Jolicloud Enters Closed Alpha Testing

Randomness — By on June 2, 2009 11:30 pm

As a follow-up to our story last week about netbook operating systems, today we have the opportunity to enter another contender to the ring, Jolicloud. We’ve been following the development of the design oriented OS closely and today they’ve announced the start of alpha release testing. It’s taken nearly 6 months to form the “robbie” developer release, which opens to previously self-registered testers. Jolicloud’s developers promise wide base testing for this release, so if you registered, do watch your inbox.

Jolicloud is an exciting release for netbooks, mostly because it takes the ideas seen in Moblin to their natural next levels. A smooth user interface for the tiny screen is a keystone to the os. Early feature lists include a dot-Mac like syncing service for all your jolicloud computers, which is promising but implies people own more than one netbook. Other features are easy integration to popular social services, and a mint linux like interface to installing software, with popular applications highlighted.

Jolicloud is also leveraging other alpha release software, like Mozilla Lab’s Prism feature, just released a few weeks ago. Basing your own alpha software on other alpha software may sound logical, but hopefully mozilla doesn’t scrap the project anytime soon. Built on Ubuntu linux and formed after the Netbook Remix edition, Jolicloud could be a potential major player in the netbook’s future.

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