I was a little surprised when a Cr-48 -- that new Chrome OS laptop Google has been sending people to test -- showed up on my doorstep last week. I honestly wasn't expecting to get one -- Ryan got gdgt's review unit -- I just applied for one online like everyone else and kept my fingers crossed. I've spent a decent amount of time with it over the past few days (I'm writing this newsletter on it), and so far have some things I like (how easy it is to get setup, how quickly it boots up) and few things I don't like (the horrible trackpad and how awful fonts look).
Not that I want to spend this week's newsletter talking about the Cr-48. I mean, it is just test hardware. And I don't even want to focus too much on the ins and outs of Chrome OS itself. If you really want to know what Chrome OS is like on the computer you already have, you should just do what Farhad Manjoo over at Slate suggests: "Load up the Chrome browser, maximize it, and never switch to any other program."
No, what I'm really about is how Google is going to bring Chrome OS to the mainstream -- assuming they actually do want to do that, of course. The funny thing about Google sending out 60,000 Chrome OS laptops to random people is that they've recently been trying to reposition the operating system as more of an enterprise product. It makes sense, since there is certainly a market for network PCs out there. Just ask any systems administrator at a large company what it's like having to manage thousands and thousands of Windows PCs.
But it's also something of a retreat, and it seems odd to send out test machines to members of the general public if Chrome OS isn't meant for....the general public. You'd think they'd find some corporate customer that's already using Google Apps to try it out, I'm sure they wouldn't turn down a few thousand free laptops (I suppose it is possible Google is doing this and we just haven't heard about it).
I'm not sure I totally believe Google when they say that Chrome OS is mainly for enterprise. That may be the safe route for now, but I'd be really surprised if they don't at least aspire to get Chrome OS on as many PCs as possible. It's certainly up for debate, but let's just say that they do, ok?
For Chrome OS -- or any browser-based operating system for that matter -- to be successful with mainstream users it needs to offer some very clear advantages over the alternatives. Pretty much everyone agrees that the cloud, however you want to define it, is a bigger and bigger part of computing and that there's value in an OS that hooks into server-side computing. The problem is that being hooked into the cloud isn't a specific advantage in and of itself; any PC with a browser can already do all that. In fact, the biggest complaint about Chrome OS is that it does less, not more, than the machine most people already have. There needs to be specific reasons to chose something like Chrome OS over a machine running a full-fledged desktop OS.
So I think there are a few different points of differentiation that Google needs to nail if they really want regular people to buy a PC running Chrome OS. Let's run down the list:
Price - This one's always important, right? Most netbooks sell for around $300 these days, and any new netbook running Chrome OS is going to need to cost less than that. Chrome OS is free, which means manufacturers won't have to pay the Microsoft tax, but there are other free Linux OS options out there, and while using one does help keep the overall price down, it's usually not enough to get that MSRP below $250 unless it has really cruddy specs (plus it's worth noting that most netbooks at that price point are sporting Windows 7 Starter Edition, not some flavor of Linux). Besides, even if the OS is free the OEMs still have to spend some money making it work properly with their hardware. So unless there's something really different about Chrome OS in and of itself that I'm not aware of, it's not going to magically make a $300 netbook cost $200. The challenge for Google is that they do need the differential in price to feel real. Maybe they're going to subsidize the cost or share some of the related ad revenue, though I'm sure Google is reluctant to walk down that road and I haven't heard anything about them doing this. Either way, if the first ChromeOSbooks retail for $250 or $300 that's going to be a bad thing.
Battery life - This one might be the most within Google's control. The Cr-48's battery lasts for about eight hours, which is pretty good. Hopefully this is one of those things that'll only get better with time as manufacturers get better at optimizing their hardware for the OS. Most netbooks get about four hours of life, so something that offers double is a good selling point. I'd be surprised if this didn't get a lot of emphasis when the first ChromeOSbooks go on sale.
