Now that Windows 7 is out the door, Canonical — the distributor of rival Linux-based operating system Ubuntu — is eager to engage in “real head-to-head competition” with Microsoft, according to Ubuntu founder and CEO Mark Shuttleworth.

Graphic: Diego AguirreOn Thursday, Canonical expects to release Ubuntu 9.10, a major update to a Linux OS available for free download in desktop, netbook, and server versions.

In a conference call with reporters today, Shuttleworth said he is “delighted” that Windows 7 is out now, even though Windows XP is still lurking on netbooks “as a ghost.”

“I’d like to have another shot at the U.S. market. I’m looking forward to that,” the Ubuntu founder said.

Shuttleworth called Windows 7 a “credible release,” but he also maintained that Microsoft’s new OS is “still proprietary and a relatively expensive piece of technology.”

He added that Windows 7 Starter Edition, the version of the new Microsoft OS that runs on netbooks, is both pricey and “restrictive” in terms of what it will allow users to do.

Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix, the latest netbook version of Ubuntu 9.10, will support an expanded number of 25 different netbooks, according to Shuttleworth.

Ubuntu 9.10 was designed to offer a simpler interface, faster boot and log-in times, a better audio framework, and improved 3G connectivity. The desktop and netbook editions will both integrate the Empathy instant messaging (IM) program.

Also in 9.10, Ubuntu One — an umbrella name for a new suite of online services for simplifying back-up, synchronization, and file-sharing — becomes a standard component of the Ubuntu desktop.

Users of Ubuntu One will get 2 GB of cloud-based storage free of charge, and 50 GB for $10 a month.

Although Linux led the way on the earliest crop on netbooks, it later became overshadowed by Windows XP, partly because of limited support on the Linux side for printers and other peripherals.

But Shuttleworth contended today that right now, Ubuntu’s “story is pretty good” for peripheral support, pointing to smartphones as the biggest remaining challenge

Lenovo announced two new additions to the business-oriented ThinkPad family, the 14-inch ThinkPad SL410 and 15.6-inch SL510, both of which come with Windows 7.

These new ThinkPads are designed with small- to-medium businesses in mind and feature higher-resolution webcams, clearer microphones, and a microphone mute button for voice and video conferencing. The higher-end configurations for the SL410 and SL510 feature built-in 3G broadband internet via AT&T mobile broadband, as well.

Both models are available in different configurations that range from $500 to $700, the lower-end model with a 160GB hard disk drive and an Intel Celeron T3000 1.8GHz processor and the higher-end with a 250GB hard disk drive and an Intel Core 2 Duo T5870 2.0GHz processor. All configurations have the same integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD chipset, Dual Layer 8x DVD Recordable optical drive, 4-cell battery, 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, HDMI and VGA output, and multitouch trackpad.

These models also fall under Lenovo’s Windows 7 Enhanced Experience Certification, which is advertised as booting and shutting down up to 56% faster than other laptops on an identical un-optimized configuration. (Haven’t heard of it? Read our news post here.)

The ThinkPad SL410 and 510 are currently available through retail channels (TigerDirect, Amazon.com, and Best Buy, though Best Buy only has the SL410) as well as Lenovo’s website

This week on the PC World Podcast, editors Robert Strohmeyer, Mark Sullivan, Ginny Mies, and Darren Gladstone celebrate our 50th episode with a feisty chat about the Windows 7 launch, Verizon Droid, the new dual-OS Acer netbook, and net neutrality.

Download the podcast here.

First up, Windows 7 launched to the world yesterday, and our opinionated editors break down the event, dish on the OSs features, and lampoon Microsoft’s failed attempt to throw a “grass-roots” global launch party. (Seriously, Microsoft, what was this about?)

Ginny Mies gives us a preview of the forthcoming Droid phone from Verizon. Verizon says it iDoes what the iPhone can’t. We can’t wait to check it out, but in the meantime we do have some details.

Darren Gladstone offers a first look at the new Acer Aspire One D250 netbook, which runs both Windows XP and Android. Do these two great tastes taste great together? Listen in for Darren’s first impressions. Plus: Is the world ready for a 3D laptop?

Finally, Mark Sullivan walks us through the controversy over the FCC’s long-awaited net neutrality rules and follows the money for an insight into opponent John McCain’s motives.

Have an e-mail account? Drop us a line! You can reach us at podcast@pcworld.com and review our podcast on iTunes. Subscribe to the weekly PC World Podcast on iTunes or via the PC World RSS feed

I’m all for technology advancements–a new OS, a slicker smartphone, Tang, whatever. Now Acer’s making an odd-but-interesting bet with its new Aspire 5738DG laptop: a 3D display. Yep, the future is now–watch out for flying DeLoreans!

