Anybody Gettin a Chromebook?

[lukep]

Not to be confused with the free CR-48s that google gave out to beta testers in January, Google Chromebooks are going to hit the stores on June 15th.

Google-powered laptops to go on sale June 15 - The Denver Post

They're designed and priced to go up against the iPad, ($150 cheaper) with lots of subsidies in place, especially to schools & businesses. A few laptop makers are all launching their version of a chromebook at the same time (awesome marketing move, IMHO) including Samsung & Acer.

This will finally put Google and Microsoft at Defcon 5. May the games begin!

 

[Sonny Forelli]

yes, google has treated us all so fairly and is so forward thinking with their privacy practices that surely I want all of my business data trusted to something they built.

i'll keep my ipad - at least apple has no motivation to phone home...

 

[johnmatrix]

As I posted in some other thread, who in their right mind would buy a laptop with nothing but Chrome browser on it? that's literally all it is. You're meant to install apps within Chrome, which you can already do on any old PC with Chrome installed. It's a ridiculous concept in my feeble opinion.

 

[lukep]

Yeah, I knew this would spark a privacy invasion conversation again; but it had to be posted anyway... This shit is going to change things in computing, bigtime.

johnmatrix is right; it's just a chrome browser with apps inside it like you can do right now for free on your existing PC.

The difference is simply this: These cheapo terminals don't have any of the problems that we associate with operating systems, like crashability, slow boot times, or actually (OMG) Learning how to use it.

Anyone who's ever used the net before, even just through a smartphone or school terminal, can use this. Just click the power button and in under 5 seconds your online, at a search prompt or your facebook account page.

...Just try and tell me this concept alone won't become dominant in no time flat...! This is powerfully strong to the younger generation that has a learning aversion.

Also, PPL saying that iPads and tablets are close to this now need to keep in mind that this has a keyboard, and is more suitable for work... Which is why google is subsidizing this thing to bizzes, schools, and the Guv too for $28 a month, all-inclusive forever, including lifetime hardware upgrades!

...Again, powerful mojo. This shit is gonna spread like wildfire.

 

[justo_tx]

Yeah, I knew this would spark a privacy invasion conversation again; but it had to be posted anyway... This shit is going to change things in computing, bigtime.

johnmatrix is right; it's just a chrome browser with apps inside it like you can do right now for free on your existing PC.

The difference is simply this: These cheapo terminals don't have any of the problems that we associate with operating systems, like crashability, slow boot times, or actually (OMG) Learning how to use it.

Anyone who's ever used the net before, even just through a smartphone or school terminal, can use this. Just click the power button and in under 5 seconds your online, at a search prompt or your facebook account page.

...Just try and tell me this concept alone won't become dominant in no time flat...! This is powerfully strong to the younger generation that has a learning aversion.

Also, PPL saying that iPads and tablets are close to this now need to keep in mind that this has a keyboard, and is more suitable for work... Which is why google is subsidizing this thing to bizzes, schools, and the Guv too for $28 a month, all-inclusive forever, including lifetime hardware upgrades!

...Again, powerful mojo. This shit is gonna spread like wildfire.

Sorry bro, this is going to have be filed under "mega-flop". The iPad is what is revolutionizing computing. People that need the keyboard that the iPad doesn't have probable need more capability than the chromebook can provide anyway. I don't see limited functionality due to gutting and abstracting away the OS is revolutionary. I think it will be a niche product at best.

 

[lukep]

Sorry bro, this is going to have be filed under "mega-flop". The iPad is what is revolutionizing computing. People that need the keyboard that the iPad doesn't have probable need more capability than the chromebook can provide anyway. I don't see limited functionality due to gutting and abstracting away the OS is revolutionary. I think it will be a niche product at best.

Agreed the iPad revolutionized computing, but it's too restrictive for student and biz use in that form factor. When you're working, you need to set down your monitor at arm's length and use a keyboard, period.

iPads an AWESOME entertainment device. -I have no doubt at all that ppl will be using something of the slate form factor it pioneered for many decades.

But try using one at your desk in a workplace... Which a WHOLE LOT more computers are bought for.

Simply put; the BIGGEST market of computers isn't in competition with an iPad. Chromebooks can and will be competing for this market... Beating them at price every time. (And removing tech support entirely!)

 

[stmadeveloper]

With the unsubsidized prices for this it seems expensive for no HD or options other than the chrome apps.

