2. WebOS

Packed with perhaps as much potential as Android is 's recent decision to use WebOS on pretty much all its desktops and laptops, not to mention tablets and phones as well. WebOS is, of course, a Linux-based operating system originally developed by Palm. With HP's new strategy, Linux will land on the desktops, laps and hands of countless more consumers as well, giving it another huge boost toward mainstream ubiquity.

3. Niche PCs

Even aside from all the many consumer PCs already running Linux, we're also starting to see the operating system powering niche PCs as well. Take the recently debuted , for instance. Targeting senior citizens, the machine uses Linux to make computing stress-free for senior citizens. "KiWi PC is powered by an Ubuntu operating system, which generates visible and easy navigation from startup to shutdown," as the device's Web site explains. "The Ubuntu operating system creates a user-friendly desktop, allowing senior citizens to have immediate access to their email and the Internet hassle-free." So much for the myth that .

4. Set-top boxes