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Google Previews Chrome OS, Scheduled for Release in Late 2010
- Thread starter clevin
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All well and good, until you can't connect to the net. We have a LOOOOOONG way to go until ubiquitous internet arrives. It still goes out on wired and wireless carriers too much. 
There's also always going to be the question "Do you want ALL of your information on the net? Really, all of it?
There's also always going to be the question "Do you want ALL of your information on the net? Really, all of it?
Just what I was thinking. I'm 30,000 feet over whatever on my way to the 'coast. I whip out my netbook to tweak the script I'm going to pitch to the studio in about an hour. The netbook boots up and, a mere seven seconds later I'm ... I'mmm ... I'm wishing to god I brought my MBP instead
!Yeah, and your opinion matters so much more or what?
Chrome OS, we've been there, done that.
This has all been tried before, and nothing they're showing makes it look any different! (Remember the beginings of Java?)
Apple would get the exact same response (minus some idiots) if they tried to pull that ****.
OF COURSE we will see more web-centric computing in the future. But that won't happen in 2010 and that won't happen the way Google depicts it. There's no way local storage will disappear anytime soon. And there's no way everything we'd like to do on a small handheld device can be done inside a browser.
The old rule still applies: If you do a task, use the right tool. Don't try and change a tool that is unsuitable.
Browsers: great for surfing the web and web-centric tasks like email, social networking
Applications: great for doing anything else
There's a reason why we have 100k native Apps for the iPhone and not 100k Appsites instead!
I don't get it. Why dont they just incorporate all of this into chrome? Wouldn't that make it the sweetest browser and they would get people by doing this?
Meh. I like the idea but I think it's a little too early for the general population and the cloud computing concept to work.
I'm sure. Like most readers on here...we'll give it a shot as it really is the future of the OS but..not yet.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Curses?
I'm sure. Like most readers on here...we'll give it a shot as it really is the future of the OS but..not yet.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Curses?
google's going the right direction, but the telecommunications industry keeps this from being realistic in the end. everywhere internet is expensive.
i'd rather google designed their own distro of linux. that would be nice. =] they'd do it with style and aplomb.
i'd rather google designed their own distro of linux. that would be nice. =] they'd do it with style and aplomb.
+1 I keep hoping that people will understand the vast personal and social implications of Google's business model. Do they really think that there's nothing to worry about when a single company has access to your personal files, calendars,email, contacts, browser history, purchase history (online and offline), etc.? One study after another has proven the ease with which supposedly "depersonalized" information can be traced back to its originator. Think it means nothing that Google keeps buying up ad companies that everyone loved to hate? Does anyone ever bother to read the TOUs and privacy terms they're signing up to? Nah, too much fun playing with the "free" toys. I like a lot of the technology Google's developed, but as a company they worry me very, very much. In my view, this new "OS" is simply another way to channel more information into the vast warehouse of things, very personal things, that Google knows about us.
Google can't even get their port of the Chrome browser ready for the Mac and now they're pushing an "OS" based on it?
I think this is a good idea. The problem is - do you need like 3G internet for this OS to be useful? I mean you would want to have the internet anywhere, right? You'd also want to install full fledged programs on these devices. 3G internet is slow as hell.
i thought the video was pretty thoughtful and creative. No idea if this will replace windows/OS X
This definitely has a market... My mother-in-law thinks her computer IS the internet.
But then I look at my computer and see Photoshop, GTA, my gigabytes of media... Web-computing will not be viable for the masses for quite some time.
Until we get there, however, Apple should really consider "cloud-ing" iTunes, and SOON! I should be able to access and play my iTunes purchases (as well as home media) from any authenticated terminal.
-Clive
But then I look at my computer and see Photoshop, GTA, my gigabytes of media... Web-computing will not be viable for the masses for quite some time.
Until we get there, however, Apple should really consider "cloud-ing" iTunes, and SOON! I should be able to access and play my iTunes purchases (as well as home media) from any authenticated terminal.
-Clive
I'm conflicted by the whole Chrome OS thing.
It seems that Android (which is coming to some netbooks) will work perfectly as a light, desktop replacement OS and now we have Chrome OS which is more restricted than Android.
I'll be giving Chrome OS a try (especially if it boots from a thumb drive which I suspect it will) but I can't help but feel that this falls a little short of what even Android is capable of.
It seems that Android (which is coming to some netbooks) will work perfectly as a light, desktop replacement OS and now we have Chrome OS which is more restricted than Android.
I'll be giving Chrome OS a try (especially if it boots from a thumb drive which I suspect it will) but I can't help but feel that this falls a little short of what even Android is capable of.
I'm not sold on this, i like to have my data on my HDD because i don't need the internet to access it.
I was interested at first, but I'll pass.
Having all of my data - ALL OF IT - in the cloud, for Google to do whatever with, or to lose access to if the Internet is down, or I'm somewhere I don't have Internet, is bad.
I don't see cloud storage for everything catching on yet.
Having all of my data - ALL OF IT - in the cloud, for Google to do whatever with, or to lose access to if the Internet is down, or I'm somewhere I don't have Internet, is bad.
I don't see cloud storage for everything catching on yet.
