Google Chrome OS
Overnight, Google announced the latest element of its drive for world domination, a new open source operating system aimed at the netbook market:
Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we’re already talking to partners about the project, and we’ll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.
Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don’t have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.
I have to say that I’ve never totally understood the appeal of the netbook concept. The low cost is nice, but you can’t use it as your main “go to” computer. So if you have to buy another computer anyway, you may as well invest in a decent laptop. It’s not as if my 13 inch MacBook Pro is so crippling heavy I can’t take it around with me. And I get around town by walking/biking—what does America’s car-dependent majority need with an ultra-light computer?
Meanwhile, on substance I gather it’s not really clear how much this differs from just adding a new Linux distribution. At the same time, I think you could imagine the Linux world having much greater mainstream appeal with a strong brand and a deep-pocket company like Google behind it even if on substance Google doesn’t add a great deal. Marketing matters a lot in life.
65 Responses to “Google Chrome OS”
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Matt YglesiasContact Me
Donate
July 8th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
By doing their own thing, Google can probably make Chrome OS (a) a lot less complicated (no need for a lot of the background stuff if all you’re ever doing is operating a web browser and maybe a word processor) and (b) a lot more straightforward/easy to understand. I know Linux has come a long way since the mid-90s when I last made a serious attempt to use it, but there’s still a high geek quotient needed to get it set up. I expect Google wants to make an OS that’s really easy to understand, a la OS X.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Um, but you *can* use a netbook as your main computer. Their processors are powerful enough for most office productivity tasks, they play music/internet video fine and have hard drives much larger than mainstream laptops did even 2 years ago.
Not only that but their processors are much more energy efficient and they accomplish most of the tasks most of us use computers for over the course of the day.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I agree, especially now with the Apple unibody construction and Solid State hard drives making them more stable. (I do not work for Apple) You get full functionality and excellent, effortless wireless connectivity. And if you like the full features of MS Office you have it and if not Neo Office is very good.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Where a lot of other people might use a netbook, I suspect you use your iPhone — it’s portable, it surfs the web, does some email, and you can drop it. A netbook also has a keyboard that lets you send email (and type comments into blogs) with greater ease.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Irony is someone who cares about classism and considers himself a policy wonk saying he doesn’t see the point of netbooks (from $300, and 8″) when you can just carry around a macbook pro (from $1200, and 13″)
July 8th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
A new, intelligent, lightweight web-centric OS, fast booting with a clean interface, strong security and plenty of connectivity options would be a great addition to what’s available, including the current crop of linux distros.
If you don’t “get” netbooks, you probably DON’T need it, but for many of us having a good, useful, highly portable pc to carry when we don’t need the full-power option is a WONDERFUL thing. But having to run Linux or OSX or even Ubuntu on a computer like that is a drag…
mikey
July 8th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Google’s blog post aside, there’s no reason why google’s impending OS (or any “browser-based” OS) should be limited to netbooks.
The appeal of a browser-based OS is that it’s a cheap and easy way to run web-based software (which isn’t to say that you can’t still do stuff offline). Having your files and apps be internet-based has a number of advantages, and being able to access them from a cheap netbook is just one of them.
For some folks (myself included) it’s hard to imagine getting rid of their more powerful “go to” computer anytime soon. None the less, it’s not hard to imagine many peoples computing needs being satisfied by say, a $250 (full-sized) machine that logs onto the internet and gives them access to their personal files/apps/settings. What’s more, the same computing experience would be available at anyone else’s $250 machine.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
You don’t understand the appeal of something small and inexpensive that provides much of the same capability of larger more expensive alternatives? My guess is people will ultimately carry tablets a bit smaller than a netbook and a good ergonomic handset device as their computer/phone stuff, not an iPhone. The best mix of ergonomics is going to carry the day now that these devices are so powerful. iPhone screens are too small to do much work on and if you make them bigger, they suck as phones.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Linux, Windows, and OS X exist to let you run all sorts of programs on the CPU in the box in front of you. As the bolded text above suggests, Google wants most or all of your computing experience to be on the web. This might lead to cheaper computers, facilitate collaboration, decrease privacy, and let Google sell all your documents to the highest bidder.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
@ Jack – except MY explicitly said that he saw netbooks as being second computers by definition, so he didn’t understand why someone would go that route instead of getting a moderately priced notebook to begin with (instead of the netbook *and* another computer). He only raised his MBP as an example of weight, not what others should buy. There are plenty of other non-netbook laptops out there consumers could choose from.
