On Android: Ubuntu OS Review Coming Feb. 22nd!


The new Ubuntu Phone operating system is set to arrive February 21st -- a little less than 4 days away. For those who aren't familiar with Ubuntu, it is an extremely popular Linux operating system, who is now aiming to expand their territory into the mobile market. Android itself is Linux-based, and so the move from desktop to mobile isn't unprecedented. The OS will likely hold its own against custom Android ROMs -- such as Cyanogenmod and Android Open-Kang Project (AOKP). 

The Ubuntu Phone OS promises a number of interesting new features. Image Credit: Canonical
Canonical's Mark Shuttleworth has stated in a video published on the ubuntu website (click the "Watch Video" button) that the operating system will be:
  • Buttonless -- all the edges have functions which replace the standard 3-button tray in Android
  • Run Ubuntu applications -- what features and programs will be available at launch in the mobile version are still up for debate
  • Have Ubuntu One integration
  • Designed for quick interaction -- it will have the Unity-style dash and a neat swipe-to-get-back application switcher
  • Mobile screen optimized -- removing buttons and making the dashes all touch-sensitive will supposedly make screen real estate appear larger 
In any case, as soon as it comes out, I expect to be flashing the new operating system onto my own Galaxy Nexus phone, to replace the current Android Jelly Bean with some Ubuntu linux goodness. Stay tuned for February 22nd, when I expect to post my initial reactions to the operating system.

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