Google laptop?

[dellzeqq]

looks cool, costs $249. But what is it? Apparently you can't use it unless you have a wifi connection.

Answers in short words please and none of that ASCII USB mularkey. Can I load Powerpoint and Excel on it? Can I download pdfs or jpegs and show them to my friends when I'm out and about?

 

[Acyclo]

It's a specialised device. It doesn't run Windows, so no MS Office[1]. Don't get one if you need a general purpose device.

[1] Other good, but not completely compatible, office suites run on Chrome OS, Android, Linux etc.

 

[Davidc]

Just buy a proper one and put Libre Office or Open Office on it.

(Both of those are MS Office compatible, and you only pay for support)

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

looks cool, costs $249. But what is it?

Answers in short words please

The google chrome laptops run a operating system called Linux. Powerpoint and Excel do not run natively on Linux, but you can get free alternatives called openoffice and libreoffice which have a very similar feel to them.
The google chrome laptops are designed to make the most out of google cloud service such as gmail, g++, Google maps, picasa, google storage and more.
Google's business model is based around targeted advertising and to do this effectively it needs data (same as other advertising based business models like facebook and similar) the device is designed for seemless integration into google services, like the Android operating system on mobile devices.
Its a great low powered device, but like any low powered device like a tablet its not without limitations.

Hope that explains it well enough without getting my geek on

 

[MossCommuter]

At risk of contradicting VforV the operating system is called Chrome OS.

Think of it as a laptop that can only run Google Chrome; not even a desktop or Start menu or anything else other than the Google Chrome browser.

Everything you do has to be done in Google Chrome.

EVERYTHING.

If you don't have Google Chrome installed on your current PC install it and see how you go using just that and never starting any other program.

 

[Alien8]

Or you can forget about ChromeOS and install Ubuntu, Debian, Gentoo, ...

 

[dellzeqq]

ok, ok. Enough with the clever stuff.......

Is there a directory structure, with folders that I can stick stuff in?

 

[Crackle]

It's crap, don't bother.

 

[MossCommuter]

ok, ok. Enough with the clever stuff.......

Is there a directory structure, with folders that I can stick stuff in?

Yes; a rudimentary file explorer was added after initial user feedback; you can store stuff locally or remotely (you get 200 gigs of cloud storage free for 2 years)

 

[SportMonkey]

It's crap, don't bother.

This.

We just bought a Gateway I3 with 4GB of RAM for $280 + local tax

 

[srw]

Yes; a rudimentary file explorer was added after initial user feedback; you can store stuff locally or remotely (you get 200 gigs of cloud storage free for 2 years)

So that's really a "no", then.

As far as I can see, without a permanent internet connection, the Google laptop is a very expensive and a very elegant brick.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

At risk of contradicting VforV the operating system is called Chrome OS.

As stated on wikipedia :- Google Chrome OS is a Linux-based operating system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Chrome_OS

As stated on Chromium OS home page :- Chromium OS uses the Linux Kernel. Historically we stayed on a 2.6.32 Ubuntu-based for the first several releases
http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromiumos-design-docs/chromium-os-kernel

Although you are correct that the OS is named Chrome OS the actual operating system used is Linux.

Apple is the same and call their operating systems OSX and iOS. irrespective of the names given these both remains a BSD Unix base Operating System which is free
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system)

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

ok, ok. Enough with the clever stuff.......

Is there a directory structure, with folders that I can stick stuff in?

The Google chrome device has maximum functionality with connectivity (internet access), without connectivity it has very minimal functionality (similar functionality to a house brick in fact).
This is not to say its rubbish, but you should not think of it in the same manner as you would a traditional computer.

You do not have applications on your computer, you do not have media on your computer, everything is run through the web browser, its all online.. This is the logical conclusion of cloud computing you hear so much about.
On a traditional laptop, if it gets stolen you have lost all your documents, pictures, software etc... If your chrome book gets stolen, you have not lost your data, music, pictures etc, its all stored on the web..
There is also no licences for software, no updates, no new releases, nothing like that..... you always using the latest version of the application because the application is online, its not run from your own computer

The following youtube video explains it really well.


I think they have a lot of virtue, but like tablets and other devices, they have limited functionality... as long as you are aware of this and you do not require more functionality than they offer, then they are a great device

 

[srw]

It's a pile of crap.

A tablet is a fully functioning computer. You download stuff to it, and can use it whether you've got the internet or not. The only things you can't do offline are the things that no-one does offline - email and browsing.

This thing is a dumb terminal. There's a very good reason why the world moved away from dumb terminals over 20 years ago, and I'm amazed that Google thinks we're about to go back there.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

It's a pile of crap.

A tablet is a fully functioning computer.

I would not personally define a tablet as a fully functioning computer, even though I own three. A tablet is very poor at and limited for video editing, has rubbish spreadsheet and database compatibility, and typing on them is an exceptionally poor experience. As someone who has to write large reports I find a tablet screen keyboard to be exceptionally restrictive. Im also not aware of how I place my documents on a USB stick using a tablet... Like the chrome laptop a tablet is exceptionally limited.

We live in a connected world, these days even when viewing pictures or media on your mobile phone you are still connected to the network, do switch your network off, or put the phone into 'flight mode' before looking at pictures? -- The chrome book has a lot of virtues, by placing everything online you can run lower powered, cheaper devices. The applications you are running on your laptop of desktop, can be insecure, old, buggy and simply nasty - By having the applications on the web the software maker will be able to update it and security patch it for all consumers, no physical media also prevents piracy.
Like it or not media is dead, we buy music from itunes and similar, stream movies from love film, play games which only offer functionality online, place all our pictures on the web in facebook and similar.... Soon your software will be provided online as well... The OS of the future will be a window to the web based applications and nothing more imho.