“Laptop computers using Google’s Chrome operating system will go on sale in June, as the world’s No. 1 Internet search engine challenges Microsoft Corp. and Apple on their home turf,” Noel Randewich reports for Reuters.
“The new Web-centric PCs, made by Samsung and Acer Inc., are Google’s latest attempt to change how consumers and companies use their computers,” Randewich reports. “The bare-bones operating system is essentially a web browser that steers users to use applications like email and spreadsheets directly on the web, instead of storing software such as Outlook or Word directly on PCs. For nearly two years Google has touted Chrome as an alternative to Microsoft Windows, which is used on more than 90 percent of the world’s PCs, but faced delays launching laptops designed to use the software.”
“As with Android, Chrome software will be free, but is expected to spur people to use the Internet more often and search for more things, potentially boosting Google’s Internet ads business. The operating system 
and ‘Chromebook’ PCs expand on Google’s web browser, also called Chrome, that competes against Microsoft’s Internet Explorer,” Randewich reports. “The laptops, using processors made by Intel, will be available for order on Amazon.com and Best Buy’s online store on June 15. The Mountain View, California company will also offer businesses its Chromebooks, along with technical support, as a hassle-free solution for $28 a month.”
Randewich reports, “Google is competing fiercely against Apple to win consumers in the mobile market, with sales of Android-based phones recently overtaking iPhones but with its own tablets far behind Apple’s iPad. Google kicked off its annual developers forum on Tuesday with an image of its Android robot eating an apple, a shot at its Cupertino, California rival.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Anything that shakes up/injects the concept of choice into the desktop/laptop operating system and office suite markets is good for Apple and bad for Microsoft.
Many could be quite surprised at how quickly Microsoft goes down.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “noone” for the heads up.]
Google computers… OMG…. Apple is doomed, doomed I tell you. 🙂
Just a thought,
en
Ooooohhh… a 28 dollar a month advertising machine.
leasing computers? haha… old idea
Google’s puny Chrome wankbook effort is like bringing a knife to a gunfight at the OK Corral. Apple & Microsoft will outgun these bastards to a pulp.
So let’s say you want to take a laptop somewhere (I know, insane right?) and you live in a country whose mobile carriers generally screw their consumers in mobile data (like say, oh, Canada?), you can’t use any programs? Does this sound stupid to anybody else?
pretty sad when your mobile phone has more utility than your laptop
Lol!
this will have the same major problems google music beta has!
not only will the machine not be able to run programs without an internet connection, the few “programs” that it runs will have to be re-downloaded every time there used!
I think the user experience on these is going to be “quite smooth”
I received one of the CR-48 pilot machines Google sent out and I have to say it is great for browsing the web and works well for anything “cloud-based” (Google Docs, Gmail, etc.) and that’s it.
The Chromebook is what you buy for your tech-challenged parents. No maintenance, no anti-virus software, no support calls from mom. Set them up with an Google account (gmail) and walk away!
My only issue? The price. $349-$499 for one of these? I can buy a Win7 netbook for less and it does more. If they want this to succeed, they need to price these under $250… Way under.
What you buy for your “tech-challenged parents” is an Apple iPad, not a laptop with a web-centric beta OS.
You don’t know my parents. I already went down that road. Tried to get them into the original iPad and they complained there was no keyboard. Told them we could add one and they complained about having extra “parts” to keep track of. Also, with no existing machine to back-up/synch with iTunes (and they live 6 states to the west of me), it’s too much hassle for them and for me. All they need is something for web so they can get email (the condo association they live in has wi-fi).
“The Chromebook is what you buy for your tech-challenged parents”
You think tech-challenged parents will ‘get’ cloud-based storage, cloud-based word processing, etc?
Wow. Methinks you’re missing Google’s rabid fanbase—– not grandma.
For what they need out of a computer, they don’t have to “get” anything beyond email and searching for news.
“The Chromebook is what you buy for your tech-challenged parents. No maintenance, no anti-virus software, no support calls from mom. Set them up with an Google account (gmail) and walk away!”
More like run away! lol!
What if they start asking questions such as “My internet quit on me.. why can’t I use my apps!” or “I want to install this application and it says it’s Windows/Mac only… you mean this won’t work?!?” or “How do I use my iPod with this?” or “I berthed you and this is what I get!?!”
Yeah… run quick. And run far! Don’t let the iron hit ya on the way out.
(answer that one azurite.. because I KNOW these would be the questions my parents and in laws would be asking)
If my parents asked any of those questions, my first response would be “Who are you and what have you done with my parents?”
It took me a year to convince them to use the cell phone I gave them. They wouldn’t even keep it charged!
The funny thing is that MY PARENTS are complete technophobes and they would definitely be asking those questions as would the great majority of other’s parents. The complete lack of capabilities of chromebooks outside of web usage makes this a technical support nightmare when it comes to dealing with the technical illiterate. This chromebook would be tossed to the side as a big waste of hard earned money, and you’ll be there looking like a complete idiot if you suggested it to them.
