Editing Instant-on

{{Essay|date=July 2009}}

In [[computing]], '''instant-on''' is the ability to [[Booting|boot]] nearly instantly, allowing to go online or to use a specific application without waiting for a PC's traditional [[operating system]] to launch. Instant-on technology is today mostly used on laptops, [[netbook]]s, and [[nettop]]s because the user can boot up one program, instead of waiting for the PC's operating system to boot. This allows a user to launch a single program, such as a movie-playing program or a [[web browser]], without the need of the whole operating system. There still remain a few true instant-on machines such as the [[Atari ST]], as described in the [[Booting]] article. These machines had complete [[Operating Systems]] resident in [[Read-only memory|ROM]] similar to the way in which the [[BIOS]] function is conventionally provided on current computer architectures. The "instant-on" concept as used here results from loading an OS, such as a legacy system DOS, with a small hard drive footprint. Latency inherent to mechanical drive performance can also be eliminated by using [[Live USB]] or [[Live SD]] flash memory to load systems at electronic speeds which are orders of magnitude faster.{{citation needed|date=December 2011}}

==List of systems==
*Acer InstaBoot Netbook (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*Acer RevoBoot Nettop  (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*[[Asus]] Express Gate motherboards, notebooks, Eee Box (nettop), and EeePCs  (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*Ubuntu Light {{citation needed|date=August 2024}}
*Dell [[Latitude ON]], Latitude On Reader (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]]), Latitude On Flash (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*[[ChromeOS|Google ChromeOS]]<ref name="blogspot">{{cite web|url=http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html|title=Official Blog: Introducing the Google Chrome OS|publisher=googleblog.blogspot.com|accessdate=2014-02-11}}</ref>
*HP QuickWeb Probook notebook (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*HP Instant On Solution Voodoo & Envy notebook (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*HP Instant Web netbook (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*[[Lenovo]] QuickStart (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*LG SmartOn (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*[[Mandriva]] InstantOn<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.mandriva.com/instanton/ |title=InstantOn|website=www2.mandriva.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630062204/http://www2.mandriva.com/instanton/ |archive-date=June 30, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[Micro-Star International|MSI]] Winki<ref name="msi">{{cite web|url=http://micro.msi.com/mc2/features_winki3.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110308194731/http://micro.msi.com/mc2/features_winki3.php |archive-date=2011-03-08 |url-status=dead |title=MSI Military Class II Concept |accessdate=2014-02-11 }}</ref>
*[[Palm, Inc.|Palm]] Foleo
*Phoenix [[HyperSpace (software)|HyperSpace]]<ref name="hyperspace">{{cite web|url=http://www.hyperspace.com|title=HP® Official Site &#124; Laptop Computers, Desktops, Printers, Servers, Services and more|publisher=hyperspace.com|accessdate=2014-02-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701125813/http://www.hyperspace.com/|archive-date=2010-07-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[Sony]] Quick Web Access (based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]])
*Splashtop Inc. [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]]<ref name="splashtop">{{cite web|url=http://www.splashtop.com/|title=Splashtop the Top-rated Remote Desktop & App Access Solution for Mobile|publisher=splashtop.com|accessdate=2014-02-11}}</ref>
*[[Xandros]] Presto<ref name="prestomypc">{{cite web|url=http://www.prestomypc.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302162952/http://www.prestomypc.com// |archive-date=2009-03-02 |url-status=dead |title=Why Wait - Get Presto|accessdate=2014-02-11}}</ref>

