The Ubuntu-based netbook OS Jolicloud has launched in public beta.

"As of today, you can install Jolicloud Express on most Windows netbooks out there easily by simply downloading the installation file and run it from the machine (when I installed the alpha release, I still needed to download it to a USB key and boot it from on there)," writes TechCrunch's Robin Wauters. "It will keep the Windows partition and data safe, so you can always switch back to Windows if you want."

"Jolicloud is gorgeous: a clean, crisp, stripped-down operating system with an iPhone-like quality," writes Geek.com's John Brownlee. "It’s been specifically designed for netbooks, which means that most of the interface is fullscreen, and features big, punchable program launching buttons and easy-to-install app packages."

"Jolicloud hopes to have [its] first full version out in early 2010," writes Mashable's Christina Warren. "From the looks of things, they are really close to an official release."

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