Acer, the world's third-largest PC maker, believes that
Linux software is a key to the low-cost laptop computer movement and hopes to create a community around the devices, a top executive said.Several of the new low-cost laptops announced recently come either with Microsoft
Windows XP or with a Linux OS, and other Linux programs. Acer, for example, developed one Page, a homepage for the laptop that pops up before the OS loads so people can start navigating through their computer more quickly. One Page offers quick access to music, messaging software, games, the Internet, and more. 

The call to develop a Linux community around low-cost laptops appears to be a swipe at Microsoft.The Linux push in low-cost laptops highlights the battles PC makers face with Microsoft to persuade it to keep supporting Windows XP, an OS the software giant would like to retire in favor of Windows Vista.Vista is a problem because it requires more expensive components than XP, which would raise the price of a low-cost laptop.

Although many products boast multiple functions, customers oftentimes find more uses for a product than the manufacturer expects. This is just the case with Unicoi Systems' Fusion WebPilot Embedded Browser. Originally designed as a small-footprint, general purpose Web browser, Fusion WebPilot is finding equal success as a GUI (graphical user interface) in runtime and "walled garden" environments.

Many Fusion WebPilot customers have built modern, user-friendly interfaces for a variety of devices, substantially faster than they could develop their own GUI with typical embedded libraries and design tools. Unicoi customers benefit because Fusion WebPilot can be used to quickly produce user interfaces by taking advantage of common Web developer skill sets (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, etc.) and WYSIWYG tools, allowing project managers to concentrate engineering efforts on more critical project requirements.