Xandros brings 3G to Linux clients

Xandros recently released a version of its desktop Linux software aimed at the European market, tying in some of the advanced and emerging mobility services that are being developed and deployed in that region. If you support end-users who travel to Europe, and want a Linux laptop, this could be the right system.

Announced at the CEBIT show in Hannover, Germany, Xandros Desktop OS 3.1 includes built-in support and drivers for universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) and 3G network hardware. The desktop - targeted at corporate users - includes pre-configured software for authenticating to Windows-based networks with Active Directory.

Along with 3G support, the software offers several other business productivity features. A Windows emulation environment allows end-users to run Microsoft Office and Adobe imaging and document management programs such as Acrobat and Photoshop. The platform also supports the OpenDoc format for StarOffice and Microsoft Office document sharing. Firefox Web browser is also part of the package. DVD burning and file-sharing tools are included.

The new Xandros desktop can be deployed using the vendor's Xandros Deployment and Management Server (xDMS), which allows administrators to push Linux desktop images down to networked PCs and control the maintenance and installed software on the systems.

For now, Xandros 3.1 with built-in 3G support is available in Europe, but users should expect a version state-side soon.