When I asked readers to submit their wishes for Linux, one reader gave the following as one of their wishes:

“2) For the ultra cheap computer market to explode. Products like the Eee being copied by just about every major manufacturer. And all coming with a slightly custom, or even better, a standard version of some Linux distro.”

I think this reader’s wish might come true. E-Lead has announced that they will be releasing their own ultra mobile PC, according to Pocketables. The device will be at CES and available later this year.

So what makes the E-Lead device different from the Eee PC and other UMPCs? First, the design. The E-Lead UMPC has an unusual two-part split keyboard (image) and the UMPC is designed so that it can be folded into various shapes, so the E-Lead UMPC can be used as a photo frame or to watch movies while frying an egg or whatever you want to do. (This appears to be similar to the way some tablet/laptop combos work now, although there is no evidence that the E-Lead UMPC is a tablet.) One of the main complaints about the Eee PC is the small keyboard. Although the keyboard on the E-Lead UMPC can’t be much larger, splitting the keyboard into two parts with some space in between might help make typing much easier, once you get used to the unusual design. The laptop also features some kind of input device called Noahpad. I don’t what it does, though.

The second difference between the E-Lead UMPC and the Eee PC is that the E-Lead runns Ubuntu 7.10. Due to the lack of details, this could be a small under-the-hood difference or a huge difference. While the Eee technically runs Xandros Linux, the interface is nothing like what a full Linux system normally look like. If, however, Ubuntu 7.10 really means the full install of Ubuntu 7.10 and the E-Lead UMPC becomes popular, many people would be familiar not just with the name Linux, but also with how to use a full Linux system, such as the ones Dell sells.

Everex will be launching the next version of the gOS, called gOS 2.0 or Rocket, at CES, according to Phoronix. Later, in Febuary, Everex will introduce new products with gOS 2.0 as their OS.

The new version will incorporate Google Gears, a technology to improve integration of Google applications with desktop applications, integration with Box.net, an online storage service, and an SDK to enable easy development of applications for gOS.

Although new features are great, based on a review by PC Magazine, it appears that whatever bug fixes gOS 2.0 brings may be even more important. This review, which gave the gPC a 1 1/2 out of 5, complained a lot about various bugs in the software, which could be fixed in this new version.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the pre-CES Everex news, though, is a hint at new hardware. Here is a quote from the Phoronix article:

“In February, Everex will be launching their low-cost CloudBook, gPC, gPC mini, and gBook with gOS 2.0.”

We know what the gPC is, we know what the CloudBook is, but we don’t know what the gPC mini or gBook is. Of course, there could be a lot more mystery around them. Based on Apple’s product line and common sense, I think it is fair to say that the gBook is a laptop and gPC mini is a small desktop. The interesting part is the gBook, though. If the CloudBook is a UMPC, it would make sense if the gBook was a larger, more standard laptop.

Right now, it is hard to tell if Everex has anything incredible in the works, but they are certainly a company worth watching.