BIOS manufacturer Phoenix Technologies announced plans on Monday to launch a new version of its Linux-based HyperSpace environment that will use some components of Intel's Moblin platform. The move reflects Moblin's growing traction among vendors, but it is also Phoenix's response to the recent revelation that Google is building its own Linux operating system.

HyperSpace, which was first introduced by Phoenix in 2007, is an "instant-on" Linux environment designed to run in a slim hypervisor that is part of the BIOS. It uses its own power management framework that boosts battery life.

HyperSpace can be used by itself on a netbook or shipped alongside a conventional Windows installation. It provides a simple user interface and an assortment of applications for common tasks, including a Web browser and ThinkFree's Java-based office suite.

The rising popularity of low-cost netbooks has created demand for lightweight mobile platforms that can boot faster, run longer, and deliver nothing but 'Net. Such platforms are intended to bring a more appliance-like Web experience to netbook devices. With the emergence of Google's Chrome OS as a possible contender in this space, other players are looking for ways to stay competitive.

Google says that Chrome OS will be distributed under an open source license and will be available to use at no cost. This could seriously undermine the relevance of HyperSpace, which Phoenix commercially licenses to OEMs. Phoenix is banking on the technical advantages and greater maturity of its platform, characteristics that the company believes will make its offering a better value for hardware manufacturers.

Phoenix CEO Woody Hobbs touts HyperSpace's ability to seamlessly run side-by-side with other operating systems as a strong advantage and points out that HyperSpace could even potentially be shipped alongside Chrome OS in the future. He suggests that Google's announcement of Chrome OS can be viewed as validation of Phoenix's instant-on computing vision. He also suggests that it's important for mobile Linux platforms to use a standardized stack, particularly at the kernel level. This is why Phoenix is working with Intel and has aligned itself with the Moblin initiative.

It's not clear, however, how much of the Moblin platform will show up in HyperSpace aside from Intel's Atom-specific hardware optimizations. Among the most compelling aspects of Moblin are its fast startup time and slick custom user interface shell, neither of which are of interest to Phoenix.

"Moblin provides OEMs with an optimized framework for Intel Atom processor-based systems," Hobbs said in a statement. "HyperSpace enhances this platform with a unique, easy-to-use and fun interface and the ability to bring any application to life instantly. We enable PC OEMs to commercialize and bring the complete instant-on computing environment to market, with a variety of deployment models best suited for their needs and end user requirements."

DeviceVM, the company behind an instant-on Linux platform called Splashtop, has also responded to Google's announcement of Chrome OS. Sergei Krupenin, senior director of marketing at DeviceVM, posted a blog entry with his thoughts about what the implications could be for lightweight Linux vendors. Much like Hobbs, he suggests that Chrome OS validates the need for instant-on computing. He also emphasizes the fact that Splashtop is available today whereas Chrome OS is still on the drawing board.

"The market has been moving towards instant-on computing for a while now, and DeviceVM has already seen tremendous success in the space: tens of millions of PCs already shipped with Splashtop, and our announced and shipping customers include HP, Acer, Sony, Lenovo, ASUS, and LG," he wrote. "By the end of 2010, Splashtop will be in the hands of more than 150M desktop, nettop, notebook, and netbook users."

Although Google's strong brand will give Chrome OS an advantage, Krupenin sagely points out that the search giant's popularity is not a worldwide phenomenon. In China and other regions, Google still lags behind native competitors. DeviceVM will boost the competitiveness of Splashtop by partnering with "leading regional brands to bring more relevant web services to Splashtop users around the world."

It seems likely that the market for instant-on Linux solutions will remain vibrant as Google joins the fray. One clear winner in this fight is the open source Linux operating system, which is gaining widespread use in instant-on environments.

Listing image by Dave Bennion