Chromebook

[TonyV]

So...

Anyone buying a Chromebook?

[Aggelakis]

Interesting...

edit: From chromebookforum.com, it looks like prices will be in the $350-500 range. That's not bad for a web-oriented almost-netbook (big netbook or very small laptop) especially since all your apps and data and stuff is stored in the Google cloud, so you'll never lose files. And it updates itself, which is GREAT for the technologically stupid.

edit2: Verizon is offering a deal for 100mb/mo 3G wireless for free. That's nice. Wifi is pretty easy to come by and it's getting faster, so you don't really need very much 3G. (People asking about 4G: it doesn't exist yet. 4G is 3G with boosters built in.)

[SaintNicster]

It updates itself, but you still have to manually reboot to apply some of the updates.  There's a notice on the wrench icon.

The CR-48 is neat to play around with, but I don't know if I'd actually buy one.  To much of the stuff that I like to do isn't purely web based, yet.  Also, no JVM means I can't play Minecraft on it :(

Ive been tempted to try the ubuntu route with the hardware, but so far haven't.

[Fleeting Whisper]

The hardware is nowhere near what I want in a computer >.>

[TonyV]

I was in Best Buy the other day, taking a bunch of electronics junk.  Did you know they recycle most consumer electronics, including UPS sealed lead acid batteries, for free?  They charge a small fee for televisions, but I digress...

Anyway, since Best Buy is listed as a partner--the only partner with a brick-and-mortar presence--on the Chromebook web site, I went over to their netbook department and asked if they had one on display.  The guy looked at me like I had grown a third arm.  (I checked; I hadn't.)  He said that they don't even carry the Chromebooks.

When I got home, I checked the Best Buy Chromebook site, and sure enough, it's listed as online-only.  So to buy one right now, you have to do it sight-unseen and trust that it's cool.  I just don't think that's a good selling strategy.

It still sounds cool, but I'm not getting one, at least not yet.  I've got other funding priorities right now.

[SaintNicster]

If you are really curious, you can compile your own version of the OS and run it on a VM or your own spare machine
http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os / http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-guide

Your best bet is to just run the Chrome web browser onto your machine.  It really is just that on top of a thin linux kernel.

[TonyV]

I was really hoping to get a "look and feel" of the device, how much it weighs, how big it feels, how usable the keyboard and trackpad (which if I recall correctly is a multi-touch pad), etc.

I do like me some Chrome, though.