Source? I find this to be nothing more than general paranoia and a bit of anti-corporatism.
Many overlook the business implications of this. Many companies have internal webapps that handle everything. With Chrome OS, a company could move to a hosted email solution (google, or exchange hosted if you hate google) and also an online document service (google apps, or if you hate google office 2010 online, among many others which are free) and then deploy Chrome OS across tiny nettop computers or hand out netbooks and keyboard/monitor/mouse for offices. Imagine how much of a cost savings it would be over a windows environment, and you don't even have to be a linux genious to get the free software to do what you want it to do. They would only be paying for the cheap hardware (that they could have on hand extras) and then paying to run their internal webapps. These webapps would be secure obviously, but with the sandboxing of everything in Chrome OS there would be almost no threat at all of viruses.
Plus, with it being open-source, I'm sure someone could write code to instead have login and sync work with a company's internal LDAP servers instead of Google's if they're afraid of them. Sure, there may be people running quickbooks or something, but for those just doing office work (email, documents, working with the internal webapp) they could easily convert to this at a huge cost savings. No need to worry about backups, run an Ubuntu UEC or a VMWare setup for your own 'cloud' and host your webapp locally, and it'd be a great way to save money. Office 2010 will be free, and there are many web based collaboration tools out there. I'm sure webex could be ported over, plus all these netbooks have cameras in them.
Thin clients are making their way back into the market, and I feel like they have great opportunity to market this as a thin client of sorts.
I'd love to see how this one plays out.
Plus, with it being open-source, I'm sure someone could write code to instead have login and sync work with a company's internal LDAP servers instead of Google's if they're afraid of them. Sure, there may be people running quickbooks or something, but for those just doing office work (email, documents, working with the internal webapp) they could easily convert to this at a huge cost savings. No need to worry about backups, run an Ubuntu UEC or a VMWare setup for your own 'cloud' and host your webapp locally, and it'd be a great way to save money. Office 2010 will be free, and there are many web based collaboration tools out there. I'm sure webex could be ported over, plus all these netbooks have cameras in them.
Thin clients are making their way back into the market, and I feel like they have great opportunity to market this as a thin client of sorts.
I'd love to see how this one plays out.
+1
This is what Apple's tablet has to be to make sense.
It's a whole (absolutely humungous) other market of moms, non computer dudes, and other computer illiterate types of folks we all know.
Just flip it on - boot up in less than 10 seconds, and do the few tricks that most people want to do.
Maybe Apple will revive "CyberDog" - anyone remember that?
How about Apple eWorld?
Mash this together with Newton on steroids, and finally the time is right again for Apple's tablet project.
Chrome could be the OS of choice around the world - I'd say it may very well be the #1 OS in Africa within a few years if things go the way I see it.
I mean, the price of this OS is going to be - FREE - it's from Google!
Dell who is going broke sooner than most realize, should be studying up on making cheap ass tablets that can run Chrome right away.
That PC's for poor kids thing I saw on TV a few years ago - instead of running Linux or Windows like they were planning should be running Chrome or Apple's "Chromey" OS. Fast booting and does a dozen simple network things over wireless - Hey, Google and Apple bought that 700Mhz stuff right? Well maybe they can use it to make their own free wireless network.
Apple could change it all with their tablet - but they are in cahoots with Google anyways most of the time - there is some respect between Google and Apple. Apple knows how this is going to play out probably.
I think this is big news.
Keep in mind - I haven't tried Chrome or anything yet - I am just thinking about the concept they present on the Youtube vid.
This is computing for the masses.
You really have to buy into "the netbook as an appliance not a computer" model. I'm not sure I do yet.
The current netbook market started off dominated by Linux distributions. However, ASUS and others quickly realized that's not what people wanted so they licensed XP from Microsoft.
XP has become the dominate netbook OS. You don't see retailers promoting their netbooks with Linux anymore.
Everyone I know that has a netbook uses it both as an Internet device and regular computer (Office, Picture Gallery, etc). They purchased it simply because it was 1) cheap and 2) compact.
The current netbook market started off dominated by Linux distributions. However, ASUS and others quickly realized that's not what people wanted so they licensed XP from Microsoft.
XP has become the dominate netbook OS. You don't see retailers promoting their netbooks with Linux anymore.
Everyone I know that has a netbook uses it both as an Internet device and regular computer (Office, Picture Gallery, etc). They purchased it simply because it was 1) cheap and 2) compact.
Puts the "NET" in netbook
This is what a netbook should've been from the beginning:
fast boot/startup times
completely solid state
an interface designed for a small screen
easy and quick access to favorite websites and web-based apps
One thing's for sure - next year will bring interesting competition in the $300-$700 price range with a Google-branded netbook, a Windows 7-based netbook/ultra light laptop and the rumored Apple tablet.
And here...we..........go!
This is what a netbook should've been from the beginning:
fast boot/startup times
completely solid state
an interface designed for a small screen
easy and quick access to favorite websites and web-based apps
One thing's for sure - next year will bring interesting competition in the $300-$700 price range with a Google-branded netbook, a Windows 7-based netbook/ultra light laptop and the rumored Apple tablet.
And here...we..........go!
