27 ms·

New $250 Chromebook

423 points by ConstantineXVI 14y ago

kin 14y ago
These devices are certainly getting better. Since it's so reliant on connection, the 100MB free/month is appealing.
protomyth 14y ago
I'm glad they switched to ARM and keep working on this, but... I just cannot get into the idea of a thin client given that storage keeps getting bigger / cheaper and bandwidth doesn't seem to be getting cheaper (a case could be made is more expensive). I like the cloud for backups / sync, but I still dream of an pocket device with a couple of terabytes.
- missing_cipher 14y ago
  > and bandwidth doesn't seem to be getting cheaper Google seems to be working on that. :)
  - protomyth 14y ago
    I would believe that if they had bought Sprint, T-Mobile or won the spectrum auction; but fibre in one city is not very exciting if you're not in that city.
ConstantineXVI 14y ago
The ARM bit is quietly hidden away on the specs page[0]. Can't find anything yet either way if these will still have the developer switch. If the build is as good as the 550 and this particular Exynos has decent performance; it'd make an awfully good cheap Linux laptop (not to say CrOS is worthless, far from it). [0] http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromebook.html#specs http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromeb...
- stcredzero 14y ago
  > not to say CrOS is worthless, far from it I think that the biggest ingredient of Apple's success is the "it just works" aspect. iOS and CrOS are much closer to this ideal than desktops have been. It is also possible to get even closer.
  - quattrofan 14y ago
    Argh I HATE that phrase, they "just work" as often as any Windows PC since XP has. In the past week in fact one of my designers was complaining of problems getting some work finished on her Mac that "just works" because guess what? It didn't JUST WORK!
    - stcredzero 14y ago
      Note the phrase "much closer to this ideal." And actually, I switched away from XP in 2003, because XP did't just work when trying out new video codecs. OS X did.
      - quattrofan 14y ago
        I should add I am not a MSoft fanboy, I've owned a Mac Classic back in the day and recently a Macbook Pro. But the Macbook pro had all kinds of issues with my outboard soundcard and midi interface that my windows PC never had and in the end was glad to get rid of it.
        Evbn 14y ago
        "It works" and "it is compatible" are different. Apple does more former than latter. MS is reverse, on the hardware side, for obvious business model reasons.
mtgx 14y ago
So glad they finally did this. I've been begging them to do a $250 Chromebook since day one, because I think that's the sweetspot for a "Chromebook", and the only way they could've achieved that, while also having good build quality and whatnot, was to use an ARM chip, and not an Intel one, so I'm glad they finally did that, too. I think it's long overdue, but perhaps they were waiting for the Cortex A15 chips to come to market, which I guess makes sense. If Google would partner with Verizon or AT&T to offer these things for free (much better marketing than say a $50 price) with LTE and a 2 year contract, I think they would see even more sales, especially from businesses and professionals. Obviously they should be getting the data plans they get with an USB modem, not the amount they get with a cellphone plan.
andyking 14y ago
$250 in the US, £249.99 from PC World in the UK. That's just over $400. Even if you take off 20% UK sales tax, that's still $320. Last time I checked, the exchange rate wasn't £1=$1!
- corin_ 14y ago
  $333 rather than $320 - not a huge difference numerically, but a flaw in your calculation that's worth pointing out :)
- mokash 14y ago
  Unfortunately, this is the case with more or less all products that are available in both the US and the UK.
- adam-a 14y ago
  The PCWorld website seems to suggest £199.97 [0]. Perhaps that is without VAT though. [0] http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html?cmpid=display~chromebooksQ3UK~crosB http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.htm... Edit: The pictured models at the bottom of the page start at £250 but the copy at the top says "Starting at £199.97".
  - corin_ 14y ago
    The £199.97 model: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-5-wifi-chromebook-white-10822634-pdt.html http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-5-wifi-chromebo... (Intel CPU)
- colin_jack 14y ago
  What is odd is how self defeating it is, I just don't see them selling many at £250.
duxup 14y ago
FOR SLEEPOVERS They got me.
nsns 14y ago
250$? I really don't get it. Three years ago I bought a Gateway LT23 Netbook, with a 160GB HD and 1GB memory, it runs Windows7 and cost me 300$. Aren't Netbooks better? And have been availbable for many years now?
- vyrotek 14y ago
  Agreed. I think $150 is more appropriate. What makes me even MORE confused is the 550 model. $450 seems awfully expensive when compare to all your other computing options. http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.html#ss-550 http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.htm... Edit - After a bit more consideration, I might be interested if the HDMI output is decent and the network TV websites won't block the browser. I would use the Chromebook as a replacement HTPC for my Google TV which is basically a brick now.
  - mtgx 14y ago
    Blame Intel for the initial $450 Chromebooks and $300 Google TV. Now we're starting to see $250 Chromebooks and $99 Google TV's, thanks to ARM chips.
    - Steko 14y ago
      Why on earth would we blame Intel? How about blaming Google for designing a $250 quality laptop that retailed for $500?
      - Evbn 14y ago
        Because Intel chips and boards are ovespecced and overpriced for the use hey were put to.
- mtgx 14y ago
  That's a spinning disk. There were 8/16 GB SSD netbooks for around the same price as that 160 GB HDD netbook. Plus, this seems higher quality than those typical netbooks. It's more like an ultrabook for $250, at least in terms of build quality and looks. The specs are obviously lower than a $1000 ultrabook.
obilgic 14y ago
what is the battery performance for that thing, I am defiantly gonna get it, if it can at least get me through a day with out carrying charger.
- mikeevans 14y ago
  "6.5 hours of battery (Varies based on usage)"
polshaw 14y ago
> Samsung Exynos 5 Dual Processor So cortex A15 has finally landed.. no mention of RAM or size of on-board SSD, i'm guessing 1-2GB and 8/16GB respectively (e: 2/16). Disappointing battery life ('over 6 hours', same as the x86 one), i guess the battery wasn't spared from the cost-cutting. Exynos 5 also means USB 3. And do we know if you can definitely get linux on these (==interesting), or might they be super locked-down? Definitely a device worth recommending to the former netbook/ 'only use my computer for facebook' crowd. e: the battery is 2 cell, AFAIK even cheap x86 laptops come with 6-cell batteries, so it is a case of cost-minimizing.. shame, i'd lap this up with a 12-18hr battery life.
- mtgx 14y ago
  2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of SSD + 100 GB of SSD storage in Google Drive (for 2 years). The battery life does seem a bit strange. My guess is Google hasn't had enough time to optimize it as well as they did for Atom, which gives them pretty equal battery lives now, or they are using a smaller battery to cut costs, or Chromebook simply isn't as "ultra-mobile" as Android. But for a Chromebook, I think they need to increase that battery life somehow.
- rryan 14y ago
