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HyperSpace posts

Filed under: Internet, Browsers

Instant-on software maker Phoenix to bundle Opera web browser

Phoenix HyperSpaceThere's been a lot of talk about instant on* software lately. Earlier this year, Asus announced plans to outfit every one of its motherboards with the Splashtop software interface that lets you load a Linux based OS in a matter of seconds without waiting for Windows or another full operating system to launch. This allows you to surf the web, make VoIP calls, or do other basic tasks shortly after hitting the power button.

Most of the instant on* platforms we've seen come bundled with the Firefox web browser. That makes sense, since it's fairly popular and open source, making it easy to work with. But Phoenix Technologies, maker of the HyperSpace instant on* platform has announced that it will begin to use the Opera web browser.

Opera has a reputation for being pretty fast as web browsers go, both when it comes to launching the application and when it comes to rendering web pages. Under the deal, Opera will further optimize its web browser to work within the Phoenix HyperSpace environment.

Unlike Splashtop, HyperSpace can be run while you're booting a full operating system in the background. Or you can even launch HyperSpace from within Windows.

* While Splashtop and HyperSpace certainly launch faster than Windows XP or a full Linux desktop operating system like Ubuntu, it still takes 5-15 seconds to boot the OS, and a bit longer to connect to a wireless network if you want to use a web browser or other applicationgs that require internet access.

Filed under: OS Updates

Miniature OSes let you perform tasks without booting your PC

HyperSpace
Unless you've got a blazing fast computer, it probably takes you a while to boot up your system. And even with the latest technology and the latest versions of Windows, OS X, or your favorite Linux distribution, odds are that your PC isn't ready for web surfing or watching movies until a few minutes after you press the power button.

But why do you need to load your complete operating system if all you want to do is watch a movie? Several companies are developing systems that let you perform tasks on a PC without booting up. What makes the magic happen is a tiny little operating system built right into the motherboard.

Phoenix Technologies is working on a miniature operating system called HyperSpace that loads in just 4 seconds. And we're not just talking about a firmware trick that lets you load DVD playing software. HyperSpace is a complete, but tiny operating system. It lets you launch Firefox and other full blown desktop applications. And it runs while your computer is loading. In other words, you can start surfing the web just a few seconds after turning your computer on, while Windows XP or Vista loads in the background.

Meanwhile, Asus seems to have similar goals in mind with its Linux-based SplashTop platform.

[via Engadget]

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