What this post tells us is that MY isn’t the core audience for netbooks, not that he’s out of touch with the common man.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
How do people use those things without their backs going all hunched and crooked?
July 8th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Why a netbook?
I’ve had a full-sized laptop (after 4.5 years, it’s getting a bit unreliable, though), and on most airplanes, I could barely open it – and definitely couldn’t open it to a 90-degree angle. And while I could carry it in my briefcase or knapsack, it limited how much else I could carry, given its size and weight.
The netbook is a hell of a lot easier to travel with. I’d prefer a full-sized laptop if I’m going to go somewhere for several days, and have to do substantial work on the laptop while I’m there. But for email, checking the Web, and light-duty word processing, the netbook more than suffices, and is a hell of a lot easier to tote around.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Linux is, at heart, a server OS. You have to change it to make it usable as a desktop OS.
I’ve got no use for either a netbook or a laptop, but my wife uses a netbook when she travels, and $300 is a real good price point for that kind of computer. The keyboard is usable and the screen isn’t too cropped. If Google is planning on undercutting MS on the OS tariff, that price will go down.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I also think netbooks with an Intel Atom chip consume a lot less power than notebooks. Less power consumption is good for teh Earth, no?
July 8th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I just don’t understand the appeal of web-based apps. Yeah, they’re probably quicker and don’t use up hard drive space, but in my experience they have far less options and you’re limited by internet capability. For example, if I want to make some spreadsheets on a flight, I’ll have to pay for the airline’s wireless (if they even have it).
July 8th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Since I had some problems with my full-sized HP laptop in January, I’ve been using an MSI netbook, which I bought for around $300. I’ve been able to function as a college student and currently use it as a research intern in DC. It is much easier to travel with, though I did buy a keyboard and mouse to use at the office.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Meanwhile, on substance I gather it’s not really clear how much this differs from just adding a new Linux distribution.
A Linux distribution is only as good as the implementer. If the windowing system Google is cooking up for this works well, it could carve out a nice niche for itself, especially if hardware compatability isn’t an issue. There is a sizable market out there for a minimalist, cheap portable computer without the security headaches. It’s supposed to run on ARM architecture which is another bonus. Windows can’t. Not having seen any real specifics yet, this could be a pretty big deal.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
As the bolded text above suggests, Google wants most or all of your computing experience to be on the web.
Exactly. The thin client / network computer might finally become a reality, and the cloud will nom nom nom all your data.
But carry-on requirements these days are sufficiently tight that road and air warriors may like the chance to replace their laptop bag with something small and light. I had a hand-me-down Toshiba Portège some years back that was, frankly, a very lovely thing — back when Japanese import subnotebooks were $3000. So I can definitely see the benefits.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Don’t hate on my netbook.
I drink your milkshake.
Actually, Matt pegged me good. I have both a netbook and crappy 13 inch laptop that is on its last legs. I couldn’t afford a new laptop at the moment, but the $275 netbook is lighter, faster on the web, AND it didn’t come preloaded with Windows Vista. I love my little Asus.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
This Google product a whole lot like what Palm just released as WebOS for the Palm Pre…. both are based on Linux, with the UI provided by a WebKit-based browser.
There must be something in the air.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
The key here is “start up and get you onto the web in just seconds.” Ubuntu is, oh, maybe twice or three times as fast as Windows for most tasks, and other distros may be faster, but “just seconds” is lightning fast.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I’m not impressed. It won’t have enough functionality to be a primary computer and it won’t offer much over using an iPhone for portability. They’re getting squeezed at both ends right out of the gate.
I see the market sticking with 13-17″ laptops (progressively ligher and thinner over time) for power and reasonable portability, and more people adding smartphones for their always-on ultraportable device. Netbooks are only here until the technology and market conditions carry those two trends far enough along, which I doubt will be more than a couple of years.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Not sure the netbook part is so salient, nor is the Linux part. I think this might be the first credible attempt at transcending hardware and offering a truly portable, consistent workspace that’ll follow you no matter where you log in from.
Imagine, if you will, having the Chrome OS booted from a flash drive you carry around on your keychain. You get to a computer, plug in the drive, reboot (or perhaps just open a window that goes fullscreen), and you’re back exactly where you left off, all your preferences downloaded from “the cloud”. You’re more than likely using Google Apps, but any internet application can run on this OS, leaving Google protected from the antitrust complaints that are sure to surface. When you’re done, you end your session, which remembers how you left everything, and go about your merry way.
