According to a new DigiTimes report, the Canonical distribution of Ubuntu Light will begin shipping with new Dell netbooks within the month.
Dell’s optimized netbook running Ubuntu 10.10 is said to be able to boot in 7 seconds flat.
The computer giant is currently the top seller of PCs with Ubuntu, beating out all other major manufacturers.
As pictured, Ubuntu Light uses a “Unity” interface giving quick access to Web browsing, music, games, chat, multimedia, and productivity applications.
The operating system has an integrated music store giving users a chance to download music and stream it to their Android or iOS device.
Better yet, any netbook featuring the operating system will retail for cheaper than a Windows counterpart due to lack of licensing payments.
Result for: music store
On Wednesday a Federal judge granted Verizon’s request for summary judgement, shooting down all of ASCAP’s claims that mobile phone providers should pay public performance royalties for ringtones they sell.
The sale of ringtones already requires the seller to pay mechanical royalties to the publisher (songwriter) and recording artist, just like MP3s or CDs.
ASCAP claimed that when the ringtone is downloaded by a customer or plays when a mobile phone rings it’s a public performance. Because of that they were asking for additional royalties.
The short version of Judge Denise Cote’s ruling is that there is no public performance under US copyright law so there can be no infringement of that right.
The first claim Judge Cote addressed was the transmission of a digital file from mobile provider to the customer’s phone. She pointed out “ASCAP does not contend… that a Verizon customer can actually listen to a ringtone while she is downloading it; it acknowledges that the ringtone cannot be played before the transmission is concluded”
In other words a data download isn’t a performance. She also concluded that because the transmission is sent to a single individual it’s not public by definition.
Expect these points to be revisited in the pending case by ASCAP and BMI over downloads from online music stores like iTunes.
But what about when the phone rings? That was an even easier question to answer.
She wrote “customers do not play ringtones with any expectation of profit. The playing of a ringtone by any Verizon customers in public is thus exempt under 17 U.S.C. § 110(4) and does not require them to obtain a public performance license.”
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Result for: music store
Nokia has announced the launch of their first netbook today, the Nokia Booklet 3G which boasts some pretty powerful specs.
“A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility,” adds Kai Oistamo, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices. “We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal.”
The netbook also promises a strong integration with Ovi, including Ovi Maps, Music Store and Ovi Cloud Storage. Easy sync to Nokia devices is also in the cards.
The full specs:
* Intel Atom Chipset (Z530 running at 1.6 Ghz). No fan, which means near silent running.
* Windows 7
* 120 GB hard disk
* 3G / HSDPA and WiFi connectivity, plus integrated Bluetooth for local wireless communication
* 12 hour battery life
* 19.9 mm thick x 264 mm width x 185 mm depth
* 10.1 inch glass HD ready display
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