Speed - Probably the number one gripe about netbooks is how underpowered they are. It's hard to complain when you're paying three hundred bucks -- I think we've all quickly forgotten how insanely expensive laptops used to be -- but even if you're not playing games or watching HD video it's still pretty damn easy to hit up against the limits of the Atom processor. The whole premise of Chrome OS (and of smartbooks, when you think about it) is that you get a lightweight operating system that dispenses with a lot of functionality in order to focus those limited resources on browsing, so in theory it should run better than a Windows-based netbook running the same hardware. The reality is a little murkier. The issues with Flash on the Cr-48 are a good indication of how without the right optimization whatever advantages a lightweight OS offers can be pretty quickly erased. If Google can make ChromeOS fly on hardware that runs more slowly on Windows 7 they'll have another selling point.
Simplicity - Since it's just a browser, a PC running Chrome OS should be easier to use, right? There are no apps to install, no file systems to navigate, etc etc. It sounds really simple, but I actually think all this will hurt ChromeOS with the general public, at least at first. Why? At this point the PC user is comfortable with the whole windowed, mouse-and-keyboard-based interface of Windows and OS X, and ChromeOS is going to take a lot of them out of their comfort zone. I can see how it'd be a little confusing at first. There's no taskbar, no Start menu, no desktop wallpaper to set. Remember that PC manufacturers offering netbooks in both Windows and Linux options usually experienced much higher returns for the Linux machines, not because they were defective, but because customers found them too unfamiliar and difficult to use. I think that initial unfamiliarity most users will have with ChromeOS is something Google can overcome since most people are comfortable using a browser, but they are going to have to go out of their way to educate consumers about what exactly ChromeOS, how it's different, and why they think it's better. That campaign can focus on simple things, like that you never have to worry about backing up your data, but Google will definitely need to make sure they've introduced the basic concepts behind ChromeOS to the general public.
Support - One of the big advantages of Chrome OS is how much easier it should be to maintain than a regular OS. Updates can be pushed more quickly and the risk of viruses, trojans, or spyware goes way down if users can't install apps. Heck, just basic stability goes way up if users can't install apps. Making a ChromeOSbook less of a hassle to own is certainly a selling point, but Google -- which has legendarily poor customer service -- needs to make sure that users aren't left hanging when they do have issues and that manufacturers (which would presumably be handling most tech support) are up to the task.
Wireless broadband connectivity - This one is a bit trickier, since presumably Google can't simply mandate that manufacturers include built-in 3G/4G modems, but since a machine running Chrome OS is pretty much useless without a connection to the web, it certainly makes sense for them to be an option. The deal they cut with Verizon to offer 100MB of free data per month with each Cr-48 and the option to sign up for contract-free service plans or $10 day passes was smart, and hopefully something similar will be available when the first ChromeOSbooks go on sale. Giving users a pay-as-you go option to get online anywhere without locking them into a two-year contract made it easier for people to spring for 3G iPads. Hopefully Google is going to be brokering deals between carriers and manufacturers to make this happen; if not, they should be.
Of course, none of this matters if Google really isn't interested in bringing Chrome OS to the mainstream. Or rather, the calculus changes when your customer is the enterprise, which bases decisions on other factors like configurability, remote management, total cost of ownership, etc. And even if they initially focus on enterprise, my guess is that they'll turn their sights on the wider consumer market at some point. Google's relentless need to be everywhere is a lot like Microsoft's drive to have a PC running Windows on every desktop in every office and home.
If they're serious about getting a large number of people using Chrome OS, stuff like how great it runs webapps will help, but what's going to really matter in the long run is whether or not buying a netbook with it feels like a great deal. Consumers are pretty good at making trade-offs when it comes to buying tech -- witness the rise of netbooks in the first place -- but if machines running Chrome OS aren't cheaper, faster, or easier to use than their counterparts it's going to be tough to see why anyone would buy one.
Discussion about
What does Chrome OS -- or any cloud OS -- need to do to go mainstream?
