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ARM-Based Chromebooks Ready To Battle Windows 8, Tablets
Nerval's Lobster writes "Google is whipping the proverbial curtain back from its new Chromebook, which will retail for $249 and up. The Samsung-built device weighs 2.5 pounds and features an 11.6-inch screen (with 1366 x 768 resolution), backed by a 1.75GHz Samsung Exynos 5 Dual Processor. Google claims it will boot up in under 10 seconds and, depending on usage, last for 6.5 hours on one battery charge. From a product perspective, Chrome OS and its associated hardware found itself fighting a two-front battle: the first against Windows PCs and Macs, both of which could claim more robust hardware for a similar cost to the old Chromebooks (which started at $449), and the second against tablets, which offered the same degree of flexibility and connectivity for a cheaper sticker-price. By setting the cost of the new Chromebook at $249, Google continues that pricing skirmish on more favorable terms." CNET got a bit of hands-on time with the new kid, and gives it a lukewarm but positive reception.
Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 are actually 2 different OSes. Just my little non-harmful nit pick.
Microsoft does not have the same OS on phone and PC. They have similar names and similar interface, but no where to close to being the same OS. I cannot run a application designed for PC on the phone (the viceversa may be possible (well, I hope it is)). I would rather see incompatible OSes have different names and purpose build UIs.
For £300 I got an Atom-based netbook with an 80GB SSD, 4GB RAM, slightly smaller screen and 9 hour battery life. It can run Chrome, and a lot of other things. What's the ARM bringing to the Chromebook, if it can't give far better battery life?
Matthew @ Bytemark Hosting
This hardware at this price running Linux, Android, Windows RT or even iOS would be a great bargain. What I have not yet seen in any promotion of a Chromebook is how well it works as a basic document editor when I'm *not* connected to the Cloud. If I need a lightweight mobile editing device with a permanently attached keyboard (which I cannot accidentally leave behind) then I need that portable document editor to be able to work even if the WiFI at the conference I am attending isn't working yet or is just plain overloaded. Adding a carrying case with a bluetooth keyboard, and software, to my Nexus 7 comes out way ahead Microsoft Surface. If this Chromebook ran Android, it would come out ahead. But have they really enabled Chromebooks to work effectively when detached from the network yet?
ARM-Based Chromebooks Ready To Battle Windows 8 and Android Tablets
Sometimes I just have to sit and scratch my head wondering at some of the things these self-destructive companies do. Chromebook is for simple, inexpensive, low-end devices. Is iPad any of those things? No. Are the new Windows 8 tablets? No. The only other devices in the same category as Chromebook are eReaders like Kindle and Nook (both running a modified version of Android), and "actual" Android Tablets like the Google Nexus. Just fragment your own market there as much as possible, Google.
Better known as 318230.
Android was Google's short-term response to the threat that a dominant mobile OS vendor would emerge that would use market power in that OS market in a way which would prevent Google from being able to profit from their online services (similar to how investment in Firefox was the short-term response in the web browser space.) Chrome OS is a piece of the longer-horizon, broader (e.g., not limited to "mobile") part of the response (much as the Chrome browser was in the browser space); I say "a piece of" because Google's announced a number of times that their long-term plan is to converge Android with Chrome OS in the long term.
No, Microsoft has three similar-but-different operating systems with partially overlapping functionality and confusingly similar names (Windows 8, Windows 8 RT, and Windows Phone 8) for, respectively, traditional PCs and some (i.e., x86-based) tablets, other (i.e., ARM-based) tablets, and phones.
No touchscreen, shit for local storage, locked in to Google web apps...
Nah, I'll save my next disposable $250 for a Nexus 7.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
I wish Microsoft realized that as well.
For my mom . . . who is in her 70s. Windows should not even be considered for such a demographic.
Sdelat' Ameriku velikoy Snova!
Both run on the same basic hardware. Android has more apps, local apps, a better image, and good touch control. Chrome has better multitasking, keyboard/pointer handling, and more cloudy stuff.
Is there any reason why the two can't just merge ? I want my android tablet to handle a keyboard and mouse/trackpad better (right-click, CUA-type shortcuts...), and to have 2 tiled windows on-screen (a la Win8 RT) + pip-type video, as well as to allow me to "pin" apps I want always on, and a "guest" mode. Chrome seems to have all that, but is far too cloudy for me, I need local apps and data, at least until international data roaming is priced cheaply, and 4G speed are available everywhere including in hi-speed trains.. which should take 10+ years.
