Linpus have announced a tablet operating system based on MeeGo. The platform was on show at the Dublin MeeGo Conference this week, running both on a prototype tablet device and a netbook. The OS has been built upon the MeeGo 1.1 core, but with a bespoke multi-touch user interface and six custom made applications. The platform is aimed at OEM's rather than consumers, and therefore will undergo further brand-specific customisations before it reaches the market. Because the Linpus tablet OS is MeeGo 1.1 compliant, it we can expect to see integration of Intel's AppUp application store. Linpus have developed a number of Qt applications (e.g. eBook Reader and Media Player) to demonstrate their expertise and show potential commercial partners the sort of user experience that can be created. The exact application suite and UI will, of course, depend on OEM's who use the platform. The media player will support audio, video, and streaming from YouTube. The user interface features multiple home screens, being able to move up and down and side to side between different desktops.
Again, this is not a consumer product, Linpus are looking to licence the platform to OEM's who will further add to the driver and application support.
From Linpus' press release:
Linpus, a leader in the field of open source operating system solutions in the consumer space, announced today a full Meego-based multi-touch solution. Linpus' solution is not just an operating system, but also includes a comprehensive suite of key applications including: an ereader, browser, media player, photo viewer, virtual keyboard and webcam.
“The openness and flexibility of MeeGo makes it a great choice for a multi-touch platform,” said Rita Jing, vice-president of sales, Linpus. “Over the last few months we have worked extremely hard to ensure a fantastic multimedia experience and deliver one of the first and most complete MeeGo multi-touch solutions.”
Linpus developed and designed from the ground up their own user interface including: many aspects of the multi-touch functionality. For that interface there is a icon-based launcher and also a widget desktop which can be easily swapped between with up and down swipes. The addition of extra media such as USB or SD cards is solved in an extremely intuitive and easy-to-use way: the type of file will pop up as a folder under the appropriate application and you can just copy between.
The included applications are also all customized for multi-touch and ease of use guaranteeing a full browsing, movie watching and music experience. The ereader application has a bookshelf with the ability to categorize – for example - for crime or non-fiction novels; and then highlight text, skip quickly through the pages of a book, and zoom in. The media player has a: virtual jukebox, support for HD, and Youtube functionality all built into its main menu – If you put in a SD card the music on it will pop-up in this main menu and can then be easily selected and played. Additionally, they have worked hard adding personalization features, not only wallpaper but a number of themes. And created a virtual keyboard that includes the option to change your keyboard layout to up to 17 languages.
Despite forging ahead with this MeeGo-based touch solution, Linpus has continued to work closely with the MeeGo community. Their solution is MeeGo 1.1 compliant; it has the user interface and applications all written in QT, and includes the full MeeGo Touch Framework (MTF) with gesture support. By being MeeGo compliant they will be able to include Intel AppUp center.
Also, to show you the tablet OS in action, here is a video taken by Steve "@Chippy" Paine of UMPCPortal.com.
David Gilson for All About MeeGo, 18th November 2010
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