Many users on the MyDellMini forum have installed using Mechdrew’s NetbookCD and related guides. At the moment, NetbookCD [...]]]> In a recent post Meklort stated that he will focus on simplifying the installation experience even more for the 0.8.4 release. his main goal is to make NetbookBootMaker supported on multiple platforms (or a version of it for each).

Many users on the MyDellMini forum have installed using Mechdrew’s NetbookCD and related guides. At the moment, NetbookCD can patch an OS X install DVD at runtime by using a special kext and a console version of NetbookBootMaker. This will be incorporated into both NetbookInstaller as well as NetbookBootMaker.

The following changes are planned (some already completed or in progress):

• NetbookBootMaker is in the process of being rewritten. It will no longer patch the installation dvd, instead NetbookBootMaker will install a postboot ramdisk (as with NetbookCD) that will patch the dvd (or usb drive) at runtime. This means that tiger will be a supported host OS.
• NetbookBootMaker will be ported to Windows (using Cocotron). NetbookBootMaker will be able to at least create both usb devices used for the two usb install method, although I'm also planning on getting it working with just one usb drive.
• Look into creating an app for Linux, however creating the usb drives can easily be done already.
• NetbookInstaller will automatically be run after a system update. A modified chameleon will run NetbookInstaller (via a ramdisk) if it detects the /System/Library/Extensions.mkext is newer than /Extra/Extensions.mkext. This should only happen if the user installs an OS update, or installs a kext to /S/L/E.
• NetbookInstaller and NetbookBootMaker will support 64bit targets. The main reason for the 64bit support is for the new Atom cpus from Intel, as well as netbooks with the Atom 330 cpu.

In other words 0.8.4 will focus on unifying the various installation methods so that a common code base can be used, as well as to simplify the amount of work a user needs to do to install OS X.

Since 10.5 is no longer in development, NetbookInstaller will no longer support Leopard. You can use an older version, such as 0.8.3. This is being done to simplify application as well as to reduce the download size.

via NetbookInstaller Plans (Specifically 0.8.4) « Meklort’s Blog.

This release is essentially 0.8.3 RC5, plus a couple of minor tweaks. Those changes include

For those [...]]]> A solution was quickly found on how to make 10.6.2 work on the Atom based netbook… simply use the 10.6.1 kernel instead of the 10.6.2.  This is certainly a step back from a proper upgrade but it is better than no upgrade at all.  Here is a copy of the instructions as written by Meklort:

For those of you who have already updated, and don’t have a working system do the following
1) Boot from the medium you used to install the os.
2) Open up a terminal
3) Run the following commands

cp /Volumes/InternalDrive/mach_kernel /Volumes/InternalDrive/mach_kernel_10_6_2
cp /mach_kernel /Volumes/InternalDrive/

For those of you who have yet to update, you can do the following
1) Open up a terminal.
2) run the following command (con’t close the window after)

sudo cp /mach_kernel /mach_kernel_10_6_1

3) Install the 10.6.2 update, but don’t restart yet
4) Run the following commands

sudo cp /mach_kernel /mach_kernel_10_6_2
sudo cp /mach_kernel_10_6_1 /mach_kernel

5) reboot.

If you rebooted before you replaced the new kernel, you can type “mach_kernel_10_6_1″ at the bootloader (no quotes), and it’ll use the kernel you backed up.

Finally, run NetbookInstaller 0.8.3 RC3 from a normal boot, not safe mode (bug, doesn’t generate the mkexts correctly) so that you use the new extensions / GMA950 drivers / etc.

The country’s two largest incumbent telecom companies, under pressure to re-ignite growth as new wireless competitors begin operations this year, are banking [...]]]> BCE Inc.’s BCE-T26.300.250.96% Bell Canada and Telus Corp. T-T33.96-0.12-0.35% will begin selling the iPhone next month, breaking the stranglehold on the iconic device that rival Rogers Communications Inc. has held for more than a year.

The country’s two largest incumbent telecom companies, under pressure to re-ignite growth as new wireless competitors begin operations this year, are banking on Apple Inc.’s ground-breaking smart phone to help them sign up bigger-spending customers and shift the balance of power in Canada’s mobile market.

Bell announced Monday that it will launch national service in November on the $1-billion next-generation wireless network it has been building with Telus, months ahead of schedule. The project extends the two companies’ existing third-generation 3G networks to include the same technology standard employed by Rogers, the nation’s largest cellphone company.

Until now, Rogers has enjoyed a Canadian monopoly on that standard – and with it, one of the hottest products of the mobile age.

The iPhone has helped drive Rogers’ wireless growth through the recession by 7 per cent this year. Rogers has said its iPhone customers spend 11/2 times more than its average wireless subscriber.

via Bell, Telus to launch iPhone next month – The Globe and Mail.