I can see some businesses doing it for employees, and some schools doing it for the kids - but I can't see buying one for myself when I can pick up a full fledged laptop for the same price.

What am I missing?

 

[lukep]

I can see some businesses doing it for employees, and some schools doing it for the kids - but I can't see buying one for myself when I can pick up a full fledged laptop for the same price.

What am I missing?

Simply put, you are missing a lack of training on using a computer.

 

[justo_tx]

Simply put; the BIGGEST market of computers isn't in competition with an iPad. Chromebooks can and will be competing for this market... Beating them at price every time. (And removing tech support entirely!)

I don't see tech support as a viable argument, I don't recall anybody that I know who owns an iPad reporting any kind of problem.

Other hurdles for Chromebook:
1. Internet goes down? Enjoy your paper weight (if you say "gears" el-oh-fucking-el)

2. No iTunes? Bye bye early adopter tech crowd that won't give up their iPhones.

3. No printing? Bye bye grandma and grandpa that want to print pictures of little Timmy or their Luby's coupons or their tax returns.

4. No privacy guarantees? Bye bye to a big chunk of the government and their vast array of legacy systems that have no hope of going cloud based for at least another decade.

5. School kids are going to tear these the fuck up. 28 bucks a month per student isn't going to cut it. Gotta worry about replacements and then wiring entire, sometimes old as shit, schools for wifi and then manage all of that.

 

[johnmatrix]

I can see some businesses doing it for employees, and some schools doing it for the kids - ?

I can't see it for either of those... the businesses that matter don't operate from a browser, they require enterprise software like SAP & exchange. I run a small business, it's useless for that since I can't run any accounting software it.

Why would schools want kids on the internet all the time? It's just gonna be used for Facebook and Youtube. Perhaps throw in the occasional Google Docs "Word" document in which they type 6 or 7 words and then finish at home on their real PC.

If it was Microsoft that released something like this it'd be called the biggest flop of the year already.

This is powerfully strong to the younger generation that has a learning aversion.

No way, the younger generation have already picked up all the high tech shit... my 10 year old nephew has his ipod touch, he knows how to rip cd's to itunes and sync them with his ipod, downloads apps.. you name it.

If you had of said the older generation then perhaps, since it's really hard to teach them new tricks. My mum is having trouble figuring out her iPhone, but even the simplistic stuff she does on her crappy laptop is above the capabilities of a Chromebook such as copying a photo from a camera and making an eBay listing.

 

[lukep]

I don't see tech support as a viable argument, I don't recall anybody that I know who owns an iPad reporting any kind of problem.

iPad would solve this problem too, but again, offices and schools will not be using that form factor, and Mac's closest competition to this, the Macbook air, costs 5 times the price.

1. Internet goes down? Enjoy your paper weight (if you say "gears" el-oh-fucking-el)

This is of course the biggest problem with them and is less of a problem as offices install more redundant systems to stay online with. Heck, I'm looking at a redundant way to keep my HOME connection online these days...

2. No iTunes? Bye bye early adopter tech crowd that won't give up their iPhones.

They don't have to. This would be asking them to give up their iMacs and Airs... At 1/10th to 1/5th the price range. (And even then, isn't iTunes an app inside chrome?)

3. No printing? Bye bye grandma and grandpa that want to print pictures of little Timmy or their Luby's coupons or their tax returns.

Who says it can't print?

4. No privacy guarantees? Bye bye to a big chunk of the government and their vast array of legacy systems that have no hope of going cloud based for at least another decade.

This is why _I_ won't be buying one anytime soon either. -Most smart people wont.

However, as pointed out by thousands of previous threads here on WF; the Stupid VASTLY outnumber the smart. I don't see any products that sell primarily to smart people ever becoming profitable...

5. School kids are going to tear these the fuck up. 28 bucks a month per student isn't going to cut it. Gotta worry about replacements and then wiring entire, sometimes old as shit, schools for wifi and then manage all of that.

That's why it's $28 a month and not $10. Obviously some accountants at google have crunched the numbers and $28 is what they feel comfy with.

 

[justo_tx]

If it was Microsoft that released something like this it'd be called the biggest flop of the year already.

Google has been around long enough that it's racking up its own string of failures: wave, buzz, adwords for TV, orkut and soon.... chromebook.

