The Google Notebook

[Stazy]

The Google notebook is to be launched this coming year. I like the concept of cloud-based operating systems and am interested to see how it will stack up against Microsoft and Apple. The 2 years of free cellular service is a pretty generous offer as well. Anyone here going to buy one?

On Tuesday at a press event in San Francisco, Google Inc. announced that computer makers Samsung and Acer will begin selling laptop computers running the company's cloud-based operating system, Chrome OS, in mid-2011 and that each new Chrome OS machine will come with two years of free cellular service from telecom giant Verizon Wireless. ​

Link ​

 

[MetroStyles]

Can someone explain "cloud" (as it applies to personal computing) to me and why Microsoft and IBM won't stop babbling about it (without explaining it) in their commercials?

Is it just an externally hosted desktop that can be accessed from anywhere? I don't completely get it.

 

[otc]

It is basically running your **** somewhere else.

Instead of outlook, you use gmail
Instead of word, you use google docs and store your files online

this lets you use a dumb computer with a high end browser to do everything since stuff is stored and processed by a bunch of computers in a server farm (the cloud) and all you have to do is render the javascript to display it.

Also, places like amazon sell cloud computing by usage--you can set up a "node" on amazon's EC2 to run bits of code and you pay by bandwidth/storage/processing (but it is a lot easier than maintaining your own high-powered systems for infrequent tasks)

 

[Tokyo Slim]

I signed up.

I figure - Google already knows everything about me, Was one of the first people with Gmail. Have a Nexus One. Google owns me. Might as well sell the last little piece of my soul for an unbranded black matte flash netbook.
Woot.

 

[Piobaire]

How is the DoJ not putting a stop to this? OS/browser, hardware, and cell service? If Gates did that they'd crucify him.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

Can someone explain "cloud" (as it applies to personal computing) to me and why Microsoft and IBM won't stop babbling about it (without explaining it) in their commercials?

Is it just an externally hosted desktop that can be accessed from anywhere? I don't completely get it.

Basically. In it's simplest terms imagine streaming your music library on demand from your smartphone from the interwebz. I don't think cloud is bad for some applications, but for others it's completely impracticable, especially when considering portable devices in NYC (think subway and it's lack of net access).

 

[Stazy]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

Basically. In it's simplest terms imagine streaming your music library on demand from your smartphone from the interwebz. I don't think cloud is bad for some applications, but for others it's completely impracticable, especially when considering portable devices in NYC (think subway and it's lack of net access).

That's actually a good point & something I hadn't considered. You have to think though that eventually there will be net access pretty much everywhere.

On a bit of a side note I've been quite impressed with Opera's file sharing system. Too bad I hate the feel of the browser.

 

[Bhowie]

Not sure if this is mentioned about cloud computing but you can achieve economies of scale. It is cheaper and smaller than a desktop or laptop. I could be mistaken on this last point but I also think that gains in PC performance have slowed down within the past 3 years and so replacing an entire PC is not as necessary as it use to be.

 

[Harold falcon]

So this would mean Google would have direct control over what I do with my computer and Internet, yes? So if they wanted to completely block me from wikileaks they could easily do that, right? And I probably wouldn't be able to run that pirated version of Photoshop anymore too. Will they be monitoring everything I do with the computer? Will they store those records? Will they turn them over to the police or an ex-wife?

Troubling.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by harvey_birdman

So this would mean Google would have direct control over what I do with my computer and Internet, yes? So if they wanted to completely block me from wikileaks they could easily do that, right? And I probably wouldn't be able to run that pirated version of Photoshop anymore too. Will they be monitoring everything I do with the computer? Will they store those records? Will they turn them over to the police or an ex-wife? Troubling.
Photoshop? You have unlimited bandwidth? This is cloud computing remember... You won't be running photoshop on this notebook. There's a free, limited (crappy), photoshop that's browser based. Probably use that instead. As to your other questions, Google already pretty much has total control. This is just them dropping the pretense of the wizard behind the curtain. They already store everyone's private data.

 

[Fraiche]

Cloud computing is really geared towards corporations with operations across multiple locations.

It's easier to manage from an IT side, specially security. Saves a ton of money in the long run.

 

[intent]

Only comes with 100mb per month on the free plan? Are you kidding me? I think I just downloaded 100MB just from browsing WAYWT.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by intent

Only comes with 100mb per month on the free plan? Are you kidding me? I think I just downloaded 100MB just from browsing WAYWT.
It's free. 3G sucks anyways. Find WiFi.

 

[javyn]

I think it's too early to tell. Especially since I don't see any specs on this thing.

If they were to call it a netbook, I'd say okay, this looks pretty cool. But they aren't, they are calling it a laptop, and I just don't see how anyone can do any serious work over the cloud just yet. Google Docs is great, but still no substitute for MS Office for example.

Don't know enough about Chrome OS either, but I can throw Ubuntu or any Linux distro on just about any laptop and free myself from Microsoft as far as the OS goes (which I have done already).

Only thing they got going for them so far is speed, and that's only because it looks like this thing isn't going to be able to run any traditional applications. Is it all going to be web based cloud ****, or will it have a software repository? Anyone know?

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by javyn

Only thing they got going for them so far is speed, and that's only because it looks like this thing isn't going to be able to run any traditional applications. Is it all going to be web based cloud ****, or will it have a software repository? Anyone know?
From what I can tell, its not going to run a lot of software other than the OS. Probably has less than 20GB of free internal memory. That's all speculation at this point though. Basically, it's a netbook with 3G, multi-band Wifi, an a server farm running programs. It's not going to replace anything, but it's a pretty cool idea. The hardware itself is not really innovative. Basically it's a test bed for increased productivity in native cloud computing.

I just don't see how anyone can do any serious work over the cloud just yet.

I think that's the point. Basically, if any of us gets one of these things, it's going to be the equivalent of a sponsored beta test. One would assume that with the OS, they are going to roll out/open up some sort of cloud software library.