back to article Samsung refreshes ChromeOS hardware with first desktop system

Google and Samsung have launched fresh hardware aimed at reviving interest in its ChromeOS platform, with a laptop for end users and a desktop box system. Sales for ChromeOS have been less than stellar but the Chocolate factory has insisted that the platform has enough advantages to make it in the operating system market. …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Coffee/keyboard

    Don't need a teardown to work out ChromeOS more expensive than Windows7+8 combined :(

    Looking at the hardware I've concluded ChromeOS is more expensive than Windows7+8 combined pricewise.

    This makes me a sad panda.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Useless

      I've always considered it useless, there are too many what ifs involved, what if I don't have a wireless signal, what if 3G coverage is weak, what if I have to work outside of a major city or town, what if the servers go down, what if google takes offence and closes my account.....

      If you had a wallet full of cash, your monthly pay check on you, would you give it to the first stranger in the street who promises to look after it for you and will meet you each day at different locations of you choosing and pay for what you need?

      What if his bus is late or he decided not to fulfill his obligation to you..... So why do you give all your important information away to the Chrome OS?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Waaaaaay too expensive

    They're pricing it within 10% of an iPad or a real i5/W7 laptop, just what market do they think exists for this product?

  3. Nights_are_Long
    FAIL

    Why just why? If this was in the £100 range I could see a interest from light users but at this price you can go out and buy a real laptop with far more functionality.

    1. g e
      FAIL

      My thoughts exactly. If it were a cheap take-on-holiday gadget that let you access email and share your snaps then that's top banana.

      For £150 absolute tops. Needs to be cheaper than a netbook for sure.

  4. mafoo
    Paris Hilton

    Why!

    What in the world makes them think that people are going to pay a premium for this product. Crappy hardware priced just below i5 hardware - the mind boggles.

    And look how well web only apps went down on iOS.

    Why don't they focus their efforts on making a consumer friendly version of linux, instead of tweaking chrome so it makes web apps look more like desktop apps. But they could already do that by just porting and promoting Android to/on x86 - and that doesn't fit their vision where your every keystroke goes through their servers.

    /sigh - suppose they have the money to waste

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Shame

    The opportunity was there to knock out a couple of ARM powered devices at Netbook style prices, but they've blown it again.

    Just kill it now and merge it with Android

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Shame

      Was thinking the same thing... x86 and ChromeOS just don't seem to be working out. However, ChromeOS on a $200-$300 ARM netbook, or a Raspberry Pi type implementation could be *very* interesting (think schools or libraries).

      Oh well...

      1. Anonymous Coward 15

        Re: Shame

        Is anyone doing Android on Raspberry Pi yet?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Android on RasPi

          The not-so-short answer is "not yet, but people are working on it".

          The impression I get is that there are significant obstacles to running Android on the Pi - not least, the relatively small (and non-upgradeable) RAM, and the ARM6-family CPU may also be a factor (the newer ARM7-series is more common). There are definitely folk trying to slim the OS down enough to squeeze onto the Pi, but I suppose only time will tell whether it's worthwhile or not at the end.

          If you're after an ARM board with running Android in mind, there are a few - perhaps more suitable - alternatives. VIA's upcoming APC looks like it might be worth a look, as it's preinstalled with an old 'droid system (2.4?).

          Personally, I'm happy with my RasPi running Arch/ARM, but horses for courses and all that :-)

  6. Ian Johnston Silver badge
    Thumb Down

    I Just Don't Get It

    I use a laptop when I am travelling. When I am travelling I have at best intermittent internet access. Why on earth would I want a laptop which stops working every time my train goes through a tunnel?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I Just Don't Get It

      Part of the idea is that with the new/evolving HTML specs it is possible to do some things offline. When ChromeOS was first announced Google Mail and Apps were mentioned as "[coming soon]". There is also the NaCl angle.

      If any of that actually works worth a damn is a different question of course (don't know, haven't used it), and don't get me started on the ridiculous price, but that's the theory...

      : /

  7. zebthecat

    I can only think that Google are using this as some sort of Corporation tax write-off as they doomed to failure.

  8. squilookle
    Linux

    "For the same money as the 550 Chromebook Samsung will sell you a Pentium-powered 15.1 inch Windows 7 system that doesn't need an internet connection to be useful."

    ^This. I'd rather get a cheap laptop and put a traditional Linux distribution on it. That would give you pretty much all the benefits ChromOS is supposed to have, with none of the drawbacks, a PC that works offline, and tonnes of traditional applications and games.

    Credit to them for thinking and trying new things, but I don't see why anyone would want one... although people have said the same thing about other devices that have gone on to be successful*.

    *Generous comment as I don't believe the first round was successful, although I suppose we won't find out if they don't release the figures.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So, no one noticed the desktop bit?

    Suprised no one has mentioned the desktop version - that's the only bit of this whole thing that might be practical. Still too expensive for what it is, but at least if you've got to have a system that is utterly dependent on the internet, at least this is one that actually has a hard-wired internet connection that could reasonably expected to be up most of the time. I could just about see that going somewhere.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So, no one noticed the desktop bit?

