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Splashtop OS Now Available

From:  Joseph Martorano <jmartorano-AT-sparkpr.com>
To:  "lwn-AT-lwn.net" <lwn-AT-lwn.net>
Subject:  JONATHAN: Linux-Based Splashtop OS Now Available Directly to End-Users
Date:  Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:46:35 -0600
Message-ID:  <C98A87BB.4A78%jmartorano@sparkpr.com>
Archive-link:  Article, Thread


Splashtop OS Featuring Chromium Browser and Bing Search
Now Available for Download on Major Notebooks and Netbooks

Worldwide Leader of Instant-on Computing Brings Browser-centric OS to the Masses

FEBRUARY 23, 2011 - San Jose, CA - Splashtop Inc, the worldwide leader in instant-access computing,
today announced the immediate availability of Splashtop® OS, a lightweight,web-centric operating
system optimized for notebooks and netbooks. First introduced as a beta last November, Splashtop OS
is a browser-based "companion OS" that co-exists with the Windows operating system. For savvy users
eager to try "living in the cloud", Splashtop OS delivers a simple yet familiar environment based
on Chromium, the open source project behind the Google Chrome browser.

The new Splashtop OS, version 1.0, provides broad support for a wide array of PC models, as well as
an updated version of the Chromium-based browser featuring one-click access to the Chrome Web Store
for easy installation ofthousands of web apps, games, extensions and themes. Splashtop OS also
delivers instant search, powered by Bing, allowing users to start typing a search query within
seconds of turning on their computer. It is available as a free download from Splashtop:
http://www.splashtop.com/os.

"For people who spend all their time using web apps and services like Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox
Google Docs and Gmail, adding a fast, safe and secure browser-centric environment to the
traditional desktop-oriented environment makes total sense," said Phil Sheu, CTO and co-founder of
Splashtop Inc. "With Splashtop OS, users don't need to buy new dedicated hardware, and they don't
need to wait for six months - they can get it today. If Splashtop OS had a middle initial, it would
be ?N' for ?now'."

Unlike previous Splashtop products that have been white labeled, pre-installed and distributed on
tens of millions of PCs from major OEMs like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and LG, the new product
will be Splashtop-branded and available directly to end users via download from the company's web
site. Splashtop OS is streamlined: it will include no native applications beyond the Chromium-based
browser, and boots directly into a start screen featuring a Bing-powered search box in seconds.

Key benefits include:

·       Fast - starts in just seconds, way before Windows;

·       Easy - featuring Instant Search, powered by Bing for instant search queries;

·       Safe - combines a lightweight Linux platform with the Chromium browser;

·       Convenient - includes allcore plug-ins, such as Adobe Flash, pre-installed;

·       Smart - automatically imports critical settings from Windows for streamlined set-up;

·       Personal - allows you to easily customize the environment with thousands of web apps,
extensions, games and themes from the Chrome Web Store.

Availability & Platform Support
Splashtop OS is available today directly from the company's web site. The Splashtop OS "boot menu"
allows users to choose between Splashtop OS and Windows upon start-up. No separate installer is
required. The company estimates Splashtop OS can be successfully installed on the majority of PC
notebooks and netbooks that have shipped in the last three years.


About Splashtop

Splashtop Inc. (formerly known as DeviceVM, Inc.) was founded in 2006 with the goal of optimizing
the computing experience so that people everywhere can quickly access content and applications. The
Splashtop OS product, first introduced in 2007, is an award-winning instant-on platform that allows
users to get online, access e-mail, and chat with friends seconds after turning on their PC.
Splashtop Remote, the best-selling business app in the US as designated by Apple App Store sales
and downloads, allows users to enjoytheir full computer experience from a Smartphone or a tablet,
while away from their PC.



Today, Splashtop-based products are available on more than 60 million PCs from leading
manufacturers including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, LG and Sony. Splashtop has received numerous
awards, including the prestigious "Most Innovative Product" award from PC World, the "Best of
What's New" award from Popular Science, and "Best of 2011 CES" award from LAPTOP Magazine.
Splashtop Inc. isheadquartered in San Jose with offices in Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Taipei.
For more information, visit www.splashtop.com<http://www.splashtop.com>

Useful links:
Splashtop home:         http://www.splashtop.com

Splashtop OS:                         http://www.splashtop.com/os



Joseph Martorano
Associate
sparkpr*

Phone: 415.699.4215
AIM: JMartorano
Twitter: jmartorano
jmartorano@sparkpr.com<x-msg://835/rachel@sparkpr.com>
2 Bryant Street, Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94105

Best Tech PR firm - TechCrunch Crunchies




(Log in to post comments)

Splashtop OS Now Available

Posted Feb 28, 2011 14:41 UTC (Mon) by Quazatron (guest, #4368) [Link]

"Version v1.0 Installs via Windows"
Well, that's a deal breaker, right there...

Splashtop OS Now Available

Posted Mar 5, 2011 18:26 UTC (Sat) by Lorenzo (guest, #260) [Link]

What he said.

Plus: Bing search? ... They must be kidding.

Splashtop OS Now Available

Posted Mar 5, 2011 18:43 UTC (Sat) by jspaleta (subscriber, #50639) [Link]

You aren't the target market. Splashtop has _always_ targeted Windows users. It has _always_ been a companion OS to supplement the Window experience. In fact I can't name a single "instant-on" companion OS that doesn't target the Windows user experience. Can you point to another instant-on companion OS that has a DYI install and works as a companion to one of the major linux desktops? Even Ubuntu Light (which you can't install yourself) has only ever been demo-ed as a Windows companion OS.

-jef

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