While Google Android is built on the Linux kernel, all of the applications for the mobile operating system actually run on a custom Java runtime. In other words, Google Android doesn't run most native Linux applications, and most Linux distributions can't run Google Android apps... yet. But Canonical is working on software that would allow Google Android programs to run natively on Ubuntu Linux.

Right now that wouldn't really be that exciting, because most Android programs are designed to run on a cellphone. After all, would you really want to run the iPhone version of Safari or the Windows Mobile version of Word on your desktop computer when there are far better word processors and web browsers designed for desktop operating systems?

But in the long run, this could expand the developer community for both Ubuntu and Google Android. If you develop an app for one, it might not be that much work to get it to run on the other. The move could also make it much easier to come up with ways to synchronize the data on mobile devices running Google Android with a desktop computer running Ubuntu.

Development is still in the early phases, so it's possible that the whole project could lead nowhere. But the screenshot above (grabbed from Scott James Remnant's Twitpic stream) of Google Android programs running on a machine with Ubuntu Netbook Remix installed certainly suggests a world of possibilities.

It's official - just under a month after the official release of Jaunty Jackalope, Canonical is ready for users to test drive the first alpha of Karmic Koala. As Brad previously mentioned, Ubuntu v9.10 will focus on cloud computing and netbook systems. The alpha is built on kernel 2.6.30 and the latest Gnome dev release, version 2.27.1.

Canonical, of course, does not recommend running any alpha software on production machines. To play it safe, install the OS in a virtual machine or on some scrap metal you have lying around. Intrepid types, however, are welcome to boot the ISO and install away.

Torrent downloads for 9.10 area available for x86 alternative and amd64 (and as direct downloads), while you can download Xubuntu and Kubuntu from their respective pages.

The torrents are well seeded and downloading quickly, so fire up your client and go get Karmic now!

Update: will try to have some screenshots up soon. So far, Karmic is incredibly zippy. Well done, Ubuntu devs!
Update: screenshots after the break...

Microsoft has Live Sync, Apple has MobileMe, and Canonical is now beta testing their own user data synchronization service called UbuntuOne.

The service works as you'd expect - set up your sync, access files anywhere, share your online items with anyone you choose. Currently lists two service levels - 2GB of storage is available free of charge, while an upgrade to 10GB will set you back $10 per month.

The service will likely provide a decent revenue stream for Canonical. As for me, I'll be sticking with DropBox on my Linux Mint laptop.

Not only does the DropBox pro account offer five times as much storage (50GB), there's also a $20 discount for paying annually - dropping the monthly fee to just over $8. On top of that, I can use DropBox to sync with my Windows desktop as well.

Perhaps the developers will amp things up a bit before UbuntuOne is finally released.

Right on schedule, the folks at Canonical released the latest version of Ubuntu Linux this morning. Ubuntu 9.04 adds a number of new features including a revamped notification system, support for the Ext4 file system, and updated applications like Firefox 3 and OpenOffice.org 3.0.

Canonical also worked hard on system performance, and Ubuntu 9.04 should boot up faster and feature more efficient suspend and reume features. The operating system can also intelligentally switchbetween WiFi and 3G environments using a number of 3G cards.

Ubuntu 9.04 comes in several different flavors. There's a server edition, a desktop edition, and a Netbook Remix edition that's optimized for mini-laptops with Intel Atom processors and low resolution displays.

Kubuntu 9.04 is also available for users who prefer the KDE desktop environment to Gnome. Many of the basic packages in Ubuntu and Kubuntu are the same. Mythbuntu, which comes preloaded with the popular MythTV media center application, has also been updated to version 9.04.

Other versions including Xubuntu (based on the Xfce desktop environment) and Edubuntu (with a focus on educational software) should be updated to 9.04 soon.

The next version of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution is due out on April 23rd. But if you just can't wait that long, you can download the release candidate of Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope today. If there aren't any major bugs found in the candidate, no changes will be made in the next week and you'll have a few day's head start on all your loser friends who wait until the 23rd to install the operating system.

For the most part, Ubuntu 9.04 RC looks a lot like Ubuntu 9.04 Beta which was released last month. Most of the work over the last few weeks has been in making the operating system more stable. But here are a few of the changes since Ubuntu 8.10 was released last fall:

• Updates to the Linux kernel, X.Org server, GNOME and KDE interfaces
• Support for the Ext4 file system
• Improved handling of multiple monitors
• Improved boot speeds
• Updated software including newer versions of Firefox and OpenOffice.org

There's also now a version of Ubuntu designed to run on ARM processors, which means Ubuntu will be able to run on a number of upcoming netbooks and mobile internet devices built around chips that can't run Windows.

Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope will officially launch on April 23rd. But if you want to try it out now, the first beta version has hit the Canonical servers. That means you can download and run or install a LiveCD or upgrade from an existing Ubuntu installation. While there are still some bugs to work out, Ubuntu beta releases tend to be much more reliable than alpha versions, pretty much as you'd expect.

Jaunty Jackalope features a number of improvements over Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex, including the latest versions of GNOME and KDE, support for the Ext4 file system, a new notification scheme, and new graphics. Ubuntu 9.04 beta also has a few new features since the last pre-release version, including a faster boot sequence, a new boot splash screen, and updated packages including OpenOffice.org 3.0.1, Firefox 3.0.7, and the latest Linux kernel the 2.6.28-11.37 Linux kernel.

[via Softpedia]

Microsoft isn't the only company that's busy pumping out operating system updates like there's no tomorrow. Canonical is busy putting the finishing touches on Ubuntu 9.04. The next version of the popular Linux distribution is due out in April (the 9.04 stands for April, 2009). Today the team released Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope Alpha 6.

So what's new in the latest build? There's a new version of X.Org, an updated Linux kernel, and support for the Ext4 file system. There's also a new style for notifications, and a whole slew of updated packages including the latest versions of Firefox, Pidgin, and The GIMP.

The folks at SoftPedia have put together a screenshot tour showing some of the changes. To be honest, Alpha 6 doesn't look much different from Alpha 5. But as with each release, there have been a bunch of bug fixes, and at least a few new bugs have probably been introduced as well. If you're more comfortable with stable, well-tested software, you'll probably want to wait until next month to try Jaunty Jackalope. But if you want to help test the pre-release version of Ubuntu 9.04, it's available for download today.

Ubuntu 8.10 Inteprid Ibex is still warm, but the folks at Canonical are already hard at work on the next generation of the popular Linux distribution. The first Alpha version of Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope was released today.

As a first Alpha, this release is not recommended for users in search of a stable desktop environment. And there's really not much benefit to downloading it unless you plan to help test and develop Ubuntu 9.04. For the most part Jaunty Jackalope looks a lot like Ubuntu 8.10. The desktop theme and other graphics haven't been altered at all, and for the most part, the operating system comes with the same set of applications as Intrepid Ibex.

So what's different? The developers have been busy re-merging of changes from Debian, the Linux distribution that Ubuntu is based on. Canonical is also working on porting the operating system to run on machines with ARM processors which could lead to Ubuntu showing up on more Mobile Internet Devices and netbooks next year.

There's currently no LiveCD version of Jaunty Jackalope, so if you do decide to download the Alpha, you'll have to grab the alternate or server installation CDs. The full version of Ubuntu 9.04 is scheduled for release on April 23, 2009.

Ubuntu 8.10 is available for download today. And because Ubuntu Linux is open source software and we've been following its development for the last 6 months, there aren't a ton of surprises. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't download it if you're running Ubuntu 8.04 or if you're looking for a new Linux distro to try. Because it does include a number of tweaks, bug fixes, and improvements. Here are just a few:

• Improved support for connecting to 3G wireless networks
• A utility for loading a fully working Ubuntu installation on a USB disk
• There's a new System Cleaner utility that will help identify abandoned software packages (which could address one of my biggest pet peeves about most Linux distributions)
• The Nautilus file manager now supports tabs

In addition to Ubuntu 8.10, you can also download the latest version of Kubuntu today. Kubuntu is basically Ubuntu with the KDE desktop environment instead of GNOME. Xubuntu 8.10, which uses the Xfce desktop environment is also available today.

Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex is due out on October 30th. But if you just can't wait that long, you can download the release candidate. If no major bugs are found between today and next Thursday, this release candidate will effectively become the final version of Ubuntu 8.10. So you'll be able to tell all your friends that you've been using it for almost a week longer than they have. And they'll just look at you funny and ask you "what's A Buntu?"

If you're using Ubuntu 8.04, you can also upgrade automatically. You can find instructions in the release notes.

Intrepid Ibex features a number of updates since Ubuntu 8.04, although not enough to make the entire operating system unrecognizable. Users should notice a new version of the GNOME desktop environment with support for tabs in the file manager, and a bunch of bug fixes. There are also new optional desktop themes.

If you're using Ubuntu Studio to edit audio and video, it's recommended that you not upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10 yet, since it uses Linux kernel 2.6.27 which can cause some latency problems.

