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:

• Ace Computers/Ace Digital Home's media servers; Booth: South 1, 21456
• Alereon, Inc., chipset maker for portable devices; Booth: South 4 35625,South 3 31642,South 4 35367MP
• Amtek System Co. Ltd., which makes Linux (and other OS) based portable devices.; Booth: Hilton 57012
• Aware Electronics, which makes a wide range of gear; Booth: Sands 73364
• Awox, which makes home entertainment network gear; Booth: South 4, 35435
• Bug Labs, which makes Linux-based DIY devices. Covered in the current Linux Journal, by the way.; Booth: Sands IP256
• c.LINK™ Home Networking;
• Compulab's fut-PC ttle computers; Booth: South 3 32074
• Core Logic. Korean semiconductor supplier. Especially to portable devices.; Sands 70344MP nComputing, which has a Linux-based approach to sharing resources through virtualization.; Sands 73762
• e frrontier's CES page says "Linux-based software..." so maybe that goes beyond Anime Studio Professional; Booth: Sands 72059
• Empower Technologies; maker of "Linux-based HW/SW Developer Tools and Products for Next-Generation Devices".; Booth: Sands 71934
• Giantec's Fanless Mobile DVR with Linux system, Booth: North 3139
• Headcall Holdings;
• Hybrinix Technology, which makes the ruvo sleepm x "slimmest all-in-one PC"; Booth: Sands 73065
• Kapsean, Inc., which makes iSCSI storage solutions; Booth: Sands IP251,Sands 72247
• Kingmax Digital; maker of removable storage devices; Booth: Sands 72454
• LDK591x Development Kits;
• Linpus echnologies, with Linpus Linux Lite (here''s a YouTube demo) and Linux Desktop Distribution; Booth: Sands 74955
• MusicIP, which has "music matching technology defines relationships between sets of music based on acoustic traits and characteristic". Their Music Mixer software runs on Linux. More here.; Booth: Sands 71852
• Silex Technology's SX-560 Intelligent embedded Linux serial device server; Booth: South 4 35122
• Nero, Inc. which does "Linux based software". One example.; Booth: South 4 36226
• Opera Software's Opera 9 SDK for Linux devices; Booth: Sands 70440MP
• Originatic's Universal Computer; Booth: Sands 74022
• QBit, which specializes in lossless reversible data compression; Sands IP263
• Qnap Systems Inc.'s Internet appliance products; Booth: Sands 72830
• Real Networks, which lists Linux under Computer Hardware and Software; Booth: South 4 36200
• Rhonda, a "Russian Outsourcing R&D Company".; Booth: Sands 73731
• Roper Mobile Technology's rugged and customizable computers for challenging environments; Booth; Sands 72825
• Shenzhen Pennda Tech. Co. Ltd., which covers many different bases; Booth: Hilton 64020
• Spidcom Technologies' 'Linux-based software bundles for very high-speed communication over Electrical Powerlines and Coaxial Cables; Booth: South 2, 26924
• Tablet Kiosk, which makes lots of mobile tablet PCs. More here.; Booth: South 4 35374MP
• Trolltech. Booth: Sands 70340MP
• Universal Microelectronics, which lists Linux under Hand-held PC, Palmtop, PDA Devices; Booth: South 4 35538
• Vivo Phone;
• Wind River, which lists Linux under Computer Hardware and Software; Booth: South 4 36060MP

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