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Chromebook

google.com

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Re: Chromebook

#231

Post by Jun8 »

abronte wrote: post #165
Jun8 wrote: post #159

I am frustrated by the fact that I have to buy it in a hardware-packaged form, why can't I just download Chrome OS to an older laptop to experiment (like I do with Linux distros)? I guess at this stage the OS is flimsy enough that they need to control all aspects of hardware. Also, the support & distribution thing from Google doesn't work, we have already seen it with G1. Why do they want to repeat the mistake?

Chrome OS is open source http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os A quick search in google you can find tutorials on how to run it on your own hardware.

Not so easy! Currently most people use a build by Hexxeh, which is a slightly tweaked version of Chrome. Installation is nowhere as easy as, say, Ubuntu. I don't understand why I need to use builds from third parties rather than directly from Google?

Re: Chromebook

#232

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.

Re: Chromebook

#233

Post by [deleted] »

ellyagg wrote: post #226

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…

[deleted]

Re: Chromebook

#234

Post by haberman »

ellyagg wrote: post #226

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…

Features:

    - boots in 8 seconds
    - updates itself without bothering you
    - battery that lasts all day
    - backups taken care of (all data is in the cloud)
    - built-in 3G with 100MB/month included
    - doesn't get viruses

Re: Chromebook

#236

Post by scott_s »

msbarnett wrote: post #215
scott_s wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You skipped right over the fact that you have an iPad. Your iPad can't run WoW, Skype, Office, Visual Studio, Emacs, Vim, etc. And it's crazy popular.

Because, as he mentioned, it has upside. That whole personal touchy-feely interaction thing that seems to sell people on it in stores, the bulklessness of it that lets you use it as an eReader in bed, it's much lighter than these, the battery life is longer, etc. These Chromebooks might share the iPad's limitations, but they don't seem to make up for it with any strengths that you couldn't get out of a regular netboo…

I think their strength is "less fiddly."

Re: Chromebook

#237

Post by ctdonath »

kenjackson wrote: post #222
ctdonath wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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"?

So rather than arguing with me, why don't you sell the computer you're reading this on and send the money to a kid in Africa?

Re: Chromebook

#238

Post by cookiecaper »

spiffworks wrote: post #200
cookiecaper wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can this put music on an MP3 player? Just how is the real filesystem abstracted away in Chrome OS? If you buy music from Amazon MP3, can you run their downloader? (If you buy music from iTunes, I am pretty sure you are SOL already. ;) ) There's a lot of uses that still require a real, local desktop, and I think once you give this to all of your non-techy family members you'll start to run into them. I don't understan…

It's all the other nonsense that comes along with managing a typical PC that's the problem. System update every so often, upgrade the system every six months, driver problem with graphics, an endless stream of support requests. On the Windows side, its even worse. I shudder every time I see my Mom's Windows install after a gap of a few months - only half the screen is visible in Firefox because of all the malicious t…

And for the record, my 87-year-old grandmother has an iPad and I've had to perform maintenance on it (iOS upgrades that Apple emailed her about, and she was flipping out until she got them, and spent several hours trying to download it herself with her copy of iTunes which is apparently somehow borked because it won't let her update) on multiple occasions, and also show her how to do things on it. Upgrades are not automatic on the iPad.

Re: Chromebook

#239

Post by GHFigs »

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…

- can it sync with an iPod or iPhone? Nope.

(The Hacker News-y response is that the i-whatever is terrible and people shouldn't use them, but my point is that a lot of people own them. People who are thinking about recommending Chromebooks to family should keep that in mind.)

Edit: Apparently, the Hacker News-y response is to downvote to oblivion for even mentioning the possibility that people you know might own an extremely popular device. Oh HN, you so silly.

Re: Chromebook

#240

Post by cookiecaper »

markkanof wrote: post #145
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 get your point overall, but to nitpick, can it play Netflix? Netflix uses Silverlight, not Flash.

Netflix's player actually runs fine on Linux and is currently touted as a major feature on many Linux-based devices (like Boxee). Netflix's player does not run on desktop Linux because Microsoft refuses to license the DRM component for desktop Linux use, though embedded Linux appliances are allowed to obtain a license.
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