Jolicloud, the netbook and net services-focused working method by Netvibes founder Tariq Krim, has finally launched with the official edition one.0 release.
The Linux-based OS was originally announced in 2008 and has gone by way of intensive public and private testing considering that then. It’s built to install seamlessly on most major netbook brands, with no need for extra driver or software downloads. It relies heavily on web applications, instead of local programs, which makes it perfect for slower devices like netbooks. Version 1.0 adds support for touchscreens (a good sign for eventual tablet support), a simplified Windows installer,
Microsoft Office Professional 2010, and an HTML5-based application launcher.
Setup for Jolicloud is simple: Simply download and run the tiny installer,
Office Professional Plus 2010 Key, and follow the on-screen instructions to create a dual-boot installation of Jolicloud and Windows. Alternatively, you can download an image file to create an installation CD, or create a bootable USB flash drive.
In my experience with a Jolicloud beta,
Cheap Office 2010, the installation took less than 20 minutes, and performance throughout the OS was surprisingly fast on my anemic netbook. Now that it’s more refined,
Office Enterprise 2007, I suspect it can end up replacing Windows as the go-to netbook OS for many users.
The running system is a direct competitor to Google’s upcoming Chrome OS, which is also meant for notebooks (and potentially tablets). But the company doesn’t feel threatened — in our previous coverage,
Microsoft Office Professional 2010, a spokesperson said that Google Chrome “validates” what they are doing.
With Netvibes, Krim managed to create a personalized startup page site with a massive widget (or web application) ecosystem. In many ways, Netvibes acted as an online running system — bringing access to companies like Twitter and Facebook into one convenient location. Now with Jolicloud, it looks like Krim’s taking that concept a step further — now, for the most part, the world wide web is the working technique.
The company is based mostly in Paris, France, and raised $4.2 million in funding last year.
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Tags: Chrome OS, netbooks, running systems
Companies: Jolicloud
People: Tariq Krim
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