  All ChromeOS devices to date have come with a "Developer Mode" hardware switch which turns off trusted boot and allows you to run your own OS / custom ChromeOS builds. I would bet this Chromebook is not locked down.
  - armored_mammal 14y ago
    I thought they only allowed you to replace user space, not the Kernel? I'm always so tempted by Chromebooks... All I want out of a laptop is no moving parts, < 12" screen, an 8+ hour battery, and 1080p video playback using my Linux distro of choice for under $300, but nobody delivers... Instead it's just endless parades of 'ultrabooks' that mysteriously cost $800+... I could care less if the hard drive is 100 gigs or 16. But if you can't use your own Kernel I won't use it. Too much like buying a car with the hood welded shut. But I guess for me a laptop is just the minor sibling of my desktop that's supposed to be good enough to watch movies while traveling and look up something on Wikipedia from the couch, and also be cheap enough that it doesn't have to last or not get stolen. In other words, not my main computer. But still have a keyboard.
klrr 14y ago
Can I install GNU/Linux on it?
- mtgx 14y ago
  Ubuntu 12.10 may support Cortex A15, but I'm not sure. I know they were working on supporting it, so it's possible. There's also an open source Lima driver (for the Mali GPU's) but I don't know if they've even started reverse engineering the Mali T604 GPU in this thing, which is on a totally new GPU architecture, and has support for OpenGL ES 3.0 as well.
- recuter 14y ago
  Second this question, if it can be "jailbroken" so you have a terminal with root privileges and a standard environment underneath it becomes an interesting option.
  - brokenparser 14y ago
    Current Chromebooks require a signed kernel on a separate partition. No grub, no BIOS. Not falling into that trap again, don't see why the new crop would be any better.
    - mdwrigh2 14y ago
      If you flip the developer switch on the side, you can load whatever you want. Here's a guide for loading Ubuntu on one: http://www.devchronicles.com/2011/10/installing-ubuntu-on-samsung-series-5.html http://www.devchronicles.com/2011/10/installing-ubuntu-on-sa...
- mdwrigh2 14y ago
  From one of the developers on the project: "(And getting a regular u-boot on these to use as generic linux hacking platforms isn't all that hard. Should be a nice base for people to do native ARM development)" https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9HuiPB https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9Hu...
dholowiski 14y ago
I'm skeptical about the 'for everyone' part. Will I be able to buy this in Canada? Or is it really just 'everyone' in the USA and UK?
- unicornporn 14y ago
  Came here to write the same comment, but replace Canada with Sweden.
  - rplnt 14y ago
    The only UK shop doesn't seem to ship outside of UK. And as usual, the price is almost $370, so there you go with the $250 Chromebook.
jpxxx 14y ago
Weird future moment: a 21st century industry titan has to use puppies, kitties, and children to sell a machine that freely dispenses the sum total of humanity's knowledge.
- jerf 14y ago
  Because the latter is not a distinguishing characteristic. Everything does that now.
  - freehunter 14y ago
    That's why it's a weird future moment. We're living in an era where all the information in the world is so readily available that the market for devices that can display this information is hugely competitive.
- mmahemoff 14y ago
  I had exactly the same weird future moment a few hours ago when I saw the Android event invite: "The playground is open" [1]. Got me thinking what Mad Men era execs would make of it all. 1. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/10/googles-october-29-android-event-the-playground-is-open/ http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/10/googles-october-29-an...
  - chaz 14y ago
    Good question, but the medium has changed. That's a media invitation card, that is guaranteed to be carried by online tech sites, but we'll likely never see in Mad Man era TV or print.
- jpadvo 14y ago
  <passionate_rant> Since I learned I was going to be a dad (in 7 months!), I've found these kinds of advertisements increasingly unsettling, in an uncanny-valley kind of way. I love my tiny one. I've heard the quick little heartbeat. I'm largely responsible for if this little person grows up happy and healthy. The enormity of the ensuing feelings is impossible to express. Uncanny valley situations arise when a simulation looks almost real, maybe 96% real, but the 4% difference is very unsettling because it just looks _off_. You feel a creeping sensation that something is wrong. In this video, Google very poignantly portrays a bunch of vibrant people, children and fathers prominently featured. They are picking at the deepest heartstrings I've ever known. At the deepest anxieties and aspirations that it is possible to have in the human experience. It's 96% poignant. But...they're doing this for what reason again? So they can sell me a $250 piece of electronics and absorb my family into their ecosystem? It's a 4% that makes the entire rest of it feel fake. Turns out that cognitive dissonance relating to your children, even peripherally, is really uncomfortable. :/ </passionate_rant>
jasongullickson 14y ago
They are getting better (although what's up with that hinge? Blech!). Still not as cute or clever as it's ancestor tho: http://litl.com/ http://litl.com/
coob 14y ago
1) Why the old Bluetooth? 2) I bet flash performance on this thing is terrible.
- nikcub 14y ago
  Flash performance is terrible on my $3700 12-month old Macbook Pro
  - zdw 14y ago
    Flash performance is terrible everywhere. And no longer supported on any modern/popular phones.
  - brokenparser 14y ago
    Flash is terrible.
- mtgx 14y ago
  I doubt it. It used to be pretty good with dual core A9's too at 1.2 Ghz. This is a dual core A15 at 1.7 Ghz. And TheVerge reports 1080p works very well on it.
MatthewPhillips 14y ago
Until Google upgrades their apps, or write new ones, that utilized advanced HTML5 capabilities, I have to assume they aren't serious about the platform and neither should anyone else be. They didn't release Android without apps, Chromebooks should get the same treatment.
- kzahel 14y ago
  Packaged apps (still Chrome canary) now at least have most UDP/TCP socket functionality (when experimental API turned on in flags), so the door is at least open (soon) to more advanced apps.
  - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
    It's been open since they did ChromeOS, but Google Talk was the only app they wrote specifically for it. Even today, 95% of Google's apps are firmly HTML4.
    - Evbn 14y ago
      Chrome apps (apps, not websites) use proprietary Chrome APIs beyond HTML. Behind Chrome, Google uses plugins, like webgl for Maps and the Talk plugin for chat. Why does HTML " 5 " matter more than the actual functionality?
- andybak 14y ago
  Can you be specific about which apps and which html5 features you are referring to?
  - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
    All of the normal apps you would get when you buy a new computer or smartphone. Email, calendar, maps, news reader, word processor. Technologies would include things like css transforms, transitions, animations, application cache, indexeddb, file api, canvas, video, full screen... the things that make web apps feel like apps and not web pages.
podperson 14y ago
What puzzles me is why the ChromeBox, with no display (and I'm not sure if it comes with a keyboard and mouse) costs $329 and lacks HDMI. If it were $199 and had HDMI it would seem like a very compelling device.