Like you, I am skeptical that they are aiming at enterprise or education. Being the Director of IT at a small college that uses Google Apps for everything, I thought we had a pretty good shot at getting at least a few Cr-48s. Hmmm... I guess they sent ours to you instead. :) Seriously, I pitched the opportunity we had in testing these as standard issue to students and faculty, with IT using them as exclusively as possible for routine work and troubleshooting. I'm rather surprised so many of these went out to normal people instead. I guess I should have signed up for one using my personal Gmail account. :/
If they want the consumer market, I think the biggest marketing point will actually be secure web browsing. I deal with a lot of people who are deathly afraid of shopping and banking online due to the plague of Windows viruses. If they can convince people that this is a better and safer option for browsing the web, I know a lot of normal people who will be asking for help picking one out. If they can make Windows and Macintosh sound like they only excel at heavy duty work or gaming, people might buy these to do their web browsing and keep their old Macs and PCs for image editing, movie editing, accounting, etc.... Once they start using them for email and web, which probably constitutes 90% of what they use a computer for in the first place, they may find they are using those old machines a lot less.
Also, many speak of Chrome OS under the assumption that it will only be sold on netbook class hardware, but I won't be surprised to find it being sold on "normal" laptops and desktops. I already spend the majority of my day in Chrome on a MacBook Pro and would happily boot into Chrome OS instead of OS X on days when I don't foresee multimedia work on my To-Do list.
Lastly, I agree with your point about support. It is irrelevant if they sell it to enterprise since no IT guy I've ever met will call a support line until they've exhausted every trick in their book and spent hours digging through forums and FAQs online. The users will go to the IT guys who will be their support. Most consumers, however, don't have an IT guy in the family to beg for help, so they are less likely to want to give up that "Genius Bar" safety net or corporate support line. I suppose Google is trying to head that off with their auto-restore feature when changes to the OS have been detected at boot, but we all know that will fail sometimes. If consumers can be convinced that Acer, Dell, etc... will fully support them when there are problems, Google might dodge a bullet here. Otherwise, they will need to sell these cheap enough that people think of them like DVD players... when it is broke, throw it away and buy a new one.
Either way, I will be recommending Chrome OS to everyone I know for whom the use case actually meets their needs... and I would bet my gadget collection that I'll get calls for help from people who were talked into buying one by the Best Buy salesman and now have no idea what to do with it. :)
If they want the consumer market, I think the biggest marketing point will actually be secure web browsing. I deal with a lot of people who are deathly afraid of shopping and banking online due to the plague of Windows viruses. If they can convince people that this is a better and safer option for browsing the web, I know a lot of normal people who will be asking for help picking one out. If they can make Windows and Macintosh sound like they only excel at heavy duty work or gaming, people might buy these to do their web browsing and keep their old Macs and PCs for image editing, movie editing, accounting, etc.... Once they start using them for email and web, which probably constitutes 90% of what they use a computer for in the first place, they may find they are using those old machines a lot less.
Also, many speak of Chrome OS under the assumption that it will only be sold on netbook class hardware, but I won't be surprised to find it being sold on "normal" laptops and desktops. I already spend the majority of my day in Chrome on a MacBook Pro and would happily boot into Chrome OS instead of OS X on days when I don't foresee multimedia work on my To-Do list.
Lastly, I agree with your point about support. It is irrelevant if they sell it to enterprise since no IT guy I've ever met will call a support line until they've exhausted every trick in their book and spent hours digging through forums and FAQs online. The users will go to the IT guys who will be their support. Most consumers, however, don't have an IT guy in the family to beg for help, so they are less likely to want to give up that "Genius Bar" safety net or corporate support line. I suppose Google is trying to head that off with their auto-restore feature when changes to the OS have been detected at boot, but we all know that will fail sometimes. If consumers can be convinced that Acer, Dell, etc... will fully support them when there are problems, Google might dodge a bullet here. Otherwise, they will need to sell these cheap enough that people think of them like DVD players... when it is broke, throw it away and buy a new one.
Either way, I will be recommending Chrome OS to everyone I know for whom the use case actually meets their needs... and I would bet my gadget collection that I'll get calls for help from people who were talked into buying one by the Best Buy salesman and now have no idea what to do with it. :)
My biggest concern with Chrome OS (Disclaimer: I won the GDGT contest but haven't received the laptop yet, so I have no hands on experience) is that the same person I think could be a target for this laptop has a major problem inherent with the cloud nature of the OS. The person I think that would drive adoption of a cloudOS system is someone like my father. A user capable of advanced tasks inside work specific apps, but someone with simple needs once he steps out of the office. My father has 4 uses for his personal computer: email, web surfing, access to Citrix hosted versions of Windows apps, and media creation. Three of those needs are met perfectly by Chrome OS (or could be if Citrix support isn't there yet). However, media creation seems to be a major hinderance to the mainstream adoption of of a cloudOS system like Chrome OS. Back to my parents, they are fortunate enough to be at a point in their lives where they can take international trips twice a year. The volume of photos that my father brings back from those trips seem to be too much data for a cloudOS. My father would be extremely unhappy waiting for 8 GB of pictures to upload from his trip to flickr or a similar service. I imagine anyone who does audio or video editing, for fun or professionally would have similar problems with living in the cloud.
