More Chrome OS info

[james.wired]

Google Chrome OS: Ditch Your Hard Drives, the Future Is the Web | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California — Google today unveiled more details of Chrome OS, a lightweight, browser-based operating system for netbooks.

With a strong focus on speed, the Chrome OS promises nearly instant boot times of about 7 seconds for users to login to their computers.

“We want Google Chrome OS to be blazingly fast … to boot up like a TV,” said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management for Google.

The first Chrome OS netbooks will be available in late 2010, Pichai said. It will not be available as a download to run and install. Instead, Chrome OS is only shipping on specific hardware from manufacturers Google has partnered with. That means if you want Chrome OS, you'll have to purchase a Chrome OS device.

Google is currently working with unnamed computer manufacturers to define specifications for these computers, which Pichai said will include larger netbook-style computers with full-size keyboards, large trackpads and large displays.

Chrome OS netbooks will not have traditional hard disk drives — they will rely on non-volatile flash memory and internet-based storage for saving all of your data.

Hey something new, could prove to be useful in the right environments I suppose. Not in any of mine. My dad does a lot of traveling and switches around many different PCs, laptops, netbooks, etc, he's always on the move. I think he would benefit from this kind of platform, except if the price is going to be the same then I'm sure people won't be quick to make the move.

 

[The_Evelyonian]

Seems like an interesting decision by Google and not one without risk. Even though cloud-computing may be the wave of the future I just don't see the casual PC user warming up to the idea. I suppose only time will tell if this is a smart play by Google.

 

[Jayce]

Seems like an interesting decision by Google and not one without risk. Even though cloud-computing may be the wave of the future I just don't see the casual PC user warming up to the idea. I suppose only time will tell if this is a smart play by Google.

Agreed.

I think cloud computing will certainly prove to have its place in the computer industry, but by no means do I ever expect cloud computing to be the majority.

 

[james.wired]

^ Exactly.

 

[The_Evelyonian]

I think cloud computing will certainly prove to have its place in the computer industry, but by no means do I ever expect cloud computing to be the majority.

Nor do I but the more I think on the article the more I think that the kiss of death for the Chrome OS is the fact that, if you want it, you have to buy a new system. To ask people to buy a brand new PC just to get their hands on Chrome is, in my opinion, a serious mistake. The majority of existing Linux operating systems can be downloaded for free and even Windows can be purchased without actually having to buy a new PC. As I said before, only time will tell, but I don't think that Google's latest move was a good one at all.

 

[Osiris]

Google Chrome OS Webcast Highlights

So I watched the Google Chrome OS Webcast we told you about earlier (here) and it was, for lack of a better word, boring. Here are some of the highlights:

• Google has released the Chrome OS source code
  
  
• The Chrome OS will more or less look like Google's Chrome brower.
  
• Every application on the Chrome OS will be a web application.
  
• You won't be able to download Chrome OS on an existing notebook
  
• The code for Chrome OS is "fully open."
  
• Chrome OS is "about a year away."

 

[KSoD]

While i like the concept of Cloud computing and the benefits it can have, i am honestly and truly scared for those who are considering Chrome OS. Just look at the facts people. GMail has had how many issues with downtime with no timeframe when it will be back up. It took what, 3 days from the last outage to get things back for some people and other lost data. Can we really consider a Cloud based OS when a service like GMail is experiencing such issues?

If the OS does take off what happens if the service goes down? How will these people that are dependent on it do anything? If it takes 3 days to get it back up what do these companies do for those 3 days? Twiddle their thumbs? What if when it comes back there is data loss?

Cloud OS sounds great, but there is so much more that needs to be hammered out before a large scale release should be done with it. I dont think the world is ready for a Cloud OS.

 

[The_Evelyonian]

While i like the concept of Cloud computing and the benefits it can have, i am honestly and truly scared for those who are considering Chrome OS. Just look at the facts people. GMail has had how many issues with downtime with no timeframe when it will be back up. It took what, 3 days from the last outage to get things back for some people and other lost data. Can we really consider a Cloud based OS when a service like GMail is experiencing such issues?

If the OS does take off what happens if the service goes down? How will these people that are dependent on it do anything? If it takes 3 days to get it back up what do these companies do for those 3 days? Twiddle their thumbs? What if when it comes back there is data loss?

Cloud OS sounds great, but there is so much more that needs to be hammered out before a large scale release should be done with it. I dont think the world is ready for a Cloud OS.

Good point, and if Google's previous releases are any indication then Chrome will have bugs. It's simply a question of when and how they will manifest themselves.

 

[Jayce]

While i like the concept of Cloud computing and the benefits it can have, i am honestly and truly scared for those who are considering Chrome OS. Just look at the facts people. GMail has had how many issues with downtime with no timeframe when it will be back up. It took what, 3 days from the last outage to get things back for some people and other lost data. Can we really consider a Cloud based OS when a service like GMail is experiencing such issues?

If the OS does take off what happens if the service goes down? How will these people that are dependent on it do anything? If it takes 3 days to get it back up what do these companies do for those 3 days? Twiddle their thumbs? What if when it comes back there is data loss?

Cloud OS sounds great, but there is so much more that needs to be hammered out before a large scale release should be done with it. I dont think the world is ready for a Cloud OS.

I agree. I like Google a lot. I think highly of that company. And the truth is, if anybody can pull it off, Google would be one of the few good contenders to handle it.

But I'm sorry - I have my doubts.

 

[KSoD]

Dont get me wrong, i love my GMail. I love the various other things that i use with google as well. But lets face the facts.

GMail was in what Google called "Beta" for 5 years! Chrome has version 3 out already and version 4 is in Beta stages. It wasnt that long ago that the Browser itself debuted and yet version 4 is in Beta stages?

Then look at the Google Docs aspect. How many topics have been out about flaws with the service that anyone can see these things. It took how long for Google to confirm this and address it.

Google does great. But they have to stop spreading themselves to thin and get at least 1 thing done and get it done right. The Browser is still all over the place. Extensions work in 1 build but not the next. Now they are trying to base a whole OS around this? When you have 2 different versions of the browser out now?

The honest truth is that even the almighty Google is not ready to have every single one of its users turn to Chrome OS. I seriously do not think that their servers could handle the stress placed upon them let alone the amount of storage that would be needed. I mean if people can fill up TB of space on a home PC what could happen with a cloud based OS?

I think Google can and will do it. But you are talking at least 2 years from now before it will be a stable and reliable service.