(hint: chrome OS is just a way to stop encroachment by Microsoft and others away from Search/AdSense/Adwords by playing offense instead of defense)

 

[potentialeight]

[sarcasm]Kinda reminds me of this: Dana - The Ultimate Palm-Powered Writing Tool[/sarcasm]

Though I did pick up one for like $35 with shipping from eBay. I just use it for content writing when I'm out and about since I don't want to carry a laptop.

 

[Falian]

yes, google has treated us all so fairly and is so forward thinking with their privacy practices that surely I want all of my business data trusted to something they built.

i'll keep my ipad - at least apple has no motivation to phone home...

http://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/20...ne-and-ipad-location-tracking-privacy-issues/

 

[conv3rsion]

these things are jokes.

 

[conv3rsion]

Google has been around long enough that it's racking up its own string of failures: wave, buzz, adwords for TV, orkut and soon.... chromebook.

and very soon +1

 

[justo_tx]

This is of course the biggest problem with them and is less of a problem as offices install more redundant systems to stay online with. Heck, I'm looking at a redundant way to keep my HOME connection online these days...

Paying for redundant ISPs if it's only to ensure access to cloud based apps wipes out the value proposition.

They don't have to. This would be asking them to give up their iMacs and Airs... At 1/10th to 1/5th the price range. (And even then, isn't iTunes an app inside chrome?)

iTunes runs in Chrome?

Who says it can't print?

Even using google cloud print requires your printer to be connected to a PC that can interface with cloud print. You don't see the irony in that?

That's why it's $28 a month and not $10. Obviously some accountants at google have crunched the numbers and $28 is what they feel comfy with.

But it's not google's numbers or margins that matter, it's the school districts they have to have 120 units on hand to service 100 students (that's an estimate obviously but you can't let a kid go without one if his get's stolen) so $28 bucks a month isn't the number.

 

[lukep]

Google has been around long enough that it's racking up its own string of failures: wave, buzz, adwords for TV, orkut and soon.... chromebook.

and very soon +1

I'm no google cheerleader, but c'mon. Put it in perspective. Microsoft lives or dies by every product they release; Vista almost killed them so they ramped up Win 7 years early.

Meanwhile google has scads of teams individually working on dozens of different projects at the same time, all the time. They know the failure of any 5 projects isn't going to hurt their stock price much, so they put out nearly infinite products yearly in pretty much the opposite biz model of MS.

You gotta expect some failures this way; not that I think +1 is a failure.

But that's why this is so interesting, and hence the thread. ChromeOS will directly steal MS Operating System sales. No more small apps like email clients or office products; this is MS's bread and butter.

And does anyone here think MS can come out with a product that boots in under 5 seconds and requires no training nor tech support? (Their very lucrative side business of certifying engineers would not indicate so.)

So Chrome has a clear door in here. It's certainly being marketed well and launched by multiple tech giants at the same time. Many kids and workers don't need more functionality than chromebooks allow... For them this is perfect, and far cheaper than any possible alternative.

Only a fool would call it a flop now. It's got way too much going for it, and obviously google has invested much more than usual into it.

 

[justo_tx]

Only a fool would call it a flop now. It's got way too much going for it, and obviously google has invested much more than usual into it.

Other than PR what does it have going for it? A feature list is one thing but until it actually gets some use calling it a home run is presumably as premature as calling it a flop.

And does anyone here think MS can come out with a product that boots in under 5 seconds and requires no training nor tech support?

Boot from SSD (probably what chrome does too) and wipe out the need for backward compatibility by locking feature scope (just like chrome does) and yes Microsoft can put out a product just like it.

 

[lukep]

Paying for redundant ISPs if it's only to ensure access to cloud based apps wipes out the value proposition.

Sheesh, It's not like every chromebook will need its' own router. These networks are already in place for existing computers!

iTunes runs in Chrome?

Well, I guess not. But as I search my App marketplace I found all of these: 2011-05-12_1131 - LukeP's library
So there is a tie in, which could be fully opened later if Apple wants more money by offering iTunes through them.

Even using google cloud print requires your printer to be connected to a PC that can interface with cloud print. You don't see the irony in that?

Any way you can connect your printer to a router is fine. I've got my printer wired to my NAS, I'm sure it would work on that connection as it is available across the whole network to all my PCs.

But it's not google's numbers or margins that matter, it's the school districts they have to have 120 units on hand to service 100 students (that's an estimate obviously but you can't let a kid go without one if his get's stolen) so $28 bucks a month isn't the number.

Don't you think that's a tad bit smaller of a number than what they are currently paying???