During the GSMA Mobile World Conference in Barcelona this week, Canonical is working behind the scenes - evangelizing Ubuntu-based Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) to new and existing customers. The big question: Will Canonical line up more Ubuntu MID partners, or will MIDs (highly mobile WiFi devices) remain overshadowed by the netbook craze?

Sorry if I’m the only person who’s confused about Canonical’s mobile Linux strategy. The company has at least two Ubuntu software projects — one for Netbooks, the other for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) — that sound strikingly similar. So what’s the difference between Ubuntu for Netbooks and Ubuntu for MIDs? Canonical gave me some answers during OSCON 2008.

I applaud Canonical for pushing Ubuntu beyond the desktop — up onto servers, and down onto mobile devices. But I’m starting to wonder: Can Ubuntu really gain traction on Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs)? Or put more bluntly: Does the world really need another mobile device operating system?

Mobile Internet devices (MIDs) have been the focus of much work and talk from chip giant Intel, which says its Atom processor will fit nicely into these smaller devices. In a recent interview with the AP, Intel chief Paul Otellini says MIDs favor Linux.

Internet TV (ITV) service provider Move Networks announced an ITV media player optimized for mobile Internet devices (MIDs) based on the Intel Atom and the Linux-based Moblin stack. The Move Media Player for MIDs will deliver video from partners like ABC, Fox, and ESPN.

Somewhere between the smart phone and netbook markets, Canonical hopes to stir demand for Ubuntu on so-called Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). Sharp seems to share that vision and is launching the PC-Z1 Mobile Internet Tool running Ubuntu 9.04. Here are some quick details.

Remember before netbooks arrived when everyone thought MIDs would take over the world? MIDs are mobile Internet devices. They are supposed to be small computers you can carry around in your pocket, but they never really took off. Ubuntu MID edition might be able to bring them back, though.

Orb Networks has joined a growing list of video broadcast service providers supporting Intel-based mobile Internet devices (MIDs). The Orb "MyCast" software and service lets users stream PC-based multimedia over local or wide-area networks to a variety of mobile devices, including Atom-based MIDs, Orb says.

FST announced a software development kit (SDK) for its lightweight graphics stack optimized for mobile Internet devices (MIDs). The FancyPants SDK for MIDs combines an API for the lightweight GUI with an embedded runtime, and is designed to work with the Linux-based Moblin stack.