Looking forward to the final version of this write up in the newsletter! (and the arrival of my CR-48, hopefully before I head home to my parents for the holiday weekend)
Looking forward to the final version of this write up in the newsletter! (and the arrival of my CR-48, hopefully before I head home to my parents for the holiday weekend)
I think this would be a really good operating system for businesses, with desktop computers. Having a single system that the whole company uses would be great for IT to trouble shoot. The four people sitting next to me at work all have different versions of windows, and different versions of MS office, they transition over to windows 7 is slow moving, and isn't happening with just a flip of a switch like Chrome could be done for an entire company.
I think Chrome OS would be awesome for Library computers or computer cafes.
yes it would, BUT it is personalized for one Google/Gmail Account. There can be multiple users and guest, but there would need to be a way to block personal logins because people would most likely forget to log out and have their account compromised.
There's a user lock feature in the settings. Basically, the primary user can restrict who can log in. So the library could keep the primary account for itself, lock out all other accounts, and have visitors use the guest account (which is just incognito mode).
oh, I didn't know that. Thanks for the info! I applied as an individual for a Cr-48 but haven't received one yet. Doesn't look like I will now :(
Indeed, @Dunnion; as a real-life #MADMEN type, I have become 100% independent and somewot dependent on the #GoogleApps. Beyond the Google brand I am blow away by the sheer efficacy of the software and usefulness. #BuckyFuller would be proud of its efficiency. Have you considered all the software you've outgrown, files you've lost, data corrupted, images destroyed and just plain lack of organisation (u've) probably experienced (as I well have!) over the last decade? The sheer epoch of (a) Chrome OS is upon us.
Issues I have ran into so far have been with playing back multimedia. The Chrome OS will allow you to download anything, its just half the time it doesn't know what to do with it. Such as a .mpg file, that is a basic video file and Chrome OS will simply not do a thing with it.
Other things I ran into was the lack of a file browser. I go Geocaching alot and that requires me to download a .gpx file and transfer it over the handheld GPS. While I can plug in the GPS and download the .gpx file, I can't transfer the file over from the CR-48 to the GPS. No way to do it.
I personally don't ever see Chrome OS replacing my primary computer. For me, it makes a great laptop computer that I bring with me when I'm going on a trip and don't need much advanced functionality.
Other things I ran into was the lack of a file browser. I go Geocaching alot and that requires me to download a .gpx file and transfer it over the handheld GPS. While I can plug in the GPS and download the .gpx file, I can't transfer the file over from the CR-48 to the GPS. No way to do it.
I personally don't ever see Chrome OS replacing my primary computer. For me, it makes a great laptop computer that I bring with me when I'm going on a trip and don't need much advanced functionality.
One more thought...
Over the last 2 years or so, everyone who has come to me to help them get their first computer or to replace a really old one did not say they wanted a computer... they said they wanted to get on the internet and asked what they needed to do so. As geeks, we often treat the computers and operating systems as ends unto themselves (especially Mac users who are willing to pay more for "a better computer"). I have seen firsthand, though, that what a LOT of normal people want is access to specific websites. The computer is just how they get there. I think that Chrome OS will do better than many analysts expect it to.
Over the last 2 years or so, everyone who has come to me to help them get their first computer or to replace a really old one did not say they wanted a computer... they said they wanted to get on the internet and asked what they needed to do so. As geeks, we often treat the computers and operating systems as ends unto themselves (especially Mac users who are willing to pay more for "a better computer"). I have seen firsthand, though, that what a LOT of normal people want is access to specific websites. The computer is just how they get there. I think that Chrome OS will do better than many analysts expect it to.