- pajju 14y ago
  Yeah its overpriced compared to Chromebooks. Lets wait until it hits mass production. :)
- mikeevans 14y ago
  The Chromebox has 2x DisplayPort and DVI though. Could always get an adapter for HDMI. I'm with you on the price thing though.
- jxi 14y ago
  The cost could be better, but keep in mind that this thing can drive 2x30 inch monitors. My latest and greatest macbook pro can't even do that smoothly. Actually, streaming 1080p Netflix on my 30 inch monitor makes the fan get pretty loud.
- adamc 14y ago
  You can buy a very cheap displayport HDMI adapter; we have a chromebox connected to our television. Although we're currently having a problem with overscan. (The displayport-hdmi connection also seems to flake out when the TV is not connected to it...)
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
benvanderbeek 14y ago
I have an iPad 3 and a Chromebook. I like and use the Chromebook much more, because of the built in keyboard. I know plenty of people who would hate using a Chromebook and much prefer their iPad for everything. To each his own.
mtgx 14y ago
Why was the title modified? I think the fact that it's ARM-based is very relevant.
- andybak 14y ago
  There seems to have been a rise in over-zealous post title modifications recently. New employee at YC Towers?
TomAnthony 14y ago
I'm very confused! They say it starts at $249, but the 550 is at $449. What is the model number of the new one here? It links to this PC WOrld page for the UK model which just confuses me further: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html?cmpid=display~chromebooksQ3UK~crosB http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.htm... I was interested in buying, but I'm totally confused. Wikipedia also just lists the 550 model as the one released now, and has nothing matching the spec in the Google post. Anyone worked it out? Sorry if I've missed something...
- richbradshaw 14y ago
  Yeah, I can't work out if PC World even have it listed? It doesn't seem to have a model number, it's just Samsung Chromebook, which doesn't really help!
  - sltkr 14y ago
    I'm pretty sure it's this one: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-11-6-chromebook-silver-19273052-pdt.html http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-11-6... But it's 300 GBP, or 484 USD (excluding shipping), almost twice the price advertised!
- smackfu 14y ago
  It says preorders don't start until noon PT, so another 50 minutes from now. Maybe they are not even listing it until then.
- stuartmemo 14y ago
  This is the $249 one here: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-wifi-chromebook-silver-19273050-pdt.html http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-wifi... £229 or £249 in-store. Bananas.
- sp332 14y ago
  The model number is XE303C12 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LL9VDG/ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LL9VDG/
bitcartel 14y ago
Seriously, shut up and take my money?! 100GB of Google Drive storage for 2 years is included in the price. That storage alone would cost $120 ($5/month). So if you were already in the market for extra storage, you can get an ARM Chromebook for $130.
- danso 14y ago
  Didn't realize it was a 2-year limit. I wonder if Google Drive space is what ink is to the color printer business.
  - darkarmani 14y ago
    If it was you'd only have 14 days worth of storage, like the undersized ink that comes with new printers.
cs702 14y ago
It's obvious now that Google intends to keep improving Chrome OS, the devices on which it runs, the services that come with it (100GB of free online storage!), and the cost & headaches of maintaining it -- while aggressively cutting prices. I'm expecting a $199 Chromebook within a couple of years, and a $99 model within the next five years. This has the potential for upending the prevailing business model of traditional PC vendors.
- chaz 14y ago
  Google's revenue is very closely tied to the amount that people use the web in general. So much so, that they will make more money simply by encouraging people to use the web more. As a result, their strategy is largely to reduce the barriers to the next click and the next session, and thereby moving closer to the next Google search. Faster connections, faster browsers, cheaper devices, more ubiquitous access, etc. It's almost like oil companies subsidizing the cost of cars to make more money. Reminds me of the start of the Michelin guide book, which was created to encourage people to drive to interesting places in France.
  - redthrowaway 14y ago
    The same can be said of Amazon and their willingness to take losses on hardware just for the chance to get people into their content ecosystem. I've certainly found that, since getting my Kindle, I purchase all of my eBooks (used to pirate), and also use the Amazon store for goods quite frequently, whereas I previously had never used it.
  - kwekly 14y ago
    And at this risk of stating the obvious: the Michelin guide then went on to evolve a culture and impact well beyond it's intended use...
    - justincormack 14y ago
      I don't think it ended up selling that many tyres but a cost benefit analysis would be interesting. It was a good branding exercise.
fierarul 14y ago
I hope this gets released in the rest of the EU too. You couldn't even get the previous Chromebooks in Germany, let alone Romania. A 250 euro Chromebook (VAT included) would be a nice buy. This means an ARM-based Chromebox should be around 150? It's unclear from the announcement if Flash works or not since Youtube could be streaming H264. Edit: Specs, including prices on https://sites.google.com/a/pressatgoogle.com/samsungchromebook/specs https://sites.google.com/a/pressatgoogle.com/samsungchromebo...
- ukdm 14y ago
  There's 2 models listed in the UK at £229 and £299. Not sure why, the only spec diff I can see on PC World is one says LCD the other says HD LCD. Yet the resolution is listed as being the same.
ernestipark 14y ago
Why does that blog post not have a single link to the product?
- jorde 14y ago
  Here you go: http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromebook.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromeb...
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
Metrop0218 14y ago
I'd like it if they weren't telling two stories. We have almost opposing operating systems being shipped by these guys. We have Chrome OS on one hand which focuses on the web being the be all and end all of computing. Then we have Android on the other hand which focuses on client side processing. Which one do they actually believe in?
- lhnn 14y ago
  Android has people downloading "apps", true, but the apps Google pushes still have the "cloud" has their data backend. It's not like Android's star applications are ones that get you to keep all your data local to your phone. In fact, Chrome OS being centered around the browser (I assume), note the push of the "Google Chrome Web Store" which has browser "apps" installable. I don't think their strategy is divided.
- DanBC 14y ago
  Why can't they believe in both, and be working towards some kind of merge?
- mtgx 14y ago
  iOS and Mac OS are not the same. WP8 and Windows 8 are also not the same, just look the same. That being yes, I'd probably prefer some kind of merger, too. But the execution needs to be flawless, and they need to make a compelling case for why you'd use ChromeOS over Android's Chrome when docked to the keyboard.
  - Metrop0218 14y ago
    iOS/Mac OS and WP8/Win8 are much more similar than Chrome OS/Android. The disjoint between the latter two is much more pronounced.
- ridiculous_fish 14y ago
