Hands on: Canonical aims for the cloud with new Ubuntu One

Canonical, the company behind the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, is preparing to launch a new Web service called Ubuntu One, which will bring cloud synchronization and collaboration features to the Linux desktop. The service is under heavy development, but it is expected to be ready for widespread use when Ubuntu 9.10, codenamed Karmic Koala, is released in October.

Canonical began inviting Ubuntu community members to participate in a closed beta test on Monday. Ars took it for a spin to see how it performs, also speaking with Canonical engineer Elliot Murphy and product manager Matt Griffin, who described the technology behind Ubuntu One and provided some insight into Canonical’s future plans for the service.