The MeeGo Lifebook has landed

MANILA, Philippines—MeeGo is an emerging open source operating system for Web-centric mobile devices that now cover netbooks, slates and smartphones.

Similar to the iPhone OS and Android OS, the Linux-based MeeGo is a light and fast operating system that enables rich user experience via graphics enhanced widgets or apps that hook users instantly to social networking sites and multimedia content online.

Recently, Fujitsu launched its Lifebook MH330—the first MeeGo netbook based on the Intel Atom processor.

The MeeGo platform, like the Android OS, is a free, open source system that runs slates like Samsung Galaxy Tab and smartphones. The OS enables makers of entry-level PCs and netbooks to slash the prices of their devices further without compromising a rich Internet experience on a PC platform, according to Edmund Lim, Fujitsu product marketing manager.

The installed MeeGo OS on Lifebook MH330 isn’t the stock, or the pure, version that can be downloaded on the MeeGo website. Fujitsu has made a lot of customization on the platform to make it feature Fujitsu’s trademark.

For example, the Myzone panel is a social networking feature “on-the-go” as it offers a quick snapshot of the user’s personal activity and shows instant updates about events in his or her social media sphere that may include Facebook and Twitter.

Lim said once the netbook powers up and gets connected on the Internet, updates on the Myzone panel automatically launches. It also features an integrated instant messaging system that culls contacts from different IM platforms such as Gmail Talk, Yahoo IM, Windows Live Messenger.

Lim said the MeeGo netbook isn’t meant for serious computing or resource-hungry activities, such as undertaking extensive Excel applications, but it does have a (for typing documents and reports) PDF reader, as well as Firefox for browsing the Web.

“It’s a great PC for beginners and may also serve as a secondary PC,” said Lim. “The MeeGo ecosystem provides consumers a personalized netbook experience with the benefits of optimized battery life, rich multimedia support, and fast boot time.”

Boot time for the Fujitsu MeeGo netbook, which may retail for $349, is within 15 seconds, as demonstrated by Lim. Battery life is about 7 hours.

Like Android, the MeeGo can access an online market for apps. MeeGo’s apps store is provided by Intel through IntelApp store.

The MeeGo platform came about from the combination of Intel’s Moblin project and Nokia’s Maemo project, which aims to form a Linux-based, open source software platform for next generation computing devices.

Lim also allowed the local media a preview of Fujitsu’s own computing slate meant for enterprise use.

The Stylistic Q550 is a slate powered Intel Oaktrail Atom processor and runs on Windows 7.

As it is a Windows-run slate, it offers more functions as it already allows the user to do resource-hungry tasks, like content creation. It is a 10.1-inch multitouch slate that has all the necessary ports and connectivity, including HDMI. Two models will be available—one that features a stylus and one that doesn’t. The stylus is for a word recognition feature, which allows a user to write words that can be saved as an editable document.