The iPad came and went down with a lot of criticism. In a market where traditional PC’s rule and only the scaled down version of the very same interface sells, Google tried to sell us the Chrome OS concept last year and got a luke warm response (better than the bombing iPad has got). With the 2010 flavour of tablets, a tablet version of Chrome OS is what we are looking at now.
Last month we hard heard rumors of HTC working on a Google tablet that would be powered by the Chrome OS and here we have a tablet concept UI posted on the official Chromium site. While Chromium is the open source community that powers the Chrome browser and the Chrome OS, Techcrunch notes that these might well be posted by Glen Murphy (Google Chrome’s designer). It is rumored that Google is working closely with manufacturers to fine tune the Chrome tablet, just like it worked with HTC to build the Nexus One.
This seems to be the only way in which Google can counter the advantage cos like Apple & Palm have (controlling the entire experience: hardware + software). More pictures below, video here. (more…)
All right, the new year is underway and rather than dwell on making lists of which rocked which category in 2009 – there are way too many categories now, forget the products – I would rather stick my neck out and make a bold/daft/reckless prediction for the best tech product of 2010.
Thanks to various manufacturers’ policies of announce-now-and-release-later, we already know that there are a number of high-profile products that will hit the stores in the new year. We are sure to get the Google phone any day now, the Apple tablet might just follow, and even if neither of them put in an appearance, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 almost certainly will. On the software side, we are expecting a new version of Win Mo and yet more flavours of Linux (and a Windows 7 service pack too, we bet), console lovers can look forward to a Project Knox-powered Xbox…in short, whatever 2010 will lack, it won’t be products. Heck, it might even throw up some new categories.
But the one product that I think will radically change tech as we know is going to be Google’s Chrome OS. The reason is (more…)
Lets consider this official that 2010 is the year of tablets. The Crunchpad in its new form ‘Joo’Joo‘ has already been announced and the talk about an Apple Tablet never dies. All the chatter and constant rumors of big reputed companies working secretly on tablet devices makes me wonder if this would do to the portable computing scene what netbooks did?
While all hopes of redefining the tablet experience lies on Apple, we now hear that Google is rumored to be working on a tablet computer along with HTC since over a year. While the Google Chrome OS is a reality and a tablet booting straight to a browser is real aswell (the CrunchPad / JooJoo); it makes this rumor sound very real that Google might be working on its own Tablet.
So may it be the iSlate or a Chrome OS powered Google Tablet, the food for thought is how will this fit into our routine lives trying to survive between a desktop/notebook and a smartphone. I don’t know many people who own both – a netbook and a notebook; for the same reason having a super smartphone and a tablet together would mean overlapping functionalities.
While Dell wasn’t a part of the official partner list that Google released for Chrome OS development, the computer manufacturer scored an early win by cashing in on the Google OS hype. A beta to play with is good enough to create buzz and please the geeks. But now Acer, after having its hands partly burnt with Android, is hoping to score big with Chrome OS. All the best folks, just deliver us some cool tech
Wonder: Will Acer launch a Windows 7 / Chrome OS dual boot netbook ?
Dell is cashing in on the hype around Google’s Chrome OS which promises to change the way we look at netbooks. While there is still time for the official version of Chrome OS (expected in 2H 2010), Dell has made available a compatible version for its Mini 10v netbook users.
The 10v compatible version is available for download here (instructions here). Though no virtual OS installation/support is available Chrome OS, you can load the 8GB image file on a USB to get this working. The users must be cautious though as this OS has gone through minimal testing and might bring in some issues. The WiFi connectivity is one of the features which can be troublesome.
“The day broadband is down at my place, I hardly switch it on my computer.” – that’s what I said back in July and with today’s preview of Chrome OS, that’s exactly what inspires Google to work on this project. We are about to use Netbooks as NETbooks finally.
Here are a few notes from what Google revealed about the Chrome OS today:
Netbooks has in a way acted as a catalyst in taking the notebook format to the masses. And Taiwan is seeing extraordinary growth with this form of PC. Digitimes reports that nebooks have a 40% market share in portable computers in the first three quarters of 2009 in Taiwan compared to the global average of 20%.
The effect of low ticket size of the netbook would certainly reflect in the bottom-line of PC makers, but the alternative revenue model with 3G powered netbooks sold a monthly subscription might help bring in some more revenues. Surprisingly in markets like India and China the adoption is low with approx share of 16% (and less than 10% in Q3). I would normally expect India and China to sell more of these netbook which is targeted at the masses. Probably the difference of just around INR 5000 ($100) between a good netbook and a entry level explains the situation. Throwing the Google Chrome OS in the mix and many new models coming in 2010, the netbook space would be interesting to watch!
Though not confirmed by Acer yet, reports suggest that Acer is all set to unveil its first Android based Netbook (which might well be the first Android Notebook to hit the markets) sometime next month. Acer leads the netbook markets and it has its own way to deliver Android to you. The Acer netbook will dual-boot Windows XP and Android – just as announced before.
Many computer manufacturers have shown interest in Android based netbooks, that will help them lower the cost of the system (by avoiding the Windows license fees). However here Acer would be unable to lower the price here as it offers Windows XP along with Android. With Google Chrome OS entering the scenario next year, it is unsure as to how seriously manufacturers shall pursue Android on netbooks (which makes the dual boot option by Acer much more valuable).
Accept for a fewrandomtweets I had nothing much to say on the Google OS yet. But after all the buzz yesterday (Read Google Vs Microsoft, Google OS vs Windows), I see very clearly that Google announced something, people saw something else. I have read the original Google blogpost (followed up by a Faq’s today) over and over again and I see no mention of
a) This being a full fleged OS
b) Competing with Windows OS anytime in the near future, (rather bringing in a new approach to netbooks)
So if you are still unclear about what I am speaking, Google just dropped a bomb yesterday with the announcement of the Google Chrome OS. Its not that we didn’t hear about it before, but it was always believed to be an extension of Android, instead of an all new platform…
today, we’re announcing a new project that’s a natural extension of Google Chrome — the Google Chrome Operating System. It’s our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be. Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks.
While Microsoft boldly claims to control 96% of netbook market (along with the majority in desktop OS market); Google still (more…)
Netbooks has in a way acted as a catalyst in taking the notebook format to the masses. And Taiwan is seeing extraordinary growth with this form of PC. 