This has been talked about for ages (look up “thin computing”), but it’s never been pulled off successfully. If there’s a company that can do it, however, it’s probably Google. I’m cautiously optimistic.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
When I use my 17 inch laptop to surf the net at the breakfast table my wife thinks I am blocking her out with the screen. With my netbook I can read in peace with an occasional uh-ha.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
For the joyless dweebery that most people, net-based professionals or otherwise, require of their computer (read: no heavy gaming, no graphic design, no multimedia editing), a netbook is more than sufficient. Word processing, web browsing, and video and audio playback can be accomplished with literally no compromises from the inflated Apple models that can cost four to five times as much. The screen and keyboard size pose minor obstacles to some, but as a 6′6″ netbook user with big hands and bad eyes, I have no difficulties. My EEE PC 900HA, hardly on the cutting edge anymore, even runs World of Warcraft satisfactorily, at comparable framerates to my friend’s $1500 Macbook. I can also fit mine in my coat pocket, since it has about the same form factor as a medium hardcover novel. And this for a little over $300.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Netbooks fit in a purse. Laptops do not. I only carry a laptop if I know I’m going to need it. You can carry a netbook on spec.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Start from this observation: computers are complex. Owning a computer today requires you to have the skills to install software, configure it (setting up email, etc.), and maintain it (for example, clean the HDD out if it runs out of space). Many people – probably most people – don’t have these skills, though they usually have someone who does it for them (be it friend, IT dept, etc.). In addition, there’s always the danger of “catching” malware, adware, viruses, etc. from all sorts of sources.
So what’s the answer? Simplify. Throw away the whole complex system and just reduce it to a web browser. Run all your applications from the cloud. Keep all your data in the cloud. Don’t worry about software installation. Or software updates. Or managing the local disk. Or viruses and malware (assuming they get the security model right). In short, move all the complexity to the server-side, and make the client dirt simple.
I think you’re getting hung up on calling this new thing a “computer”. It’s not really a computer anymore at this point. It’s an appliance – like your Kindle. It ’s simple, designed for a single purpose, does what it’s supposed to do – and anyone can use one.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
The Cloud. The Price.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I think focusing on netbooks part of the post is missing the point. The point is that the OS will run on the web through the browser. Let’s be honest, most people use computers to view and send email, browse websites, do some word processing or spreadsheet like actions, and that’s pretty much it.
Sure some folks are heavy into software development, or gaming, or the multi-media side of things, editing movies or music and whatnot. They have a legitimate need for the heavy lifting that can’t be done online (yet), so they’ll keep their desktop or laptop around for just those things.
But for all those everyday activities that 90% people limit their computer use to, an online-browser-based OS is ideal. Imagine everything you work with being online and available to you from the nearest computer/device with a browser. No need to get a big harddrive or worry about your system crashing and taking your important docs with it, because they’re online, and presumably backed up regularly. The applications are online as well, so need to install or upgrade software on your local system.
The one legit concern is privacy and security….which is a big one, and one which Google will have to convince us it can handle….and that may be a tough sell.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
A couple of points:
a. A google OS will be fast and efficient – it will “just work”.
b. Cost – as well as being a low cost, might well be FREE – just look at what Sprint is coming out with – a free netbook.
I can definitely see that a FREE netbook, with a very fast startup time, that is free, and has EVDO access, from anywhere in the world (that you pay for of course), is a very very good value proposition.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
I just bought a netbook and it is great. I don’t want to spend $500+ most of which I don’t need (either memory or all the programs). Sure I wouldn’t necessarily write a book using it but to just surf the net, work up a few documents and the like it is great. It is also lighter and smaller so I can travel with it on vacation something that I wouldn’t do with a laptop because it is heavier and bigger.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I used to carry around a laptop at work where I manage IT. Just to test wireless and take a few notes. Now I use an iPod Touch. testing wireless, checking email etc. And I’ve never owned a cell phone. Can’t get anything done if the phones ringing. I’d like a portable device just a bit bigger for my aging eyes. My sources say that’s Apple next big thing. All I’ll need is a little bigger pocket.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
> Um, but you *can* use a netbook as your main computer.