  A coworker explained Google to me as more like a university than a company. It would not be surprising to find two departments in the same university working in divergent or even cross directions.
ck2 14y ago
Does chromeOS have printer drivers? Because I doubt it would work with my Epson for example. Unless it can use linux drivers.
- sherwin 14y ago
  I managed to set up my 2nd gen chromebook with cloudprint, which was pretty straight forward: http://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/ http://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/
- jxi 14y ago
  Use Google cloudprint. If you sign-in, it should list all the printers that are connected to any of your other computers where you're signed into Chrome (i.e. through Chrome settings, not just signed into gmail).
  - Evbn 14y ago
    So I have to buy another computer just to send a file from my new computer to a printer?
kitcar 14y ago
Here's the actual product landing page: http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html
- EmergencyKnave 14y ago
  Yes, I so wish that people would cut out the middleman when posting these types of announcements.
  - Evbn 14y ago
    Middleman? That is the official announcement (the "news") on the Chrome blog.
  - tobyjsullivan 14y ago
    But the landing page doesn't have the awesome (seizure inducing) video!
    - skeletonjelly 14y ago
      I realised the video wasn't aimed at me when there was a focus on the "who" and not just a list of specs
DanBC 14y ago
I love the idea of this. I'm tempted to get one to replace my eee pc 701. I am gently curious how Google avoids the trouble that MS ran into when they tied IE into the OS and pre-installed it on the desktop. How is it okay for Google to ship product that uses all their services? Especially when Google trawls for ad relevant data to make money? (Note: I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just wondering what the difference is.)
- hkmurakami 14y ago
  my guess is the fact that MS had dominating market share with Windows, while Chromebooks are but a small fraction of the overall PC market.
- mtgx 14y ago
  The same way Microsoft can bundle Office and all their other services with Windows RT. These markets are very niche right now. However, I do hope Google is able to bundle Quick Office with Android next year, at least on tablets. I'd like to see a regulator try and say that it's not fair for Google to bundle their very little known Office suite (relative to MS Office), while Microsoft can bundle their very known Office suite with Windows.
- dannyr 14y ago
  As long as Google doesn't prevent other companies to develop software for Chrome OS, it should be fine.
pajju 14y ago
Aren't these Chromebooks subsidized by Google to get into mainstream faster? I always felt there were big tie-ups. (See Asus Nexus tablet pricing) And How much is a google user+account worth? An android or a chromebook device is worth atleast $$$+ for Google on long-run. And users are Locked'in with google's services! :) It must be certain for every subsidized device that ships, Google must be sharing revenues.
monkeyfacebag 14y ago
If Chrome OS had a package manager hooked into Debian's (or anyone's) repos, I'd be all over this. I do almost all of my non-programming work in the browser, but I can't leave the batteries included world of Linux behind just yet.
- wickedchicken 14y ago
  Is your programming done via SSH to a linux desktop or VM? You can SSH from a chromebook no problem: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhec...
  - mjn 14y ago
    Most of mine is done offline, which is so far the dealbreaker for the Chromebook for me. I need to be able to run vim on a local filesystem on a plane. I hear it's possible to root the Chromebook though?
    - wickedchicken 14y ago
      It's pretty straightforward, and as long as you don't modify the hardware it's completely reversible: http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-for-chrome-os-devices/samsung-sandy-bridge http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-fo...
- ShawnBird 14y ago
  Solid state hard drive, acceptable processor, 6 hour battery. Could be an awesome linux box. Though, you always could just flash it and put your own OS on there.
ilaksh 14y ago
Does either the regular one or the 550 have hardware accelerated graphics? Do they support WebGL?
dschiptsov 14y ago
Just Chrome is not enough. Add GNU emacs, evince (if chrome still not renders pdfs), terminal with antialiased Source Code Pro Ligth font (same for emacs) and openssh-client and I will buy it.) Well, SBCL, MIT Scheme or, sigh, Racket, please.) OK, just emacs and fonts and openssh - 'M-x term' would be enough.)
- wickedchicken 14y ago
  > terminal with antialiased Source Code Pro Ligth font Just have an ssh-able desktop/VM somewhere with emacs, install https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhec..., and set the font to Source Code Pro (font instructions are in http://git.chromium.org/gitweb/?p=chromiumos/platform/assets.git;a=blob;f=chromeapps/hterm/doc/faq.txt http://git.chromium.org/gitweb/?p=chromiumos/platform/assets...)
- hiker 14y ago
  There's secure shell for Chrome so you can use all your tools on another (Linux?) machine. I think it's up to the community to port tools to NaCl. The technology is there but it's a matter of time to get all the pieces in place.
- Evbn 14y ago
  Since when does chrome not render PDFs?
dror 14y ago
They really need to find a way to provide an integrated Android/Chrombook experience. Hardware: * Touch screen * Detachable keyboard so you can use it as either a tablet or a computer * 8+ hours battery life. Keyboard can have an extra battery. Software: * Android * Chrome browser with all the abilities of the chrome OS Price: $400 and under.
- netcan 14y ago
  I've seen a lot of people travel with a laptop/netbook/ultrabook + tablet. For example a An Air 11" + ipad. Laptop for using in the airport & hotel. Tablet for using at the conference & plane. If they could do both without botching simplicity & elegance, they could probably sell a fair few @ $1000+. It's not an easy not to crack though.
navs 14y ago
I'm in New Zealand so guess I have to wait...longer. My concern is the Samsung aspect. I have one Samsung netbook at the moment and while it's certainly a rugged machine, it leaves much to be desired in the performance department (especially running Chrome for any length of time). I understand it's a netbook and they aren't made to be power-horses but how are other Samsung notebooks? I also have a Samsung android tablet and I despise using it. It's cheap, flimsy and slow. Overall, based on my own experiences with Samsung hardware, I'm not exactly enthusiastic about this being a Samsung device. Maybe it's just me or maybe my expectations are too high but I'll wait for a complete product review before considering this buy.
- fmstephe 14y ago
  Another kiwi here. I have one of the first commercial chromebooks to come out from Samsung. For me the build quality is one of its best features. It's all plastic, but it has a great hinge and a very good keyboard.
WalterBright 14y ago
It appears to have no local storage.
- robertha 14y ago
  It has a 16GB ssd.
  - WalterBright 14y ago
    Thanks for the information. I couldn't find that on the announcement page.
vamur 14y ago
Not bad, now if Google allowed installing at least some of Linux apps, such as file manager, Libreoffice, VLC, this thing could be a winner.
- robertha 14y ago
  I'm sure that if you go into developer mode you'd be able put Linux on the machine--and with that all the software you mentioned (I know what you mean though, it would be nicer if you didn't have to jump through hoops).
