Reply to: Google Chromebook

[Jason Mitchell]

BBC News - Is Google's Chromebook the future of computing?

Could be very interesting if they go for <£200 (they're expected to be $199 in the US), I see PC world are straight in there offering them at £350+.

If google are serious about getting a big market share they need to be subsidised.

I am not a big fan of data storage through cloud. I need my data to be stored on my laptop and not online.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Javascript.

Yep. This is why the browser developers are keen on Javascript benchmark results.

There's also the problem of intensive graphics. It's all very well developing over a LAN with a state of the art computer, but that's not what notebook users are going to see.

I forgot to mention the case of apps which break some feature or other with a new version. We've all seen it happen, but with cloud apps you probably won't get the chance to stay on the old version (at least not as long as you might like to).

Thanks - good points - I hadn't considered Javascript (doh!).

[Sysman]

So apart from the 'access your information anywhere', which is only really useful if you regularly use more than one device so need to keep them in sync, I don't really see any other advantages of putting both your data and app versions firmly in the hands of the big corporates.

If you are happy with manual syncing, you can easily set up a private web site to share documents between devices.

Then again, with all the numpties on facebook getting sacked or jailed for being too public with themselves, maybe the gen pop are like the pigeons at the feeder. They'll eat whatever is put in front of them and think it's a feast.

Good point.

As regards all the recent attacks on websites, part of me thinks those behind it are the ones wanting to take control of the internet, with their view that it's too open and free as it is. Maybe that's as cynical as thinking it's local glaziers smashing windows, local tyre companies throwing screws in the road, and anti-virus companies writing the viruses.

Like an internet version of Hollywood and the music industry (aka Bg Content)?

That's the Wiki: Net Neutrality thing isn't it?

[Sysman]

Google need to save up their money for their impending court case with Oracle

[Sysman]

Isn't a lot of that down to import duties?

That certainly contributes, and there's the overhead of UK property prices, cost of living etc to factor in. When you delve into it some of those duties make it cheaper to buy assembled units (someone explained it to me in the early 90s, and quoted examples which seemed to be bonkers; it may have changed now).

But when it comes to software prices it appears to be a matter of what the market will stand.

On the other hand, a former set up a buying operation in the US to get better prices. They were threatened with legal action. The large US corp concerned thought that such a tiddly company wouldn't dare fight and didn't even bother turning up in court. My former employer won This leads me to believe that import duty isn't the whole story.

[oracleslave]

[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/9514017.stm]
If google are serious about getting a big market share they need to be subsidised.

Google need to save up their money for their impending court case with Oracle

[d000hg]

The $1=£1 thing has always annoyed me too.

Isn't a lot of that down to import duties?

[PAH]

I forgot to mention the case of apps which break some feature or other with a new version. We've all seen it happen, but with cloud apps you probably won't get the chance to stay on the old version (at least not as long as you might like to).

Good point. I can see AtW throwing one when they upgrade all their web apps to use the ribbon from Office.

So apart from the 'access your information anywhere', which is only really useful if you regularly use more than one device so need to keep them in sync, I don't really see any other advantages of putting both your data and app versions firmly in the hands of the big corporates.

Then again, with all the numpties on facebook getting sacked or jailed for being too public with themselves, maybe the gen pop are like the pigeons at the feeder. They'll eat whatever is put in front of them and think it's a feast.

As regards all the recent attacks on websites, part of me thinks those behind it are the ones wanting to take control of the internet, with their view that it's too open and free as it is. Maybe that's as cynical as thinking it's local glaziers smashing windows, local tyre companies throwing screws in the road, and anti-virus companies writing the viruses.

[Sysman]

Javascript.

Yep. This is why the browser developers are keen on Javascript benchmark results.

There's also the problem of intensive graphics. It's all very well developing over a LAN with a state of the art computer, but that's not what notebook users are going to see.

I forgot to mention the case of apps which break some feature or other with a new version. We've all seen it happen, but with cloud apps you probably won't get the chance to stay on the old version (at least not as long as you might like to).

[doodab]

??? If the app is truly in the Cloud how is it slowing your machine? - this is an earnest question BTW - if all the app is doing is delivering stuff into a browser, then surely the bottleneck's in the delivery?