> Their processors are powerful enough for most office
> productivity tasks, they play music/internet video fine and
> have hard drives much larger than mainstream laptops did even
> 2 years ago.
Let me guess: you’re either (1) under 40 or (2) a member, along with Chuck Yeager, of that 0.0000001% minority of the human race whose eyesight did not start deteriorating drastically at 40.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I have no idea why, in a country where the average individual income is 22k a year, 100-300 dollar netbook would sell so well. That doesn’t increase much for your average clerk or office worker, either.
For a whole lot of people the idea that they ‘may as well’ spend an extra 500-900 dollars would be considered a joke.
I’m sure he’s clueless why Wii is outselling X-Box and PS3, either.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
well, depends what you’re looking to do. now that Google Docs exists, if all you do is word processing, budgeting, and surf the web, you don’t need a big bulky hard drive anymore. at all. you can do photo editing on the web now, and all kinds of other stuff.
in fact the only people who really need ‘big’ older style computers are people doing film, video & music editing, or digital animation. why pay for what you don’t need?
July 8th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Well, netbooks are great for academics. The size difference for a 13 inch Macbook may not seem like a big deal, but when your bag is crammed with books, 60 essays to grade and a portable projector for your non-teched-out classroom, a cheap powerpoint machine the size of a trade paperback makes a lot of sense.
It’s also good for a kid’s first computer–when you don’t want to have your 13 year old hauling around a $1500 laptop. I’m about to ship out to teach at a high school debate camp, and am praying that my students will be packing computers as it makes life much easier. My EeePC will be making the trip as well.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I’m sure OpenOffice.org will run on Chrome OS for you if you want keep your documents out of the cloud.
I heart my 4 year old 12″ powerbook, which is still going strong. Small enough to go anywhere, and powerful enough to use as a primary computer (additional monitor needed though). I wish Apple didn’t drop the 12″ when they switched to Intel.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I own a netbook. It does everything my larger, more powerful notebook does, but is more portable and has a battery that lasts twice as long and a hard drive thats twice as big. Heck, I wrote a good chunk of my doctoral dissertation on it.
Most computers, these days, are much more than adequate for 99% of the things that we do with computers. The arms race in computer technology is over: we don’t need the fastest processors anymore. Most of us would forgo 10-20% of the power for shedding half (or more) of the weight and a doubling of the battery life.
If you can operate a cell phone, you should have no trouble operating a device with buttons 4 times the size and a screen 20 times the size. My (older) netbook has a 10″ screen with a 90%-size keyboard. It took a morning to get used to the keyboard, but, now, the keys on my 14″ notebook feel too far apart.
While 10″ is standard, you can also get 7″, 8″, 9″ and 12″ netbooks (same guts, different chassis). If a 12″ screen is too hard for you to read, you might have difficulty with a notebook of any size.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Can’t wait for the first, “Hi, I’m a Mac & I’m a PC & I am Google Chrome OS” ad.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
[...] Yglesias isn’t totally impressed with Google’s new plans for the Chrome Operating System. I have to say that I’ve never [...]
July 8th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
The Chrome OS is unlikely to run X Windows, which means it will be incompatible with any other GUI linux app. Apps will have to be rejiggered quite a bit to work with Chrome, which is a big obstacle. So: open office isn’t likely (certainly not with official support), especially if Chrome avoids Java, as the resulting Oracle/Google spat will prevent the work getting done.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
People keep saying that a Netbook can’t be a primary PC, could someone please explain exactly why you believe this is the case? Sure there’s plenty of people who need to use applications that won’t run effectively on a Netbook, but I don’t see why that’s everyone. Accessing the internet, writing documents, and storing information strike me as the only computing functions that all users want, if it can do those then I imagine there’s a subgroup of people where a Netbook would be a perfectly adequate primary computer.
July 8th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
That’s a reason why you might want to get an external monitor (and probably keyboard and mouse) for home, not a reason to by a whole new computer.
Here’s a 22″ monitor (significantly larger than any notebook screen) for $140. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254035
July 8th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I have to say that I’ve never totally understood the appeal of the netbook concept. The low cost is nice…
It’s not just “nice,” Matthew — for some folks it’s the difference between owning and not owning a computer. For other folks, it’ not a matter of not being able to afford a larger/more powerful computer as such, rather it’s the fact that upgrading frequently becomes cheaper when you’re only shelling out 400 bucks at a time. If I drop $1,600 on an Apple, I might thing twice about ditching it after eighteen months. What netbooks are all about (I don’t own one but I must say I’m intrigued) for me is fully leveraging the commoditization of computing.
