Google Netbook Specs Leaked

Foochee noted that specs have leaked for an alleged new Google NetBook. Coupling this with the HTC Google Phone, it really appears that Google is going to be pushing into new spaces in the next few years.

Comments

Re:Cool.

[maeka]

No kidding, TANSTAAFL.

Now if all of these are true, it's like getting a Ferrari for the price of a Mini Cooper.

Pick (at least) one:
A - All of these [rumors] aren't true.
B - You're going to be forced to watch ads.
C - It's going to be bundled with a monthly wireless bill.

10" screen??

[filesiteguy]

Though the idea sounds cool, I'm wondering what benefit having a solid-state drive with a 10" screen will be other than for those few road warriors who have to write long proposals while on an airplane flight.

At the same time, having a bundled deal so that one gets phone service with the netbook isn't that much of a benefit, IMO. You can already do this with a HTC Hero/Android device or even an iPhone.

Re:Yeah, but what's the catch?

[TheRaven64]

Can I take the device, nuke ChromeOS and load my own GNU/Linux distribution

It has a Tegra chip, so probably not at all easily. Tegra is currently only supported with Wince, not with Linux. Google may have persuaded nVidia to give them some blob drivers, but it's quite unlikely that have provided open drivers. Google may simply be using a generic ARM11 kernel and ignoring the GPU (although then you'd wonder why they bothered going with Tegra instead of a cheaper ARM SoC), or they may have a blob driver. If it's running Android then this driver will integrate with the Android display server, so you won't be able to use it with X.org without a very complex shim (if at all) and it will depend on the kernel ABI, which will probably change immediately after the device ships if the Linux developers' track record is anything to go by.

In A.D. 2010

[Yvan256]

Orwellian Society was beginning.
User: What happen ?
Router: Somebody set up us the banners.
Computer: We get wi-fi signal.
User: What !
Operator: Main screen turn on.
User: It's You !!
Google: How are you gentlemen !!
Google: All your browsing history are belong to us.
Google: You are on the way to spam.
User: What you say !!
Google: You have no chance to hide make your time.
Google: HA HA HA HA ....
User: Download every 'Linux Distro' !!
User: You know what you doing.
User: Install 'Linux Distro'.
User: For great justice.

Re:smartbook is nice, but where are the ARM nettop

[maeka]

Does anyone know why there are no ARM nettops?

I'd love to see something like Beagleboard that I could mount on the back of an LCD.

The advantages, IMHO, of ARM are all tilted for use in the mobile space.
Being 5, 15, whatever watts more efficient than an Atom is a high price to pay for breaking x86 compatibility when you're hooked to a wall outlet, considering your choice in monitor likely has as much impact on your final power bill as your ARM/Atom choice.

Re:Yeah, but what's the catch?

[jimbobborg]

After reading the other replies here, I'd say the best bet would be NetBSD, since it's been ported to everything else.

Very interesting.

[wvmarle]

This can be interesting, why:

• This would become a non-Intel platform, which means Windows doesn't run on it. I'd really like to see how well it sells when Windows is simply not an option. If it takes off, MS is going to be hit hard, if only because alternative OSes become a serious alternative all of a sudden. Instead of being a niche product.
• Price of under $300, but still subsidised: where is the money coming from? Normally e.g. a mobile phone is subsidised because you are going to pay money to the mobile phone provider (calls, data, etc). I have never paid Google anything, other than for ads that I asked them to place. But not for any of their regular services. So either ad-supported, or only sold together with mobile data plans or so? The first is easy to get around: just install another OS or so.
• Opening up the processor market: if this netbook takes off, we could start seeing really lots of non-Intel compatible computers around, first of all of course ARM based, and maybe a revival of the PPC in the consumer market. I think that would be the best effect of this. Not just because Windows doesn't run on it but because there is so much more than Intel. And I bet there will suddenly be more room for competitors to AMD and Intel: they do not need to license any microcode or so. And porting Linux/*BSD/Chrome to those architectures, if not done yet, will be relatively easy.

IMHO one of the core reasons all consumer PCs come with Intel compatible processors is that Windows runs on them. Equip them with other processors and you can not sell your product with Windows. And that is an absolute suicidal business plan at the moment. Google may get this going, get non-Windows and non-Intel computers to the masses, opening up a lot of space for competitors.

And if it doesn't work, well we can always continue dreaming.