New Instant On OSes Emerge: Xandros’ Presto and MSI’s Winki

Some may be calling the Instant On operating system on their netbooks useless but that doesn’t mean the trend is going to come to a close. Today we have heard news of two new Instant On environments launching: Xandros’ Presto and MSI’s Winki.

Open source Xandros’ Presto will offer a Linux pre-boot enviornment. According to the newly-launched site, Presto will “boot your computer in seconds — like magic.” Thus the Presto! Presto will allow you to get to your e-mail, chat programs, and Skype before Windows XP or Vista boots.  From the screenshots, the interface looks pretty basic with a toolbar with your basic Web applications on the left hand side.  No word yet on which notebook manufacters will use Presto for their pre-boot envirornment.

The beta of Presto will be available on March 16. Sign up here to be alerted to when its available for download.

MSI also sees the benefit of putting a pre-boot envirornment on its computers, or at least just desktops for now. According to its press release,  Winki is a ”internet interactive device without an operating system.”  Perhaps MSI meant without a Microsoft operating system, because the small device boots into a basic interface that contains a Firefox browser, Skype and Pidgin client.

Fighting all Linux sterotypes, MSI states that “all installations and settings have been simplified and made more straightforward.” Engadget caught a glimpse of the device which seems to, at this point connect, to  the motherboard or an onboard USB Pin-header. We have reached out to MSI to get comment if this Captain Winki “non-OS” may come to its laptops or netbooks.