Intel Launches Dedicated App Store for Netbooks

By Jane McEntegart
published

Who says you can’t have cool apps without a smartphone? Netbook owners can have all the apps they want starting today.

Intel announced its plans for an App Store for netbooks a long time ago. In fact, it was so long ago that the project almost slipped our minds completely. Intel launched the AppUp beta in January, at CES, but we haven't heard much about it since. However, AppUp is back in the news this week as Intel executives today announced that it is out of beta and now open to everyone.

Compatible with Windows 7, Windows XP and Moblin netbooks, the AppUp Center can be downloaded via Intel's AppUp.com or Best Buy's website and an Asus-specific version will come pre-loaded on the company's netbooks this fall. The AppUp store offers both paid and free applications for news and weather, social networking, productivity and more. Intel today named Adobe, Accuweather, Barnes & Noble, Funkitron, Gibson Guitars, iWin, Kaplan, KONAMI, and Lifetime as companies who had already submitted apps to the store.

Do you think there's a place for applications on netbooks? Let us know in the comments below!

Jane McEntegart
31 Comments Comment from the forums
  • sabot00
    I think when Google gets wind of this they'll create their own App Store; link it to Gmail, youtube, and Google, and slowly "Chromenize" all netbooks.
    Reply
  • kinggraves
    There's already apps for netbooks, you know..the normal PC applications?
    Reply
  • rolli59
    Everybody wants a piece of the cake.
    Reply
  • bsbsbsbs
    rolli59Everybody wants a piece of the cake.
    Agreed. I think this will never get off the ground.
    Reply
  • kronos_cornelius
    Markets seem more friendly to use than what we used to use in the decades past. You know, getting CDs and installing software, or downloading the exe hoping the shareware is not a trojan. The AppStore concept should have being born in the PC sector. Better late than never.

    The original appstore really are the Linux's repositories. That was the first time I started to just pick out the apps from a list and they would get installed automatically. Nobody took notice of that because the open source movement does not have a big marketing department... maybe the should get one!
    Reply
  • Stifle
    So... a centralized location to download poorly written software to bloat up and slow down a netbook. Where do I sign?
    Reply
  • abhifx
    i have been using synaptic in debian for sooo many years. good thing every OS has followed suit.
    Reply
  • Parsian
    rolli59Everybody wants a piece of the cake.

    Ive already seen the cake, through a "Portal" on my ION Netbook
    Reply
  • theoutbound
    I'm not a huge netbook fan, but this is pretty cool. Having the ability to quickly connect to a single service rather than searching everything manually would be a step up.
    Reply
  • dEAne
    wow
    Reply