Red Hat has released the latest version of its Fedora open-source operating system, adding video, virtualisation and networking support.

Fedora 12, codenamed Constantine, contains a new package for video output called Theora 1.1, along with better virtual disk performance and storage discovery.

An updated NetworkManager, meanwhile, allows easier network configuration, mobile access and IPv6 support, the firm said.

"Fedora always looks to include the latest cutting-edge features in its distribution, and we believe that Fedora 12 stays true to this pattern, packing a lot of punch across its feature set," said Paul Frields, Fedora project leader at Red Hat.

"Our community of global contributors continues to expand, with about 25 per cent growth in Fedora Accounts since the release of Fedora 11. We've also seen more than 2.3 million installations of Fedora 11 thus far, which is a 20 per cent increase over the previous release."

Other changes include a new messaging client called Empathy that integrates chat, video and audio, and interoperates with AIM, Yahoo, Google Talk, Jabber, Live (MSN) and MySpace.

Red Hat has also built in better support for netbooks and tablets using a touch interface, as well as an improved Bluetooth kernel.