Moblin Explained

Moblin
Developer:The Linux Foundation/Intel
Family:Unix-like
Source Model:Open source
Latest Release Version:2.1
Marketing Target:Mobile devices
Languages:Multilingual
Update Method:Yellow dog Updater, Modified Yum
Package Manager:RPM Package Manager
Kernel Type:Monolithic (Linux)
Userland:GNU
License:Various
Working State:Discontinued (merged with MeeGo)

Moblin, short for 'mobile Linux', is a discontinued open source operating system and application stack for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), netbooks, nettops and embedded devices.[1]

Moblin was built around the Intel Atom processor. All builds of Moblin were designed to minimize boot times and power consumption, as Moblin was a netbook and MID-centric operating system. The netbook/desktop version of Moblin supported other chipsets based on the SSSE3 instruction set, such as the Core2 and some Celeron processors.

OEM support was scarce but hit an all-time high in 2009 when Acer replaced Linpus Linux with Moblin on their Acer Aspire One netbooks.[2] and LG Electronics chose Moblin OS 2.1 for its mobile Internet device class smartphone the LG GW990.[3] [4] Dell also once accepted orders for netbooks running Canonical Ltd.'s Ubuntu Moblin Remix.[5]

Few commercial products existed around Moblin 2, most prominently a netbook from Foxconn[6] and a smartphone from InvenTech,[7] both announced at Computex 2009. Mandriva offered Moblin's v2 version to all Mandriva distribution and netbook owners.[8]

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2010, MSI and Novell announced SUSE Moblin preloaded on the MSI U135 netbook. Following the release of Moblin version 2.1, this was the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to sell a fully supported Intel Atom processor-based netbook running Moblin-based technology to consumers. It was demonstrated at both the MSI and Intel booths at the show.[9] In addition, Samsung showed four netbooks preloaded with SUSE Moblin.

At the Mobile World Congress in February 2010, it was announced that the Moblin project would be merging with Maemo to create the MeeGo mobile software platform. Nokia stopped all MeeGo development after switching to Windows Phone in 2011 and Intel also discontinued work on to join the Tizen project instead.

History

Intel launched the Moblin.org site in July 2007 and significantly updated the site in April 2008 with the launch of the Intel Atom processor family at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai. A custom software development kit (SDK) is available on the site. The Moblin 2 OS was specifically designed to run on an Intel Atom processor in a netbook.[10]

In April 2009, Intel turned Moblin over to the Linux Foundation. Subsequently, Moblin was merged with Maemo, becoming MeeGo. MeeGo's development was also hosted by the Linux Foundation, and initially governed by a Technical Steering Group overseen by Imad Sousou of Intel and Nokia's Valtteri Halla.[11]

The Linux Foundation canceled MeeGo in September 2011 in favor of Tizen.[12] A new Finnish start-up, Jolla, announced in July 2012 that MeeGo's community-driven successor Mer,[13] would be the basis of their new operating system Sailfish OS slated to launch in a smartphone during 2013.[14]

Moblin 2

At the Linux Collaboration Summit in April 2009, Intel demonstrated that the Moblin 2 alpha release can load major components of the stack, including the graphics system, and start up in mere seconds.[15] On May 19, 2009, Imad Sousou announced the release of Moblin v2.0 beta for Netbooks and Nettops for developer testing.[16] Moblin 2's Core distribution is based on recent builds of Fedora, but other distributions to announce future support for the core Moblin stack include Linpus[17] and Ubuntu.[18] [19]

This second major release marked a shift from the Xfce desktop environment to a custom-built GNOME Mobile UI based on OpenedHand's Clutter, a key piece of the Maemo graphical environment, built around the X Window System. The new UI also includes an integrated Gecko web browser.[20] The Register was impressed by the interface but noted the presence of "quite a few apparent bugs" and described the beta release of Moblin 2 as "closer to an alpha than a beta.".[21]