July 8th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Matt, what are netbooks for? Think Kindle but with a real OS and browser. You are on the train you have a touchable device you can browse reading material, in web, ereader or pdf format. You have a keyboard and a pointing device. Growth the ipod several inches and make the focus more on the written word. And then wire it to the net. Google is the only one that can do this precisely because they won’t bundle more than what is useful.
July 8th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Why do I like my netbook? I have a big desktop with a giant screen (really needed for my digital photography addiction) and big disks and all that. I live at home, I don’t travel all the time, I don’t really need a portable computer and I do need the giant screen. So, do I get a cheap, very portable, 6-hour-battery netbook (with linux pre-installed, just like I’m used to using at home) or spend more on a bigger, heavier, shorter battery life computer that probably has windows (ick) on it or spend much for for a Mac (better than windows, what with BSD unix inside)? Remember, this is mostly a toy. The important stuff is done on the real computer at home. So…. Easy choice.
July 8th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
W7 works great on my NC10.
Ubuntu NR does not.
July 8th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
As blankblankblank said, X Windows has allowed a lot of heavyweight software that was written for Sun, AIX, DEC, HP, or whatever to be ported relatively quickly to Linux. For example, Xilinx’s development tools, Mentor’s portfolio, Matlab, Mathematica, and others depend on it.
And you need hefty tools like those and hefty machines if you’re going to design a netbook.
July 8th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
If Google executes well with the “it should simply work” plan, they’ll get my vote. Sick. Of. Computer. Glitches.
July 8th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
So there’s a reason why one person maybe can’t use a netbook as a primary computer. I think the other 99% of the country who use computers for web surfing, emailing, word-processing and movie-watching will get along just fine.
July 8th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
For you its a toy. For most people it should be able to duplicate a desktop or notebook for the web surfing, emailing, word-processing and movie-watching that most of us use our computer for.
July 8th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I’m 57, with deteriorating eyesight and huge hands. My Asus 1000 became my prime computer within a week of buying it.
I plug it into my 1680×1050 monitor and use a macally usb keyboard and mouse when at home.
My desktop went into a closet and is used only as backup and to rip music (I bought it a fancy audio card to rip vinyl).
There’s no lack of cpu or memory. Limited screen real-estate when used by itself, and no CD / DVD drive. 3.5 lbs and almost totally silent.
It can be your prime machine and anyone saying otherwise just doesn’t want to admit they wasted their money.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Netbooks are also nice if you (like me) enjoy having a desktop computer. I just got a new desktop for home ~$500 and a netbook for ~$350, the combined sum was less than a macbook and I have something to carry around and something more powerful for when I need it. If I were only going to buy 1 laptop then it would not be a netbook, but as it stands it was a perfect solution for me. As it turns out it can run most of the things I need it too, I ended up using it for work for quite some time when my computer there died and there wasn’t any budgeting for a new computer for me.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
If Google Chrome OS comes with a local word processor, spreadsheet that is a radically improved version of Google docs, then I can see the appeal.
For, what, 15 years people have been saying that Linux can be an ordinary consumer’s OS, but that’s not true even in the latest distributions, which are clunky, not intuitive, and non-standard. People are willing to put up with a less robust operating system like XP or Vista, because of the standardness of the interface.
Maybe Google Chrome OS will finally make Linux more mainstream. But I can tell you that it won’t happen if most of Google’s apps are primarily web apps that require or thrive only with connectivity, because given the shittiness of this country’s broadband infrastructure, that won’t work for most people.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Subtract gamers from that 99%, and you’re right.
July 8th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
I wonder when Matt got his 13″ MacBook Pro? If it was more than about a year and half ago my bet is that a new ASUS Eee PC actually has more processing power.
Anyway I think 99% is probably way overstating the number of people who could do everything they wanted to on a Netbook. Gnirb above pointed out one of the big one: gaming, the other big one is probably screen real estate for ppl who want to be able to have a number of applications visible at the same time. Other reasonable common operations such as video/audio conversion/editing, serious (or semi-serious) photo editing, and high resolution video playback (I could be wrong about this one now, but last I knew a netbook couldn’t seamlessly playback 1080p onto an external LCD).
