In the few days since Firefox 3.5 was officially unleashed on the public, it's been downloaded well over 7 million times according to Mozilla's real-time download tracker. That's nowhere near the estimated 8 million downloads achieved in the first 24 hours after Firefox 3.0 launched, but it's still pretty good.

It's also probably worth pointing out that anyone who was running Firefox 3.5 RC3 on launch day probably isn't included in these numbers since RC3 is basically the same as the final release, which means if you had that version installed you didn't download any updates.

Now that there's a new version of Firefox, there's also a new version of Firefox Portable, which lets you run the browser from a USB flash drive. If you were running an older version of Firefox Portable you should be able to upgrade automatically from within the browser. But if you want to give Firefox 3.5 a try without installing it to your computer, the portable version is an excellent alternative.

And while Mozilla thinks Firefox 3.5 is stable enough to take remove the "beta" and "release candidate" labels, some Linux distributions might be slower to add the browser to their repositories. But that doesn't mean you can't install the browser manually. Kabatology has posted instructions for installing Firefox 3.5 in Ubuntu by typing a single line of code into a terminal window.

[via Lifehacker]

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.

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.

Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth has announced the codename for Ubuntu 9.10, which is scheduled for release in October: Karmic Koala. Sure, the team still needs to put the finishing touches on Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope which will be out in a April. But it's never too early to start planning for your future, right?

Shuttleworth says one goal is to speed up the boot process in Ubuntu 9.10, while possibly using a new splashscreen. Canonical will also be refining the Ubuntu Netbook Remix interface for mini-laptops like the Dell Inspiron Mini.

The server edition of Karmic Koala will feature support for Amazon's EC2 APIs, and will also use the Eucalyptus project to allow you to host cloud based apps in your own data center.

Canonical will host an Ubuntu Developer Summit in Barcelona, Spain in May to determine other priorities for Karmic Koala.

[via OStatic]

Hewlett Packard has released a custom version of Ubuntu Linux designed for netbooks. For the HP Mini 1000 Mi Edition, to be exact. Under the hood, the operating system is based on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron. That means it can run pretty much any application that runs on Ubuntu including OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Thunderbird, Sunbird and Pidgin. In fact, it comes preloaded with all of those applications plus a few more. It's also fairly easy to install other Linux staples like image editor GIMP.

But what makes the Mi Edition software stand out is the graphical user interface which looks nothing like Ubuntu or even Ubuntu Netbook Remix. When you first boot up the Mi Edition software you're greeted with a screen with a web search engine, a list of favorite web sites, and shortcuts to your music and photos. If you click the Start New Program button, a program launcher will open that separates your applications into Internet, Media, Utilities, Work, Play, and All tabs. The settings manager shows you everything you'd find in the typical Ubuntu settings screens, but it's arranged in a new way that makes it easier to find what you're looking for with fewer clicks.

HP has also added a custom media player called HP MediaStyle that looks a lot like Apple's FrontRow. MediaStyle provides you with a simple full screen interface for navigating music, videos, and photos.

According to the introduction on their own web site, the developers behind CrunchBang Linux have built the distro to offer a "good balance of speed and functionality." After running the latest release for a few days, I'm confident in saying that they've achieved their goal.

On the functionality side of things, it's worth knowing that CrunchBang is built on Ubuntu. Finding additional applications and support is an easy task, thanks to Ubuntu's popularity and its enthusiastic community.

Instead of a bulkier window manager like Gnome or KDE, CrunchBang utilizes the more minimalist Openbox. Though Openbox is highly configurable and capable of the same kind of eye candy as other WMs, CrunchBang's default setup is lean and mean.

Those who, like me, are still getting their feet wet with Linux will appreciate the "cheat sheet" on the right side of the desktop. It contains a list of handy keyboard shortcuts to help you get started.

Sure, Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope will be out in a few months and Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex has been available since October. But the folks at Canonical are still supporting Ubuntu 8.04 because it's what's considered a Long Term Support (LTS) release. And they've just pushed out the second major update: Ubuntu 8.04.2.

The latest version won't have all of the new features that show up in Ubuntu 8.10 like the new BitTorrent and VNC clients or the latest Gnome and KDE desktop software. But Ubuntu 8.04.2 does feature a bunch of bug fixes and security fixes. So if you're still running an older version, or want to install a fresh version of Ubuntu Linux that will be supported through April of 2011, you might want to check it out.

[via Ubuntu Unleashed]

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.

In ten days, Canonical will officially launch Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex, the next version of the popular operating system. But you don't have to wait until October 30th to take it for a spin. The beta version of Ubuntu 8.10 is available today, and for all intents and purposes, it's pretty close to the version that will be available in a week and a half, and you can always install it now and update files and settings as necessary when the time comes.

But what if you're not ready to devote valuable hard drive space to a new operating system? Fortunately, you can download the Ubuntu 8.10 LiveCD today and try the operating system out without making any changes to your hard disk. But you also can't make any changes to the CD. In other words, you can't install any applications or alter any settings and expect them to be there next time you boot from a CD.

But you can install Ubuntu 8.10 (and a number of other Linux distributions) on a USB flash drive which will allow you to save any changes. Pen Drive Linux has a set of instructions, but in a nutshell what you need to do is download the Ubuntu LiveCD, burn it to a disc and reboot your computer from the CD. Then you follow a set of instructions to copy the files you need from the CD to your 1GB or larger flash drive, tweak a few settings, and voila! You can run Ubuntu from your USB stick.

This can come in handy if you want to try out the operating system without committing to it. But it can also be useful if you tend to wander back and forth between a number of computers, because you can carry your entire operating system with all of your preferred programs and settings in your pocket.