Installing Ubuntu from a single USB drive is easy. This guide details the steps to get this great OS onto your UMPC with little effort.

Requirements for guide:

• Latest version of Syslinux
• Ubuntu or Variant of choice
• USB Flash drive/thumb stick with enough storage for files

Step 1

Formatting the USB flash drive

Select My Computer, right-click on the USB flash drive and select click Format.

Select FAT32 as the file system. Click start and wait for the format to complete.

Step 2

Making the USB flash drive bootable

Open the command prompt and change the directory to the extracted Syslinux/win32 folder.

cd Desktop/syslinux/win32

Once in the correct directory, enter the following to install the syslinux bootlader to the USB flash drive

Note: h: is the letter of your USB flash drive

syslinux -ma h:

Press enter.

Step 3

Extract the Ubuntu ISO

Right click on the ISO file and extract the files with WinRAR/7zip to the Ubuntu folder.

Step 4

Compiling the files.

The USB flash drive is now bootable, the Ubuntu files have been extracted.

Copy the files you extracted from the ubuntu-8.04 folder onto the empty USB drive.

Move the contents of the isolinux folder to the root of the drive. eg: from H:\isolinux\ into H:\

Rename isolinux.cfg file to syslinux.cfg

Finished!

Eject the USB flash drive, that’s it!

A sub 5 minute solution to a problem that causes a lot of headaches for many people when trying to install without a CD/DVD.

Last time we covered the much anticipated Everex Cloudbook it was on track and ready for a February 15th release. This date has now changed.

Find your $399 CloudBook at Walmart.com and ZaReason.com beginning 2/21/08.

So the release date has changed, the Cloudbook will soon see a wide public release. The guys over at Laptop Magazine unboxed their Cloudbook yesterday and decided to expressed some feelings with a overview of the upcoming (released) umpc.

Otto Berkes, the man originaly behind Origami at Microsoft shares his views and ideas on the Asus EeePC.

The Eee adheres to some of the core tenets of the ultra-mobile PC – a low-cost, highly mobile, full-fidelity companion computer. In fact, the Eee PC hits one of the key UMPC targets dead on; there’s one place where all of the other UMPC products missed – price.

Otto does a fine job of summing up what many current and future UMPC owners are thinking when considering their options, products and range available on the market.

Continue reading at Otto Berkes’ Blog

With a subtle change Everex has made a slight adjustment to their web site regarding their release plan.

On the 25/1/08 Walmart.com will begin selling the CloudBook……you will be able to purchase it? But wait, didn’t that date already passed? oh that's right With the Everex CloudBook time travel is now a reality!

Not to worry, everything seems to be on track with the launch Everex will keep us updated with the details.

Everex has updated their web site with a revised ship date for the CloudBook, Launching February 15th online.

At launch the CloudBook will be available for $399 USD from Walmart.com, ZaReason.com and expanding to further retail and online stores.

Running latest gOS Rocket operating system, the CloudBook boasts an impressive range of specs that rival the Asus EeePC and give customers a wider range of choice in this area.

CloudBook Specifications:

• 1.2GHz, VIA C7®-M Processor ULV
• 512MB DDR2 533MHz, SDRAM
• 30GB Hard Disk Drive
• 7″ WVGA TFT Display – 800 x 480
• VIA UniChrome Pro IGP Graphics,
• VIA High-Definition Audio, 802.11b/g
• 10/100 Ethernet Port
• DVI-I Port
• 2 x USB 2.0 Ports
• 4-in1 Media Card Reader
• .3MP Webcam
• Headphone/Line-Out Port
• Microphone/Line-In Port
• Set of Stereo Speaker
• Touchpad
• 4-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery