back to article New blow for Microsoft Surface: Touch Chromebooks 'on sale in 2013'

Google has developed a new touchscreen Chromebook that will be out this year, claim industry sources. It's the latest story to surface about a touch-driven netbook powered by Google's Chrome operating system, which is based on open-source Linux. A video leaked earlier this month appeared to be an advert for a touchscreen …

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  1. dogged
    FAIL

    "Blow"?

    Don't see how. Entirely different markets.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Blow"?

      Right, especially the Pro. On one side you have a table that can run any Windows application locally, and even with no connectivity - and join a Windows domain, on the other side something strongly tied with Google online services only.

      1. Andy ORourke
        Joke

        Re: "Blow"?

        "On one side you have a table that can run any Windows application "

        I'd buy that for a dollar

        1. Fuzz

          Re: "Blow"?

          there is one, but it's more than a dollar. It's called the surface 42 and it's made by Samsung.

      2. Craigness

        Re: "Blow"?

        Chrome OS is not "tied to google services only" and the Surface to which this is a blow is probably the Surface with Windows RT, which cannot run all windows apps. But Windows RT has a browser, so can do all the stuff Chrome OS does (and much more). And unlike the Pixel it costs well under £1000.

        1. Mark .

          Re: "Blow"?

          Even the Surface Pro is likely to be cheaper than this by the looks of it. Given that the cheap Surface haters seem to have resorted to "it's too expensive" for the Pro version, despite the Chromebooks being competition, this does provide a marketing boost to the Surface Pro (as well as the help from raising awareness of touchscreen PCs in general).

          (Personally I'm not likely to buy either of these devices, but still think it's good to see competition and choice.)

    2. Bob Vistakin
      Holmes

      Re: "Blow"?

      Lets face it - if it was announced the Babbage Analytical Engine was to be relaunched it would be a blow to Surface.

    3. TheVogon
      Mushroom

      Re: "Blow"?

      Not if you include the Skateboard market. A Chrome tablet might just about compete there: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/48165/microsoft-surface-skatebord-pictures-and-hands-on

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Different kinds of products

    While it is likely to compete with netbooks, WinRT, IOS and Android, I really don't think that the Chromebook is going to compete with machines that run full OS's like MacOS or Win8.

    1. hplasm
      Devil

      Re: Different kinds of products

      "machines that run full OS's like MacOS but not Win8"

      1. dogged
        WTF?

        Re: Different kinds of products

        You can dislike the interface if you like but if you can name something Win7 has as an OS feature and Win8 doesn't, I promise you an upvote and a mark of approval.

        Note - "start button" is not an OS feature.

        1. GBL Initialiser
          Joke

          Re: Different kinds of products

          @dogged

          Of course it's an OS feature! Making sure there is a little image there to let people know they can get to a list of programs and save them from the terror of having to press Windows Key & Q at the same time is just as important as process scheduling & memory management ;)

        2. hplasm
          Windows

          Re: Different kinds of products

          Did I say Win 7 was any good?

        3. Mephistro
          Meh

          Re: Different kinds of products (@ dogged)

          "you can name something Win7 has as an OS feature and Win8 doesn't"

          A single. well integrated user environment. Win8 has two poorly integrated environments.

          Seriously, The GUI formerly known as Metro is a PITA in ideal conditions, and an undescriptable horror if your machine lacks a touchscreen.

          1. dogged
            WTF?

            Re: Different kinds of products (@ dogged)

            @Mephistro - really? really?

            I've been using it on a multi-monitor no touchscreen dev box since November. It annoyed me for a week but that's long in the past. It's fine. Taste not being arguable, etc, I can't make an absolute statement. Your milage obviously varies. I'm actually more familiar with it than with Win7 now.

            However, "undescriptable horror" would be well into the realms of rampant exaggeration even if you disliked it and, less feasibly, if there was such a word as "undescriptable".

            1. fandom
              Angel

              Re: Different kinds of products (@ dogged)

              Do remember the time where men where real mean, women were real women, and techies were real techies?

              No?

