Splashtop OS now available for direct download

Splashtop has announced in a press release that its Linux-based quick start operating system, previously only available as a quick start option in OEM machines, notably netbooks and notebooks, for the first time will be directly available to end users. This means, for example, that a Windows PC can have the Splashtop OS installed, and at boot time the user will be able to choose which OS will start. If the user only wants to browse the web, or use email, then it is claimed that choosing Splashtop will be the fastest option.

The downloaded OS will be Splashtop-branded and known as Splashtop OS, version 1.0; previously OEMs have been able to give it their own branding, such as Asus that branded it as "Express Gate" on high-end motherboards. Splashtop comes with support for a "wide array of PC models", and features little in the way of application support. It has a Chromium-based web browser and also Bing search. It also comes with certain key plugins, such as Adobe Flash, pre-installed.

It is claimed that this allows a user to be able to access the web or "start typing a search query within seconds of turning on their computer." The browser also features one-click access to the Chrome Web Store, enabling easy access to "thousands of web apps, games, extensions and themes."

The Splashtop OS, which is installable from Windows, is available to download; the source code is also available to download and is licensed under the GPL and LGPL.

See also:

• New Splashtop version based on MeeGo , a report from The H

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