Live DVD, new hardware, and more

[DavidS]

It's been a while since we last posted something here, and quite a bit has changed since then. As you undoubtedly have noticed, the website recently underwent a major redesign, and with the new website comes some exciting new things.

First and foremost, we're preparing a new version of the Zonbu OS, version 2008.05. For the first time, this version is available as a (completely free) Live DVD, meaning that you can test the Zonbu OS on your existing computer without affecting your current OS or files. If you decide you want to switch over to the Zonbu OS completely, you can also use the Live DVD to install the Zonbu OS on your existing computer - there's no need to buy anything new. Please note that the new version and Live DVD are still in beta and might not work perfectly on every hardware configuration. For information on how to download and use the Live DVD, see this page.

If you are interested in a new computer, we have a few new products that may interest you. In addition to the Zonbu Mini and Notebook, which remain unchanged, we've partnered up with Journey Systems and eRacks to offer the Zonbu OS preinstalled on five new models: the Zonbu Tux, the Zonbu Qube, the Zonbu Desq, the Zonbu Silence and the Zonbu Booq. These all have different price points and hardware configurations, so hopefully there's now a Zonbu device to fit everyone's needs. You can learn more about all of our hardware options from our online store.

Finally, the Zonbu plan has changed a little bit. Now called Zonbu PLUS, the plan is still $14.95 a month and still provides the same benefits of seamless online storage and support. It's fully compatible with the Live DVD. Please note that we no longer offer a discount on the hardware when you commitment to a subscription, but that means that there's no longer any need to commit. If you decide Zonbu PLUS isn't for you, you can cancel your subscription at any time without a penalty.

What do these changes mean to existing customers? At the moment, not much. As the new version is still in beta, it won't be pushed to existing customers. Once it's out of beta, your systems will automatically be updated and you'll be able to take advantage of all of the new features. If you want to try out the new version on your existing Zonbu device before that, you can use the Live DVD to install it. Please note, however, that the beta version won't get updates, so you'll need to create a new Live DVD with each release. In addition, there are a few known bugs that have been popping up when using the Live DVD on the Zonbu Mini and Notebook, so proceed at your own risk.

We have some more exciting features we plan to roll out, so stay tuned. Thank you for choosing Zonbu!