      Someone on here, commenting on a previous article, mentioned running a school lab with ChromeOS running - I think - on cheap nettop grade hardware. Nothing like a stateless OS for a shared use scenario like that (or an Internet cafe, or library).

    2. Jordan Davenport

      Re: So, no one noticed the desktop bit?

      I could easily see this sitting in a sitting room attached to a TV with a wireless keyboard/touchpad for quick email access or checking up on the news in the morning and Netflix (for US consumers) and YouTube for entertainment considerations in the evening, somewhat like how the Wii Internet Channel was initially publicised. It does seem a bit expensive for the hardware for that purpose though, especially since you're obviously not going to be able to use it as a HTPC.

      In an Internet café, it does seem to fit the bill pretty well - automatic maintenance, secure boot, external account management, quick to use... It's a step up from licensing and maintaining Windows for public usage, making sure private information can't be grabbed from public users.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: So, no one noticed the desktop bit?

        One thing... AFAIK no Netflix on Linux unfortunately, so no Netflix on ChromeOS. The Silverlight plugin is only available for Windows and Mac :(

        It might work on Android for x86.

        1. Jordan Davenport

          Re: So, no one noticed the desktop bit?

          Netflix is not yet supported on the Linux platform in general, but Chrome OS and, as you pointed out Android, do support Netflix through specialized clients. That said, as far as I'm aware, it is only available in the closed-source Chrome OS builds in secure boot mode, not in the open source Chromium OS itself.

          See: http://support.google.com/chromeos/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1401467

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: So, no one noticed the desktop bit?

            Cool, thanks for the info!

  10. Corborg

    Uses

    I've installed ChromOS on a Samsung NC10 netbook. It has given that a lease of life for browsing. It's a long way off a replacement for Linux/Windows for me yet, but then Metro might change all that :p

  11. KroSha

    I look at this and I see the possibilities for an ultra-simple business desktop. Always connected to a network, only really needs a browser and Google Docs. Make it so it can sign in to an LDAP domain and local servers, and you're good to go. Cue loads of sales of £150 boxes to the non-intensive parts of business; accounts, HR, sales, logistics, or places that only really use Office.

    And Samsung might want to watch that haiku; NeXTSTEP was bought by Apple :)

  12. Khaptain Silver badge
    Gimp

    Bring on the little green bot

    I have never really understood Googles stance on the OS market. ChromeOS just seems like it is a "nice idea" that doesn't really have any solid ambition, 'it's like a prototype that will never see the daylight.

    On the other hand, I would love to see Android on the Desktop and I dont just mean LiveCd demos or Tablets. I don't like and have never liked the various Linux distros.

    I do like Android though, its quick, gets the job done and remains minimalist. If Android were to become able to run Linux programs, that would be neat, especially on a desktop.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Bring on the little green bot

      I've been using Android on X86 Netbook for over a year now. IT actually works really really well for a Desktop OS

    2. Steve Graham
      Linux

      Re: Bring on the little green bot

      Android DOES run all the Linux programs. Such as ls, mkdir, mount, ps, and most especially, su. It's just a bloated GUI on top of a Linux kernel. (Whether more or less bloated than the common Linux offerings is another matter).

      But I think you're confusing Linux "distribution" with the default look and feel they come with. If you like features of how Android looks and works, you can very likely get a Linux GUI to work that way too.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Prices in £ please

    This is not America!

    1. Dan Melluish
      Unhappy

      Re: Prices in £ please

      No problem - just use the usual IT exchange rate formula.....change the $ to a £ and leave the numbers as they are.

  14. Darren B 1

    UK buyers .... Best Buy

    "UK buyers can grab the devices from John Lewis, PC World and Best Buy. "

    Huh?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: UK buyers .... Best Buy

      I think that's Carphone Warehouse... their representative in UK...

    2. Nights_are_Long

      Re: UK buyers .... Best Buy

      Yes we did have best buy stores in the UK but I think I recall a story a while ago that said they are winding down operations in the UK, but hey we still have the Carphone warehouse.

  15. b166er

    Celeron? At that price? Nuff said.

  16. sarfralogy
    Big Brother

    ello

    The news first turned up in an Intel press release -- the Chromebook and Chromebox will feature Intel processors. The Chromebook, now in its fifth generation, still promises simple, fast laptop computing with streamlined access to all Google's cloud services. The new Chromebox, starting at $329, promises the same in a compact home/office CPU box. Will these new releases help Google and the Chrome OS break out of its rather esoteric consumer base and into the spheres of Mac, Windows, and Linux influence? http://www.patexia.com/feed/google-intel-release-new-chrome-based-pcs-20120529

  17. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

    Haiku

    they made the announcement in haiku form

    The 5/7/5 metrical pattern does not constitute "haiku form", as anyone with even a glancing knowledge of the form knows.

    And a web browser does not constitute an OS.

    So that was pretty appropriate, actually.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like