The make or break service to make ChromeOS popular, IMHO, is if Google can somehow get licensing agreements that would allow users to store and listen to their music entirely from the cloud. A web-based PC I carry around is swell, but superflous. Being able to access ALL of ones music (not just rdio or spotify or other incomplete catalogs) but all one's desktop library would mean it's worth carrying a chromeOS device around. Anything short of that just makes it a surfing machine which we all carry in our pockets already ...
I got the Cr-48 and have been using it a lot. As a blogger, a lot of what I do is all internet based and I already live pretty solidly in the cloud. So on the whole I love the Chrome OS. I have a few issues but who doesn't;). As far as this being feasible for life.... I agree with the commenter who talked about downloading stuff and the netbook not knowing what to do with it. The other issue is that it is so hard to access the data on the hard drive. But I see the limitations I am having really sitting in the netbookness of it more than the browser based os. If I load up to many pages, it can hang. It can hang with to much media loading. Just processor issues.
But on the whole, I think that this is really a feasible option for most people. And definitely feasible as your only laptop os. Will I ever give up all other OS options for all computers like my desktop? No, because even if I don't ever find time to program again, my husband is still a programmer;). And you can't get Steam to run on it;).
But on the whole, I think that this is really a feasible option for most people. And definitely feasible as your only laptop os. Will I ever give up all other OS options for all computers like my desktop? No, because even if I don't ever find time to program again, my husband is still a programmer;). And you can't get Steam to run on it;).
First the edits: remove the funky question mark thing at the beginning of the sentence and change chose to choose in: " �There needs to be specific reasons to chose something like Chrome OS over a machine running a full-fledged desktop OS."
Add an "s" to "dispense" and change the sentence to not use "so" twice in such close proximity:
"The whole premise of Chrome OS (and of smartbooks, when you think about it) is that you get a lightweight operating system that dispense with a lot of functionality so it can focus those limited resources on browsing, so in theory it should run better than a Windows-based netbook running the same hardware."
I think you meant to have "offers" after "OS" in:
"The issues with Flash on the Cr-48 are a good indication of how without the right optimization whatever advantages a lightweight OS can be pretty quickly erased."
Typo on "whole" and consider rephrasing this part for better clarity:
"Because by this point the average person who uses a PC on a regular basis is comfortable with the wholed windowed, mouse-and-keyboard-based interface of Windows and OS X"
Add "is" after "ChromeOS":
"but they are going to have to go out of their way to educate consumers about what exactly ChromeOS, how it's"
Capitalize the "t" at the beginning of the sentence:
"that campaign"
My thoughts in the next comment.
Add an "s" to "dispense" and change the sentence to not use "so" twice in such close proximity:
"The whole premise of Chrome OS (and of smartbooks, when you think about it) is that you get a lightweight operating system that dispense with a lot of functionality so it can focus those limited resources on browsing, so in theory it should run better than a Windows-based netbook running the same hardware."
I think you meant to have "offers" after "OS" in:
"The issues with Flash on the Cr-48 are a good indication of how without the right optimization whatever advantages a lightweight OS can be pretty quickly erased."
Typo on "whole" and consider rephrasing this part for better clarity:
"Because by this point the average person who uses a PC on a regular basis is comfortable with the wholed windowed, mouse-and-keyboard-based interface of Windows and OS X"
Add "is" after "ChromeOS":
"but they are going to have to go out of their way to educate consumers about what exactly ChromeOS, how it's"
Capitalize the "t" at the beginning of the sentence:
"that campaign"
My thoughts in the next comment.
Nice read, and as a CR-48 user, I agree with most of your points. I noticed one error: Verizon offers 100MB/month for 2 years, not 200MB (and it sounds like 200MB/life as written).
unfortunately it's going to need to not be impacted or limited by Net Neutrality and we still struggle in general with not enough mobile broadband, which is really necessary for any ability to use an cloud based OS permanently for games, business, and certainly for any of us trying to maintain a site on the go.
Given the form factor, I would have liked more support for content consumption. I know there is a labs feature that has rudimentary media controls, but they don't do anything at this point. This notebook is a great size for grabbing and sharing media and the boot/resume speed would make it really easy to quickly share something like a video with others in a room.
