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Already redundant. We're way past these.

Are these netbooks or gimped laptops? Cheap, or useless, or both?

Hey Google, instead of wasting time with pointless betas of old and tired ideas, how about releasing a tablet that doesn't suck?
 
So what happens if you try to use one of these when you're not connected to the internet? It just sits there waiting for a connection?

I signed up for the Google Cr-48 pilot program for one of these. A couple of months later, it was delivered to my front door. It boots in less than ten seconds, with its SSD. It runs very fast, has a camera, an eight-hour battery, and, when you're not in a WiFi zone, you can use the 3G that comes with it for two years for internet access everywhere, all for $0.00.

It's great for web browsing, e-mail, Google Docs, etc. But I got bored with it after one day.
 
I'd disagree with them getting Android right - along with the note that much of their inspiration, I'm sure, came from Apple.

I'll give them Google Maps - they've done that well, Gmail not so much.

My biggest gripe with them though is the sheer amount of personal data they use to their advantage, along with the way they muscle in and control search results to their own competitive advantage.

I think you'll find that, given enough time, all OS' look and feel somewhat similar, in different ways. Yes, I'm sure a lot came from Apple, but there are other outside influences in the world - Apple doesn't own rights to human ingenuity and design, as much as they try and tell us they do.

Android is amazing, but I'd be naive to expect an Apple-based forum to agree totally.
 
I can see this taking over enterprise if Google plays it right. IT departments love computers that they can completely control and have always tried to use thin clients (e.g. the whole thin Java client craze). This looks better than the previous options.
I'm not sure if any corporation would want proprietary information located on Google's servers. Sounds like a recipe for disaster for most companies.
 
I've been a linux guy for 13 years and I will be the first one to say that linux is not a consumer friendly OS - it will never be a mainstream desktop contender.

I have tried Linux for several years too, and finally in 2007 I went for MAC OS X, which in reality is Unix/Linux/BSD in the core.

My father has been using Ubuntu for over a year now as his desktop O.S.
Previously he had Vista, but it crashed and he was never able to reinstall from the Dell Restore CDs (kept getting an unusual error), so I suggested him to try Linux. He has struggled, but also learned a lot about it. Reinstalled it about 5 times already, specially after the latest version came out last week, and his system got very messed up (some kind of bug experienced by a lot of other users). He is running Windows XP inside VirtualBox for some specific programs he must run. The rest is all Linux.

I'll buy him an iMac as soon as I have some extra money, but in the meantime, Linux keeps him busy and entertained too.
 
I'm not sure if any corporation would want proprietary information located on Google's servers. Sounds like a recipe for disaster for most companies.

Nail. On. Head

The same thing is happening with Google Analytics - companies are starting to see that Google knowing what converts for you puts you at a disadvantage.
 
Haven't read any other replies yet, but...

I need a computer that can do real word processing without the half-hearted attempt at it known as Google Docs. I imagine a lot of students feel the same way.

I've used Google Docs, and I see the appeal, but it's simply a horrible experience for the user. Pages and MS Word are much more effective.

I imagine that someone has already said this, but just buy a low end netbook and you'll be better off. Faster boot? Who cares when your functionality is limited to whatever is on the internet (a lot, but not a lot of quality)?

So, all things considered, I don't believe an internet-based OS will take off, but people thought the same thoughts regarding the iPad.

Time will tell.:rolleyes:
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Not interested in putting everything on the cloud. Give me a decent laptop any day.
 
Agreed, as long as you restrict "design" to mean "boring, minimalist late 20th century design".

another one of your moronic taunts. as opposed to what boring? as opposed to the other manufactures making strides in style so that apple is boring and minimalist but they rest are effing milan, italy of style...
 
Actually, if the price comes down, it could server as a great Thin Client station. All it needs is a RDP, Citrix, VNC and why not, LogMeIn client.
At $200 a piece, I'll take a dozen.
 
Do you really think Apple has enough money to buy Google? And even if they did, do you really think they should?

While Apple doesn't have the cash on hand to buy 100% of Google, they certainly have enough cash to buy a majority share.
 
Actually, if the price comes down, it could server as a great Thin Client station. All it needs is a RDP, Citrix, VNC and why not, LogMeIn client.
At $200 a piece, I'll take a dozen.

