed beta, on track for wider beta by December?
Microsoft is on tap to talk publicly about and show off Windows 7 at two of its upcoming tech conferences this fall. But that does not mean the Windows team necessarily will be distributing bits at those shows.
A small and select group of testers (read: MS supporters more than likely) already have gotten their hands on Windows 7 builds. Microsoft has released two M (or ”milestone”) designated Windows 7 builds (M1 and M2), plus various interim updates, to select customers and partners who have been sworn to secrecy. And the Windows client team is in the midst of putting finishing touches on M3, if you believe the whispers.
But Beta 1? Currently it’s not in the cards for Microsoft to release this code to testers until a week before Christmas, according to folks claiming to be privvy to Microsoft’s Windows 7 schedule.
Might there be some kind of pre-beta — something like a Community Technology Preview (CTP) build — that Microsoft will deliver to a broader set of private testers than those currently getting regular internal builds? Odds are this may happen, but the consensus seems to be not to expect Microsoft to distribute Windows 7 bits more widely until the Windows 7 is feature-complete or very nearly so. After the Vista incident, this may be a very smart move.
On September 10, Microsoft acknowledged that it plans to use its Connect site to sign up potential Windows 7 testers at some point. Christina Storm, a program manager on the Windows Customer Engineering feature team says: ”When we release the Windows 7 beta, we will also be collecting feedback from this (Windows Feedback) panel and asking for participation from a set of Windows 7 beta users. Our current plans call for signing up for the beta to happen in the standard Microsoft manner on http://connect.microsoft.com. Stay tuned!”
If Microsoft does release Beta 1 of Windows 7 in mid-December, that will mean the company is aiming to deliver the final Windows 7 product less than a year after the official beta begins. (Microsoft has said, publicly and privately, that late 2009 is their target date for release of Windows 7. The “you can’t claim we’re late” date remains the first part of 2010.)
Would a less-than-year-long beta be unprecedented? Not really. Short betas of products pretty much cast in stone aren’t unusual from the Office team. But looking at MS’s early track record with bugs in initial releases, I can’t say it makes me feel better that its on track this “quickly”. I’d much prefer they take their time, and get it right.
iTunes 8 causes major Vista headaches
You think that Apple has the resources to test iTune 8 on all kinds of platforms, so there’s little excuse for this sort of thing.
Reports are emerging this morning that the newly released iTunes 8 doesn’t like Windows Vista very much, though the Apple forums indicate its a more sporadic problem. Some are seeing the much beloved blue screen of death after connecting iPods, etc with iTunes 8 running.
The solution seems to to be to uninstall the whole thing and reinstall it, and apparently the USB driver file with it may cause a conflict on some Vista systems, depending on the devices installed. Lovely. Even Apple seems to have fairly low regard for Vista, it seems.
One of the issues with this is the secrecy with which Apple does its beta testing; this is what typically happens when you don’t do widely public testing, with its myriad hardware configurations and users of various skill levels. I understand their perspective on this, but…you end up with a product that doesn’t always work on different types of configs the way it should. Hopefully, Apple will patch this one up pretty quickly and all will be well.
Here’s the Apple thread (Warning: it’s big and loads slowly).
Music Download Services Choices for 2008 (follow-up)
In the news this morning Yahoo announced they would be selling the yahoo unlimited music service to Rhapsody.
Since we just did the 2008 Round-Up of Download services I thought we’d let everyone know.
Mid-year 2008 existing Yahoo users will be allowed to migrate their music collections to Rhapsody.
No word yet if existing users will continue to pay the lower 8.99 / month pricing or if they will immediately be upped to 12.99.
I’m also a bit curious how Yahoo will handle the 1 and 2 year commitments (I signed up for the 2 years for 75 promo last year - we’ll cross our fingers and hope they hold to their bargain).
We’ll update as we hear more - I’ve always heard good things about the rhapsody service but its a shame for consumers anytime we lose an option.
I have to think some of this is based on the profitability in question fo the music services - as competition mounts from fee-free services (pandora, last.fm, etc) the subscription services will have a tougher time.
-
Recent Posts
- It’s about time: Apple to expand DRM free music offerings
- And the story goes on: RIAA fires their user snooping company, MediaSentry
- Rattling the sabers, internet style: Facebook sues Power.com, a social site aggregator
- Android netbooks coming? Maybe, maybe not
- Uh Oh: Big layoffs for Microsoft coming?
- Top 5 predictions for 2009, via CNET
- MS do themselves no favors in the MP3 ratrace: The Zune music player having major issues
- Holiday Satisfaction Indexes are in, and something is rotten in Denmark
- Windows 7 Beta 1 debuts a little early (on torrents)
- News bulletin: Holiday sales (tech especially)… stunk, for lack of a better word
-
-
-