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$149 Chromebooks

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Re: $149 Chromebooks

#231

Post by amyjess »

Sargos wrote: post #213
ntakasaki wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's sad to see folks celebrating computing devices that are more extremely locked down than even the iDevices. A Windows PC/laptop is much more open than a Chromebook. Can Mozilla even make a Firefox browser for ChromeOS? Only Google can make system and native apps, unlike the iDevices where you can access most of the native functionality even if you have to go through Apple's approval and you're not forced to uploa…

You can't release Firefox for an iDevice either as Apple does not allow native code that you need for Gecko so they are about equal in ability to run system apps front. Chromebooks also run Android apps so in the near future there will be a lot more flexibility in what kinds of either web apps or Android apps you can develop. Firefox already runs on Android and presumably will be available for Chrome OS within this y…

Apple allows native code. What they don't allow is the use of any other rendering engine besides WebKit.

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#232

Post by yohui »

ntakasaki wrote: post #218
malkia wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is crouton. Just github it.

Just because you can replace an OS does not mean it's open. It's about the ecosystem too. How much percentage of Chromebooks could be running Crouton or Linux? I wager less than 2%.

And how many Windows users installed Linux? If it's easier to run Linux or use Crouton on a Chromebook, then that's an argument against the view that they're less open than Windows or iOS.

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#233

Post by Tloewald »

mark_l_watson wrote: post #127
dpcan wrote: post #6

Where is the $149 Windows-Based laptop with SSD, 2-4GB RAM, and moderate graphics, that can run your usual Office to Minecraft software? The Chromebook-killer from Microsoft should be here, but all I hear about are the Surfaces. Honestly, the only reason my kids don't have Chromebooks is because they don't easily run Minecraft or downloadable games. Sure they can do their school work on them, but they also like to pl…

Earlier this year I bought an HP Stream 11" laptop directly from Microsoft for $199 (no crapware if you buy a Windows machine directly from Microsoft). The build quality is good, and with a cheap 32gig extra flash memory card it is fine for web browsing and some light weight development (I use IntelliJ). This laptop came with about $140 of free software and services coupons - perhaps if those were not included, Micro…

I doubt you're paying for the "free" software -- it's all loss-leaders. If anything it may be reducing the cost of the device.

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#234

Post by yohui »

ntakasaki wrote: post #228
haberman wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Can Mozilla even make a Firefox browser for ChromeOS? Can Google even make a Chrome browser for FirefoxOS? All of the PR surrounding the creation of FirefoxOS lauded how it was completely open because it was built on standards like HTML/CSS/JavaScript. But when Google does the same thing, it is an example of "locking everything down while still calling itself open." Mozilla has been arguing for years that compile-t…

Folks aren't talking about FirefoxOS replacing laptops or desktops though, unlike Chromebooks, if you follow this thread. Nor does Mozilla do a lot of cloud business nor is it in the business of tracking users for advertizing purposes. The PC software ecosystem has been open historically, even with Windows and OS X, and now there's talk of it being replaced by a completely closed alternative

> Nor does Mozilla do a lot of cloud business nor is it in the business of tracking users for advertizing purposes.

What does that have to do with how open the devices are?

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#235

Post by haberman »

ntakasaki wrote: post #228
haberman wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Can Mozilla even make a Firefox browser for ChromeOS? Can Google even make a Chrome browser for FirefoxOS? All of the PR surrounding the creation of FirefoxOS lauded how it was completely open because it was built on standards like HTML/CSS/JavaScript. But when Google does the same thing, it is an example of "locking everything down while still calling itself open." Mozilla has been arguing for years that compile-t…

Folks aren't talking about FirefoxOS replacing laptops or desktops though, unlike Chromebooks, if you follow this thread. Nor does Mozilla do a lot of cloud business nor is it in the business of tracking users for advertizing purposes. The PC software ecosystem has been open historically, even with Windows and OS X, and now there's talk of it being replaced by a completely closed alternative

> now there's talk of it being replaced by a completely closed alternative

If Mozilla and Google both do X, but Mozilla's actions are judged as "open" while Google's are judged as "completely closed," then the words open and closed are losing their meaning.

