David Sims is at the Intel Developer Forum and gives us a first look at the MeeGo User interface this is version 1.0 and MeeGo v1.1 should srping into action in late October 2010. MeeGo is a Linux-based software platform that will support multiple hardware architectures across a broad range of devices, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infortainment systems. Yesterday’s announcement about Queensbay, Intel’s new system-on-chip an Atom based CPU along side plans to move forward with Chinese auto manufacturer HawTai to produce a MeeGo-based infotainment system.
January was when we first caught wind of Intel’s plans to take atom into a full spectrum of devices and here we are less then six months later with a v1.0 of the O/S they plan to use, chipsets that will support the hardware and partnerships to make it happen. Strategically I can see why the move was made, but Moblin updates weren’t happening at a quick enough pace and it was taking years to even begin to make head way. Having said that, Moblin was out the door and shipping, it was shipping mainly as a DOS replacement and only because a certain number of a PC have to ship with out Windows but never the less it was shipping. This means everyone who was working on Moblin doesn’t have to start over but in terms of releasing a product we are at v1.0. If MeeGo does not keep to the October deadline for v1.1 I fear that they will loose the race against Android who is currently capable of aiming at the same spectrum of products.
Intel’s history with Moblin and reputation for not moving quickly enough leave us with questions of why Intel is getting so heavily invested in the software side of things. I guess it works for Apple, so why not for Intel? But even if Moblin’s molasses like development is replicated in MeeGo all is not lost. Intel based smartphones will be capable of running all the mobile operating systems including Android. Netbooks are the low bearing fruit with such as huge installed base one can why we are seeing the first MeeGO UI demos pop up on these devices.
What do you think about MeeGo now that you have seen it? And just incase you’re not exactly sure how its different from Moblin here is a link so you can check out the evolution.
Via YouTube
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