HyperSpace (software)
Encyclopedia
Hyperspace is an instant-on Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

-based operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

 that has been developed by Phoenix Technologies
Phoenix Technologies
Phoenix Technologies Ltd designs, develops and supports core system software for personal computers and other computing devices. Phoenix's products — commonly referred to as BIOS or firmware — support and enable the compatibility, connectivity, security and management of the various components and...

. It is an application environment that can run either independently or side-by-side with a traditional operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

 such as Red Hat
Red Hat
Red Hat, Inc. is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide....

 Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

. Users are able to boot their personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...

s in seconds and immediately browse the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

 and perform other Web-based activities. HyperSpace's connectivity features automatically jump on the best network and are said to be automatically configured. Phoenix executives say this allows mobile PCs to work more like smartphones.

In January 2009 Asus
ASUS
ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated is a multinational computer technology and consumer electronics product manufacturer headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Its product range includes motherboards, desktops, laptops, monitors, tablet PCs, servers and mobile phones...

 announced HyperSpace would be incorporated into its next-generation notebooks. Hyperspace was re-launched at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...

. The company later announced that HyperSpace has been optimized for the Cortex-A8 ARM processor architecture
ARM architecture
ARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...

.

In June of 2010, it was announced that HP
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...

 has arranged to purchase Hyperspace from Phoenix Technologies
Phoenix Technologies
Phoenix Technologies Ltd designs, develops and supports core system software for personal computers and other computing devices. Phoenix's products — commonly referred to as BIOS or firmware — support and enable the compatibility, connectivity, security and management of the various components and...

http://investor.phoenix.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=478233.

Overview

HyperSpace includes instant-on/instant-off
Instant-off
Instant-off is a feature found in modern laptops, predominantly included in premium, high-end models only. Instant-off enables users of such devices to immediately power down their hardware without enduring the long and often arduous waiting process typically associated with laptops that are not...

 access to applications, a power savings management system, and a secure environment less prone to virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...

es, malware
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming that is designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, or gain unauthorized access to system resources, or that otherwise exhibits abusive behavior...

 and other external attacks that generally target Windows. Users still have access to their most-used applications, such as a Web browser and e-mail, even when Windows or another OS is booting
Booting
In computing, booting is a process that begins when a user turns on a computer system and prepares the computer to perform its normal operations. On modern computers, this typically involves loading and starting an operating system. The boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the...

, shutting down, on standby
Standby
Standby may refer to:*Standby , a list in which passengers may request to be placed on to request an earlier or more convenient flight....

, or has crashed. It can also be used to avoid the security problems associated with using the Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

 operating system, or for troubleshooting Windows.

HyperSpace can also extend a notebook battery life
Battery life
Battery life can refer to*How long a mobile device can work on a single charge of a rechargeable battery.*Battery lifetime degrading of battery quality over time....

 by 25 %. Potential applications for HyperSpace include Web browsers, instant-on multimedia players, IP soft phones, e-mail, instant messaging, VoIP, remote system maintenance, repair, and embedded security. The operating system will be read-only memory
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...

-based and as such may only apply to motherboards which have this operating system embedded.

It runs on top of the HyperCore hypervisor.

Hybrid versus Dual

HyperSpace Hybrid allows a platform to run multiple operating systems (OS) and applications as independent, side-by-side environments. This means one computer system can concurrently run both a Windows environment as well as a HyperSpace environment. Users have the ability to switch between the two environments in real time with one simple push of the 'F4' key.

HyperSpace Hybrid runs on PCs with Intel Vanderpool Technology (VT). For those without this technology, HyperSpace Dual allows the HyperSpace environment to coexist with another operating system, but the two may not run concurrently.
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