Google Chromebooks

[filkertom]

Available June 15. $349. Or, apparently, $20 a month for students.

I can see use for it, for writing, web browsing, and other non-intensive uses that normally require an iPad or a netbook. You'll have to be online for some stuff, but ever since Google Docs allowed you to save offline that's really not an issue. Looks as if everything's going to be coded in Chrome or HTML5, which will have some advantages and limitations as well. Bluntly, we will never have enough cheap, reasonably powerful machines to get people online. You want gaming, elaborate creation (e.g., full music DAW, Photoshop, Vegas Pro 10), high-end multimedia? This ain't your box.

Interesting? Interested? Couldn't care less?

Comments

[salkryn.livejournal.com]

"Bluntly, we will never have enough cheap, reasonably powerful machines to get people online."

Well, both cheap and powerful are fairly relative terms. True, portable machines will always be less powerful than a desktop simply because of space and weight concerns, but the fact of the matter is that a $350 chromebook will have several times the power and speed of a $3500 computer ten years ago. I wouldn't mind getting one of these, but I've already got both a desktop and a laptop, and I can't really justify getting any more toys.

[terriwells.livejournal.com]

I'm very interested. Thing is, I've been considering an iPad and haven't been able to justify it. I'll have to take a look at this and compare the stats head to head and see if I can justify it.

I don't need heavy gaming (if it can handle the stuff on PopCap I'm good), elaborate creation or high-end multimedia (if it plays online videos and possibly DVD movies, I'm great). If I were getting a machine like this I *would* need good text imput (I have small hands, but a comfortable keyboard is still important), good ereader options, good music options (let me plug in a headset so I don't disturb other folks on the plane), that kind of thing. Would love to have lots of space to put all my photos on it for browsing.

Basically, can't give you an answer until I've looked at it, but if it's a good machine, that's an awesome price point.

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm too far down the financial ladder and too determined a shopper, because that really doesn't sound like a spectacular deal to me. It's what I paid for my current laptop. If they were giving them to students, I'd sit up and take notice.

[awfulhorrid.livejournal.com]

That's my feeling about it as well. My laptop may be a few years old, but it's functioning quite well for what I ask of it. For that matter, most of my real work applications fit on (and run from) a flash drive! (Notepad++ and Eclipse, of course.)

Anyway, as a student, even an older one like myself, I'm not sure I can afford $20 a month on something I don't really need. Free? Why yes, I'll be happy to sign up for that!

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I'm curious about it, and curious about where it will go.

Barring hideous accident to my current laptop, though, I don't expect to be in the market for a while. I might like something like this someday but can't justify the expense until I honestly need it, or honestly have lots more money (we can dream :-)).

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

As you say, tasks that normally require a tablet or a netbook. But there are many tablets and netbooks that are already cheaper than this, so I don't see the point, really. I've got a quite nice Android tablet right now that I paid $210 for, and it works every bit as nicely as the iPad from what I've seen. It is about twice as heavy as the iPad but that's just an engineering issue, there's no reason it can't sell for < $300 and still be lighter. And very few netbooks cost $350.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Not interested. Already got a Samsung netbook for close to the same price, smaller form factor (easier to pack), slightly longer battery life, still full-size keyboard, and capable of running whatever OS I want. OK, so it doesn't boot quite as fast. *yawn* And then there's my Android... it fits in my pocket, it has a keyboard, it gets mail, it browses web, it does wifi, youtube, yadda yadda... I barely messed with my netbook at Norwescon because the Android was doing most of the job. I'm on one high-volume mailing list that I used the netbook to slog through just before bedtime each night. That was about it. The nettie doesn't have 3G, but the Droid does, and one can get 3G dongles...

This is about two and a half words: Vendor Lock-In. Google is quite simply trying to take over the Internet, from soup to nuts...

But never fear. I got a whole CASE of Krispy Kremes that says this thing is gonna be jailbroken and running Linux Mint or the like so fast your head will swim. Heck, it's *designed* for it... the only trick is going to be device drivers for the 3G radio... and given that folks have been rooting and upgrading their Androids for years now? No-brainer.