There are already Thin Client states available at that price point.
Hell, all you need is some base x86 with a RDP, Citirix, VNC linux live CD and you are good to go.
 
Already redundant. We're way past these.

Are these netbooks or gimped laptops? Cheap, or useless, or both?

Hey Google, instead of wasting time with pointless betas of old and tired ideas, how about releasing a tablet that doesn't suck?
For once I agree with you.
This is possibly one of Google's dumbest ideas to date.
 
Excuse me, but I thought Mac OS was the first to claim this:

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One day, long after Apple and Microsoft have priced themselves out of the market, and Canonical have alienated all their users, by not being able to make up their minds what to ruin with their next distro, Linux will still be there, forgivingly helping you all wipe the egg from your faces.

Bottom line? Use whatever the f### you want, and 5TFU trying to "convince" others your way is best. Mac IS NOT best. Windows IS NOT best. Ubuntu IS NOT best. Use what you need - I use all three, and stop showing off about your Mac/Windows 7/Ubuntu as if YOU invented it/them - you're just the end users - you didn't invent them, and anyone can walk out and pay through the nose for an over-priced Mac, and then catch the long-term fanboy virus; it doesn't make you clever to own a Mac (you may be, though - unrelated).

Meh. Use what you like :)
 
While Apple doesn't have the cash on hand to buy 100% of Google, they certainly have enough cash to buy a majority share.

Based on Google's market cap today, and not assuming any sort of premium involved, Apple has enough cash on hand to buy roughly 18% of the company. Not really a majority.

I suppose they could liquidate further investments but even then I don't think they'd come close to approaching 50%.

I see people suggest Apple buy nearly any company that's mentioned in any thread and I just think not everyone realizes that as large as Apple has become, it's still very difficult (impossible?) for them to pull off some of the takeovers posters suggest.
 
I loved my CR48, but my hacking ruined it. Beforehand, however, I told myself I would buy one to support Google. Plus I like that little Acer netbook!
 
Is this post a joke?

No, it wasn't meant to be. I couldn't find anything about offline access other than another poster who says he read that "it's coming in a future update". So if the whole OS is based on a browser, what happens when there is no internet connection? When I fire up Safari on my Mac with no internet, it does nothing. So it's a serious question. What can I do on a "web connected notebook" when I'm not actually web connected?

As for those of you who say "I'm never in a position where I'm not connected", well good for you, this is clearly where this device is targeted. But in my area, where 3G is spotty, and public WiFi hotspots are NOT ubiquitous, there are indeed times when my iPhone, iPad or MacBook Pro have to be used offline because there's simply no connection.

when you're not in a WiFi zone, you can use the 3G that comes with it for two years for internet access everywhere, all for $0.00.

Where "everywhere" is defined as "everywhere with 3G service" which is NOT "everywhere" (certainly not in Canada, anyway). Again, my question was, what happens if you don't get 3G or choose not to subscribe to 3G services.

there IS offline use, several apps such as gmail will continue to work offline and will update (or send messages) as soon as they get internet. and why would they have the 16 GB hard drive if there wasnt anything to do offline?

Thanks, that's a promising answer to my question.
 
I'm not sure what's more amusing. People saying Apple should buy every other company ever or people saying this is an illegal OS.
 
No, it wasn't meant to be. I couldn't find anything about offline access other than another poster who says he read that "it's coming in a future update". So if the whole OS is based on a browser, what happens when there is no internet connection? When I fire up Safari on my Mac with no internet, it does nothing. So it's a serious question. What can I do on a "web connected notebook" when I'm not actually web connected?

As for those of you who say "I'm never in a position where I'm not connected", well good for you, this is clearly where this device is targeted. But in my area, where 3G is spotty, and public WiFi hotspots are NOT ubiquitous, there are indeed times when my iPhone, iPad or MacBook Pro have to be used offline because there's simply no connection.



Where "everywhere" is defined as "everywhere with 3G service" which is NOT "everywhere" (certainly not in Canada, anyway). Again, my question was, what happens if you don't get 3G or choose not to subscribe to 3G services.



Thanks, that's a promising answer to my question.

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-20062001-12.html
Offline stuff. Read it!
 
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