It’s cute, it hooks instantly to AOL when you turn it on, it uses a Tramseta processor, it runs on Linux, and its browser is based on the (Mozilla) Gecko engine. What’s not to like (assuming you want to use AOL)? Well… a ZDNet review finds a few deficiencies, but is positive overall.

“You might call Neoware a company on a mission. One of
many companies struggling to carve out a profitable
niche for itself in the market of selling Linux-based
products, Neoware has tuned its efforts to what CEO
Mike Kantrowitz dubs ‘Appliance Computing.'” That’s a little of what it says in a ZDNet story about NeoWare. It’s a PR-like blurb, but contains enough info about NeoWare’s plans for the “post-PC” age to be worth reading. Warning: toward the end of the piece, CEO Kantrowitz is quoted as having said, “I think that a
balance is appropriate. For example, not everything that
we do is open source. We keep certain really unique and
proprietary technologies as non-open-source
technologies. But things that are based apon open
source we are obligated to provide back. And we also
contribute things that we don’t have an obligation to
provide back, because we think that open source is an
important phenomenon…”

…is the title of a great-sounding book (with a tres-cool cover) that gets a glowing review at maximumlinux.com. According to the reviewer, “The author, Nicholas D. Wells, takes a unique approach
with this book. It’s not something you would read front to
back. Rather you scan the index, find out what you want to
do, and flip to the section that warrants your interest.”

Hi.. Tuxtiles.com has a neat idea for the winter: Linux blankets. For 30$ USD, you get a nice big blanket that’s warm. The press release is located here. 🙂 –Inoshiro

“Megawheels Inc. (CDNX: MGW), a global
application provider of e-solutions for the automotive publishing and retail
sectors, today announced appointments to its Board of Directors and the
expansion of its management team.” Why is this on NewsForge? Because they have a Linux-based ASP server for auto retailers, which is kind of cool. Press release at Canada NewsWire.

As if there wasn’t enough “Crusoe at Comdex” news out there already, CNN adds to the buzz, scans the show floor and finds lots of Crusoe, although not as much in Sony’s booth as they expected.

ZD’s Matthem Rotherberg writes, “Despite the software’s formidable pedigree as the first multiplatinum
Internet browser — and notwithstanding some political partisans’
continued reluctance to concede the title to the tender mercies of
Microsoft Corp. and Internet Explorer 5.5 — many posters to ZDNet
News’ TalkBack threads are less than optimistic about the prospects for
Netscape’s latest candidate.”

ComputerWorld reports from Comdex: “Oddsmakers in this town probably aren’t betting against Linux, but the operating system’s users and vendors both believe that its old-style command-line interface makes it a long shot for moving beyond its current niche as an Internet infrastructure building block.” Gee, I hear they even have GUIs for Linux coming out shortly.

From Business Wire: sangoma.com, an innovator of wide area network connectivity
products, has announced an agreement with DY 4 Systems Inc. to jointly develop a Linux-based universal network appliance
based on DY 4’s ‘harsh environment’ PC technology.

CNN.com features the Linux-powered iRobot, “the closest
thing yet to a personal R2-D2.

Looking like a sportier version of NASA’s Mars Rover,
the first wireless, Web-connected robot sees, hears and
speaks for you.”