Canonical on July 31 will launch a so-called “Switch to Ubuntu” initiative — including support and migration services — to help individuals and small businesses that are “seeking cost-effective alternatives” to Mac OS X and Windows-based desktops. Here’s the scoop and early analysis.

As Microsoft gears up to launch Windows 7, Canonical and IBM have a message for channel partners and CIOs (chief information officers): Virtualized Ubuntu desktops, running on centralized Linux servers, provide lower TCO (total cost of ownership) and lower acquisition costs vs. traditional Windows desktops. Here’s the scoop.

In recent weeks, Dell.com’s U.S. website has not offered Ubuntu Linux desktop PCs. But that situation could change the week of August 2. Here’s the scoop from The VAR Guy.

Ubuntu 9.10 will use GRUB 2 as its default bootloader, replacing GRUB legacy.  In this post, we take a look at some of the new features offered by this change.

Just when I was getting a little worried about Ubuntu Server Edition’s ISV (independent software vendor) support, I received a heads up from John Pugh, software partner manager at Canonical. The timely news involved some Ubuntu-Alfresco developments. Here’s the scoop. And more importantly, here are some bigger-picture thoughts about Canonical’s ISV efforts on the server.

As I scour the market for a potential Ubuntu netbook purchase, I’ve stumbled onto two interesting tidbits of info: First, Ubuntu netbook demand recently exceeded supply at System76. Second, another niche Ubuntu PC maker will introduce a netbook this August.

Canonical has organized its Ubuntu partner program into three segments — business partners, technology partners and training partners. But to spot the next generation of potential Ubuntu channel partners you need to check out two areas: Cloud computing and the so-called Ubuntu Marketplace. Here’s the scoop from The VAR Guy.

Launchpad, a Web application developed by Canonical for managing software development, was finally open-sourced last week.  But with a number of its other products remaining proprietary, what are Canonical’s real intentions towards living by the free-software ideology that drives projects like Ubuntu?

Over the last few years, various figures have been put forth as measures of Ubuntu’s desktop market share, with some sources contradicting themselves and most sources contradicting the other ones.  Below, we take a look at different attempts to put a number on Ubuntu’s popularity, and explore the various shortcomings and ambiguities involved in all of them.

You’ve heard of Smart Phones and Netbooks. Now, get ready for Smartbooks — mobile 3G wireless devices that appear to be slightly larger than the iPhone. Qualcomm is rallying hardware partners (OEMs, original equipment manufacturers) to introduce Smartbooks sometime in Q3 or Q4 2009. And here’s the twist: Qualcomm is hiring Ubuntu talent to help drive the project forward.