How to save laptop battery when using Ubuntu Linux

When you are working outside with your laptop, the most important thing that you might consider is to maximize your battery lifetime. This is true especially when you are working on location where AC power is not readily available.

Laptop mypapit

Typical laptop might last from 1.5 hour to 3 hours of normal use. So you might want to squeeze out all the battery juice and put it to good use.

Here are a few tips that I got from surfing the internet to save battery life when you are using Ubuntu (or GNU Linux OS in general) :

Ubuntu Membership Board Asia and Oceania Region Meeting

The Ubuntu Membership Asia and Oceania approval board is going to have a meeting on 10 June 2008 11:00 UTC time at #ubuntu-meeting (irc.freenode.net) server.

Ubuntu Logo mypapit.net

The main purpose of the meeting is to grant Ubuntu Community membership to new applicants from Asia and Oceania region. The benefits of being an Ubuntu commnity member are :

  • You will be allocated @ubuntu.com emails
  • Able to use ubuntu/member/your_nick cloak on Freenode IRC network
  • The right to print business card with Ubuntu logo
  • Syndication of your Ubuntu blog on Planet Ubuntu

There are still time to apply to be accepted as Ubuntu Community member! Please read the Asia and Oceania Membership Approval Board wiki page for more information.

p/s : My best wish to nbliang, I hope he will be accepted as Ubuntu Community Member on this round.

B43 broadcom linux driver supported chipset

Supported chipset for b43 Broadcom Linux drivers are :

  • bcm4303 (802.11b-only chips)
  • bcm4306
  • bcm4311 rev 2 / bcm4312 (needs patches for 2.6.24)
  • bcm4309 (only the 2.4GHz part)
  • bcm4318

and unsupported are:

  • BCM 4309 and BCM 4312 is not supported.
  • BCM 4328/4329

Please refer to this post, Ubuntu Hardy Heron : Wifi Broadcom Support with b43 driver for a guide to activate B43 Linux driver in order to use wifi function in your laptop.

Source : Ubuntu: Enabling Broadcom BCM43xx Based Wireless

Enable Network Printer Sharing with Ubuntu Linux computers

Having a shared printer within a computer network is a nice thing to have. Since all computers within the network can access a remote printer to print documents. Maintenance cost is much more cheaper and easier since you only need to service only a single printer within a network.

Here’s how to enable Printer sharing with Ubuntu (or other Linux based computers) through GNOME :

At the computer with the printer

Administer Printers Ubuntu
  • First at the Desktop, go to System->Administration->Printing. A dialog will appear
  • Go to Server Settings, and check the “Share published printers connected to this system” checkbox

    Administer Printers Ubuntu

  • You may, optionally select “Allow users to cancel any job”
  • Click Apply, and close the dialog

At the client computer(s)

Network Printer Sharing Ubuntu, using Samba

  • From the Desktop, go to System->Administration->Printing. A dialog will appear
  • Check “Show shared printers from other systems” checkbox. Click Apply
  • Repeat the first step, this time click “Refresh Printer Queues” button. You shall see the list of shared printer from the server computer
  • Repeat this on other computers on the network to share the printer

That is all to it! Now you can print documents across your computer network.

Awesome Web apps integration with Mozilla Prism (Google, Facebook)

Being a relatively newcomer with Desktop + Web apps application, I tried to experiment with Mozilla Prism in a newly installed Ubuntu Hardy on my sister’s laptop.

At first glance, Mozilla Prism really hits the spot. as it allows seamless integration of various web application within your computer. Prism made it easier for me to access various web application from my desktop with relative ease, as if they were local applications.

Screenshots of Prism in action

Google Reader

Google Prism

Google Docs

Google Docs in Prism

Google Facebook

Google Docs in Prism

Prism enhances web experience greatly by integrating web application into desktop environment.

How to Install Prism
From desktop, go to System->Administration->Synaptic Package Manager, and search prism. Install “prism” package together with its associated web application (called “bundles”)

Installing Mozilla Prism

Facebook and Google Groups Integrated inside Applications Menu

Installing Mozilla Prism