As for the selling points, I think some key ones (for both individuals and businesses) are reliability and security. Google's claim that "it's no big deal if your laptop gets run over by a steamroller" could really resonate with potential mainstream buyers. The protection against viruses with layers of sandboxes, as well as the verified boot, if described in a user-friendly way, would probably draw in a few people as well.
Also, I think it's pretty cool that I can log out and hand the laptop to a friend and he can log in as a guest or with his own Google account and get browsing immediately with complete isolation from my account.
As for the selling points, I think some key ones (for both individuals and businesses) are reliability and security. Google's claim that "it's no big deal if your laptop gets run over by a steamroller" could really resonate with potential mainstream buyers. The protection against viruses with layers of sandboxes, as well as the verified boot, if described in a user-friendly way, would probably draw in a few people as well.
Also, I think it's pretty cool that I can log out and hand the laptop to a friend and he can log in as a guest or with his own Google account and get browsing immediately with complete isolation from my account.
Chrome OS and the CR-48 are falling victim to form factor stereotypes. Much like the iPad I feel that Chrome OS deserves a fresh look from the use case perspective. I look at friends and family members who are not interested in tech, or for that matter even know what Chrome OS is. Many people open their PC based laptop, and after they X out the notification that "Updates are available" they open and use the web browser until they close the lid on their device. I think many people would love this as a companion device. This was my approach. Before the CR-48 arrived, I only had a desktop at home. Now, if I want to check something quick before I leave the house, it resumes in a snap and I'm out before my wife's laptop would even boot. I worry that because it looks like a laptop, and they call it a notebook, Chrome OS will fall to stereotypes of what these devices "should" do. In reality, this is a specialty tool. What Chrome OS does, it does really well. I think that once you can get people to admit that most of what they do is in a web browser, this will really catch on.
Let's face it:
It's not the CloudOS concept that isn't ready for "enterprise" -- it's the Web.
Plenty of users only do the following:
-email -Read/Research/News -Socialize -Video -Music -Office apps
But what about the rest of us, who:
-Build software -Produce video -Edit images -Produce audio
These are resource intensive and/or technical applications that won't be wholly browser-based any time soon.
It's not the CloudOS concept that isn't ready for "enterprise" -- it's the Web.
Plenty of users only do the following:
-email -Read/Research/News -Socialize -Video -Music -Office apps
But what about the rest of us, who:
-Build software -Produce video -Edit images -Produce audio
These are resource intensive and/or technical applications that won't be wholly browser-based any time soon.
Chrome OS will be virtually dead on arrival. Chrome OS solves several problems: security, losing local data, short battery life, limited connectivity and confusing setup. The problem is that all these problems are with Windows and Mac. Android also solves all of these problems, lets you install apps, and has a touch interface. Google said they see Chrome OS as their "with keyboard" OS, but I guarantee that Android tablets will have keyboard support like the iPad does. Some complain that Android isn't a full OS or that it is optimized for mobile. Those are valid criticisms but by the time Chrome OS is ready to ship, Honeycomb will be ready to ship too. Honeycomb will change everything. So maybe Chrome OS isn't for consumers, maybe its for enterprise. Turns out their is a new tablet in that space too. Its called the Playbook and its from RIM. Businesses love RIM and are iffy about Google. If you want a light weight computer just to do web browsing then why wouldn't you get a tablet?
Netbooks are on the way out and they are NOT being replaced by slightly larger netbooks they are being replaces with tablets.
Netbooks are on the way out and they are NOT being replaced by slightly larger netbooks they are being replaces with tablets.
I'm a user, not an IT pro, so to answer your question look no further. My biggest fear about Google's Chrome OS, as well as their cloud-based Docs apps, are to do with the issues of content control and ownership. It was my impression that all content created within these apps and stored on Google's servers become and remain the property of Google. Not only don't I trust Google with my content, but I can't imagine any business wanting to throw the dice with their precious data.
If my fears are indeed unfounded, then Google has its work cut out for it regarding public trust and clarifying this keystone issue.
If my fears are indeed unfounded, then Google has its work cut out for it regarding public trust and clarifying this keystone issue.
