Download of the day: Fedora 13 released with automatic printing, open 3D drivers Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/06/02/1459993/download-of-the-day-fedora-13.html#ixzz0pvWrFE3u

All platforms: The Fedora Desktop Project rolled out its lucky number 13 release, adding a few nifty features to the Linux system. Plug-and-go printer support, open drivers for Intel, ATI, and NVidia hardware, and a crafty new desktop shell to try out.

The automatic printing and experimental GNOME Shell support are neat in themselves, but what about "open" 3D drivers? If you've ever had to download NVidia's proprietary drivers for a Linux system, you've felt the compromise - your hardware is recognized and utilized, but your operating system doesn't have real control over it. Setting up things like dual monitors is a true headache with proprietary drivers, so the more natively supported video hardware available for Linux, the better its chances at becoming a really usable workspace.

Fedora 13 is a free download (https://fedoraproject.org/en/index), and should work on most Intel and PowerPC-based systems. Read the release notes for an overview of the new stuff.

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Automatically Download the Latest Intel Drivers to Maximize Computer Performance

Drivers are little pieces of software that tell your computer’s operating system (ie: Windows) how to interact with your computer’s hardware (ie: a wireless networking card). Updates to the drivers that your computer uses are often released and generally aim to improve performance. Keeping your drivers up to date is a great way to keep your computer running in tip-top shape, the only issue is that the process can sometimes be complicated.

Luckily, you can automatically check for the latest Intel drivers right from Intel’s support website, and I’m here to show you how to find and install an update.

1. First, we should identify if your computer uses Intel hardware. Intel is the world’s largest semiconductor chip maker, there is a high likelihood that your computer is using some piece of Intel hardware. The easiest way to tell is by looking at the stickers that came on your computer. Look for Intel stickers similar to these:
     

You can also right click on My Computer and choose properties to see what processor your computer has.

1. Once you’ve identified that your computer uses some Intel hardware, go to Intel’s support website.
2. On the “Top Support Resources” banner, find the “Automatically detect and update drivers and software” link.
3. On the next page click the “Check your system for the latest updates” button.
4. You will be prompted to allow the Java application to run, press “run” to allow Intel to scan your computer for drivers that need updating.
5. Next you will see a list of Intel hardware, and if there are new drivers available for download, you’ll find a button that says “download now”.

6. You may be prompted by your browser to download the file, click “accept” or “ok” in order to download it. If you are using Chrome or Firefox, you should be able to launch the download from within your browser, if you are using Internet Explorer, you should have selected a location to save the file when prompted to download it. Navigate to the file and launch it.
7. Follow the install wizard’s prompts and leave the default options unchanged.
8. You may be asked to restart your computer for the changes to take effect (if you have multiple driver updates to install, you can opt to not restart when prompted, and instead install of the updates before doing a restart)

That’s it. You’re drivers are now up to date and your computer should be running at peak performance.

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5 million download Skype 3G app

Skype has said that nearly five million iPhone users have already downloaded the latest version of its new iPhone app that launched last Sunday. 

Skype 2.0 introduced the ability to make Skype-to-Skype calls on the 3G network, rather than having to rely on an internet connection. It’s been a much-requested feature but the company also said it would charge for the feature at the end of 2010.

Speaking to Reuters, Russ Shaw, Skype General Manager for Mobile, said that the firm needs to start charging for the service so that it can ensure that the quality of 3G calls remains high.

Shaw wouldn’t give pricing details but said the service would still be competitive with rival services. 

“We're not going to want to price ourselves out of the market," he said. "I can't ignore the fact that consumers (currently) use us for free."

You can find out more about Skype here.
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