REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

Eclypz · 07-08-2009, 06:40 PM

For those of you that don't follow the tech blogs...Hard to say whether this will crash or burn, but we'll see as more details come:

Quote:

Ars Technica has received confirmation from two sources that Google is working on new software named Google Chrome OS, which will offer a cloud-based, OS experience around the browser. UPDATE: It's official. It's coming in the second half of 2010.

Google says the OS is open source and lightweight, allowing users super quick access to the web. They claim the OS will be virus free (the security architecture is entirely new), and run a newly-designed windowing system on top of a Linux kernel that will be compatible with x86 and ARM processors alike. Though they were quick to mention this was separate from Android, they also conceded there would be some overlap in concept and functionality between the two platforms.

While the discussion of specific apps (and how they will work) was vague, Google made reference to a developer ecosystem that will be heavily web-based, and apps would be compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux (obviously). In a nutshell, it looks like Google Chrome OS is about simplicity, speed, safety, and cloud computing.

The announcement of Google Chrome OS is a big step forward for a company who slowly and subtly wedged their way into web app development. Google says that Chrome OS is intended for "power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems." So what does this mean for Google, and more importantly, what does this mean for Microsoft and Apple?

I think that Google has primed themselves to take a big chunk out of the mainstream computing market. That's not to say that you or I will be exclusively using Chrome OS, but with the internet becoming more and more accessible from ANYWHERE, our parents, grandparents and technophobic siblings probably will be converts. Most of them are already familiar with Google as a brand, and frustrated in trying to learn the intricacies of current operating systems.

And even for those of us who consider ourselves technologically advanced, how much of the desktop experience have Google's web apps already replaced? We'll still have our main computers, but what will be running on our netbooks or old laptops that sit in the living room?

More and more, I find myself working almost exclusively with apps that exist entirely on the web, or with clients that connect to web services. The only apps I use that aren't cloud-happy are either utilities, media players or photo/video editors. And even then, those are heading in that web-centric direction. Cloud computing has been bringing us closer and closer to the mainframe days of yore. Google wants to be the only backbone working behind the scenes. By saying they're keeping Chrome OS app development web-centric and platform-agnostic, they're slowly luring us techies into their web.

Still, Windows and OSX will always have a spacious home in the computer world, undoubtedly. Some apps will always require native architecture, and the businessmen, code-monkeys, graphic designers, video editors and other connoisseurs of nuanced computing would be foolhardy to try and work strictly in the cloud.

But the final hurdle for Google to overcome is easy, accessible online storage. Will they be able to go after Amazon's S3 cloud servers? And perhaps more importantly, will they be able to offer the service for free? If they can let us really extend our hard drives into the cloud, look out. Chrome OS will be a force to be reckoned with.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5309736/google-ch...yline=true&s=x

Google source: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/...chrome-os.html

Manic! · 07-08-2009, 07:59 PM

Google is evil and they plan to take over the world.

underscore · 07-08-2009, 08:13 PM

^ I'm pretty sure they are. I use Google to search and my school forces me to use G-Mail but I like to diversify my usage. monolopolies on things like this are bad.

I kinda skimmed it, but that last point, how many people actually use online storage? is it not rather slow to add/access large files?

tiger_handheld · 07-08-2009, 09:40 PM

the future is here. we will soon be on the cloud.....

Manic! · 07-08-2009, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiger_handheld

the future is here. we will soon be on the cloud.....

A cloud?

Eclypz · 07-09-2009, 01:16 AM

yet to be confirmed/denied screenshots of the OS are up:
http://gizmodo.com/5310757/are-these...os-screenshots

^^confirmed fake
http://gizmodo.com/5311329/google-ch...ike-we-thought

JesseBlue · 07-09-2009, 12:53 PM

this will surely bring the price of os' down...and hopefully pcs and macs...

q0192837465 · 07-09-2009, 01:19 PM

jackmeister · 07-09-2009, 01:19 PM

Why does everybody think Google is the best thing since sliced bread?
Surely their search is good and their GMAIL isn't too shabby, but doesnt mean they kick absolute ass and will pwn microsoft like everyone is saying. Lets see what happens when internet decides to fuck up during business hours.

way2quik · 07-09-2009, 03:14 PM

Isn't this Google OS thing only for netbooks at the moment? The purpose of this OS is for web surfing and that seems to be the focus.

!LittleDragon · 07-09-2009, 05:40 PM

Dont' forget Google's primary income is from advertising... their new OS is just a new way for them to gather information on you to sell to other companies.

Carl Johnson · 07-09-2009, 06:29 PM

This is Google's way of saying "FUCK YOU" to Microsoft for expanding into the search business.

asian_XL · 07-09-2009, 06:37 PM

google OS = targetting mostly average joe user?

mac = geek and art/designer guy?

win = all corporation and almost everybody out there.

!LittleDragon · 07-09-2009, 06:46 PM

This won't be a Windows killer... every alternative OS out there was at one time touted as the Windows killer and they're either no longer around or only used by a handful of geeks. Apple has taken almost 30 years for their sliver of marketshare... Like many of google's previous products, it'll make a big splash then forgotten.

Eclypz · 07-09-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackmeister

Why does everybody think Google is the best thing since sliced bread?
Surely their search is good and their GMAIL isn't too shabby, but doesnt mean they kick absolute ass and will pwn microsoft like everyone is saying. Lets see what happens when internet decides to fuck up during business hours.

because google raises the bar with everything they touch.

Just some examples of how Google raised the bar:
- google search
- google maps
- google voice
- Android
- Gmail
- Chrome Browser
- Google AdSense (internet advertising)
- Google Analytics (internet tracking)
- Google Video / Youtube
- Picasa
- AJAX web programming (google is considered the pioneer of AJAX programming...aka web 2.0)

It might not always be the best, but everything they touch, it raises the bar for the competitors. Even if you don't use any Google products, you still benefit, because the competitors are forced to improve their products/services to stay competitive. Look at the list above and try to remember how those services/products were before google entered the market. (i.e. Remember the days of 2-4MB storage limits for web-based emails?)

And quite frankly I'm a little skeptical on how a Google OS will do, but at the same time, I definitely welcome a new player to the game.

6insomnia9 · 07-09-2009, 07:37 PM

Google scares me sometimes..

kaitamasaki · 07-12-2009, 03:39 PM

google wave as well in the near future

JesseBlue · 07-14-2009, 02:35 PM

google scares you? look at microsoft...80-90% of the world's pc is running windows...they control the world!

dn53 · 07-15-2009, 11:59 AM

Google cameras will be here in no time.