The Cloud - because you don't care if your apps and data are up in the air.
I have a better question...why would anybody want to pay $250+ for a thin client when you can get a dual core Atom and run a full OS for the same money, or spend a little more and get a Bobcat with a full OS and 1080P over HDMI?
The only real niche I can see for this is schools, no OS means no admins and no hassles, but for everybody else? There is still too much of the country where Internet is spotty and without a net connection this thing is pretty much useless.
If all you want is web surfing your better off with a Kindle or Galaxy tab, if you need a really portable laptop you're better off with a netbook so you can run any OS you want...I really just don't see much of a market for these things. Nice to see they have gotten a little more sane with the pricing, the first Chromebooks were over $500 which was just nuts. But you can buy a netbook for $250-$350 and have more space, a better CPU, and more options...maybe if they had these in the $100-$150 range I could see it, but with tablets running ICS at less than $200 I just don't see where a thin client laptop fits in the landscape.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Ah, in that case Chromebook and Android run the same OS too (the kernel is called Linux, you might have heard of it).
He invented a new type of douche nozzle. True story...
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
Mod Parent up. They share the same kernel. Thats like saying Fedora isn't Linux because it using the Redhat user space instead of the the Debian User space. They both have the Linux kernel, they are both Linux though variants of Linux user spaces. Windows8 and windows Phone 8 both have the same kernel with varying degrees of user space tools and glue bits.
It frankly doesn't make sense to say they aren't the same when they share a Kernel.
This looks a lot like what companies were promising a few years ago: an inexpensive netbook with an ARM processor and Linux (or "Smartbook" as Samsung labeled them). It seemed like everybody was jumping on the bandwagon, and then before they even reached the market everybody jumped off the bandwagon and cancelled them, with weak excuses like "there's no demand" and "nobody will accept a netbook without Windows". And now the tide has turned once more, and suddenly it's a good idea again??
I've been waiting a long time with money in hand. Maybe I'll finally get to spend it. I'll wait until I see a real OS (i.e. desktop Linux distro) running on it, though. Shouldn't be that hard, right?
WHY OH WHY is this not being sold with a full OS that can run non-web-based apps? I mean, surely it wouldn't cost any more money to put Debian (or Ubuntu, or Mint, or whatever) on this thing and let us run both browser stuff *and* regular Linux apps, right? What's the rationale for limiting it?
what non-IT office workers normally do on their notebooks? Web, outlook, and office suite. Google covers all hardware, software, and IT infra, with much less cost, compared to typical Windows environment. Moreover, this thing is easily replacable, because nothing is in there except the OS. Yours is broken? No problem. Go get a new one from a help desk. You're fired? yours will be used by your replacement the next day.
for me, i think this is the begining of the end of MS's era in their lucrative business market.
But nobody is talking about the elephant in the room that seriously threatens Google's mobile plans...the ISPs and network carriers. The days of unlimited Internet are quickly drawing to a close and the carriers seem to get nastier with data plans and prices every time you turn around.
For Chrome OS this is practically a death sentence as who is gonna want an OS that is constantly blowing through bandwidth and is worthless without it when their ISPs are being stingy? And as an analyst I saw today said when it comes to smartphones "Google makes their bread and butter from ads but I don't click on an ad with my smartphone unless by accident because that bandwidth costs me money"
So I just don't see how Google's plans work out long term unless they want to get into the ISP and carrier business, because without bandwidth Google is screwed and the ISPs and carriers have no desire to give more bandwidth without price hikes. This is especially bad with Chrome OS as its worthless without bandwidth and why would you pay the same price as a netbook for something that is gonna cost you MORE money on top of that when you hit your cap?
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
I generally find that sitting on a table is very uncomfortable whether or not I am editing documents.
Kid-proof tablet..
But there is one CRUCIAL difference, in that since nearly all software on Linux has source available all it takes is one guy to compile it for whatever arch and then everybody has it, whereas the majority of Windows software is closed source and therefor you simply can't run any of that X86 software unless the owner of said software recompiles (and most likely charges you again) for that arch.
