The Dell Project Sputnik” Ubuntu laptop is currently in development and now the computer maker has announced plans to start selling the Ubuntu 12.04 LTE “Precise Pangolin” system in certain parts of the world this fall.
The project was made possible by an internal innovation fund at the company with the Dell XPS 13 serving as the modeled system for the open source project.
According to Nnamdi Orakwue, executive sponsor of the Dell incubation program and executive assistant to Michael Dell:
“Project Sputnik is a great example of the employee-driven innovation we built Dell’s incubation program to enable. This project represents the first of many new ideas Dell employees will test with customers or partners through the program, and we look forward to supporting Sputnik to be successful as it becomes a product this fall.”
Project Sputnik is a client-to-cloud solution in which the Ubuntu Linux setup allows developers to create ‘microclouds’ on their laptops in order to simulate an at-scale environment.
The project is moving along quickly, it was just last week that PCWorld’s Katherine Noyes spoke to the team about the recently launched “ Sputnik Beta Cosmonaut program ,” which included a beta version of the laptop.
Since releasing the project the company has already begun pushing out drivers and software patches and Dell will soon add profile and cloud tools into the mix.
Dell expects that tons of applications will be submitted to its beta program which could help the new system sell once released.
Dell has promised to notify beta applicants of their approval or denial into the system.
[Image via ZDNET ]