Still. I think the $25 plug-me-into-the-tee-vee unit is MUCH cooler. Smaller, more versatile... a real Han Solo/Jim Phelps/Q bit of kit, if you get my drift... *snork* that's a crazy idea, use it as the rotor riser on your propeller beanie.

For somebody who just wants to surf and maybe do some Googledocage and doesn't care who might be sniffing through who knows what or maybe even turning the camera on, you're right. Interesting. This BOFH? Not on a bet.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

You're not locked into your cell company? I mean, really?

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Nope! I am not! Virgin Mobile, NO CONTRACT. *happydance*

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Very cool.

It's already a Linux device, and open source. No need to hack into it that I can see. Google doesn't care; they make their money on services, not computers. There's some incentive to crack the 3G components; you can make the computer operate as a router, and push more bandwidth onto one cell connection. Google definitely doesn't care about that; they want the cell companies to offer more open services anyway. Near as I can figure, a fair price for wireless voice and moderate-rate data service (no high-bandwidth gaming, no video) is about $1/month--no more than $5/month for sure. Why this isn't on-track to become a public service I do not know; it's lots cheaper than a road network.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

No reason to these days. A friend actually went to the T-Mobile store (he's been with them for 15 years now) to get a new phone, the sales people there said "don't be a sucker, go to eBay and pick up an unlocked phone, then bring it in and we'll set it up."

So he bought a couple of used/refurbished Blackberries for $20 each, they copied his old SIM card to a new one, plugged it in and he's good to go. Best phone he's ever had, no contract.

And as techno says, Virgin Mobile will set you up with unlimited data/web/text and 300 minutes voice for $25/month, no contract. $40/month if you want 1200 minutes. CDMA only though, but you can get used CDMA phones off eBay too.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Good points. Cell service is way over-priced anyway (I used to work in telecomm), so get the best deal you can.

BTW, in the USA, Virgin Mobile is a brand of Sprint, which has the worst voice coverage and customer service of all the cell networks. Their data coverage, however, is good for a US wireless service. Which is to say that it's awful, but not a whole lot more awful than what you get elsewhere.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

I personally use Virgin Mobile because I get voice/text service for $5/month. That's $15 every 90 days on autopay, 18 cents a minute and 15 cents a text. I don't come close to even using that. I'll go entire months without even turning my phone on more than 2 or 3 times to just see if there are any messages on it and to clear out the SMS spam. It works OK for me.

Coverage isn't terrific but it's fine for me. If you live somewhere there's good coverage the $25 unlimited data would be a good deal, but I know of places where you can drive 300 miles and never see any coverage at all.

[thistlethorn.livejournal.com]

Eh, meh. Not so much with the wanting. I still dream of having a laptop someday, but my current all-in-one is slim/compact enough to haul easily to cons, should I ever get the chance to attend a convention again.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

I'd feel better if there was a picture of an actual chromebook on the main page instead of a simple drawing. The video felt patronizing too. I'd have to think about it, but I would like more functionality like a DVD drive to watch movies or adding an FTP program so I can update the DucKon website while AT the convention.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

FTP? There's an app (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/poodjdhopfiiphkpildgjgkbidopdphm?hl=en-US) for that.

Don't know about the DVD drive, though.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

About 1500 reviews, 1.5 stars, no access to the hard drive to edit the files. Sorry, but it doesn't sound like a good program.

[johno.livejournal.com]

Too little, too late.

The netbook zone is being supplanted by padds.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

I've got a pad, and honestly, it does not replace a laptop. IMO it's a toy.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

I think it can make and receive phone calls over wifi, too--I'm pretty sure it will work with Google Voice. There's probably going to be some sort of 3D graphics support, though it's not going to be high-end. I think it will be possible to port C and C++ apps to it--for instance Audacity--but this will not be trivial.

I think it's the computer and telephone for the rest of us. Not as convenient as a cell phone, but, where wifi is available, cheaper.

In other news, Google announces Android@Home automation. Remote controlled lights and video.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/google-announces-android-at-home-framework/

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

I didn't see any price info on the hostile website, and very little actual information. Maybe there's some actual info in the video, but I can't see it, because, contrary to Google's business model and message, not everyone has broadband.

