Intel AppUp: The App Store for Netbooks
Intel just launched AppUp, an app store for the netbook users.
One of the driving forces behind the success of the iPhone from Apple is the App Store, a magical place where you can find millions of applications that do everything from make your life easier to waste time in between press conferences.
Intel is taking the same approach with netbooks, most of which are powered by its Atom processors. AppUp, which was launched here at CES 2010, has a number of different applications, and more will be added every day. The AppUp software will now be installed on every Atom-equipped netbook, and for those who already have an Eee PC or Wind, you can download the software for Windows or Linux.
A quick trip to AppUp shows you what to expect. Along with the download link, the AppUp front page has links for just a few of the apps that are already available, including Boxee, VEEP, Newsy (guess what that's for), and Yoono, a social networking app.
For the Tom's readers who follow us on a netbook or have one lying around the house, please comment and let us know how AppUp is!

Not dead. Just a second-best option. If you don't check sourceforge first you are doing yourself a disservice.
the major advantage of using Windows XP Home or 7 Starter or Linux in a Netbook is the freedom to choose not just one vendor in getting your applications. this app store is a huge step backward, imo.
It's been going since the dawn of time
Yes, because all software should be free and developers can go find themselves a job at McDonalds, while coding in their spare time at home, having no life.
Bright future for developers, I see.
Free software is part out out civilization, and it will never go away, but not all software will and can be free.
Problem is, for all the simple apps on the Appup store such as the aforementioned weather, RSS, etc etc etc there are a hundred freely available versions that do the same thing at www.download.com or sourceforge or any of the other big freeware sites. The Apple App-store has a closed market as you cannot go elsewhere for Apps, but you are not limited in your choice for a Linux or Windows based netbook.
I am all for Intel trying to open a new revenue stream, the big question is how are they going to convince people to pay for something that is free everywhere else?
I don't know how will be the process to publish an application in the appup. Maybe the vendors will have to pay a little feed, but I have no information related to this.
"
Guess you haven't heard of OpenOffice then? Or Paint.NET?
There are very complex free software packages if you know where to look. The only app I can't have on my linux box's native is Visio, nothing comes close to what it does, the way it does it. Course MS didn't come up with it, they just bought it, I still have a floppy with the first version of it somewhere...
That is the point I was making, software can be free, but some should be pay for, the big ones usually are with the OIpen Source exceptions but if you cant find a free version of a simple app then you just aren't looking hard enough.
We've heard the concern re credit cards, as well as the requests for free vs. paid apps. Our program director wrote a response, which was just published at: http://appdeveloper.intel.com/en-us/blog/2010/01/15/why-credit-card-requirement-anyway
In short, the credit cards portion of the software isn't in beta, and the credit cards are actually handled by PayPal. There are technical reasons for the requirement, as well. We do want to make this the best experience for consumers and developers.
Re paid vs. free apps. We all love free apps, but for developers "paid" is better, and better for the software ecosystem.
Amy from Intel