Dell launched its ‘Sputnik’ Ubuntu Linux Ultrabook on November 29 and analysts hurried to present their first impressions on the new device. ‘Project Ubuntu’ was supposed to see the production of a laptop for developers, but the company announced this summer that they will release an Ubuntu ultrabook, instead.
Reporters at CNET News were thrilled to hear that Dell was working for the production of a new Linux-based laptop aimed to offer developers a “client to cloud” solution. Several modifications have taken place and the company declared at the beginning of the summer that the initial project has exceeded their expectations and they were forced to replace the laptop with a highly-advanced Ultrabook.
According to Dell’s spokespersons, the new gadget features some of the greatest options. It was endowed with an i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB memory. Customers who would like to purchase the new Ubuntu Linux Ultrabook will have to pay $1,549 in exchange of the device. In addition to the previously mentioned specifications, buyers will also benefit of a year of professional support.
The operating system that was selected for the device is Ubuntu 12.04 LTS “Precise Pangolin”. The cloud launcher and profile tool is what makes the software different from the rest. Other than this, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS “Precise Pangolin” comes with a basic set of drivers, tools and utilities that facilitate developers’ work.
Barton George, director of the Web vertical at Dell explained that the new ultrabook provides access to community-created profiles that enable owners to set up environments and tool chains. “The idea behind the profile tool is to provide access to a library of community-created profiles on GitHub […] to quickly set up your development environments and tool chains,” he added.
Dell’s Sputnik project was slightly modified since it was first elaborated at the beginning of the year. Producers opted for 8GB instead of 4GB because customers have stated that they prefer more RAM. Moreover, the majority of the options are “as open as possible” because clients want the features of the system to work outside the box.