$350 for a computer that can only access as much of the web as works with Chrome doesn't sound like a very good price point. It's relatively hard to find something with a full (laptop) size keyboard for quite that cheap, but there's tons of machines for just a little more. What kind of data plan are they selling it with? The monthly cost is far more important than the up front cost of the machine.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

What kind do you recommend? I need web access, a DVD drive, HDMI output, network port and wireless options, and at least 4 USB ports. I would use the computer on a few occasions when I'm away from home. OS doesn't matter but I need text editing abilities and FTP. Both of which are pretty common to the major and minor OSes.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

One correction. When I said OS doesn't matter I mean between Windows and Linux. No Mac. No media player that restricts what you can download or can remotely erase your files.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

No data plan, no monthly charge. Wifi is needed. I expect the price will come down. Ideal student dorm machine--most dorms these days have wifi. Even if you spill beer on it, your data is still ok. :-)

For a slightly higher fixed price they bundle, I think, 100 MB of data/month from Verizon, with an option to purchase additional 1 GB blocks for $10.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

These are also going to get cheaper. They don't have hard disks or--I think--a separate GPU, so they can be sold for much less than $350. Under $200 in a year, maybe. These become commodity devices.

[jannyblue.livejournal.com]

...and this is why I've no plans for early adoption.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Think it over, I think businesses are targeted. The machines are priced as low-end netbooks, but they're a lot cheaper to administer. I don't know what Google is charging for their business packages, but I think they're in a position to undercut Microsoft and most corporate IT departments.

The office apps aren't up to what MS Office can do. Still--I don't think a lot of businesses care. For the day-to-day stuff--the computer on the counter that's used to take orders and print the occasional report, or the one that the salespeople carry--these work fine.

We welcome our new four-colored overlords.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

I have a Chromebook already. Cr-48. My thoughts are that it's underpowered and the trackpad is disastrous.

Theoretically, the Chromebooks being discussed may fix those problems.

In practice, I don't know. Especially because Google made clear at its I/O event that Android, not ChromeOS, was the way it would be going forward.

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

I have a smartphone with a slide-out keyboard, so the advantages of a tablet (performance, screen size, storage capacity) would have to be worth the price (and outweigh the disadvantage of carrying the extra bulk), and so far they just aren't there.

I finally broke down and got a Kindle because e-ink is a lot easier to read on the bus with randomly shifting sun glare.

[antinomic.livejournal.com]

My IPad has replaced my laptop, and this doesn't compete with a pad. So far, nothing competes with a pad. So no interest.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

It occurs to me that the $20/month rentals are an easy way for schools to offer computer services to their students. They don't have to buy computers and maintain the software, or deal with smart student hackers--it's all Google's problem, and Google's doing it anyway. Especially for low-income students and schools it could be a godsend.

[bridgeweaver.livejournal.com]

I won't seriously look at any Google device until accessibility improves. The chrome browser is unusable. Android is getting there, but IOS is still better for many things, and I don't know of anyone who's tried out Chrome OS for accessibility purposes.

Re: tasks you can't do without a full-fledged computer, that's true now, but developments suggest that won't remain true. There's the aviary on-line image-processing suite that is one of a whole bundle of applications including audio production and a bunch of other things I don't remember. I heard about it on the Floss Weekly podcast more than two years ago, so my memories are fuzzy, since they don't work for me, but cloud-based intensive apps are on the way, using a distributed computing model.

Now these would of course have all the security concerns the cloud is heir to, so many won't go there for now, even once the applications are up to the tasks people need them for, but Google is out front of a trend that is going to become universal within ten to fifteen years, if it takes that long. Whether Google will be able to leverage its position into world domination has yet to be seen.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

...

At work I got some joshing by incredulous co-workers because I have a CD player, and a 5-year-old computer, and a CRT TV, and a free-with-2-years'-service cell phone.

But I was also one of the few people at my federal office who didn't gnaw my knuckles in anxiety (like the joshers) at the possibility of a shutdown. That's because my money goes into banks and funds, not into buying tomorrow's gotta-have neat new expensive toy NOW NOW NOW DAMMIT.

I prefer to let other people beta-test new technological wonders for a few years first. I can pick it up once it's been superceded by the next neat new expensive gotta-have-NOW item, for about $20 at the thrift store or garage sale, and it'll still be an upgrade for me.