I do wonder though how many people who say something like “a netbook wouldn’t really work for me because of the various applications I use,” are really thinking, “but I wouldn’t be able to play Call of Duty 4 on that!!”
July 8th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Um, call me cynical, but, like all things internet, the success or failure of Google’s OS will rest entirely upon how well it plays the Pron.
July 9th, 2009 at 12:20 am
I think the important thing here is pricing. Netbooks are generally in the $300 to $700 price range and offer the functionality that something like 75% of computer users are looking for (pulled out of my ass). But, for the typical consumer who isn’t necessarily wedded to windows and can get their internet, email, word processing out of a much smaller, cheaper machine, then why not?
Now for me, when I think of the typical computer user, I think of my parents…aging baby boomers just looking for something easy. I would say that the only thing stopping netbooks from reaching a wide audience is the small keyboards and small screens. However, I’ll bet that within 1-2 years, foldable keyboard and miniaturized projector tech will be perfected enough that we can see something that is truly portable and still functional.
July 9th, 2009 at 1:07 am
You can buy a netbook and a desktop for the price of one regular-sized laptop. You can have the best of both worlds (portability for the laptop, large screen, comfort, affordability and upgradability for the desktop) instead of having one machine whose functionality is compromised in either of the two modes it is used for–the more suited a laptop is to desktop use, the less suited it is to portable use, and vice versa. Also, having two computers and syncing personal data between them is a good way to ensure you don’t lose all your data when a single machine fails or is lost or stolen.
Guess what, not everyone owns a 13 inch MacBook Pro. Some of us own 16inch Acer behemoths. (Not me, but people I know and pity.)
I’d venture to guess that netbooks have the most appeal for urbanites and college students, since they do the most regular walking and biking. And many of the standard-sized notebooks do have quite a bit of heft. Of course I guess you could just think of it as an extra bit of cardio exercise. Then again, the more weight and size the laptop adds to your load, the less other stuff (books, groceries, whatever) you can carry at the same time.
As for Linux for netbooks, yes, that does seem like a more logical solution, since there is already plenty of software developed for Linux, from a variety of developers, and Linux can easily be customized to be as light and unobtrusive as one likes. That said, it appears that Chrome OS will likely be using the Linux kernel, so Google seems to be on the ball on this one.
July 9th, 2009 at 1:40 am
Doing a quick comparison just with Dell machines, their cheapest desktop/monitor combo seems to be the Inspiron 531 with a 17″ LCD for $350. To get the equivalent screen size in a Dell notebook you have to spend $650 for the Studio 17, which weighs 7.9 lbs. For the same price, you could get the 17″ LCD, Inspiron 531 and a $300 10″ 2.5 lb Mini 10 netbook. That’s two computers for the price of one. And one of them weighs 2.5 lbs.
Alternatively, if you don’t need a high-performance computer, you can just get the netbook and hook it up to an external monitor when you’re at your desk, for even less money.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I’m a little late to the conversation, but…
This system is Microsoft’s worst nightmare. Long before Google was around, Microsoft was already trying to prevent this exact scenario from happening. This is dense, but back in 1999, the district court for the District of Colombia had the following:
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm
Briefly: Microsoft was trying to prevent Netscape from getting too far along in their technology lest they make Windows obsolete.
Google is making the first serious attempt to do exactly that.
You mention “go to” computing, but what exactly is one going to? A lot of users would likely find Web-based applications just fine. And cheap! Further, the finding of facts brings something up that I never even thought of: operating systems custom-made for specific tasks, such as music editing and recording. That might be something that becomes more prominent in the future for your “go to” tasks.
Microsoft has been trying to anticipate this for a while, too. This is why they’re desperate to get into online advertising. The problem is, Google is way ahead of any of their major competitors in this regards. They took over search, which gave them the experience to optimize ad-targeting, which they can then tie into their suite of free (but ad-loaded) products.
A free open-source OS designed to handle Web Apps? This is them creating a huge incentive to switch to cloud-computing, where they’re well ahead of anyone else in making a fortune out of. Think of it this way: if Google has it’s way, what you think of as a computer will be a modern-day netbook, and your “go to” machine will more commonly be known as a gaming rig.
Oh, fun fact: Spitzer is the prosecutor on one of the claims on that DoJ link.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
We have some idiots here talking about Linux who obviously have never used a recent distro.