This is why Windows on ARM is stupid. With Apple people use Apple software on Apple devices so as long as Apple supports their own stuff? you're good to go. Other than MS Office frankly nobody uses much of anything made by MSFT on Windows so they are just SOL when it comes to apps. Considering the momentum that Google and Apple have, along with them burning mobile devs twice, first with WinCE and then with WinPhone 7? Frankly I wouldn't touch a Win 8 ARM device for at least a year to see if the ecosystem builds around it or if the devs will just ignore it like most did WinPhone.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Use it as a drop-and-forget device to give to those members of your family/friend circle who can't be trusted/don't need a full window install.
I know it is hard to believe but for some people, all they need is something that runs a browser and then a browser on a OS that isn't vulnerable to all the malware and other crap known to invest the Windows.
As for it being always on and peoples complaints the carriers are cutting data plans... there are lots of people who have no need for a laptop everywhere, a laptop is used NOT to carry around but for easy folding away when it isn't used so it doesn't clash with the rest of the room. Small, safe device that can be taken out and put on the kitchen counter for catching up with email, see pictures of the grandkids on facebook, play an online browser game or two and then stores away again. All for a price that won't break the bank and won't require constant support from ungrateful grandkids.
Not every new device is intended for consumption by nerds.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 share the same kernel components (they call it Shared Windows Core). That really is internal part of the OS usually inaccessible directly to 3rd party developers, who instead use various user-mode APIs built on top (such as Win32, WinRT etc). The same is curiously with Android and ChromeOS - both share the Linux kernel with different user-mode APIs.
Linux is actually a kernel. The OS is called GNU Linux with various flavors called distributives (such as Ubuntu).
what non-IT office workers normally do on their notebooks? Web, outlook, and office suite.
That's what I do on my Chromebook. I use my desktop to write code, but the Chromebook is what I cart around to meetings, take to the couch to work on design docs and spreadsheets, do e-mail on, do presentations, etc. Works great. Especially since it has 3G and so works lots of places a normal laptop wouldn't.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
right but don't lots of the same ISV APIs shared across phone, tablet and desktop now that Microsoft is pushing the UI formerly known as Metro, across all devices? That would mean the core OS is the same and so are a somewhat large chunk of the developer APIs and all that which is there to support it.
I'm thinking less like Android which really does use mostly the kernel and everything else is in the Dalvik JVM, and more like Meego. ie Android has little in common with desktop GNU/Linux while Meego had lots more in common.
If it really is just a Windows kernel/core and the APIs are so very different between the devices, I don't see why Microsoft would be pushing developers to Metro apps. Sure desktop Windows has all the included Win32 old stuff but we're talking the cross device stuff here.
LoB
"Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
I read rumors on the net that on the year when a lot of manufacturers announced ARM netbooks, Microsoft went and threatened them with cutting Windows licensing (or something) if they start selling those. So none of these devices actually went to market. People even saw things like Microsoft reps visiting manufacturer's booths in an expo, and ARM netbooks disappearing from the stands soon after.
http://blogs.computerworld.com/microsoft_strikes_back_at_linux_netbook_push
You can probably find more.
--Coder
I agree w/ this one. Windows NT on RISC - Alpha & MIPS - should have taught Microsoft all that was there to learn. The Alpha at least had the performance advantage, while the MIPS, had SGI supported NT on MIPS more whole-heartedly like Irix, could have been a major visualization platform for Windows.
But w/ ARM, there is no such advantage. Here, battery power, while useful, would be less compelling, b'cos if it was really serious, one would look @ tablets. Yeah, they may be cheaper, but so is Linux, and we can see where that went. Google on the other hand is doing the smart thing by preferring ARM to x64, so that there will be no point in uninstalling Linux and installing ChromeOS in its place.
Incidentally, which Linux is ChromeOS based on? Debian? Fedora? Ubuntu? Gentoo? Slackware? Which one?
In actuality, when Microsoft talks about "C++ being a first class citizen" they actually mean managed C++ which compiles into the .NET CLR. Using unmanaged C++ is an option, but it's definitely about a third class citizen.
I just don't see how Google's plans work out long term unless they want to get into the ISP and carrier business
Maybe they plan to expand on the fibre to the home services they describe here.
When you combine their move into the last mile physical connection business, with their ties to US government intelligence agencies, I can't begin to understand how they are defining the term "evil" in item 6 on their philosophy page, "You can make money without doing evil." On that page, they seem to want to define evil as not correctly labeling advertising. I think most people have a different definition.
Some examples.
I guess if they changed their name to Panopticon, it would be a little too obvious. And, they might have to fight facebook for it.
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