Moblin for Netbook Reach Beta

Version 2 of Intel’s Moblin has arrived promising better compatibility and stability.

Intel announced Moblin 2.0, a stripped-down distribution of Linux optimized for smaller screens on netbooks and mobile Internet devices (MIDs). The new Linux flavor is fine-tuned to run on Atom powered netbooks to maximize its power efficiency and performance.

Netbooks such as Asus Eee PC and Lenovo’s Ideapad S10 are low cost laptops with under-powered Atom processor, maximum 2GB memory, 7 inch to 10.2 inch display and has Microsoft Windows XP as standard.  Early netbooks were run by different Linux distributions such as Sandros and Novell’s Suise.

Intel placed a new user interface to the beta which is optimized for netbook’s 10″ screen.The new UI aggregates social networks under a single interface, which should make interacting with friends easier, Fisher said. He also added that Moblin incorporates features that take advantage of Atom’s sleep state to extend battery.

Development of the Moblin OS was initiated by Intel in 2007 and was last month handed over to the nonprofit Linux Foundation, though Intel continues to contribute to the efforts.

The beta version of the Moblin OS is available on Moblin’s Web site.