Samsung refreshes ChromeOS hardware with first desktop system Google and Samsung have launched fresh hardware aimed at reviving interest in its ChromeOS platform, with a laptop for end users and a desktop box system. Sales for ChromeOS have been less than stellar but the Chocolate factory has insisted that the platform has enough advantages to make it in the operating system market. …
I've always considered it useless, there are too many what ifs involved, what if I don't have a wireless signal, what if 3G coverage is weak, what if I have to work outside of a major city or town, what if the servers go down, what if google takes offence and closes my account.....
If you had a wallet full of cash, your monthly pay check on you, would you give it to the first stranger in the street who promises to look after it for you and will meet you each day at different locations of you choosing and pay for what you need?
What if his bus is late or he decided not to fulfill his obligation to you..... So why do you give all your important information away to the Chrome OS?
What in the world makes them think that people are going to pay a premium for this product. Crappy hardware priced just below i5 hardware - the mind boggles.
And look how well web only apps went down on iOS.
Why don't they focus their efforts on making a consumer friendly version of linux, instead of tweaking chrome so it makes web apps look more like desktop apps. But they could already do that by just porting and promoting Android to/on x86 - and that doesn't fit their vision where your every keystroke goes through their servers.
/sigh - suppose they have the money to waste
The not-so-short answer is "not yet, but people are working on it".
The impression I get is that there are significant obstacles to running Android on the Pi - not least, the relatively small (and non-upgradeable) RAM, and the ARM6-family CPU may also be a factor (the newer ARM7-series is more common). There are definitely folk trying to slim the OS down enough to squeeze onto the Pi, but I suppose only time will tell whether it's worthwhile or not at the end.
If you're after an ARM board with running Android in mind, there are a few - perhaps more suitable - alternatives. VIA's upcoming APC looks like it might be worth a look, as it's preinstalled with an old 'droid system (2.4?).
Personally, I'm happy with my RasPi running Arch/ARM, but horses for courses and all that :-)
Part of the idea is that with the new/evolving HTML specs it is possible to do some things offline. When ChromeOS was first announced Google Mail and Apps were mentioned as "[coming soon]". There is also the NaCl angle.
If any of that actually works worth a damn is a different question of course (don't know, haven't used it), and don't get me started on the ridiculous price, but that's the theory...
: /
"For the same money as the 550 Chromebook Samsung will sell you a Pentium-powered 15.1 inch Windows 7 system that doesn't need an internet connection to be useful."
^This. I'd rather get a cheap laptop and put a traditional Linux distribution on it. That would give you pretty much all the benefits ChromOS is supposed to have, with none of the drawbacks, a PC that works offline, and tonnes of traditional applications and games.
Credit to them for thinking and trying new things, but I don't see why anyone would want one... although people have said the same thing about other devices that have gone on to be successful*.
*Generous comment as I don't believe the first round was successful, although I suppose we won't find out if they don't release the figures.
Suprised no one has mentioned the desktop version - that's the only bit of this whole thing that might be practical. Still too expensive for what it is, but at least if you've got to have a system that is utterly dependent on the internet, at least this is one that actually has a hard-wired internet connection that could reasonably expected to be up most of the time. I could just about see that going somewhere.
I could easily see this sitting in a sitting room attached to a TV with a wireless keyboard/touchpad for quick email access or checking up on the news in the morning and Netflix (for US consumers) and YouTube for entertainment considerations in the evening, somewhat like how the Wii Internet Channel was initially publicised. It does seem a bit expensive for the hardware for that purpose though, especially since you're obviously not going to be able to use it as a HTPC.
In an Internet café, it does seem to fit the bill pretty well - automatic maintenance, secure boot, external account management, quick to use... It's a step up from licensing and maintaining Windows for public usage, making sure private information can't be grabbed from public users.
Netflix is not yet supported on the Linux platform in general, but Chrome OS and, as you pointed out Android, do support Netflix through specialized clients. That said, as far as I'm aware, it is only available in the closed-source Chrome OS builds in secure boot mode, not in the open source Chromium OS itself.
See: http://support.google.com/chromeos/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1401467
I look at this and I see the possibilities for an ultra-simple business desktop. Always connected to a network, only really needs a browser and Google Docs. Make it so it can sign in to an LDAP domain and local servers, and you're good to go. Cue loads of sales of £150 boxes to the non-intensive parts of business; accounts, HR, sales, logistics, or places that only really use Office.
And Samsung might want to watch that haiku; NeXTSTEP was bought by Apple :)
I have never really understood Googles stance on the OS market. ChromeOS just seems like it is a "nice idea" that doesn't really have any solid ambition, 'it's like a prototype that will never see the daylight.
On the other hand, I would love to see Android on the Desktop and I dont just mean LiveCd demos or Tablets. I don't like and have never liked the various Linux distros.
I do like Android though, its quick, gets the job done and remains minimalist. If Android were to become able to run Linux programs, that would be neat, especially on a desktop.
Android DOES run all the Linux programs. Such as ls, mkdir, mount, ps, and most especially, su. It's just a bloated GUI on top of a Linux kernel. (Whether more or less bloated than the common Linux offerings is another matter).
But I think you're confusing Linux "distribution" with the default look and feel they come with. If you like features of how Android looks and works, you can very likely get a Linux GUI to work that way too.
The news first turned up in an Intel press release -- the Chromebook and Chromebox will feature Intel processors. The Chromebook, now in its fifth generation, still promises simple, fast laptop computing with streamlined access to all Google's cloud services. The new Chromebox, starting at $329, promises the same in a compact home/office CPU box. Will these new releases help Google and the Chrome OS break out of its rather esoteric consumer base and into the spheres of Mac, Windows, and Linux influence? http://www.patexia.com/feed/google-intel-release-new-chrome-based-pcs-20120529
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