Hunting Linux at CES

January 5th, 2008 by Doc Searls

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So what's new with Linux at CES this year? That's our question. If you have the answers, let's have 'em. Because we'll be there on a Linux Hunt, just like we are every year. The difference this time is that we'd like to make this a Team Thing.

It's never easy to find great Linux stories at CES, even though LInux is everywhere. One big reason is because CES is one of the world's largest trade shows, with thousands of events and booths spread across millions of square feet in convention halls, exhibition spaces and hotel rooms up and down and away from The Strip in Las Vegas — which is already The Most Distracting Place On Earth. The other big reason is that Linux is now so commonly used that it stands out like 2x4s in a housing development. That is, you know it's there, but you usually can't see it. And Linux is not by nature commercial or promotional; so no one company or organization is out there spreding publicity about all the Linux you'll find at the show. Instead Linux is simply useful. While that tends to hide Linux behind its uses, it also means covering Linux can bring us to an endless variety of interesting subjects.

But some companies do bother to say that they use it. Many more than normal, in fact. A search for Linux at the CES site yields 79 results, which is about 4x the usual number. With duplicates eliminated, here's our starter list, in alphabetical order:

That's not all of them on CES's list. Between weather problems here in Santa Barbara, and difficulty getting CESWeb.org to give me search results (or to bring up pages in search results), I've given up on trying to complete the search before driving to Las Vegas tomorrow (Saturday).

Meanwhile, however, we can complete the list, and add much more to it, by submitting comments below, or by going to our CES wiki and taking it from there. (I just turned the above list from HTML to the MediaWiki equivalent, so that's a start. Later... Did quite a bit of updating on the wiki. It's taking a good shape.)

I can't cover all of these, of course. So let's do it together and see what we can come up with.

My fantasy is that we can put together some docent tours of different halls or routes between target booths, events and get-togethers. Or... make a suggestion. The possibilities are wide open.

We've got a couple days to tweak this list, plan things out and get started. Let's have fun.

__________________________

Doc Searls is Senior Editor of Linux Journal

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Logitech / Slimdevices - New Product Line

On January 6th, 2008 Anonymous (not verified) says:

Keep an eye out for the new Logitech / Slimdevices product line. Their new controller, for the Slimbox and Transporter line of streaming audio devices, runs linux which is intentionally left open for the public to access and modify (in fact it's encouraged with an SSH login).
More info here:
http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_controller.html

Thanks, and keep 'em coming

On January 5th, 2008 Doc Searls says:

Good stuff, everybody.

Seven hours, three hundred miles in a rented Ford, and I'm here in my room at the end of the longest hotel hall I've ever seen, at the MGM Grand. Gonna crash and start updating the wiki asap in the morningl

__________________________

Doc Searls is Senior Editor of Linux Journal

Pro Audio and DJ OS for hand helds with small screens

On January 5th, 2008 ronald j stewart (not verified) says:

We will be showing our Transmission distro running on Samsung's Q1 Ultra at the Intel booth.

Here is a screenshot:

Thank you

Ronald Stewart
Creative Director
Trinity Audio Group Inc.
9854 National Blvd. #322
Los Angeles Ca. 90034
www.trinityaudiogroup.com
ronaldjstewart@gmail.com
310.733.9285

OpenMoko, Eee PC, and more

On January 5th, 2008 Anonymous (not verified) says:

I actually wrote a guide to the Linux-coverage of CES a few days ago (just published today, though). I did not find any where near as many events as you did, but I think there are some that you missed that I want to see covered.

- There will be a joint announcement between Asus, Intel, and Sprint about WiMAX and the Eee PC
- OpenMoko has a new phone
- Everex is going to show off gOS 2.0

Those are the big ones. You can find more information about any of those here:

http://www.linuxloop.com/news/2008/01/05/guide-to-ces-2008-linux-coverage/

It looks like this CES is going to be great for Linux!

There is at least one more

On January 5th, 2008 KB (not verified) says:

There is at least one more exhibitor using Linux: PlutoHome, which provides home automation software. Additionally LinuxMCE is also present in the query results (looks like they share the same booth with PlutoHome).

Sands 72830 don't miss it

On January 8th, 2008 Anonymous (not verified) says:

QNAP system have booth at Sands 72830 with the latest NAS.

With the linux embedded NAS we provide serveral unique technology for example online RAID upgrad and configuration.

Don't miss the chance to see the unit.

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