Before I crack any more jokes, let me explain what goes into Acer’s 3D technology. Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America, took a few minutes to break it down for me. Forget fancy proprietary names (TriDef 3D screen!), what’s at work here are polarized plastic shades, a 60-Hz polarized display, and software working in tandem to trick the image into seeming three-dimensional.

With 3D movies (like, say, Monsters vs. Aliens), it works. It also does the best it can to represent 2D images in 3D. I haven’t had a chance to test it just yet, but the spokespeople say I need to check out The Lord of the Rings–and I will soon, since I expect to see a review unit any day now.

3D: Must-Have Tech, or Gimmick?
Obviously, the big deal here is what this could mean to gamers. I should know; I’m a card-carrying member. The video game crowd’s been chasing that 3D dragon for ages, with some of the best results coming from real-time strategy titles like Command & Conquer 3. Most recently, Resident Evil 5 is a great example of what 3D can do to make the action jump off the screen.

Or maybe Excel spreadsheets will come alive as you get lost in cells–exciting, I know.

Is 3D too much of a niche gimmick? I’m inclined to think so. 3D seems to be the new rationale to sell movie theater tickets, special-edition Blu-ray discs, and apparently PC hardware.

Even Acer’s Sawall seems to agree: “My gut is that [touch-screen technology] has more traction than 3D. Honestly, I’m not sure if there’s a home for 3D in mobile.”

Still, Sawall says the Aspire 5738DG’s been better received by retailers than expected.

Decent Specs for a Good Price
The Aspire 5738DG, available later this week with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition, packs decent hardware for the $780 asking price: an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6600, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 GPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB 5400-rpm hard drive. Stay tuned and I’ll give you the skinny on how well this machine works when I get my hands on it.

What are your thoughts? Substance, style–or something in-between? Hit the Comment box below or send e-mail to PC World with “ATTN: Laptops (3D? I can barely handle two dimensions)” in the subject line.

Need even more nerdity? Follow PC World Senior Writer Darren Gladstone on Twitter (gizmogladstone) for oddball links, 140-character game reviews, and whatever else comes to mind

Apple on Tuesday announced an updated version of its low-end MacBook laptop, which will be available immediately. The new model, while still clad in white polycarbonate, now features the same unibody construction and bright LED-backlit screens as Apple’s other laptops, as well as the same glass multi-touch trackpad found in the MacBook Pro line.

The new 13.3-inch MacBook bears the same $999 price as the old model, but is powered by a 2.26GHz processor. It also features 2GB of 1066MHz RAM, a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics chip, and a 250GB hard drive.

This new MacBook has a familiar look, but it’s thinner, with curved edges. Like Apple’s other MacBooks, it’s got a self-contained, non-swappable battery. As a result, the bottom of the laptop has no feet–instead, the entire bottom surface is rubberized, save for eight screws.

The previous MacBook model was a holdover from the previous generation of MacBooks, and became the only MacBook when the aluminum-clad models became MacBook Pros in June 2009. It was available in a single $999 configuration, powered by a 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo processor, with 2GB of 800MHz RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The white MacBook has featured Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics since January

This week on the PC World Podcast, editors Darren Gladstone, Ginny Mies, Tim Moynihan, and Mark Sullivan try to cover as much of the week’s tech news as possible in 24 minutes, 11 seconds.

Download the podcast here. Here’s what’s on tap in this week’s show.

Take a deep breath and don’t panic: Miley Cyrus has stopped using Twitter. To cheer yourself up, take a look at Mark Sullivan’s roundup of the 10 funniest people on Twitter.
The CTIA wireless show just wrapped up in San Diego, and Mark Sullivan and Ginny Mies have filed an audio report directly from the show floor. Learn about the onslaught of Google Android announcements, swanky new phones from Samsung, the very promising Motorola Cliq, and how AT&T is addressing the data requirements of iPhone users–as well as the resulting groundswell of criticism from bloggers and users.
A group of lawmakers is asking the FCC to look into Google Voice’s less-than-reliable service for calls to remote and rural areas. Learn why Google Voice is under fire, and find out who’s complaining and why.
Finally, Sony unveiled some swanky new Windows 7 laptops this week: the very sleek Sony Vaio X and the lower-end Sony Vaio CW. Hear Darren Gladstone’s take on the two new machines.
Have an e-mail account? Drop us a line! You can reach us at podcast@pcworld.com and review our podcast on iTunes. Subscribe to the weekly PC World Podcast on iTunes or via the PC World RSS feed