For a computer, I’d recommend a Macbook. If they need a Mac or Windows application, I’m all set on the Mac side and can install Windows via bootcamp (as was needed in the case of my completely technically illiterate mother who has an application for her religious institution that is Windows only.) My mom is all set and happy with her Macbook.
When it comes to my in-laws, I suggested an iMac. It allows them to update their gps devices, their iPods etc while STILL being technically challenged. The times are changing my friend.. but not in the manner that Google thinks it’s going. The chromebook is full of compromises that simply cannot be ignored.
“what have you done with….” love it. My kids would say the same, except I’m the one who brought home an Apple in 1979. Now I am buying grandkids MacBooks at an early age before the windowsphilic daughters-in-laws ruin them. The problem isn’t grandparents, it’s those dumb kids who like cheap and use Windows. Ha!
LOL! Kudos to you asher! Chances are, when it comes to your daughter-in-laws, that you are going to finally open their eyes and show them what they are actually missing out on. (You’d be my favorite grandparent by far.. I wish I was your grandchild, lol!)
Apple really should do something about this Google company. I don’t want to live in the world were all the information is “organized” by one single company. You are not Google’s customer. Advertisers are. Contrary to Apple, RIM, Palm, etc that sell ACTUAL products, Google sells YOU.
That perfectly sums up Google, who they are, and what they’re there for. Well, well said.
I don’t think it will outsell the Zune.
DOA comes to mind
If Google’s design is still the same as the prototype I saw last year, it’s a butt-ugly POS that looks just like every other Windoze laptop box out there: unimaginative, absent any style, ugly, ugly UI and, well, it’s just a a Google software device.
I hope they build bajillions of ’em. They’ll sell a couple hundred, for sure.
Where is US Antitrust watch dog these days?? Google had clearly abused its dominant position in the internet advertising and search market to extend presence in other market by offering products below cost. It’s antitrust 101 game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-competitive
For antitrust to kick in, there has to be financial harm to others. The only hurt this is bringing is to Google and the poor tech-illiterates that subscribe.
That “Android robot eating an apple” graphic is telling the world that Google knows Apple is at the pinnacle of the industry.
Thanks for the Apple advertising, Googsy!
But I don’t think Google really cares or expects to replace Apple.
Google knows that a huge fortune awaits any company that can claim the Number 2 status, behind Apple.
(Please reply now with quips about “Google” and “Number 2”)
More like Number Lemon Tart
a classless thing to do, kind of like the microsoft fake funeral for the iphone. people that work for google should be embarrassed by that; if not, then it speaks volumes about the kind of people they hire.
Exactly, Microsoft is going to be hurting the most as Acer and Samsung have decided to sell a substantial number of machines SANS MS-Windows. Where’s Dell, BTW? Have they caved in to MS’s armtwisting?
Google Exec: “What do you mean we only sold half-a-truck load!?!? We got warehouses full of ’em, right beside the Google TV’s!!!”
🙂
Thin client.
I just have to get this out of the way:
What will the future call the ‘Chromebook’?
Chrudbook
Chretinbook
Chrampbook
Chrampedbook
Chrashbook (hee!)
Chrayonbook (heehee!)
Chrackbook
Chrackheadbook
Chrapbook (probably)
Chrappedbook
Chreepbook
Charbook
Chumpbook (hmm! kinda like that one)
Chubbybook
Chuckleheadbook
Chrankbook
Chrabbybook
Chrablousebook
Chrackerbook
Chrazedbook
Chrazybook
Chringebook
Chrone’sbook
Chraptasticbook
* All ©2011 Derek Currie
😉
In any case: Seriously. This is a glorified web browser in a box. I expect it to be on a par with the success of the WebTV, with the benefits of a better screen display, a lot better web tech functionality, access to Wi-Fi and broadband.
Granny will like it!
The kids will NOT.
On the other hand, it sort of is competition. And competition is a good thing.
First of all.. competition needs to be competitive. This is NOT competition…
And granny will find it an emotional letdown that caused her isolation when the grandkids come over and complain and never want to visit granny again because of her crappy computer.
Don’t focus on the book, focus on the user;
Lacking a ChromaDome, perhaps?
I don’t see the use of a laptop like this, at least not in a real practical widespread sense.
Now a thin client for the enterprise – possibly – providing they include a decent Remote Desktop client and/or Citrix Metaframe client. That I could see possibly going somewhere.
Really the future of the desktop in the enterprise is not Windows or OS X, its thin clients hosting remote desktops. It makes so much more sense from a management and policy enforcement standpoint.
The future of enterprise computing is the 60’s?
Why have a half baked internet only machine. Take a $350 Win 7 machine and make it dual boot with presto my pc (linux) and you have your quick booting internet machine and a na actual PC for on line work.
Mac works fine for me, as it is always on.
Apple Lemming no like Google, no like Google one bit!
Guess what happens on your rented Chrome OS device when you don’t have an internet connection.
The correct answer is “Nothing!”
Woohoo! Yay web os.
This product is against my religion. Very wary of clouds..
No sweat. Six months, just as sales of iPad 2 are easing, ChromeCrap users will be looking for a better solution. Apple wins again.