French distributor Mandriva has released its latest Linux offering, 2008.1 Spring.

According to the vendor, the major release includes around 100 enhancements, including a new multimedia center, and a reworked RPMdrake package installation interface.

Mandriva also claims to have a solution for synchronizing smartphones with the Gnome and KDE desktop environments. Phones based on the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system, Blackberry MIDs and non-disclosed Nokia cellphones are supported. Xfce has been added to the list of optional desktop environments. If you opt for KDE, Mandriva gives you version 3.5.9; the new KDDE 4.0.3 is also included, but has to be installed separately. Gnome in Mandriva Spring is version 2.22. The kernel underpinnings are provided by version number 2.6.24. Additionally, Mandriva Spring is said to run on the Asus Eee-PC; this is a feature that the distributor points to as an outstanding feature; there is even a subforum on Eee User. The Release Notes list further new features and changes.

Mandriva Spring 2008 will run on the Asus Eee PC as this picture proves.

A free version of the distribution, known as Mandriva One can be downloaded here and will also run as a live CD. The "Free" version contains Open Source only software. The commercial version, Powerpack, is available from the Mandriva shop for 50 Euros as a download version, with the boxed version including installation media available for 70 Euros. The commercial versions include the Lindvd DVD software, codecs by Fluendo and the Wine-based Cedega environment which gives users the ability to run Windows games on Linux.

French distributor Mandriva has released its latest Linux offering, 2008.1 Spring.