Major components

Applications

Moblin 2's interface is designed for netbook and nettops and built on open source graphics technology, such as Clutter, DRI2, and KMS, which are designed around toolbars and panels available at the top of the screen.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Moblin for Netbooks and Nettops. https://web.archive.org/web/20080608110952/http://moblin.org/community/netbooks/moblin_netbook_nettop.php. 2008-06-08.
  2. Web site: Acer Will Use Moblin Linux Across Its Products. Computerworld. Dan. Nystedt. June 3, 2009.
  3. Web site: Atom-powered LG GW990 rocks the smartphone world . 8 January 2010 . 10 January 2010 . . GSMArena.
  4. LG Next-Generation Smartphone Stars in Intel CES Keynote . 7 January 2010 . 10 January 2010 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110717142529/http://www.lg.com/global/press-release/article/lg-next-generation-smartphone-stars-in-intel-ces-keynote.jsp . July 17, 2011.
  5. Web site: Moblin 2 arriving via Dell with Ubuntu-Moblin remix netbook. Ryan. Paul. September 25, 2009. Ars Technica.
  6. Web site: Foxconn SZ901 netbook with Linpus Lite Moblin V2. Chris. Davies. May 29, 2009. Slashgear.
  7. Web site: Inventec Mediaphone. Photo's, Video.. June 3, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090604095900/http://www.midmoves.com/2009/06/mr-blurrycam-spots-a-mediaphone/. June 4, 2009.
  8. Mandriva Mini based on Moblin version 2 technology is now available. Mandriva. https://web.archive.org/web/20091001173716/http://www.mandriva.com/enterprise/en/company/press/mandriva-mini-based-on-moblin-version-2-technology-is-now-available. October 1, 2009.
  9. MSI Ships First Netbook Powered by SUSE Moblin from Novell. Novell. https://web.archive.org/web/20100113012254/http://www.novell.com/news/press/msi-ships-first-netbook-powered-by-suse-moblin-from-novell/. January 13, 2010.
  10. Ganapati. Priya. Intel Pushes New Operating System For Netbooks. January 30, 2009. Wired blog.
  11. Maemo + Moblin = MeeGo. Justin. Ryan. Linux Journal. February 16, 2010.
  12. Web site: What's Next for MeeGo. Imad. Sousou. 27 September 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111006173715/https://meego.com/community/blogs/imad/2011/whats-next-meego. 2011-10-06.
  13. JollaHQ. Jolla. 230579553142181888. 1 August 2012. @kavalczuk #MeeGo is the name people know and love. #merproject is the core OS project name..
  14. Web site: Jolla promises MeeGo will live on, plans new smartphone to reward the faithful. Jon. Fingas. July 7, 2012.
  15. Web site: Intel aims for 2-second boot time with Moblin Linux platform. Ryan. Paul. April 8, 2009.
  16. Web site: Moblin v2.0 beta for Netbooks and Nettops - It's here... . 2009-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090522084337/http://moblin.org/community/blogs/imad/2009/moblin-v20-beta-netbooks-and-nettops-its-here . 2009-05-22 . dead .
  17. Web site: Acer to join the Moblin Linux. Engadget. Joseph L.. Flatley. June 3, 2009.
  18. Web site: Spec of Ubuntu Moblin Remix. Ubuntu Wiki.
  19. Web site: Canonical announces support for Moblin v2 . 2009-06-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101128041048/http://www.ubuntu.com/news/canoical-commits-ubuntu-moblin . 2010-11-28 . dead .
  20. Web site: Hands-on: Intel brings rich UI to Moblin Linux platform. Ryan. Paul. May 19, 2009. Ars Technica.
  21. Web site: The best netbook-friendly Linux distros. Andrew. Miller. The Register. June 9, 2009. June 10, 2009. May 23, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100523173003/http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/06/09/which_linux_for_netbooks/page6.html. dead.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Moblin".

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