For a user that already relies on the cloud storage for all the things that I do (Evernote, Dropbox, Freshbook, etc etc), when I first try out the Chrome OS using my VMWare, it takes some learning curve to conduct all your computing task within cloud. One of the biggest downfall of the cloud system is, there is no single standard on how the file and data will be interchangeable between multiple apps. This pitfall happens with iOS too. When the OS blocks users from using any file system space to allow transport of file or data from one app to another, the work is very cumbersome.
The user experience among multiple cloud-based application has to be unified first before the cloud based computing take off.
Classic example: I receive a document in my email. Where I can go from here in a pure cloud computing? I can open the document and choose to store it as a Google doc (assuming that it is open-able by Google Doc app). Then Google Doc stores it automatically in my account; but then what? How can I send the document back to my friend? I know Google design their app so that you share the document over their collaboration system and not physically send the file. Will that always work? I am not the author of the document. The author document may want to keep his physical original document as the main one that we will collaborate. Now we are talking two apps here. One is an offline word processor application and the other is Google Doc cloud based application. How can this two interoperable?
In the non-cloud scenario, through so many years and so many revisions, vendors of applications have finally make the compatibility between apps much smoother and accessible. I can send a Microsoft Word document to Open Office and they can save it and send it back to me. Or somebody upload it to Google Doc and they can make edit and then download the file offline again as word doc and send it back to Microsoft office application. This is missing in the cloud based applications. Due to data security and the missing common repository and format, it is still very very difficult to exchange data or file between applications. So each cloud applications operate individually with some offers basic sync capability (allow storage in one other app). You don't want to store multiple versions of the same file.
I think the cloud apps should learn from developer tools. We need a central application that serves as common repository (such as our SVN or any code repository in development tool) where it can take care the version controlling and merging from multiple sources to single source / private source. Without this kind of common interactivity between apps, OS like Chrome will fall short for a real replacement on our computing need. It will be just another "complimentary" device with limited function that specific to the web apps we use.
The user experience among multiple cloud-based application has to be unified first before the cloud based computing take off.
Classic example: I receive a document in my email. Where I can go from here in a pure cloud computing? I can open the document and choose to store it as a Google doc (assuming that it is open-able by Google Doc app). Then Google Doc stores it automatically in my account; but then what? How can I send the document back to my friend? I know Google design their app so that you share the document over their collaboration system and not physically send the file. Will that always work? I am not the author of the document. The author document may want to keep his physical original document as the main one that we will collaborate. Now we are talking two apps here. One is an offline word processor application and the other is Google Doc cloud based application. How can this two interoperable?
In the non-cloud scenario, through so many years and so many revisions, vendors of applications have finally make the compatibility between apps much smoother and accessible. I can send a Microsoft Word document to Open Office and they can save it and send it back to me. Or somebody upload it to Google Doc and they can make edit and then download the file offline again as word doc and send it back to Microsoft office application. This is missing in the cloud based applications. Due to data security and the missing common repository and format, it is still very very difficult to exchange data or file between applications. So each cloud applications operate individually with some offers basic sync capability (allow storage in one other app). You don't want to store multiple versions of the same file.
I think the cloud apps should learn from developer tools. We need a central application that serves as common repository (such as our SVN or any code repository in development tool) where it can take care the version controlling and merging from multiple sources to single source / private source. Without this kind of common interactivity between apps, OS like Chrome will fall short for a real replacement on our computing need. It will be just another "complimentary" device with limited function that specific to the web apps we use.
The key things I think are necessary to have success for this ChromeOS based notebook is the following:
speed of boot (instant on makes a lot of people love something at first site)
battery life - (but we don't need like 2 weeks, just something that gets it through a full day)
price - absolutely needs to be cheaper than an Ipad or any touch screen tablet
After that if you sell it like its your computer to sit on your lap and surf the internet with, but not your primary computer, then it can undercut a lot of ipad sales.
speed of boot (instant on makes a lot of people love something at first site)
battery life - (but we don't need like 2 weeks, just something that gets it through a full day)
price - absolutely needs to be cheaper than an Ipad or any touch screen tablet
After that if you sell it like its your computer to sit on your lap and surf the internet with, but not your primary computer, then it can undercut a lot of ipad sales.
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