bgruber 14y ago
i'm surprised that google isn't selling this on the play store.
- chanderson0 14y ago
  Coming soon! http://blogs.computerworld.com/laptops/21164/googles-new-chromebook http://blogs.computerworld.com/laptops/21164/googles-new-chr...
mokash 14y ago
What happens to your data if you manage to fill up your 100GB quota of free storage and you decide not to renew? If you ask me, it's a very clever way to get people to continue paying for the service after the two year term is up. Not a bad idea.
- marban 14y ago
  you just can't add files anymore but nothing will be deleted.
  - lostsock 14y ago
    Here is the source for what marban said. https://support.google.com/chromeos/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2703646 https://support.google.com/chromeos/bin/answer.py?hl=en&... See point 4.
pgrote 14y ago
Is the pre-ordering working for anyone? I've tried the Amazon link, but no luck. It still says, "Pre-orders will start at 12pm PST."
- juaninfinitelop 14y ago
  It's working now: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-XE303C12-A01US-Chromebook-Wi-Fi-11-6-Inch/dp/B009LL9VDG/ref=br_lf_m_2858603011_1_2_ttl?ie=UTF8&s=pc&pf_rd_p=1407236782&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=2858603011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0W6G8K10MZ40DPF7Z7W4&tag=crosB http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-XE303C12-A01US-Chromebook-Wi-F...
  - pgrote 14y ago
    Thanks. It redirected me to http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LL9VDG http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LL9VDG, which just offered to take my email address when it is available. I thought pre-order meant I'd pay for it. lol
dkhenry 14y ago
Why won't they take this same kind of device and scale it up. I love most things about the chrome book, but I would rather have a 14" laptop with a bigger battery. O know you'll be competing with "full feature" laptops, but honestly chrome books have most of the features I would want ( I would like to see better native support for the development life cycle, but i can get by with ssh )
- chris_mahan 14y ago
  I use my ($350 in 2008) Acer One a lot more than my cr-48. Although the cr-48 is decent for remoting into VMs via ssh.
ChuckMcM 14y ago
"100 MB of internet per month, for free, from Verizon Wireless." So I'm really sort of conflicted by Chromebooks, I love the concept, but wonder why it doesn't come with 4G/LTE (seems like a 'new' device should), what sort of data plans and are they dynamic like the iPad? (month to month) And 100MB a month? Seriously? That is what 5 minutes of 3 mbit video? 10 minutes of cheezy 1.5mbit video a month? Web sites that start up a youtube embed video when you visit? poof go the mBytes. Heck the WSJ is like 20 - 30MB per issue these days. Seems like 2.5GB is a healthy net allocation for a tablet/laptop experience, that 25x more. Looking forward to seeing one 'in the flesh' as it were.
- Lewisham 14y ago
  I love the concept, but wonder why it doesn't come with 4G/LTE (seems like a 'new' device should) Oh, come now. You can't even buy an unlocked phone with LTE for less than $400. That cellular stuff is not cheap!
- jerf 14y ago
  That sounds like augmented data for if you take your notebook out and about, while they expect you to base it on Wifi if you're at home. It's a cost-effective combo.
- tobyjsullivan 14y ago
  "why it doesn't come with 4G/LTE?" Because that would eat your 100MB data plan in 42 seconds. Not too mention it would probably increase the price. Nobody actually needs 4G yet, we just like it in our fancy things. It has no place in budget (attainable) hardware. "And 100MB a month? Seriously?" Because that is what Verizon, a company that makes its money off selling wireless data, is willing to give away for free (or a subsidized price paid by google). I'm sure they will not hesitate to sell you more if you are in the minority who need to watch 3Mb videos on the bus...
  - niels_olson 14y ago
    Cr-48 owner here. You will go through the first 100 MB in a week, maybe you make it almost to the end of the month. By month 3, you want that 1 gb plan to autorenew so you don't have to think about it.
HNSucksAss 14y ago
Apparently $250 only gets you a defective keyboard. No Delete key. WTF.
metalsahu 14y ago
I have an iPad but it is primarily a consumption device and after a couple of hours it starts to feel like I have reached 'the end of the internet'. A light laptop with a really fast browser and a physical keyboard is paramount so I can write, comment, chat, email and multitask. This Chromebook really hits a sweet spot for me both with size and cost!
kryptiskt 14y ago
US and UK only... This pretty much has to be the last gasp for ChromeOS, it makes no sense to differentiate the software this much between Android tablets and Chromebooks with identical internals and just a slight difference in form factor. Next time around they can just put a touchscreen on it and load it with Android 5.0.
- tnuc 14y ago
  If that was the case then why aren't people installing Android on their PC's or laptops? Or windows 7 on a smartphone? ChromeOS and Android do different things.
  - kryptiskt 14y ago
    It's just a browser environment, nothing that can't run perfectly well under Android. Why put resources into this stillborn thing, when they can leverage their hugely successful mobile OS?
bravura 14y ago
Is this good for programming through an SSH shell? I am looking for the most portable device that I can use for programming. The key concerns are: Weight + size, and keyboard layout. Since I code through an SSH shell, the laptop's mem + CPU specs are not very important for me. I believe that the Mac Book Air 11" has a good enough keyboard. (I haven't tried it for long, but the keys are the same size as the 13", just closer together.) The Chrome book is only slightly thicker (0.8" vs. MBA 0.7"), only slightly heavier (2.5 lbs vs. 2.4 lbs), and wider (13.2" vs. 11.8"). Weight and thickness important here. It's also much cheaper. What do you think are the downsides of using the chrome book (or a macbook air 11") for primary coding through an SSH shell? [edit: Is there some store I can play with a chromebook in real life?]
- VikingCoder 14y ago
  Chrome Secure Shell uses Native Client: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhec... So I doubt it will work with the Chromebooks coming out. I could be wrong. I have no experience with the other SSH tools available for Chrome. I'm a big fan of Chrome Remote Desktop: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desktop-bet/gbchcmhmhahfdphkhkmpfmihenigjmpp https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desk... I use it from my Cr-48 to drive my home desktop computer. My corporate IT guys have blocked it, though (even the outgoing connections) which bums me out. Games are not playable, but otherwise, it's darn good.
- huggah 14y ago
  They're great. For a while, Chrome would take over keys needed to use Emacs and other terminal applications. However, internally a lot of Googlers user Chromebooks + Chromebox as their only window to their dev box. It's what we give interns now. I'm particular to XMonad, and like being able to run a few GUI applications, but I used a Chromebook for a while and the dev experience was nice enough that I almost switched. One great thing is that the SSH client is smart enough that you don't have to use screen to handle network interruptions . The trackpad isn't as good as a MacBook, but other than that the device feels great.
vibrunazo 14y ago
