Chalk up another win for the folks at Phoenix Technologies. The company known for its efforts in the BIOS arena inked a deal to use Phoenix Hyperspace on Samsung mobile computers starting in 2010. In the press release, Samsung’s PC division executives say:

“As the world’s fastest growing vendor in the ultra mobile computing market, Samsung is committed to bring to market innovative technology solutions that simplify consumers’ lives. Working with Phoenix, we plan to deliver to our mobile consumers innovative and intuitive next-generation mobile computing devices that fit their emerging needs and desires.”

Hyperspace offers fast access to a Linux partition on a Windows PC, which includes wireless connectivity. With a quick boot, you can be online using email, Skyping with a friend, creating documents or browsing your favorite web site in seconds. The added benefit of the lightweight Hyperspace environment is that less computer resources are used, which can gain precious battery life — Phoenix Technologies claims a 30 percent gain in battery life over using Windows on the same device.

I gave Hyperspace a hands-on look earlier this year (see the video demo here) and although it was an early version, it showed promise as a portable productivity booster. I’ve even gone on record to say that such a solution could be the primary operating system on a smartbook or netbook.

We’ve seen and used Splashtop from DeviceVM in the past. The software is a customized Linux partition offering a fast boot and nearly instant web connection once it’s up and running. For a netbook or notebook, Splashtop is a quick way to get online to do some web work. I spoke with DeviceVM yesterday about their latest development — instant search. Not only did that yield information on the new feature, but it returned some results on how the company is doing, as well as thoughts on where this space is headed.

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DeviceVM, the folks behind Splashtop, are expanding their instant-on, Linux solution to new brands today. The company just announced deals with Acer and Sony. The Acer AspireRevo Nettop and the Sony VAIO NW notebook line get the Splashtop treatment, although Acer is calling theirs “RevoBoot.”

By using Splashtop, the devices can boot into a functional work environment complete with Internet access in a browser. It’s similar to the Hyperspace offering from Phoenix, but doesn’t add any additional cost to the consumer. Hyperspace requires a yearly subscription fee, but offers more than a browser, music and photo app: Programs like the ThinkFree Office suite are included, for example.

Splashtop is the solution we’ve seen on the Lenovo S10e netbook prior to this. Although I like the idea of a nearly instant-on solution for smaller devices, I’d like to see Splashtop work with 3G connections instead of just Wi-Fi. When I spoke with the DeviceVM folks in January, they said they were working on it.

Have you been keeping an eye on Hyperspace from Phoenix Technologies? I have. I’ve been watching ever since the early attempts to offer netbook and notebook users a quick-booting Linux partition that offers fast access to web apps and services. HyperSpace initially focused on the basics: “instant on,” DVD playback, browsing and online services like Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. Then came the addition of the ThinkFree Office Suite. Today, Phoenix integrates several Adobe products into the latest HyperSpace release.

Adobe’s Photoshop.com provides online photo editing, storage and sharing. In fact, it’s a service that I used during my 60-day web-only challenge. For the basics and then some, it’s a useful tool. Adobe AIR, Reader and Flash Player are also now a part of HyperSpace, which extends the platform beyond basic web browsing.

Originally, I balked at the annual subscription that starts at $39.95. To be honest, I’m still not sure this the best pricing approach. I’d rather see OEMs pick up the cost since most consumers are already paying for one OS license. But the addition of new services to the HyperSpace platform add to the value. Probably not enough to make tons of consumers rush out and buy it, but it’s a step in the right direction. Even more important: HyperSpace is maturing into a full-fledged mobile operating system in its own right. With a few more additions to the platform and the right pricing model, it just might sneak up on the big boys in the OS space.

The folks at MacHeist are giving away a free copy of the Mac program DEVONthink, a data collection and thought repository just for sending a single Tweet.  All you have to do is follow @macheist, send them a particular Tweet and wait for your free copy to be sent via Direct Message.

How much easier could that be?  Better hurry, I’m sure this won’t last long.  OMG, they’re also throwing in copies of Hyperspaces and Overflow.  What the heck are you waiting for?  They’ve already given over 15,000 copies away.  This is too cool.

(via LifeHacker)

I last looked at HyperSpace from Phoenix Technologies in early January. The subscription-based Linux environment boots quickly to get you and your notebook online in a hurry. I’m still not sure most consumers will embrace a yearly fee for fast booting and up-to-25-percent power savings over using Windows, but the program becomes more mature and attractive today.

Phoenix just announced a partnership with Haansoft to include the Java-based ThinkFree productivity suite in HyperSpace. This adds the ability to quickly boot up and jump right in to a full-featured, Microsoft Office-compatible toolset for documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Up till now, your only productivity suite option in HyperSpace was for a web-based service like Zoho Office or Google Docs.

The way I see it: with the addition of ThinkFree software, HyperSpace now meets a larger percentage of mobile computing needs and it meets them faster. With a 10- to 15-second boot time on a standard notebook or netbook, you can be web surfing, checking e-mail and now working on documents and such. I still think the $39.95 a year is steep, but as more functionality is added to HyperSpace, the value increases. If nothing else, the entire HyperSpace partition is a good proving ground for a netbook with this environment as it’s only operating system.

Coming soon: I’ve had time to look at the ThinkFree Office software in depth and have a review forthcoming. I’m also expecting to get a hands-on look at HyperSpace with the ThinkFree suite soon, so I’ll plan to share a video with you.

