Dvorak: Google’s Chromebook idea is a loser

“I’m not sure if Google Inc. expects its new kind of laptop computer running on the Chrome operating system to catch on,” John C. Dvorak writes for MarketWatch. “Let me assure the company that the possibility is nil — unless the so-called Chromebooks sell for $99, and even that may be too much to pay.”

“The Chromebook is a dumb terminal, and this has been the problem with network-centric machines: They are always too expensive for what you get,” Dvorak writes. “In addition, these devices are expected to play movies without worrying about a streaming Internet connection. What do you do with a Chromebook on an airplane with no WiFi? The Internet is not everywhere. It is not always accessible; it is often unreliable. It can be slow,” Dvorak writes. “This is not something on which you want to be totally dependent. Chrome is totally dependent on it… By this time next year, I will be stunned if any Chromebooks are being sold. That’s unless they change the OS and the architecture completely and follow the rules set down by the industry as a whole.”

Dvorak writes, “I’m beginning to think the company just got lucky with the phone software. Remember, it had Apple Inc. to model and target. There is no previously successful network-centric laptop to copy or emulate. There is a good reason there are no past successes. The idea is bad, inefficient and comparatively expensive. In other words: a loser.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Since when is willful, blatant, painfully obvious patent infringement considered getting lucky? Otherwise, lucidity* becomes you, John.

*However rare it may be.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “kevin p.” for the heads up.]

39 Comments

    1. I think sometimes Dvorak gets tired of spewing bullshit like a broken fire hydrant, so once in a blue moon, he allows himself to write an article that’s actually candid. Because he’d go insane otherwise.

      Poor guy.

  1. Can’t cite him as being a troll when it applies to Apple and then a genius when it doesn’t. He’s a hit whore regardless.

    Doesn’t make him wrong about it, just dont cherry pick which of his stories you think he’s right about.

    1. Actually you can cite him that way, because is simply a microsoft hit whore. With ms’ two antagonists doing so much damage, Dvorak is hit-whoring in both directions. He will occasionally state the already painfully obvious shortcomings of his client, as well as a few Apple’s indisputable victories, perhaps to pretend objectivity. He also cast ms’ two enemies against each other. The thing that makes him so lop-sided is while Google has many legitimate blemishes, Apple not so much.

  2. Dvorak, cherry pick? When it comes to Apple he is a hit whore always. Then again, you have to keep those suffers on the side that will keep him employed.

    As far as peeing down his leg, that was resolved- Depends, Windows edition!

  3. Apple uses the “cloud” to keep LOCALLY stored data on a customer’s Apple devices in sync. It also makes “collectively stored” data (songs in iTunes Store catalog) accessible for download to Apple devices, again for local (not streaming) access. Those are the current primary purposes for iCloud.

    In contrast, Google’s “cloud” concept is to make its users dependent on having constant access to the Internet. It’s not going to work that way, not today or for at least the next five years. Once again, Apple’s approach is different from everyone else’s, and it is the right approach at the right time.

    1. Not everyone are going to trust Google to treat their data in confidence. Google is known to spy, pillage and sell users to third party for its own profit. Who knows if Google aren’t working for the spy agencies. After all the hanky-panky that Google has committed all over the world, e.g. taking other people IPs without permission, wifi sniffing, etc., it only got a slap on the wrist for its crime. After all it has deep pockets to bribe regulators, politicians and freetards to pretend that it is benignant. “Do no evil” means not to do evil to Google’s interest; but Google is free to do harm to others.

  4. Apparently Mr. Dvorak took his Lithium today: “The idea is bad, inefficient and comparatively expensive. In other words: a loser.”

    Personally, I have never gone all ‘gee whiz’ about Chrome OS. All you get is a glorified WebTV. BFD.

    1. My boss has convinced the school board to invest heavily in these crappy things instead of the iPads that the principals at the schools want.
      He says the iPads aren’t ready for education and Apple can’t give education the tools and support needed to make them work.
      Also, the iPad is “too fragile for use in inner city classrooms.”

        1. He’s an Apple Hater and been in job a long time.
          Also, he’s a smooth talking BSer and a lot of people believe what he says.
          However, hardly a week goes by that I don’t set up a Mac Lab…by myself.

  5. Chrome might have a chance if they added a citrix clientband some local basics then offetrd it on a corp desktop with no external internet connection to google. It might sell that way.

    Otherwise forget it

      1. lol well yes that is exactly what I mean.

        I’m just throwing out ideas on how I think they could sell some of these bricks, but will readily admit they would probably never do it.

        I’m not holding my breath I agree.

  6. you just wait til they have Internet every where (literally) then this will seem like a good idea… But by that time google will shut chrome book down and apple will revolutionize what should have been googles game If google had just waited a couple more years and made their product a lot better.

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