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Chromebook

google.com

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Re: Chromebook

#221

Post by glhaynes »

cookiecaper wrote: post #211
glhaynes wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not like video editing apps are going to go away. If "limited" computers become the norm, they'll start to support video editing because users want that functionality.

It's mostly a matter of not being able to correctly assume in all cases that a person is not going to need video editing, because a Chromebook is the first serious recent computer that won't allow a user to install a video editor. I'm helping an old lady in my neighborhood edit movies of her kindegarten class in iMovie, and I'd bet that most people would have said "oh, she doesn't need to edit videos", but one of her…

Very true that this first generation (and a few after) may be lacking. I was thinking in terms of the first poster whose lament about "the future of computing" I read to mean the long-term future.

Re: Chromebook

#222

Post by kenjackson »

ctdonath wrote: post #220
kenjackson wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At $20/month it's pretty much disposable. How much more "free" do you want? In college I only bought ramen... on sale. I had a schedule for when all the clubs at the school had free dinners. I was mad when the taco stand increased their bean burrito price from 89 cents to 94 cents. In college, I'd consider it a fair deal if you paid me to use the computer, and I'd put a Google sticker on the back of it. Although it d…

It's less than a buck a day. Should be able to find 20 empty cans and recycle them daily, if not actually do something profitable with the device at the rate of $1/day.

I can feed a starving child in Africa for that. That's kind of messed up that you'd rather rent the Chromebook than help starving kids in Africa. What happened to "Don't be evil"?

Re: Chromebook

#223

Post by seabee »

aj700 wrote: post #152
far33d wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I too thought this would be a kindle or ipad-like device that browsed the web for cheap. I was excited. Then I saw it was a crappy netbook and was disappointed. The form-factor makes a big difference for me, since I already need a full-featured laptop for my work.

1280x800 12.1" display. Netbooks are smaller than that. It doesn't need a bigger screen because it doesn't need more horiz pixels. Most web pages fit into 1280 minus the scrollbar.

The biggest issue I find with netbooks is vertical, not horizontal resolution. 800px high is not too shabby.

Re: Chromebook

#224

Post by jasongullickson »

siglesias wrote: post #141
runjake wrote: post #123

- browses web? check. - runs the latest fad games, like Angry Birds (and more soon thanks to WebGL)? check. - can connect digital camera and upload photos? check. - can browse facebook, twitter, youtube, gmail, hotmail, etc? check - can play flash games & netflix, hulu, & other crap? check. This will satisfy the needs of all my immediate non-techy family members. And I won't get the monthly calls about malware anymor…

I personally find the Angry Birds-Facebook-Netflix picture of the future of computing extremely depressing. Where's Google's suite of content creation apps that "non-techy" people can explore to express their creativity?

That's what this (http://www.geekosystem.com/raspberry-pi-25-dollar-pc/) is for, remember?

If mom & pop can do their Facebook and email on the Chromebook the kid can hack away on one of these for the price of a movie and a slushy...

Re: Chromebook

#225

Post by evan_ »

runjake wrote: post #123

- browses web? check. - runs the latest fad games, like Angry Birds (and more soon thanks to WebGL)? check. - can connect digital camera and upload photos? check. - can browse facebook, twitter, youtube, gmail, hotmail, etc? check - can play flash games & netflix, hulu, & other crap? check. This will satisfy the needs of all my immediate non-techy family members. And I won't get the monthly calls about malware anymor…

Don't worry, they already have iPads.

Re: Chromebook

#226

Post by ellyagg »

So, you can get a full featured eeepc for the same price as a chromebook, but google expects people to pay just as must because (I guess?) it's so simple to use and doesn't have viruses? I don't think that's how normal people buy things. People don't want simple for simple's sake. They want good design. People do want features. They do want power. They will not choose a less powerful solution because of vague imputed simplicity. As far as I can tell, the only simplicity benefits a chromebook has to offer is by providing strictly less features.

The ipad, although superficially similar to a chromebook in some senses, is a completely different product. Its design, both software and hardware, is utterly and completely unlike chromebook. You won't get far extrapolating ipad's success to chromebook.

Microsoft would not be able to sell a version of Word without print capabilities, even though it would be slightly simpler. No one would buy it obviously. I think a lot of technically oriented people have the wrong idea about what constitutes a valuable trade-off between simplicity and power in a product. Like I mentioned, people want well-designed.

Chromebook is an uncanny valley netbook, and it will be a disappointment. Unless I'm wrong. :)

PS - Another thing technically literate folks overestimate due to tribulations of the past is the extent to which viruses continue to be a nuisance.

Re: Chromebook

#227

Post by [deleted] »

georgieporgie wrote: post #137
watty wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I kinda thought the same way before I received a pilot CR48. This machine is perfect for couch surfing and emailing. It's super light, doesn't get hot, instant on, and I rarely plug in the charger. It fails miserably when I want to do any development though.

It fails miserably when I want to do any development though. Can you expand on this? I've read that they're 'great' for portable web development, for some value of 'great'.

[deleted]

Re: Chromebook

#228

Post by kiba »

ippisl wrote: post #213
kiba wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People created too much stuff for us to enjoy anyway. All the books in the world on average probably got read several times, but all human beings never hope to read all the books.

I sure like the huge variety that blogs offer, don't you ?

Which is why we don't need to keep encouraging people to create content. Rather, we need better way to find great content to enjoy.

Re: Chromebook

#229

Post by javanix »

aj700 wrote: post #186
javanix wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there an official build planned though? Or is Google only planning on supporting "official" hardware?

ChromeOS (not "buildable", pre-shipped) I assume, ONLY on Chromebook and official google devices ChromiumOS, (build or download built) on anything it runs on You can't build the browser Chrome yourself, because that is Google's trademark. But you can build Chromium. There is little difference between ChromeOS and ChromiumOS, so it doesn't matter. What's wrong with something built outside google? Chromium will have al…

I'm not making any value judgements here - I am just wondering whether or not there will be any official way to download an ISO (in the manner of Ubuntu, for insance) of Chrome/Chromium OS and run it on arbitrary hardware.

I guess the question really comes down to whether or not Google is planning significant work on the hardware hooks into the OS - will it be possible for manufacturers to write ChromeOS drivers for their devices, or will Google develop that on their own?

Re: Chromebook

#230

Post by slowpoison »

siglesias wrote: post #141
runjake wrote: post #123

- browses web? check. - runs the latest fad games, like Angry Birds (and more soon thanks to WebGL)? check. - can connect digital camera and upload photos? check. - can browse facebook, twitter, youtube, gmail, hotmail, etc? check - can play flash games & netflix, hulu, & other crap? check. This will satisfy the needs of all my immediate non-techy family members. And I won't get the monthly calls about malware anymor…

I personally find the Angry Birds-Facebook-Netflix picture of the future of computing extremely depressing. Where's Google's suite of content creation apps that "non-techy" people can explore to express their creativity?

Chromebook will sport offline versions of Google Docs, GMail and GCal.
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