Earlier this week, Freescale expanded their young netbook ecosystem with more OS and connectivity choices. Their i.MX515 processor is based on the ARM Cortex-8, which they feel can bring an enjoyable portable computing experience for under $200. The chip is sampling now in a reference design, but volume production isn’t slated until the second quarter of the year.

Freescale says they’re currently supporting Ubuntu with their reference design, but the chip is currently capable of more: Android, Xandros Linux and Phoenix Technology’s HyperSpace are all supported as well. Components from Option and Wavecom round out 3G and other connectivity methods.

Is a $199 or less netbook possible out of all this? I think so, but it will obviously require an OEM to contract with Freescale. All of the upper tier companies in this space have already latched on to the Intel Atom, so it’s a tough sell. Why would a Dell, HP, Lenovo, or ASUS even think about offering a cheaper competitor to their existing netbook lines?

Freescale seems undaunted by the x86 netbook market, however. OSnews offers this quote from Glen Burchers, the marketing director for Freescale’s consumer business:

“I think for developed countries you’ll see good, better and best. I believe the good and better will be based on ARM. I believe the best will be Atom-based and will still run Windows, because you can do more with it.”

Based on that notion, Freescale believes that half of the netbook market could be ARM powered. Again, a tough sell, although Intel’s Atom seems to be reaching downward into what was traditionally ARM-territory: acceptable performance with long battery life. The challenge to ARM is combating the consumer notion that a computer at any price needs to look and feel familiar: x86 supports the operating systems that folks were raised on. People will give up battery life in order to use the environment and applications they know and love.

What do you think: is there room for the “good, better and best” approach in the growing netbook market? Or is this all a pipe dream and there’s simply no room for two different processor platforms?

We’ve already seen Phoenix HyperSpace on X86 netbooks and it looks like we’ll see it on low-cost ARM devices as well. Phoenix Technologies developed the Linux software so computer owners could quickly get to the web, Skype or e-mail — sometimes even while a Windows partition is still booting in the background.

The company will be showing HyperSpace at next week’s Mobile World Congress at the ARM and Freescale booths. That’s no coincidence, either. Freescale’s i.MX515 CPU is built on the Cortex-A8 ARM platform and is geared for netbooks that could be targeted at $199. I expect we’ll hear more on that development next week as well.

I still like the concept and overall usability of HyperSpace, but I’m still not sold on the business model. Unless something has changed recently, HyperSpace is available as annual subscription, starting at $39.95 a year. Relatively speaking, that incremental cost is easier to bear on a full-featured notebook costing more. On a $199 netbook? That’s 20% of the cost and a tough sell. Part of the benefit HyperSpace brings is in battery savings. Wouldn’t that be more advantageous on a bigger, more expensive notebook that guzzles juice instead of an ARM-based netbook that’s more power efficient?

Earlier this month, I offered a video look at Phoenix HyperSpace, a fast-booting partition that enables quick access to the web on a netbook or notebook. While I found value in the product, I thought that the subscription-based model that Phoenix offered was going to be tough for consumers to swallow. Many of you agreed. Back then I felt that a deal with OEMs would provide a better value to end-users and today, the first such deal was announced.

Phoenix just shook hands with ASUS, so you can expect to see HyperSpace in “next generation notebooks”. Now the question becomes: will you have to pay more for the HyperSpace feature in an ASUS notebook or will it be hidden (or subsidized, even) in the notebook cost? Frankly, I see far more chance of success with these types of OEM deals than directly through consumer sales. We asked the folks at Phoenix Technologies and ASUS for some clarification on the details and will update if and when we hear back. I’m also curious if the agreement applies to ASUS netbooks as well as notebooks. Remember, there are two versions of HyperSpace: Dual is for Intel Atom and Celeron devices, while the more functional Hybrid product is geared for traditional notebooks with Intel Core Duo CPUs and up.

If you’d rather not wait for HyperSpace-enabled ASUS device, you can always try the product for 21-days at no cost. You’ll need a supported device like those mentioned on the HyperSpace Product Specifications page.

Updated – I heard back from Phoenix Technologies PR firm on my questions:

• HyperSpace will ship on a variety of ASUS models, such as the recently announced Omega Series notebooks and the well known ASUS EeePC netbook.
• HyperSpace will be pre-installed. The Hybrid product will appear on the higher performance devices, while netbooks will see the Dual product. That’s the product I saw on the Lenovo S10.
• Here’s the kicker: ASUS will ship HyperSpace with a standard annual subscription. That’s $39.95 for the Dual on a netbook, $59.95 for the Hybrid on a notebook. Again, I see this model as a very tough sell and was hoping that the OEM would absorb some of the cost. No dice.

VIA netbooks at the bar

James and I just took a load off and hit Lunch @ Piero’s. It’s an event across the street from the LVCC and offers fantastic Italian food. More importantly, it offers us to spend some quiet, quality time with a handful of companies. VIA is the major player here and we had a great 15-minute conversation with Richard Brown. We’ll share some of that in our daily wrap-up video, but of course you all want to know about VIA Nano netbooks. They do exist and we saw several in the mug-shot lineup above. The trend here is slightly larger than the traditional 10.2-inch sizes, if you can call a one-year old product “traditional.” Watch for VIA Nano devices in the 11-, 12-, and 13-inch range, more in the $500 price tier. Product availability is first or second quarter of this year.

gOS also gave us a few minutes to show off the Cloud operating system. It’s light and small, booting in around 15-seconds. While getting connected and on the web is important, the gOS folks stressed that they’re focusing on usability and the experience. I mentioned Splashtop and HyperSpace to them and they feel that they compete well in terms of their UI.