Javascript.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

..... Software upgrades are another potential issue with cloud based apps; you probably won't get the choice to stay with the old version which works for you, and if the app you rely on turns into bloatware you might be forced into upgrading your system before you want to (my ISP's webmail app can already slow my 1 year old desktop to a crawl).

??? If the app is truly in the Cloud how is it slowing your machine? - this is an earnest question BTW - if all the app is doing is delivering stuff into a browser, then surely the bottleneck's in the delivery?

[Sysman]

I think all the recent stories of sites being hacked may make the more intelligent rethink the idea that it's good to have your personal information outsourced in such a way.

Logically these giant companies should also be less trustworthy than the small simply because if they screw up and someone steals all your info they can afford the multi million pound fines without so much as a blink of the eye.

For now I feel more secure having my info on a hard drive in my own computer, if it is computerised at all.

Though there's probably very little personal information that is truly valuable to anyone else, other than those looking to steal from you or sell you something.

The other thing is that despite the free space offers we are seeing at the moment, a move to a rental model is inevitable. This implies having your credit card details lying around on one ore more servers somewhere.

Software upgrades are another potential issue with cloud based apps; you probably won't get the choice to stay with the old version which works for you, and if the app you rely on turns into bloatware you might be forced into upgrading your system before you want to (my ISP's webmail app can already slow my 1 year old desktop to a crawl).

[Sysman]

$199 in the USA certainly doesn't equate to £350 in my book. I struggle to justify the $1=£1 price points (ok I've always hated them), but $1=£1.75 can get stuffed.

The $1=£1 thing has always annoyed me too. This is something that Apple do better, certainly where I am living. They appear to take the exchange rate at product announcement and add a percentage to cater for currency fluctuations and then stick with that price. With the continuing decline in the USD against my currency I'm holding off buying any Apple kit at the moment in the hope I'll be able to take advantage of that currency recalculation for new models

Apple may have a reputation for higher priced kit, but as soon as I take the exchange rates used for Windows software prices out of the equation it starts to look a bit different.

I've got a Samsung netbook I picked up cheaply a couple of years ago it's damn handy and gets a fairly large amount of use so I'd replace it if it died, but not at that sort of price.

Plus mine has a 60Gb drive which I do use quite a bit and runs standard MS Office with Win7 so it's bog standard, familiar and easy to get applications. Slingbox for instance is a must as I use it as a TV when in hotels.

For that use you don't really need anything flashier.

Oh and the total internet dependency renders the Google netbook devices utterly useless to me, I doubt I connect my Android phone to wireless or 3G more than a couple of times a week and then only if I'm after something specific.

No unique or even common selling points to me at this time, I'd rate it as wildly overpriced and under featured for what I need and want.

Fortunately I haven't had to use hotels for quite a while, but I did nearly a year of them half a dozen years ago and the internet charges could get extortionate. Things have improved since then but I'm still wary of being held to ransom.

And as PAH says, the level of internet attacks going on at the moment does ring alarm bells.

[PAH]

I think all the recent stories of sites being hacked may make the more intelligent rethink the idea that it's good to have your personal information outsourced in such a way.

Logically these giant companies should also be less trustworthy than the small simply because if they screw up and someone steals all your info they can afford the multi million pound fines without so much as a blink of the eye.

For now I feel more secure having my info on a hard drive in my own computer, if it is computerised at all.

Though there's probably very little personal information that is truly valuable to anyone else, other than those looking to steal from you or sell you something.

[TykeMerc]

$199 in the USA certainly doesn't equate to £350 in my book. I struggle to justify the $1=£1 price points (ok I've always hated them), but $1=£1.75 can get stuffed.

I've got a Samsung netbook I picked up cheaply a couple of years ago it's damn handy and gets a fairly large amount of use so I'd replace it if it died, but not at that sort of price.
Plus mine has a 60Gb drive which I do use quite a bit and runs standard MS Office with Win7 so it's bog standard, familiar and easy to get applications. Slingbox for instance is a must as I use it as a TV when in hotels.

Oh and the total internet dependency renders the Google netbook devices utterly useless to me, I doubt I connect my Android phone to wireless or 3G more than a couple of times a week and then only if I'm after something specific.

No unique or even common selling points to me at this time, I'd rate it as wildly overpriced and under featured for what I need and want.