              Well, anyway, somewhen around that Microsoft released Vista to almost universal derision, almost as there never failed to be someone in the thread saying how great it was.

        4. spidetfry
          FAIL

          Re: Different kinds of products

          Start Button is an OS feature! You can't say name an OS feature Win8 has that Win7 doesn't, and then say apart from the OS features that Win8 has but Win7 doesn't!

          1. dogged

            Re: Different kinds of products

            No, it's a UI element.

            And technically, it's still there. Just smaller.

            1. P. Lee

              Re: Different kinds of products

              > No, it's a UI element.

              For the majority of people with W8, its just as compulsory to use as the memory allocation manager and the DMA subsystem.

              The W8 desktop OS is there to support the GUI console system. It still isn't designed to be multi-user or used independently of the GUI.

              Unless there has been progress I've completely missed!

        5. stephajn
          Coat

          Re: Different kinds of products

          Windows XP Mode.

          May I have my upvote please?

          (Digging for other features to list as well but that one comes to mind right away)

          1. dogged
            Thumb Up

            Re: Different kinds of products

            @stephajn - upvoted, as promised ;)

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Different kinds of products

      "While it is likely to compete with netbooks,..."

      "I really don't think that the Chromebook is going to compete with machines that run full OS's..."

      I thought most netbooks do run full OSs - all of mine do.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What's a Microsoft Surface?

    'Nuff said...

    1. hplasm
      Happy

      Re: What's a Microsoft Surface?

      Shiny and bald, rounded- a bit sweaty.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What's a Microsoft Surface?

      What's a Chrome Book?

  4. hungee

    and yet...

    Everyone's looking for the next form factor... The next demographic shift. Yet, the average consumer still hasn't caught up with the last one.

    Eadon. Unfortunately for you, Microsoft will continue on. Well past your inevitable rage based heart attack.

    1. Tom 7

      Re: and yet...

      No not everyone's looking for the next form factor. I'd have been extremely happy with a couple of the older formats but certain software companies decreed I wasn't allowed them.

      Its not about catching up - nothing has really changed for a long time except in the marketing world.

  5. ItsNotMe
    FAIL

    I was GIVEN a Chromebook last year...

    ...and to tell you the truth, I can do more on my Smartphone, than I can on the Chromebook. For my needs...it's totally useless. The one I have is sitting on a shelf next to my copies of MS Bob.

    I don't care if this latest one is touch centric or not.

    1. hplasm
      Meh

      Re: I was GIVEN a Chromebook last year...

      maybe it IS You...?

      1. ItsNotMe
        Happy

        @hplasm

        "maybe it IS You...?"

        On many occasions it IS me...but not this time. Just need to run programs that the CB can't, nor can a Surface RT, for that matter. Good for some, not for others. But I also wouldn't purchase a Surface Pro either. Most of the applications I run are not touch-centric...so what would be the point of having either one of them?

        And I seriously doubt the new CB will affect Surface sales...such as they are. Two different animals with different purposes. One is an actual computer, and the other is simply a Terminal. Everything old is new again...

  6. Philippe
    Go

    Surface killer?

    Nope, Surface doesn't need a killer, it commits suicide very well on its own.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    But surface pro has software that people actually want to use.

    Productivity apps, office apps, development tools and so on. You aren't going to be coding XBox games on a Chromebook.

  8. Ye Gads

    Blow?

    Chromebook sales so far make the Surface look downright successful.

    1. jason 7
      Facepalm

      Re: Blow?

      Ahhh that must be why I had to wait 4 weeks for one to come into stock after xmas.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Blow?

        Yes - Im still waiting for a 128GB Surface Pro as well...

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Customer: I get a strange prickling sensation when using the touch screen on my Chromebook

    Salesperson: Oh that's nothing to worry about, sir. Google is just sampling your blood so we can give you adverts relevant to your diet, health needs etc...

    Or on more serious note. I would rather know what information I am handing over to Google. I don't want them in charge of my whole digital existence. Chromebook would make me (more) paranoid.

