I’ve been using the RC3 version of Ubuntu Mobile (now called Ubuntu Mobile Internet Device Edition) on the Q1 Ultra for a few weeks and had been wondering why the ‘RC’ was dropped from the install package in the last few days. Now I know. I’ll bring you a mini-review in the next few days. It works well but it’s definately a ‘developers’ edition. It reminds me of the first OS for the N800. There’s some work to do to get it up to end-user quality. Head to the wiki to get the inside info.

My brief ‘how-to’ on installing Ubuntu Mobile on the Q1 Ultra along with some early notes is in the forums.

We are delighted to be able to welcome Ubuntu Mobile Internet Device (MID) Edition 8.04 to the world as a full developers’ release. It is based on the Ubuntu Desktop Edition, and it is now available for download. The Ubuntu MID Edition 8.04 has been built by the Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded community that is sponsored by Canonical and in co-operation with Intel Moblin.org community to take advantage of the Intel(R) Atom Processor, the chipset that is underpinning the Mobile Internet Device (MID) category. Ubuntu MID Edition will always be an Open Source distribution and is freely available.

We believe that Ubuntu MID will be used by a range of people and companies. The most typical case will be purchasers of a MID device who use it as the installed OS with the shipped applications. Users might install additional applications which will be created within the Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded community and in Moblin.org

Developers may want to hack their favorite application from Ubuntu Desktop Edition onto Ubuntu MID to match screen size and touchscreen requirements so that they and other owners can use it. Developers are encouraged to share and have their work reviewed within the UM&E and Moblin.org communities.

Finally, OEM’s and ODM’s will base their devices upon Ubuntu MID using it as the operating system that gets them to market fastest. These manufacturers will typically make changes such as adding drivers and applications or modifying the UI to suit their anticipated user needs. These are and will be done in co-operation with Canonical’s custom engineering teams based in Taiwan and Lexington, MA.

Ubuntu MID will start to follow the normal Ubuntu 6 monthly release cycle with the next version at 8.10. The Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded community is small right now but growing and includes individuals and some organizations, and always welcomes new participants and partners. This release marks the start of a way for new users to experience Ubuntu and Open Source software and as the hardware becomes commonplace it will become a very exciting place to get users experiencing applications from our communities.

Via GottabeMobile.

• Moblin V2.0 Project Release. 2.1 coming soon.
• Moblin adopted by Xandros. Software Developers Lick Lips.
• Want to manage the Ubuntu Mobile distro project?