This smells like the best cost efficient device to use as a media center for the living room. Cheap, put Ubuntu on it for VLC. Leave it on and plugged to your big screen tv 100% of the time. Use my main laptop on my couch to store files via lan, and remote control it. Is there any better alternative to this? Today I just plug my laptop in and out of the tv when I want to watch, and use my tablet as remote control. I have a xbox, but it's so bad compared to having full vlc. I would pay 250 to save me the trouble of connecting my laptop to the TV. It would be the perfect setup of my dreams.
- ralfd 14y ago
  An Apple TV costs only 99 dollars. You don't need to use iTunes. Mountain Lion and a newer Mac can mirror their whole screen natively. For older Macs or Windows PCs there is the third party software "Airparrot" (10 dollars). Short VLC demo with 1080p Apple TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0lM_R7LQ0Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0lM_R7LQ0Y For Windows: https://twitter.com/AirParrot/statuses/232201363235418112 https://twitter.com/AirParrot/statuses/232201363235418112 http://airparrot.com http://airparrot.com
  - rustynails77 14y ago
    YMMV with Apple TV. Specs are here, http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html If you're like me, it will play about 10% of my collection. WDTV Live, on the other hand, plays everything. If you're in the Apple eco-system, Apple TV is great. For those who aren't, it's Apple's way or the highway. I'm half in Apple, half out of Apple, and it's a total nightmare.
    - ralfd 14y ago
      That's the nice thing with screen mirroring, so you can just use VLC with the ATV to play all kinds of video formats. But you are right that there are other boxes available and they all cost way less than $250.
- danbee 14y ago
waynesutton 14y ago
This is great, but why don't chomebooks and the macbook air come with built in 4G/LTE? I mean remember netbooks? Mobile carriers were selling them with contracts. We're going in 2013 and everything should come with built in 4G/LTE. If the nexus 7 had 4G it would be a winner.
mtgx 14y ago
Looking forward to a Google+ or blog post from a ChromeOS developer about why this Chromebook only has a 6.5h battery life, which is less than I would've expected. Is it because Linux/Chrome OS is not that optimized for battery life?
- hiker 14y ago
  I'm a MacBook Air user and the battery life of my Chromebook is way longer than any laptop I used before.
mrbill 14y ago
Ordered. I've been wanting an ARM-based netbook for a few years now.
laktek 14y ago
Anyone considering to use it for development? (Similar to the iPad + Linode experiment?)
- Cowen 14y ago
  I preordered one with the precise intention of using it for all of my portable typing and development needs. I've really liked Chromebooks for a while now, but I could never get past their price point. Now, at $250 I wasn't really worried about it. I'm considering posting something about it after a week or two, but we'll see :)
TheMagicHorsey 14y ago
The weirdest thing about these Chromebooks is that they are terrible machines to code on. You would think that Google would make some sort of effort to put some free development tools on them to promote their technologies like AppEngine, DART, Go, etc. Instead we are left with various garbage pail cloud IDEs. I would totally get one of these, but I'll probably install Ubuntu on it (at least as a dual boot).
- skeletonjelly 14y ago
  Weirdest? Did you see any developers in that video? I think you're misunderstanding who this is targeted at. Having said that they would make nice dev machines, it'll just take a bit of effort.
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
  - TheMagicHorsey 14y ago
    But that's my point. People have been trying to get kids to start coding. What better way than to make the price of entry less than $300.
- Evbn 14y ago
  They have SSH, so they are better than Android and iOS tablets for this task.
  - biafra 14y ago
    You mean: They have a keyboard. Both iOS and Android have SSH.
ryanhuff 14y ago
Get Minecraft to work on it and you will introduce the Chromebook experience to many, many kids.
RexRollman 14y ago
I was lucky enough to obtain a CR-48 from Google, two years ago this winter, and I still find it to be an enjoyable machine. The downside to the unit is that it is useless without an Internet connection.
nzealand 14y ago
Perfect for Grandma except..... no skype.
- gurkendoktor 14y ago
  Wow. I hadn't thought about this, but Skype is one of the defining apps of the internet for me. Now it feels just weird looking at the Chromebook (same as the PlayBook with its front-facing camera, yet no Skype).
- Evbn 14y ago
  Google chat/Hangout....
wmf 14y ago
A few details from one of the developers: https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9HuiPB https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9Hu... "...getting a regular u-boot on these to use as generic linux hacking platforms isn't all that hard..."
AYBABTME 14y ago
"A Chromebook for everyone"; cool. The article talks about the author's childhood in India, how he dreams of bringing computers to everyone. The price makes it a device that could be bought by anyone. The size of the computer, the autonomy, the low power, everything looks like it's meant to really democratize computers to an even wider audience, say in developing countries where 3G/LTE networks are surprisingly developed and cheap (depends on the country, of course). But then, its bundled with Verizon, limited to the US and the UK. What are the 3G frequencies? Is this thing locked with Verizon? Say I want to give one to my friend in Vietnam, so he/she can get access to a computer, will the 3G modem support the carrier's frequencies there? Unknown: it's listed as "WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n, WWAN : Verizon 3G". Great. The device is nice, the price is nice. But marketing it as "a Chromebook for everyone" is just wrong. It's a laptop for people in the US, that's it. And really, I wonder what kind of "humanitarian" problem it's solving. I understand the low price is to create a following for the product, but I find the "Chromebook for everyone" brand phony. Unless "everyone" == "Verizon customers living in the US".
- alanh 14y ago
  I think you are somewhat confused. (Edit: I had misunderstood the parent; see below.) The $250 model does not appear to be bundled with Verizon. In fact, I don’t think it has 3G capabilities, just Wi-Fi. The higher-cost Chromebook 550 (Intel) does support 3G. So your entire argument is based upon a misunderstanding, is it not?
  - AYBABTME 14y ago
    Sorry, I was refering to the 3G model (329.99$), but I forgot to make it clear in my comment. However, my perspective is that Chromebooks are meant to be used with a connection to the internet, which makes the 3G model sort of mandatory (for 3G/LTE access is more accessible - in my experience - in developing countries than full internet connections). It's in that perspective that I hold this argument. For the case I'm basing this opinion on, a basic internet connection (DSL) in Vietnam costs much more money than a basic 3G/LTE internet connection. Also, a DSL connection will only be usable from home. I know this DSL/3G relation is also the case in other developing countries.
wcchandler 14y ago
