MeeGo Conference 2011 sights and sounds

So the MeeGo Conference is winding down here in San Francisco and we have prowled the exhibitor area over the past couple of days to bring you a taste of what's stimulated our eyes and ears at the event so far. We got to play with the Indamixx 2 music tablet -- basically an iiView M1Touch Pine Trail tablet running an audio-optimized build of MeeGoo 1.2 Tablet UX which features a customized kernel for more real-time control and better audio scheduling. It's expected to ship for $700 in "June or July" complete with DAW and DJ apps. Next we came across a MeeGo-based in-vehicle entertainment system that's currently available in cars from Chinese manufacturer Hawtai Motor. The device is Atom-powered, includes 3G connectivity, and provides navigation, communication, audio / video playback (for both stored and streamed content), along with Internet access. We saw a MeeGo app that gathers contact information on a form, sends it to an NFC-equipped Nokia C7, and writes it to a blank RFID tag. The tag can then be read by any NFC-capable phone, such as Google's Nexus S. A fun conference isn't complete without some games, and we were treated to a homebrew, QML-based Dance Dance Revolution clone running on MeeGo, written using just a few hundred lines of code. Speaking of QML, we got a demo of another in-vehicle entertainment system with built-in instrumentation. This MeeGo app was designed to interface with a MegaSquirt open source ECU and display engine and other car data on a set of virtual gauges -- this in addition to performing the usual audio and navigation tasks. Check out our gallery below, then grab a snack and hit the break for our 15-minute hands-on video.

MeeGo Conference 2011 sights and sounds

Red Flag Software, others announce MeeGo-based operating systems

We're still waiting for a peek at some new hardware, but today's MeeGo Conference in San Francisco has now produced an announcement of another sort. Four companies -- including Red Flag Software, Linpus, 4tiitoo AG, and China Standard Software Company -- have announced that they're each planning to incorporate MeeGo 1.2 into their new MeeGo-based operating systems. All four will be geared towards tablets and feature a "MeeGo-based user interface," while the ones from Red Flag and Linpus will also apparently support netbooks. Head on past the break for Red Flag's press release, and look for its OS to make an appearance at Computex in just over a week's time.

Intel

Acer's 10-inch Oak Trail tablet running Android 3.0 rumored for July delivery

Paul Otellini already told us that we'd see new Android tablets running Intel silicon at Computex. Now DigiTimes is quoting loose-lipped upstream component makers who claim that Acer is set to launch its 10-inch Android 3.0 tablet built upon Intel's Oak Trail platform in July. Mind you that's the retail date, making the May 31st kickoff of Computex the perfect event to demonstrate the unARMed Android tablet for the first time in public. Of course, Acer was early with its Android-based netbook back in 2009 so it's no surprise to see the company with another Google first in 2011. And really, without a suitable Microsoft tablet OS available until 2012, you can bet that Intel's going to be pushing the Honeycomb port to x86 hard over the coming months with rigs from Lenovo and ASUS also tipped by DigiTimes. Oh, and for whatever it's worth, the Taiwanese rumor rag also says that Acer is "evaluating" an Oak Trail with MeeGo tablet. Which version, we wonder?

DigiTimes

i-Buddie Oak Trail tablet makes cameo at MeeGo Conference 2011

Well what do we have here? We were loitering around the Intel booth here at the MeeGo Conference in San Francisco when we spotted this lonely little device resting unsupervised in the back, so we decided to give it a whirl and snap some pictures. It turns out it's a circa 10-inch tablet made by i-Buddie and built on Intel's recent Oak Trail architecture. Of course it's running MeeGo, but sadly we were unable to connect to the Internet -- something to do with missing WiFi drivers, according to the Intel rep who eventually caught up with us to snatch the tablet from our eager paws. We missed the opportunity to make a video, but take a look at our hands-on gallery below.

i-Buddie Oak Trail tablet at Meego Conference 2011

MeeGo 1.2 lands for netbooks and tablets, leaves handsets hanging on the telephone

Just because Nokia has done everything short of taping a "Dear John" letter to MeeGo's mirror doesn't mean the OS is dead. In fact, Intel's Linux-based baby just got a refresh to version 1.2. So what's new this go around? Well, primarily it's under the hood stuff, like improved Atom support and bug fixes out the ying yang. New audio and networking stacks have also been added for A2DP streaming and HSPA+ support. The tablet UI that Intel was showing off in February is has arrived, to complement the standard netbook version and the in-car interface. Sadly, the handset edition was left out of this update. Those eager to dip their toes in the MeeGo water can download the latest version at the source link.

MeeGo

Intel promises more than 10 new tablets at Computex, including Android and MeeGo versions

For all its processing might, Intel is a non-player in the booming tablet space. Consumers, no longer trapped in the WinTel PC juggernaut, are increasingly opting for devices running software experiences optimized for more power efficient ARM processors. Intel hopes to break back into the market it once dominated with the release of "more than ten new tablets" at Computex later this month. Navin Shenoy, Intel general manager for Asia Pacific, elaborated saying "more than 35" tablets equipped with Intel chipsets are on track to ship this year. Of course, Intel chief Paul Otellini already told us that he'd have MeeGo, Windows, and Android tablets on display at the big Taiwan event. Just imagine it: Honeycomb on an Oak Trail tablet. We'll be bringing it to you live when Computex kicks off on May 31st.

Wall Street Journal

Nokia N9 gets teaser video, Rick Springfield soundtrack (update: it's running MeeGo)

Sure, we've known of the Nokia N9's existence for some time now, a fact made all the more real by the handset's recent FCC appearance, but is a phone really real until its gets its first dramatic ad spot? Pocketnow managed to score a teaser for the upcoming QWERTY slider -- not the first time we've seen this thing on video, as those who can remember as far back as 2010 will recall. Interestingly, the UI seems to be consistent with the Anna release of Symbian rather than something totally unique to MeeGo -- though elements like the status bar and multitasking appear different from what we've seen of that version of Symbian. Also, if you don't blink, you'll see the 12MP camera with Carl Zeiss lens and the chiclet keyboard. As for the live version of "Jessie's Girl," that's anyone's guess.

Update: General consensus is that the N9 is running Meego. We also noticed after watching the video a couple times that the camera is autofocus instead of EDoF (see enhanced video frame after the break), which is excellent news!

Pocketnow