  10. JDX Gold badge

    New blow for Microsoft Surface?

    Maybe for Surface, though I doubt it.

    But anything which makes PCs with touch screens gain interest is massively GOOD for MS because their main OS is focused on that.

  11. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge
    Coat

    Google touchscreen?

    All your fingerprints are belong to us.

  12. ElsieEffsee
    Facepalm

    For the love of Beelzebub, when will tech companies understand that:

    Tablets / Phones that are used in one hand - touch screens = Good.

    Devices with keyboards that sit on a dek or table - touch screens = Bad

    No body wants to reach across a working keyboard and track pad like a Zombie to wipe mucky fingers on a screen. Ever!

    1. Mark .

      Although note that first point applies to 10" tablets too (and I agree - at that size, it's less efficient than a mouse, as your hand is moving further, and it's awkward having to hold it at the same time).

      At least with PCs, even if they have touchscreens, it's an optional extra, in combination with mouse and keyboard (which yes, Windows 8 still works with - e.g., it's still fastest to launch software by typing the name, than clicking the icon, with both 7 and 8; I assume ChromeOS would work with both too).

    2. Dave 126 Silver badge

      >No body wants to reach across a working keyboard and track pad like a Zombie to wipe mucky fingers on a screen. Ever!

      I think the idea is that you write your novel on the machine when it looks like a laptop, then you proofread it (or catch up on your favourite TV show) sat on a comfy chair when it is in tablet mode.

      Personally, I'm more connived by the idea of a laptop and tablet working together seamlessly, with the tablet acting as second display and input device.

    3. El Andy

      @ElsieEffsee: "No body wants to reach across a working keyboard and track pad like a Zombie to wipe mucky fingers on a screen. Ever!"

      No body wants to move their hands off a working keyboard just to wiggle a 'mouse' around like a moron. Ever!

      Sorry, thought I was in 1984 for a minute there....

  13. Thomas 4

    Not sure what to make of the Surface

    I did briefly look at getting a Surface but the thing that puts me off the most is that the one I can afford uses Win RT. RT seems like the odd one out somehow because it's the only device so far that uses this operating system and (although I'm not a dev myself) I can't really see developers spending time and money creating applications for such a small market. If the smaller Surface had run Windows Phone 8, I suspect it'd be a more popular choice (although the pricing weighs it down unfavorably versus its rivals).

    It's the same problem they had back in Round 1 of the Smartphone Wars, when there was the three-way between them, Symbian and Palm OS. They had the Pocket PC version of their OS (Windows Mobile), the smartphone version that cropped on on the SPV 500 phones and then Windows CE as well. Although Symbian had three different versions as well (Series 60, Series 80 and the very limited Series 90) they had a far larger resource pool to draw from, having several companies chipping in for R&D rather just one alone.

    1. hplasm
      Happy

      Re: Not sure what to make of the Surface

      A skateboard?

  14. Charlie Clark Silver badge
    Mushroom

    Can someone please call

    Eadon's carer? It looks he missed today's session.

    1. hplasm
      WTF?

      Re: Can someone please call

      Scroll up? Or are you using a Surface?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Can someone please call

        Whoosh! hplasm totally misunderstands someone's post. Again ...

  15. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. graeme leggett Silver badge

      Re: cum?

      Means "with" doesn't it? So laptop-cum-tablet means "laptop with a tablet" (or tablet with a laptop) - nearly works.

      1. Richard 26
        Headmaster

        Re: cum?

        In Latin it means with. However, Chambers says (inter alia): 'used in combination to indicate dual function, nature etc. e.g. kitchen-cum-dining room'. So not just nearly but spot on (IMHO).

        1. leeph

          Re: cum?

          I stand corrected!

  16. This post has been deleted by its author

  17. Inachu
    Mushroom

    not bad

    I find the windows RT tablet a pretty good device if you do not require all the power that afull fledged OS has.

    Seriously slapping around this VS that is just a bunch of crying babies wanting pole position to stay in the lead.

    The only way you can do that is presenting the best GUI. So far only Apple and Microsoft have done so.

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