[via Engadget]

Never one to rest on their laurels, the Ubuntu team is hard at work on the next cutting edge version of their popular distro, Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex (who the heck names these releases?).

As with most other Ubuntu alphas, there isn't much to write home about yet. However, much to our surprise, it has a new interface theme, for the first time since Dapper Drake. "That ugly brown theme", as many people on the internet referred to it, has been the standard on Ubuntu for over a year now, and you either love it or hate it.

"NewHuman" takes the art of Ubuntu in a new direction, and only time will tell if it makes it into the final release, scheduled for October of this year. Those who are interested in participating in the testing process may download an ISO image from the official site. As always, the Alpha versions are not recommended for production machines, so distro shufflers need not apply.

If you haven't heard of Linux Mint by now, you probably aren't listening very well. Mint is a distro that is heavily based on Ubuntu, but has gradually evolved on its own, with unique management tools and a stunning set of artwork (no dirt brown here!). This latest iteration brings clarity and convenience to the newest Ubuntu base, 8.04.

The most obvious improvement on its parent distro is the fact that it actually contains codecs and Flash support out of the box. The desktop layout is more similar to Windows, making this a good migration path for Microsoft refugees.

For those already familiar with Mint, this new version may not seem very different at first glance, but one big difference between this release and pretty much every other Linux distro is the inclusion of Flash 10 beta. Flash on Linux has been a rather sluggish experience for a while now, but on our humble Pentium 4 testing machine, sites like Youtube and Hulu seemed to work just as well as they do on Windows. The rest of the changes are generally little tweaks and usability improvements.

Mint can be downloaded from any one of many mirrors provided on the site, but we found the Torrent they provide to be very active and well seeded, so that is probably the best choice for now.

Canonical has made the Mobile Internet Device (MID) version of Ubuntu available to developers. Developers can now make the necessary changes to their desktop applications to better match the smaller screen sizes and processing power of these devices as well as take advantage of the touchscreen interface to improve the user experience.

Ubuntu MID is based on the desktop version of the Ubuntu operating system but has the necessary tweaks made to run efficiently on smaller and less powerful devices like the Samsung Q1U which currently ships with Vista. We had an opportunity to demo this unit running on Vista with the standard 800MHz CPU and 1GB of RAM and the Q1U was really sluggish and not as responsive as we would like.

Hopefully, Ubuntu MID will be well optimized to make devices like the Q1U more usable as it will include a Gecko based browser, email, calendaring and media player specifically designed for these types of devices.

But does the recent announcement of Ubuntu Linux Remix and Symbian going open source possibly take some of the potential Ubuntu MID sales away?

At any given time on the planet, there's a technology trade show in progress. Some are more significant than others, and there's no formula to figure if any given one will be worth the airfare. We're guessing that a few ultraportable laptop manufacturers, as well as a few of us (cough) normal folk, are a little intrigued with the news emerging from the Computex exhibit halls today.

Canonical let slip some further information and screen shots of Ubuntu Netbook Remix, the Ubuntu derived operating system for ultraportables. The quick and dirty information: it looks suspiciously as if the Ubuntu image is made to work solely on Intel Atom processors. How radically different is that from the other Intel processors used previously in ultraportables? Will it be a significant enough difference that it won't run with other Intel chips? Are VIA machines left in the dust? Maybe, maybe not, but we're guessing it'll affect performance on some level.

It seems that Canonical and Intel are working with various manufacturers to get Ubuntu Netbook Remix into our hot little hands, but it probably won't happen much before late 2008. They were so kind, however, as to release some screenshots of the demo version.

Ubuntu Netbook Remix looks... well, a little bit like the "Easy Mode" settings in the Eee PC's customized Xandros. Maybe not quite as simplistic, but we have this funny feeling that many people picturing "Ubuntu on an ultraportable" were thinking more along the lines of the traditional look with a few GUI tweaks. We're not sure if this is really a good or bad thing, as yet. Ultraportables are different animals, and used in a different manner than a desktop. Perhaps a different looking user interface is enough of a disconnect to make it all work (and keep us from trying to install the sorts of things on our ultraportables that they aren't intended to run due to processing limitations).

What will be interesting, and promises to push Linux on ultraportables to the next level, is all that scary stuff on the backend. The most intriguing bit of this conversation seems to focus on the use of Moblin, and the push for developers to get Ubuntu packages to work well -- really well -- with the specific requirements of the processor and ultraportable hardware.