Transforming the home PC with Ubuntu 11.10

London, 10 October, 2011: Millions of home users give their computers a new lease of life with Ubuntu each year. The upcoming version, Ubuntu 11.10, has substantial benefits for those looking for the latest personal cloud and web technologies, as well as those running on older hardware.

Highlights of the new release include the extensive collection of applications available for free download and purchase in the Ubuntu Software Center, and the integrated Ubuntu One service which now enables you to stream music from your personal Ubuntu One cloud to Android and iPhones, as well as easily share files with Windows computers.

Ubuntu 11.10 will be published on October 13, 2011 for free public download.

“Ease of use, stylishness and key tasks such as safe web surfing, document sharing, office productivity and personal clouds for music, files and photos are central to the Ubuntu experience.” said Jane Silber, CEO of Canonical. “That’s why Ubuntu is now a global phenomenon – not just for system administrators, developers and expert users, but for a growing community of home users that want a simpler, safer way to use the PC.”

The integrated Ubuntu Software Center provides you access to thousands of tools, games, applications and accessories from open source and commercial software publishers. In Ubuntu 11.10, the Software Center has had a significant refresh that makes it easier to select software based on ratings and popularity, and to contribute your own reviews. Recent additions to the Software Center include The World of Goo and Oil Rush.

Ubuntu’s personal cloud, Ubuntu One, puts your data at the centre whether you are using PC, Android or iOS devices. Ubuntu One now allows you to stream your entire music collection to all your devices. You can also access and share files, documents and photos online with Android and now Windows machines, utilising 5GB of free storage that is available to every Ubuntu One subscriber.

The central search-driven interface to Ubuntu, called the Dash, has been enhanced to include instant access to your personal and online music collections through the music lens, which will also search the Ubuntu One Music Store. This provides almost instant access to any music: either from your personal collection or online stores and services. To help you find the music you love, Ubuntu includes instant access to Last.fm, the Amazon MP3 store, and a huge collection of free content in the public domain or under open licences.

Ubuntu 11.10 comes with a full backup facility as standard. Called Deja Dup, it allows you to back up locally or to the Ubuntu One cloud. You can schedule backups and restore from a backup, providing you with a ‘time machine’ capability. All for free.

Ubuntu 11.10 also sees a full update to GNOME 3. That means you will have access to the most modern and stable versions of the highly-regarded application set. The popular cross-platform Thunderbird from Mozilla will become the default email app in Ubuntu, with Evolution remaining as an option for download.

To sample the Ubuntu 11.10 experience, you can visit the Ubuntu website and explore a web-based demonstration of Ubuntu. This provides an interactive overview of how Ubuntu looks and feels, and gives a convenient way to introduce friends and colleagues to the Ubuntu experience.

Availability

Ubuntu 11.10 will be available for download from October 13th at www.ubuntu.com

Ubuntu One is available today at one.ubuntu.com and in the Ubuntu launcher

Ubuntu Software Center is available in the Ubuntu launcher