I would really like to see derivations of this. While Google generally touts itself as being "open," I feel like this is an atypical implementation. It would be nice to see a more FOSS version using Gecko/Mozilla with some kind of personal cloud based storage like dropbox or ubuntu one. I'd even like to see Microsoft release a build that ties directly into MS products -- sky drive, azure, office365. While arguably, that's what other products are for, it'd be nice to use the chromebook as a base to help drive down hardware cost and increase user adoption. I want to think of this as the IBM for the cloud generation.
alanh 14y ago
I’m concerned that there does not seem to be any sort of warranty. My family tried one of the original Chromebooks, and it lasted merely a year before physically breaking from normal usage.
vrodic 14y ago
Nice: Samsung Exynos 5 Dual Processor. Another laptop (there are too few of them) with an ARM CPU. Too bad it will not be available in Croatia.
metatronscube 14y ago
I made the mistake of getting the Acer chromebook in the UK when it came out and it was probably the worst computing experience I have ever had. Slow, laggy, frequently crashed, terrible video playback (couldn't watch YouTube videos), cheap hardware (screen developed a crack which split corner to corner completely), terrible battery performance, no cellular connectivity and flaky wifi behaviour. All for 400 quid! It looked like a fisher price toy and behaved like one as well.
celerity 14y ago
Another, indirect, effect that I hope to see from this is cheaper MacBook Airs in the future. Competition! (I need a bit more than the terminal/SSH/text-editor to do my development.)
bennny 14y ago
I love these! I own a web app development company, and we're buying one for everyone and using google apps for the workflow (as well as one of our own apps!). I recommend!
adamc 14y ago
A laptop I can't use when I don't have a network connection has pretty limited value. Does the chromebook have some mechanism for offline editing, etc?
- huggah 14y ago
  Limited. Google Docs work fine offline, but you can't code on them. More Chrome apps might expand what you can do later.
aik 14y ago
In all seriousness: At this stage yet -- does anyone care? What type of person would buy/use this? (I don't mean to imply it's not good -- I seriously don't know who it's made for.)
thisismyname 14y ago
How do I get photoshop on this thing?
Karunamon 14y ago
I remember when I was a little kid, getting one of those kid's "laptops" with a monochrome display and a bunch of educational games. The higher end ones cost as much as the low end chromebooks. It's the future. Glad to be living in it :)
balancdreviews 14y ago
Flash forward a few years... With the amount of cash GOOG has, and the droppping costs of hardware, they can take an AOL approach if they so choose. Instead of free CD's, they could distribute free computers. Load them up with Goog default search and all sorts of reconnaisance functionality to enable them to deliver more enticement to advetisers. It's like signing up for AOL. It's hard for people to drop it after they've gotten used to it. Could people get used to free computers? I think so.
tapsboy 14y ago
While $249 is good, ChromeOS should start seeing traction when they get this one out for $199 and an ARM Chromebox for $99. Even better $49 for ChromeOS on an HDMI stick.
JVIDEL 14y ago
I'm more surprised that it took Google so long to launch a really cheap chromebook, after all previous models were almost the same than a lowend laptop with a Windows license. Its weird since there were not many models to begin with and Google could easily make a ton of the things to bring down costs and thus price. They seem to be doing even more now, switching from x86 to a dualcore ARM, so its no longer a laptop/netbook but a smartbook and that explains the sub-$300 price. I wonder how small the SSD must be since its not even listed, only the size of the cloud gdrive is. As for success, I don't know: it seems like a good offer but I get the feeling it would far more popular if it ran Android instead, though it would need a touchscreen for app compatibility.
anotherbadlogin 14y ago
This piece of shit doesn't even have a Delete key. Pathetic.
andyhmltn 14y ago
Can someone please tell me why it needs to be $200? It's a web browser. That's it. I'm not knocking it don't get me wrong but I won't buy one until they are at least $100 cheaper. Google managed to release the nexus 7 that cheap so why not this? It doesn't require heavy specs or even storage. Just a keyboard, a phone processor and a screen.
bdg 14y ago
For $200 (and that's after 13% taxes in Ontario) I picked up a cheap netbook with an n2600 inside it, which came with a windows license. I installed Arch Linux with LXDE. My system uses about 60MB of ram from console, 90MB of ram when I'm running LXDE. I boot up chrome and I'm at 170mb used. Processor use is for the most part almost always under 10% (and n2600 is gutless). What I'm saying is that for $200 I can get a computer suits the needs of facebooker/instagram/pintrest users... and burn money on a windows 7 license, and whatever profit Acer made from the sale. Chromebook's over-priced.
- Evbn 14y ago
  Resolution? RAM?
netcan 14y ago
I really think there is a fundamental problem with the ChromeOS idea. Android & iOS seem much better. If they could get a good android laptop to market @ under $500, I would definitely buy one for my Dad, maybe for myself as a second machine. I thought chromeOS was a great idea when it was first announced. You could get most things done on the web. On a browser only machine, you wouldn't need to worry about managing your machine. Installing apps. Worrying about OS versions. Keeping your file system straight. Malware. Things most users were completely lost on. A browser-only machine would give you 80% of the power with 20% of the problems at 50% of the price. Along came Android & iOS. They're platforms where finding, installing and uninstalling apps is safe, fun & easy. OS updating & general admin is manageable. Malware isn't as much of a problem. Some things like the level of access a user has to the file system (and therefore needs to know about) are till unsolved. But, overall the complexity that a browser-only machine bypassed became a much smaller problem. Ipads can be figured out by 4 year olds and computer illiterate adults quickly and enjoyably. On the other hand, the web is having trouble solving the last 20% of the problem. Just before android OS was announced, the momentum for things moving on to the web seemed unstoppable. The last 20% has been slower. Browsers have been getting more capable at a great pace but when I look at the web apps that most people use, they are not really that different. Sure, you can use Google docs and edit photos online and read books and watch youtube, but its still a compromise in some cases. Users have the option of using webapps on an ipad, but in many cases they prefer native. Basically, a webbrowser-only OS is a compromise. It's not an deal breaker compromise, but it is a compromise. And if iOS/Android start coming in notebook form, I don't see any upside to making it.
mrbill 14y ago
Anyone know an actual ship/expected date for these, other than "next week"?
lifeguard 14y ago
These are interesting for users, but for hackers I always go back to sub-$300 laptops on sale from Fry's: http://www.frys.com/product/7147992?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG http://www.frys.com/product/7147992?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT... I have got full Linux driver support on two other HP models in this price range.
Krutet 14y ago
What they should do is cut back on the bezel. Iv'e started to hate the bezel on most of my screens I have. It just feels and looks so unnecessary and old. Cut back on the bezel and make it a 13 inch screen in the same package and you have a clear winner!

