Splashtop OS
| Developer | DeviceVM |
|---|---|
| OS family | Linux |
| Working state | Development |
| Source model | Proprietary[1] |
| Marketing target | Embedded |
| Platforms | x86 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic kernel, Linux |
| Official website | www.splashtop.com |
Splashtop is a commercial Linux distribution targeting PC motherboard vendors and other device manufacturers.[3] It is developed by DeviceVM.[4]
It uses Bootsplash, SquashFS, Blackbox, SCIM and the Linux kernel 2.6.
Concept
Distinct from most Linux distributions, Splashtop is intended to be integrated on a read-only device and shipped with the hardware, rather than installed by the user. The user can install another operating system but always has this one ready to boot, in case the other one is broken, or in case web browsing and chatting is enough. It boots in about 5 seconds.[5] It is thus marketed as "instant-on."
An "instant-on" operating system offers many advantages over a traditional operating system:
- It boots much faster.
- Knowing that, the user will hesitate less before switching it off, which means saving power.
- It is less vulnerable to malware as the system is mostly read-only.
- It allows for diskless computers.
- It is lighter but sufficient for running a web desktop and web applications.
Features
Splashtop features a graphical user interface, a web browser based on Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and a Skype VoIP client software.[5]
Internals
Splashtop seems to work with a 512MB flash memory embedded on the PC motherboard.[6] A proprietary core engine starts at the BIOS boot and loads a specialized Linux distribution called a "Virtual Appliance Environment" (VAE). While running this VAE, the user can launch "Virtual Appliances" (VA). Skype is a VA, for instance.[7]
Motherboards featuring Splashtop
As of April 2008, Splashtop is known to be used on the following ASUS motherboards, and on these it is rebranded as Express Gate:[8]
- P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi AP @n
- P5E3 Premium/WiFi AP @n
- M3N-HT Deluxe/Mempipe
- M3N-HT Deluxe/HDMI
- M3N-H/HDMI
- M3N-HD/HDMI
- M3A-H/HDMI
- P5N64 WS Professional
- P5Q family (P5Q Deluxe, P5Q-WS, P5Q3 Deluxe, P5Q-E)
In May 2008 ASUS announced they want to eventually use Splashtop across their entire motherboard product portfolio[9]. Numerous Splashtop-enabled motherboards, desktops, and laptops will be available internationally in 2008.
See also
- The 'instant-on' computing concept also appears on LinuxBIOS.
- HyperSpace, a similar product by Phoenix Technologies.
References
- ^ Splashtop Instant-On Desktop from DeviceVM
- ^ [Phoronix] ASUS Motherboard Ships With Embedded Linux, Web Browser
- ^ [Phoronix] SplashTop To Splash Onto Notebooks, Desktops
- ^ Splashtop Instant-On Desktop from DeviceVM
- ^ a b [Phoronix] ASUS Motherboard Ships With Embedded Linux, Web Browser
- ^ SplashTop's Instant-On Linux Desktop | Geek.com
- ^ http://www.phoronix.net/image.php?id=870&image=devicevm_splashtop_4_lrg
- ^ Have we launched? Is this thing on? | On Top of Splashtop
- ^
"Splashtop to Ship on Millions of ASUS Motherboards, Starting with P5Q Family" (Press release). 2008-05-14. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- Official website
- Official blog
- Source Code (GPLv2) splashtop_src.zip 11.6 mb
- Review on Phoronix.com
- Video demonstration on YouTube.com
| Android |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arch | |||||
| Debian |
| ||||
| Fedora |
| ||||
| Gentoo | |||||
| Mandrake | |||||
| Mandriva | |||||
| Slackware | |||||
| SUSE | |||||
| Other | |||||
| Discontinued | |||||
 | This computing article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |