14 DAY TRIAL // Despite the fact that the future of netbooks isn't all that clear, the market for small-sized, lightweight and low-cost portable computer systems continues to grow, with new products surfacing each day. One of the most recent comes from one Tariq Karim, who developed the jolicloud operating system, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the netbook PC.
Touted as the future netbook operating system, the jolicloud is said to provide just the right combination of elements that will be required by a small-sized netbook, which is known for featuring an underpowered CPU and low RAM. There are few specifications available at this time, but the OS is said to be Linux-based, though providing the user with faster boot times, when compared to any of its alternative competitors.
A dedicated site has already been made available, providing users with a glimpse of what is to come. Looking at a picture of said operating system, netbook users should expect an OS environment that is pretty much dependent on icons, much like what you will find on Apple's famous iPhone or iPod touch. Overall, the operating systems looks like a browser page where the user will be provided with specific details regarding their netbook's statistics and various navigation options. We are not yet sure what stage of development the OS is under, but the aforementioned website claims that the jolicloud will become available for netbooks released in 2009.
Netbooks have gained an impressive popularity over the course of last year, but these systems have lacked an adequate operating system, capable of providing users with the right tools for fast connectivity and ease of access. Microsoft's Windows XP has been favored in the face of other Linux-based operating systems, as it provided a much more familiar working interface. The jolicloud, on the other hand looks rather promising, despite the fact that it's also a Linux-based OS.