Solution for Asus UL30A Skype flipped camera

[Asus-ul30] HowTo: Running Skype Video without the flipped webcam image (UL30A) Ubuntu 9.10 (x64)

On an ASUS UL30A:

1. sudo apt-get install v4l2ucp (I don't know if it's really necessary but I did it first while looking around for fixes)
2. Adding the libv4l-PPA, update package lists and install libv4l-0

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libv4l
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libv4l-0

(Thanks to: http://radu.cotescu.com/2009/11/05/flipped-images-ubuntu-webcam/)

3. Starting Skype with a shell-script e.g. called skype.sh containing:

#!/bin/bash
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib32/libv4l/v4l2convert.so skype

(Open a text editor, copy&paste the text above, save the file as "skype.sh" and give it executing rights (by sudo chmod +x skype.sh)

Switchable graphics in Linux: who will use it?

The new switchable graphics feature in Linux is great news for a lot of Linux users. We've been compiling information about Ultrathin Linux laptops for a bit more than a year now, and the four most successful laptops have hybrid graphics configuration:

The first one is the Asus UL30/UL80 line. The UL*0Vt models have an intel/nvidia configuration, with a physical switch button.
The second one is the Acer Timeline. The 3810TG and 4810TG models have intel/ATI configuration with no switch button.
The third one is the Sony Vaio Z-series. There are 193 subscribed members in the Launchpad team. All of them with intel/nvidia configurations with physical switch.
The fourth is the HP dm3 line. The dm3z models have intel/nvidia confs.
The seventh is the HP Envy line. These are intel/ATI configurations.

All round up to around ~500 users, many of them with hybrid graphics configurations. The 12 month projections since Launchpad team creation are now at ~900 linux users of these ultrathin laptops. So all the work David and Matthew have done will be greatly received!!

How to run Linux on Acer Timeline 3810T at 7.0W

Ubuntu Forums - View Single Post - [ubuntu] Acer Timeline 3810T
The Acer Timeline laptop is still one of the best choices when it comes to ultra-thin Linux laptops, only second to the Asus UL30/UL80 laptop series.

Recently reported in ubuntuforums.org, a user has managed to bring the Linux power usage in a Acer Timeline 3810T-8737 model down to 7.0W using this instructions:

#!/bin/bash
# Author: Riskable
#
# Description: Enables every power saving feature I know of
#

# Enable Intel HD Audio power saving
echo 10 > /sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save
echo Y > /sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save_controller
echo 1 > /dev/dsp # Gotta make a sound to turn it on

# Enable various kernel power saving features
echo 1500 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centisecs

# Enable SATA power management
for i in /sys/class/scsi_host/*; do echo "min_power" > $i/link_power_management_policy; cat $i/link_power_management_policy; done

# Enable Wifi power management
/sbin/iwconfig wlan0 power on

# Enable the most aggressive hard drive power savings
hdparm -B 1 -S 12 /dev/sda # Note: May not work on the Acer Timeline's hard drive

How to solve cam flipped in Linux Asus UL30

One of the Asus UL30/UL80 Launchpad team members has posted the instructions on how to solve the cam flipped issue:
http://lists.launchpad.net/asus-ul30/msg00044.html

echo -e "\n# libv4l PPA\ndeb http://ppa.launchpad.net/libv4l/ppa/ubuntu `lsb_release -c | awk '{print $2}'` main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com C3FFB4AA
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libv4l-0

to start applications you need to preload so:

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so your_application_comand<br />

This issue is also seen in Windows 7, which also needs a driver update in different laptop models. The solution above is Linux-specific.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge review @ www.engadget.com

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge to bridge gap between IdeaPads and pro machines? -- Engadget

Dear Lenovo, thank you for being so loose-lipped about your forthcoming products, we most certainly appreciate it. Joining the now fully detailed X100e is a purported new line of entry-level ThinkPads -- dubbed the ThinkPad Edge. We've only got the one source and that image above as evidence, but the details appear to make sense in terms of Lenovo's overall lineup strategy. Set to fit in between the professional ThinkPads and more consumer-oriented IdeaPads, the Edge will start off with 13.3-inch units sporting a choice of low-voltage dual-core AMD or Intel processors, up to eight hours of battery life, and a robust 4GB of memory paired to 500GB of storage. The word is that we'll see the new machines make an appearance by CES 2010 at the latest, and we've got a purported spec sheet for your perusal after the break.

Sony Vaio Z series refreshed with 48-core Nvidia GT 330M GPU @ www.engadget.com

The Sony vaio Z series laptop has been refreshed and will include an up-to-date switchable graphics configuration with an Nvidia GT 330M GPU + Intel HD Graphics. This particular model of discrete graphics card comes with 48 CUDA cores and is OpenCL-enabled.

Since the previous incarnations of the Sony Vaio Z series have had Linux switchable graphics support and working CUDA Linux drivers, it's expected that this newer model will achieve the same level of Linux compatibility once it's available to the market.

Sony Vaio Y11, S11 and F11 leaked ahead of launch, Z and CW series refreshed -- Engadget

It appears that the Vaio T's return is only the tip of a giant iceberg of refreshes coming out from Sony HQ this month. Greek e-tailer Compuland has a trio of new models listed -- seemingly prematurely -- for sale: the Vaio Y11 (pictured) is a relatively standard 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300 machine with 4GB of DDR3 memory and 320GB of storage, and its nomenclature seems to fit given that its specs land somewhere between the underpowered X and fully-equipped Z series. Speaking of the latter, Sony is adding a Core i5-520M to its refreshed Z line, as well as to the new 16-inch F11 model which adds a half terabyte storage drive just for kicks. The lesser Core i3-330M Arrandale chip finds a home in the new 13-inch S11 laptop, which may or may not be replacing the SR series we know and love, as well as a freshened up CW number. Hit the read links for early pricing and more details, and if you hope really hard maybe we'll get proper announcements from the official channels some time soon.

Asus UL20, Asus UL30, UL30Vt, UL50, UL80, UL80JT sound fixes in Linux kernel v2.6.33-rc2

The new v2.6.33-rc2 Linux kernel contains sound fixes in the following Asus models:
Asus UL20, Asus UL30, UL30Vt, UL50, UL80, UL80JT

http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel&m=126141178420444&w=2

If you are a Linux user of the Asus UL30/UL80 laptop series and are experiencing issues with previous versions of the Linux kernel, these may disappear if you upgrade to 2.6.33.