In the age when we always want things to happen faster for our computers, sometimes even the quickest of processors and storage aren’t enough to satisfy our need for instant gratification.
While the slew of so-called “instant-on” operating systems still aren’t instantly on, they do cold boot into a functioning state much quicker than any other full-sized OS.
MSI is now doing its Linux-based instant-on OS, but curiously enough, it’s not currently targeted for netbooks.
It’s named the Winki and it features a dock at the bottom that cribs shamelessly from Mac OS X. Like all other instant-on operating systems, the main purpose is to grant the user with quick access to the usual internet activities.
MSI said that the Winki software suite will be composed mainly of Firefox for browsing, Skype for VoIP chat, and Pidgin for its support of 15 different instant messaging protocols.
Engadget had an eyes-on experience with the Winki and discovered that it to be a key-like module that plugs directly into compatible motherboards (MSI didn't say which models support the Winki). Clearly the Winki module holds the OS in built-in flash memory, which the user would presumably have the option of booting into before looking to the hard drive for the full OS.
Should the Winki proved to be a valuable tool, we expect to see it make its way to MSI’s line of notebooks, and especially to the Wind netbooks.
