Ultimately, Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 did the best, and openSUSE 11.2 also did well. But Chrome OS performance was far from spectacular. That shouldn’t be a huge surprise, though. It’s not slated to ship for like a year, and its performance should pick up as builds continue. The main surprise looks to be Moblin 2.1’s comparatively slower speed, despite Intel’s efforts to optimise it for netbooks. It looks pretty, though.

All distros were tested with default configurations/packages, except for Chrome OS. They “needed to remount the root file-system in a read-write mode and add in the standard Ubuntu Karmic package repositories for which Google’s operating system is based.”

The Phoronix test suite included H.264 video playback, OpenArena, LZMA and 7-Zip file compression, IOzone, PostMark, WAV to OGG audio and H.264 video encoding. Full test results at: [Phoronix via Slashdot]

[Ars]

The only file you can really do anything with is a .deb—that’s a Debian-based Linux installer package—meaning that Debian (and Ubuntu) users can install it with a few clicks. Note: On Ubuntu 9 I got a dependency issue when I tried to install, but it was easy to fix: I just enabled the Universe and Multiverse repositories in Synaptic, and upgraded the library it told me too.

As for the browser itself, it’s not unlike regular Chrome, barring a few telling differences. For one, the clock is on display in the titlebar, as if this browser is going to be the only app you see when using Chrome OS. There’s also a frustratingly enigmatic little Google logo in the top left corner, which looks like a menu. When you click it, it pops up with a prompt to log in with an @google.com email address. Oh well. In any case, downloads are still working from here; feel free to post more mirrors in the comments. [Living in a Google World via Techcrunch]

The 7-inch (800×480) tablet runs Ubuntu and a browser based upon WebKit. The light footprint software allows its 667MHz ARM processor with 1GB of RAM to browse the internet, Facebook and Twitter. (Given that we’re talking Ubuntu, there’s a world of other software you could run, too.)

But where the software/hardware shines is a one-button text-to-speech updates on social networking sites. Just hold the button and say things like “Today, I stepped in a pile of dog crap. The crap flicked off my shoe into my mouth. Then, out of nowhere, the girl I’ve had a crush on since first grade decided to kiss me for the first time. It happens that’s she was not only disgusted but also deathly allergic to canine faeces. I no longer have a date to the prom, and now my dad is making me go hunting instead. FML.” Then they’ll show up on Facebook or Twitter. You can also speak URLs rather than typing them in.

The SQ7 weighs slightly more than a pound and runs for a modest five hours per charge. But at just $US250 this October, it’s lower risk than it could be. We’ll try to get our hands on one to test it out. You can also watch a demo here. [AdelaVoice via besttabletreview via ubergizmo]

Vincent called it “a lovely little Linux box” when showing it off at geekfest Foo Camp last weekend. We’re not really sure what the practical applications of a Linux Kindle would be, but it’s an impressive proof of concept for sure. [Boing Boing Gadgets]

The Netwalker, also called the PC-Z1 in the official literature, seems to be somewhat pocketable with its 6.3 x 4.2 x 0.9-inch build. The thing is the ultimate tweener with an ARM Cortex-A8 based processor, 4GB of on board storage, and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, but no 3G or WiMax. It reminds me a lot of the UMID mBook M1, but with a slightly bigger keyboard.

Sharp, maybe you should make some coffee. It has become pretty evident in the last few years that devices like this have failed more times than not, especially for an above $US400 price point. The Netwalker looks cute, but people will buy smartphones or netbooks. [Sharp Japanese via Engadget]

Ubuntu’s upcoming Android execution environment that’ll let you run Android apps isn’t just interesting, it’s smart, given the buzz over Android on netbooks—stick with Ubuntu and you can run Android apps alongside real Linux programs. [Ars]

Although the 2100 is available at a volume discount, that price seems on the high side for a netbook with an Ubuntu OS and a 3 cell battery, without a webcam and only an 80GB hard drive. It is good to see a company get behind education hardware, but I’d be hoping my kid’s school ponied up the cash for this rather than picking one up myself.

[Dell]

The final version of Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope is here, meaning you can: Install it on your PS3 to play ROMs or say “Jaunty Jackalope” a lot or get blown (away). [Ubuntu via /.]