Linux is almost trivially easy to install – unless you’re installing it with the intent to dual-boot with Windows, and even THAT is not hard as almost every distro detects Windows and sets up the dual boot almost automatically. The only question is partitioning your hard drive in that scenario because usually Windows takes over the entire disk if you didn’t partition it to use a partition for the OS and one for data – which you should do. So you have to re-partition. But that would be true if you were installing a different copy of Windows as well and says nothing about Linux – in fact, most Linux installers have a decent partition editor now that is better than the one in Windows XP.
“For, what, 15 years people have been saying that Linux can be an ordinary consumer’s OS, but that’s not true even in the latest distributions, which are clunky, not intuitive, and non-standard. People are willing to put up with a less robust operating system like XP or Vista, because of the standardness of the interface.”
Bullshit. The Windows interface is NOT “standard”, it’s simply FIRST. Since most people bought Windows back when Linux was hard to use, not to mention Microsoft’s monopoly practices, people view the Windows interface as “standard” – which is why when Microsoft introduced Vista, everybody screamed to high hell that they were ruining the interface.
Linux is not “clunky”, “non-intuitive” or “non-standard”. Anybody who comes to Linux and Windows Vista (or Windows 7) at the same time will see little difference in learn ability or usability. In fact, a recent article tells of how the journalist’s 17-year-old was given a machine with both, and basically said there was almost no difference between the two.
I had to learn Linux and Windows XP at the same time and I found very little difference between the two. It’s entirely an issue of having to re-learn a different way of doing things. The net difference is minimal.
The KDE desktop in Linux works a lot like Windows, the GNOME desktop somewhat less so. The main differences in Linux have to do with the layout of the file system, the way programs are installed (via repositories rather than individual Web site downloads), and similar matters, none of which are earth-shakingly hard to adapt to unless one just doesn’t care to.
The main issue with Linux remains driver support for the latest wireless and video cards (although the main video card makers are supporting Linux pretty fast these days) and other specialized hardware, and the problem of “dependency hell” when installing software which is not in the distro repositories. There are also issues with 64-bit support by some software makers such as Adobe Flash plugins for Firefox, but then there are issues in 64-bit Windows as well for similar things.
I use Novell openSUSE Linux for all my day-to-day work and it’s utterly reliable. Once in a while Firefox 3 will drag down the KWin window system (essentially the same as crashing the Explorer file manager in Windows which takes down your desktop), but this is trivially recovered from. Once in a while the software update process will screw up and fail to install an update, but this happens much more with the Windows Update system than openSUSE. I know, I have to fix it on client machines running XP.
And since Linux was designed as a server OS, it’s much easier to make it do “server things” than Windows XP is, and does not require spending a thousand dollars for Windows Server editions. Linux was ALWAYS a multi-user system compared to Windows XP which is deliberately crippled in that regard. Linux is infinitely more flexible – and more secure by design – for things like remote access and multiple users than XP or Vista or Windows 7 will ever be.
Anybody who’s not a complete clueless idiot can run Linux just as well as Windows. Of course, there are a lot of clueless idiots…
July 11th, 2009 at 9:40 am
The real challenge to Microsoft is not from Google, but from cell phones and PDAs. They are becoming the primary appliance of choice for many people to access Internet or communicate!
July 13th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I drag my laptop EVERYWHERE. Its small enough that it usually doesn’t bother me unless I have a lot of other things to lug around as well. Never thought much of netbooks until my roommate got one. Its so teeny. I could probably fit it into the pocket of my peacoat and it does basically everything my laptop can do. I’m a bit jealous, and I must admit that last time I was on a plane in those cramped cramped seats, my laptop suddenly seemed monstrously huge.
Now when we leave the apartment together, I feel a bit foolish with my laptop bag slung over my shoulder as he walks past holding a computer that could fit in my girlfriend’s clutch.
AND, they are so cheap! Not all of us have the cash for a fancy Macbook. Some of us are dirt poor grad students living off the crumbs the university throws our way.
July 15th, 2009 at 11:09 am
I think net books definitely have there purpose especially in a world where more and more software is behind delivered using a SaaS model. I’m not surprised that Google are getting in on the action and am sure they will do a very good job. It will be interesting to see if we get any products from Microsoft or perhaps more interestingly from Apple to compete in this area.
For me the problem with netbooks is the screen size. I would like to see a slightly larger screen but in a package that is still much lighter than my laptop and doesn’t burn me when I try to use it on my lap!