How does Google's other business activities affect whether, in principle, an HTML/JavaScript-based OS is "open" or "closed"?

Yes, it's true that OS platforms are moving towards sandboxing their apps more and more. This is mainly being driven by market forces, because more sandboxed platforms offer important features:

    - more resistant to malware

    - more secure (one stupid little app can't steal/delete all your data)
But no one is taking away your Windows or OS X boxes. If people keep wanting them, manufacturers will keep making them.

And while mainstream consumer devices are moving towards being more sandboxed, the ability to tinker is being addressed in other ways, like Raspberry Pi, which are very cool in their own way.

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#236

Post by kidlogic »

dpcan wrote: post #6

Where is the $149 Windows-Based laptop with SSD, 2-4GB RAM, and moderate graphics, that can run your usual Office to Minecraft software? The Chromebook-killer from Microsoft should be here, but all I hear about are the Surfaces. Honestly, the only reason my kids don't have Chromebooks is because they don't easily run Minecraft or downloadable games. Sure they can do their school work on them, but they also like to pl…

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&e...

Codestarter's Ubuntu Package comes with Minecraft and other programming/educational resources.

I am running an Acer 720 with 4gb of Ram and 128gb SSD - best laptop I've ever owned.

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#237

Post by have_humility »

fsiefken wrote: post #65
dpcan wrote: post #6

Where is the $149 Windows-Based laptop with SSD, 2-4GB RAM, and moderate graphics, that can run your usual Office to Minecraft software? The Chromebook-killer from Microsoft should be here, but all I hear about are the Surfaces. Honestly, the only reason my kids don't have Chromebooks is because they don't easily run Minecraft or downloadable games. Sure they can do their school work on them, but they also like to pl…

put linux on the chromebook and you can run libreoffice, gnumeric and minecraft

Have you done this? If so, what JRE are you using for Minecraft? I know that trying to run Android Studio with the OpenJDK JRE on hardware with a similar clock speed, is pret-ty slow even when that hardware is x86. I can't imagine what it would be like on ARM.

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#238

Post by fudged71 »

jdietrich wrote: post #94

This is a colossal, market-moving play from Google. Look at the brand names. TRUE, XOLO, Nexian. Recognise them? Consumers in Thailand, India and Indonesia do - they are local smartphone brands. Look at the promo video. Notice how many Asian faces there are? This isn't about cheap Chromebooks, it's about a major strategic effort to court the global middle class. As with the Android One initiative, Google are seeking…

I want to agree, but then I remember that emerging markets are skipping a generation of technology towards cellular phones. In a few ways a laptop is a step back in terms of connectivity and utility right?

I'm just curious... will the laptop be their first device or their second?

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#239

Post by jhall1468 »

ntakasaki wrote: post #206
Mikeb85 wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do realise that Asus, Lenovo, HP, etc... sell Chromebooks, right? Google sells very few branded as a 'Google' product. The numbers are out there, but Google isn't releasing numbers because they're a tiny vendor.

You mean Google does not know exactly how many Chromebooks are being sold by Asus, Lenovo, HP, etc?

No. Why would they? You think Asus, Lenovo and HP are giving sales data to Google?

Re: $149 Chromebooks

#240

Post by Mikeb85 »

ntakasaki wrote: post #206
Mikeb85 wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do realise that Asus, Lenovo, HP, etc... sell Chromebooks, right? Google sells very few branded as a 'Google' product. The numbers are out there, but Google isn't releasing numbers because they're a tiny vendor.

You mean Google does not know exactly how many Chromebooks are being sold by Asus, Lenovo, HP, etc?

They probably do, but all those are public companies. They all report sales a certain way. Google isn't going to mess with reporting sales that other companies are making. That's irresponsible.
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