Instant-start Linux hits laptops

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 30 May 2008 at 11:07

Asus has confirmed that the Splashtop "instant-on" Linux operating system is coming to its laptop range.

The operating system will initially roll out on the M70T, M50V, M51T, F8Va, and F8Vr laptops, making them the first laptops on the market to feature the "rapid-start platform."

Splashtop, or Express Gate as Asus rebrands it, is a Linux operating system sporting Firefox and Skype that is stored in flash memory, granting users instant access to the internet and webmail without having to wait for a Windows or Linux operating system to load first.

Asus's relationship with DeviceVM, the company behind Splashtop, has been steadily growing since October, when it first licensed Splashtop for use on a single motherboard. Since then, it has incorporated Splashtop on its full range of P5Q motherboards, with a pledge to roll it out across its entire range - though there's no word on a timeframe.

DeviceVM says it is also working with other laptop manufacturers to license the technology.