==Timeline==
*In October 2007, [[ASUS]] introduced an instant-on capability branded "Express Gate" on select motherboards, using DeviceVM's [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] software and dedicated flash memory.
*In May 2008, [[Asus]] shipping "Express Gate" based on Splashtop to its notebooks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=23 |title= Splashtop comes to ASUS Notebooks - Splashtop Instant-On Desktop from DeviceVM|website=www.splashtop.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022051940/http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=23 |archive-date=October 22, 2008}}</ref>
*In July 2008, [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] started shipping [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] on its Voodoo notebooks, calling it "Instant On Solution (IOS)."
*In October 2008, [[Lenovo]] started shipping [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] on its [[netbooks]], calling it "QuickStart."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=23 |title=splashtop.com |date=February 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230011715/http://splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=23 |archivedate=December 30, 2010 }}</ref>
*[[Dell Computer Corporation]] announced on 13 August 2008 that they would support "instant on" in their Latitude line of laptops, leveraging "a dedicated low-voltage sub-processor and OS that can enable multi-day battery life and which provides "near-instant access to e-mail, calendar, attachments, contacts and the Web without booting into the system’s main operating system (OS)...<ref>{{cite news | first=Mike | last=Elgin | title=Dell targets 19-hour laptop at 'digital nomads' | date=August 15, 2008 | publisher=Computer World | url=http://blogs.computerworld.com/dell_targets_19_hour_laptop_at_digital_nomads | access-date=August 15, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820020822/http://blogs.computerworld.com/dell_targets_19_hour_laptop_at_digital_nomads | archive-date=August 20, 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref>"  This OS will be running a [[Linux]] variant.<ref>{{cite news | first=Adrian | last=Kingsley-Hughes | title=Are "instant on" notebooks the future? | date=August 13, 2008 | publisher=ZDNet | url=http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2400 | access-date=August 15, 2008 | archive-date=October 14, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014193500/http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2400 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
*In January 2009, [[LG]] started shipping [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] on its netbooks, calling it "Smart On."
*In June 2009, [[Acer Inc.|Acer]] started using [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] on its [[netbook]], calling it "RevoBoot."
*In June 2009, [[Sony]] started installing an instant-on browser-only version of [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] software on its Vaio NW laptops.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=39 |title= Splashtop Adopted by Sony Notebook PCS - Splashtop Instant-On Desktop from DeviceVM|website=www.splashtop.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925104043/http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=39 |archive-date=September 25, 2009}}</ref>
*In September 2009, [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] announced<ref name="hp">{{cite web|url=http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2009/090915xb.html|title=Filter News Results &#124; HP Newsroom Filter News Results|publisher=hp.com|accessdate=2014-02-11}}</ref> that it will ship a number of [[netbooks]] and commercial notebooks with a "Quick Web" instant-on feature, which also utilizes [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] software.
*In September 2009, [[Asus]] shipped EeePC [[netbooks]] with "Express Gate," based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]].
*In October 2009, [[Samsung]] partnered with [[Phoenix Technologies]] to offer instant-on notebooks and netbooks.<ref name="phoenix">{{cite web|url=http://investor.phoenix.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=417063 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026015649/http://investor.phoenix.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=417063 |archive-date=2009-10-26 |url-status=dead |title=Phoenix Technologies Ltd - Press Releases |accessdate=2014-02-11 }}</ref>
*In November 2009, [[Dell]] shipped Latitude commercial notebooks, with Latitude On Reader and Latitude On Flash features, based on [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=44 |title= DeviceVM Introduces Splashtop for Business; Instant-On Platform Offers Fast, Secure Access to Cloud Computing - Splashtop Instant-On Desktop from DeviceVM|website=www.splashtop.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010050319/http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=44 |archive-date=October 10, 2009}}</ref>
*In November 2009, Google open source ChromeOS alpha.<ref name="blogspot2">{{cite web|url=http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/releasing-chromium-os-open-source.html|title=Official Blog: Releasing the Chromium OS open source project|publisher=googleblog.blogspot.com|accessdate=2014-02-11}}</ref>
*In November 2009, [[Acer Inc.|Acer]] shipped [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] on its Aspire One [[netbooks]], called "InstaBoot."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=40 |title= Splashtop Instant-on Platform Kick-Starts the Internet on the Newest Line of Nettop Computers from Acer - Splashtop Instant-On Desktop from DeviceVM|website=www.splashtop.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221033758/http://www.splashtop.com/press_releases_detail.php?Id=40 |archive-date=December 21, 2009}}</ref>
*In December 2009, Mandriva published an Environment called "Mandriva InstantOn"
*By end of 2009, [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] has shipped on over 30&nbsp;million PCs.
*In early 2010, Canonical, the sponsors for the Ubuntu Operating System, will have an instant-on proposition released to market. Information may be released at the CES show in Las Vegas, January 2010.
*In June 2010, [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] buys Phoenix's [[HyperSpace (software)|HyperSpace]].<ref name="phoenix2">{{cite web|url=http://investor.phoenix.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=479903 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628211304/http://investor.phoenix.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=479903 |archive-date=2010-06-28 |url-status=dead |title=Phoenix Technologies Ltd - Press Releases |accessdate=2014-02-11 }}</ref>
*In 2010, DeviceVM projected [[Splashtop OS|Splashtop]] will ship on over 100&nbsp;million PCs.
*In October 2010, Apple introduced the new MacBook Air as a next generation notebook that will use flash memory technology that enables the ability of instant-on.
*In February 2011, Splashtop OS released as a free download.

==Pros and cons==
An instant-on operating system is like those used by 1980s home computers such as the [[Commodore 64]]. This offers many advantages over a standard modern operating system:
* faster booting;
* less vulnerable to [[malware]] as the system is mostly read-only;
* allows for diskless computers;
* lighter;
* lower power consumption.

However, this comes at the price of having limited local functionality, while focusing on web / cloud services. {{Citation needed|date=February 2012}}

==Consumer electronics==
In the past, consumer electronics manufacturers would emblazon radios and television sets with "Instant On" or "Instant Play" decals. In series filament sets, instant-on was accomplished by adding only a [[silicon diode]] across the power switch to keep tube filaments lit at 50% power; the diode was placed such that the typical half wave [[rectifier]] of the day was [[reverse-biased]]. Instant-on advantages included near-instant operation of the television or radio and potentially longer vacuum tube life; disadvantages included energy consumption and risk of fire. Most [[Solid state (electronics)|solid state]] consumer electronics are inherently instant-on, so the moniker survived into the early solid state era to differentiate a product from its vacuum-tube based brethren (with [[Cathode-ray tube|CRT]]s being a notable exception).

== See also ==
* [[Just enough operating system]]
* [[Features new to Windows Vista#Windows HotStart|Windows Hotstart]]
* [[InstantGo]]
* [[Fast startup]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

;General
{{refbegin}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080820020822/http://blogs.computerworld.com/dell_targets_19_hour_laptop_at_digital_nomads Dell targets 19-hour laptop at 'digital nomads']
*[http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2400 Are “instant on” notebooks the future?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014193500/http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2400 |date=2008-10-14 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[http://www.splashtop.com DeviceVM Splashtop instant-on software]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100701125813/http://www.hyperspace.com/ HyperSpace instant-on operating environment software]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090112233224/http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/01/12/Instanton_PCs_set_to_take_off_with_netbooks_1.html Instant-on PCs set to take off with netbooks]
*[http://www.tomsguide.com/us/preboot-quickstart-hyperspace,review-1244.html Are Quick-Start Systems Worth It?: Don't Wait For Windows]
{{Firmware and booting}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Instant On}}
[[Category:Booting]]
[[Category:Laptops]]
[[Category:Mini PC]]
[[Category:BIOS]]