Turning on PCs instantly
One of the drags in Windows systems is the length of time it takes to get a machine booted up and running. This is not inherent in PCs; Linux systems generally boot much faster, for example. Various technologies for near-instant bootup have been around for quite a while but the Windows hegemony has always been in the way. Now, Dell has finally come up with a system that takes advantage of the Linux speed while maintaining Windows as the main operating system. The New York Times Bits blog reports on the Dell Latitude Z laptop:
But the most impressive feature on the Latitude Z may be the ability to check e-mail, calendar and contact information and to browse the Web via an instant-on software package.
The software fires up the moment you open the laptop and connects right to a wireless network without Windows.
(Under the hood, it’s Linux running on top of an ARM chip on a mini-motherboard that provides this quick access feature. You’re basically talking about most of the components needed to run an iPhone being hitched to a large battery. So, the computer can run in instant-on mode for days.)
Some users Dell surveyed spent 70 percent of their time working in the instant-on mode. Microsoft is sure to take note of that figure. Windows has turned into a clunky cup holder.
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