Techniques for portable computers and mobile devices
Portable and Mobile
The arrival of Linux on portable and mobile devices provides so many interesting opportunities for customization. This month we look at Linux in portable and mobile environments.
Once the computer was as big as a room, then it was as big as a car, then it was as big as a suitcase. Now, it seems, a computer can be smaller than a cigarette box – and not just in some mad scientist's lab but out in the world, on real mobile phones and other handheld devices. The hardware keeps getting lighter and smaller, and the tools keep getting smarter. This new age of mobile computing has ushered in a new era for open source. This month we examine some tools for portable and mobile environments.
The first article describes a technique for accessing a Linux computer from an iPhone or iPod Touch – not just with SSH, but through a full VNC-based GUI desktop session. Next up, longtime Linux author Marcel Gagné shows how to set up a small-scale collaboration environment on a Linux system with Open Atrium.
The next article provides a practical look at creating Qt-based applications for the Maemo platform, including real-world examples showing how to build a simple text editor and a map-reading tool for a Maemo-based mobile phone. The final article in this month's set shows how to customize the hot keys on a Linux laptop with acpid.
And if you're looking for even more on the world of portable computers, read on to our Reviews section, where we introduce you to Joulicloud and Moblin – a pair of Linux-based systems tailored for portable environments.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.
-
ZorinOS 17.1 Released, Includes Improved Windows App Support
If you need or desire to run Windows applications on Linux, there's one distribution intent on making that easier for you and its new release further improves that feature.
-
Linux Market Share Surpasses 4% for the First Time
Look out Windows and macOS, Linux is on the rise and has even topped ChromeOS to become the fourth most widely used OS around the globe.
-
KDE’s Plasma 6 Officially Available
KDE’s Plasma 6.0 "Megarelease" has happened, and it's brimming with new features, polish, and performance.
-
Latest Version of Tails Unleashed
Tails 6.0 is based on Debian 12 and includes GNOME 43.
-
KDE Announces New Slimbook V with Plenty of Power and KDE’s Plasma 6
If you're a fan of KDE Plasma, you'll be thrilled to hear they've announced a new Slimbook with an AMD CPU and the latest version of KDE Plasma desktop.
-
Monthly Sponsorship Includes Early Access to elementary OS 8
If you want to get a glimpse of what's in the pipeline for elementary OS 8, just set up a monthly sponsorship to help fund its continued existence.
-
DebConf24 to be Held in South Korea
Busan will be the location of the latest DebConf running July 28 through August 4
-
Fedora Unleashes Atomic Desktops
Fedora has combined its solid distribution with rpm-ostree system to make it possible to deliver a new family of Fedora spins, called Fedora Atomic Desktops.
-
Bootloader Vulnerability Affects Nearly All Linux Distributions
The developers of shim have released a version to fix numerous security flaws, including one that could enable remote control execution of malicious code under certain circumstances.