423 points by ConstantineXVI 14y ago

kin 14y ago

These devices are certainly getting better. Since it's so reliant on connection, the 100MB free/month is appealing.

I'm glad they switched to ARM and keep working on this, but... I just cannot get into the idea of a thin client given that storage keeps getting bigger / cheaper and bandwidth doesn't seem to be getting cheaper (a case could be made is more expensive). I like the cloud for backups / sync, but I still dream of an pocket device with a couple of terabytes.

missing_cipher 14y ago
> and bandwidth doesn't seem to be getting cheaper Google seems to be working on that. :)
- protomyth 14y ago
  I would believe that if they had bought Sprint, T-Mobile or won the spectrum auction; but fibre in one city is not very exciting if you're not in that city.

ConstantineXVI 14y ago

The ARM bit is quietly hidden away on the specs page[0]. Can't find anything yet either way if these will still have the developer switch. If the build is as good as the 550 and this particular Exynos has decent performance; it'd make an awfully good cheap Linux laptop (not to say CrOS is worthless, far from it). [0] http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromebook.html#specs http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromeb...

stcredzero 14y ago
> not to say CrOS is worthless, far from it I think that the biggest ingredient of Apple's success is the "it just works" aspect. iOS and CrOS are much closer to this ideal than desktops have been. It is also possible to get even closer.
- quattrofan 14y ago
  Argh I HATE that phrase, they "just work" as often as any Windows PC since XP has. In the past week in fact one of my designers was complaining of problems getting some work finished on her Mac that "just works" because guess what? It didn't JUST WORK!
  - stcredzero 14y ago
    Note the phrase "much closer to this ideal." And actually, I switched away from XP in 2003, because XP did't just work when trying out new video codecs. OS X did.
    - quattrofan 14y ago
      I should add I am not a MSoft fanboy, I've owned a Mac Classic back in the day and recently a Macbook Pro. But the Macbook pro had all kinds of issues with my outboard soundcard and midi interface that my windows PC never had and in the end was glad to get rid of it.
      - Evbn 14y ago
        "It works" and "it is compatible" are different. Apple does more former than latter. MS is reverse, on the hardware side, for obvious business model reasons.

mtgx 14y ago

So glad they finally did this. I've been begging them to do a $250 Chromebook since day one, because I think that's the sweetspot for a "Chromebook", and the only way they could've achieved that, while also having good build quality and whatnot, was to use an ARM chip, and not an Intel one, so I'm glad they finally did that, too. I think it's long overdue, but perhaps they were waiting for the Cortex A15 chips to come to market, which I guess makes sense. If Google would partner with Verizon or AT&T to offer these things for free (much better marketing than say a $50 price) with LTE and a 2 year contract, I think they would see even more sales, especially from businesses and professionals. Obviously they should be getting the data plans they get with an USB modem, not the amount they get with a cellphone plan.

andyking 14y ago

$250 in the US, £249.99 from PC World in the UK. That's just over $400. Even if you take off 20% UK sales tax, that's still $320. Last time I checked, the exchange rate wasn't £1=$1!

corin_ 14y ago
$333 rather than $320 - not a huge difference numerically, but a flaw in your calculation that's worth pointing out :)
mokash 14y ago
Unfortunately, this is the case with more or less all products that are available in both the US and the UK.
adam-a 14y ago
The PCWorld website seems to suggest £199.97 [0]. Perhaps that is without VAT though. [0] http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html?cmpid=display~chromebooksQ3UK~crosB http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.htm... Edit: The pictured models at the bottom of the page start at £250 but the copy at the top says "Starting at £199.97".
- corin_ 14y ago
  The £199.97 model: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-5-wifi-chromebook-white-10822634-pdt.html http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-5-wifi-chromebo... (Intel CPU)
colin_jack 14y ago
What is odd is how self defeating it is, I just don't see them selling many at £250.

duxup 14y ago

FOR SLEEPOVERS They got me.

nsns 14y ago

250$? I really don't get it. Three years ago I bought a Gateway LT23 Netbook, with a 160GB HD and 1GB memory, it runs Windows7 and cost me 300$. Aren't Netbooks better? And have been availbable for many years now?

vyrotek 14y ago
Agreed. I think $150 is more appropriate. What makes me even MORE confused is the 550 model. $450 seems awfully expensive when compare to all your other computing options. http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.html#ss-550 http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.htm... Edit - After a bit more consideration, I might be interested if the HDMI output is decent and the network TV websites won't block the browser. I would use the Chromebook as a replacement HTPC for my Google TV which is basically a brick now.
- mtgx 14y ago
  Blame Intel for the initial $450 Chromebooks and $300 Google TV. Now we're starting to see $250 Chromebooks and $99 Google TV's, thanks to ARM chips.
  - Steko 14y ago
    Why on earth would we blame Intel? How about blaming Google for designing a $250 quality laptop that retailed for $500?
    - Evbn 14y ago
      Because Intel chips and boards are ovespecced and overpriced for the use hey were put to.
mtgx 14y ago
That's a spinning disk. There were 8/16 GB SSD netbooks for around the same price as that 160 GB HDD netbook. Plus, this seems higher quality than those typical netbooks. It's more like an ultrabook for $250, at least in terms of build quality and looks. The specs are obviously lower than a $1000 ultrabook.

obilgic 14y ago

what is the battery performance for that thing, I am defiantly gonna get it, if it can at least get me through a day with out carrying charger.

mikeevans 14y ago
"6.5 hours of battery (Varies based on usage)"

polshaw 14y ago

> Samsung Exynos 5 Dual Processor So cortex A15 has finally landed.. no mention of RAM or size of on-board SSD, i'm guessing 1-2GB and 8/16GB respectively (e: 2/16). Disappointing battery life ('over 6 hours', same as the x86 one), i guess the battery wasn't spared from the cost-cutting. Exynos 5 also means USB 3. And do we know if you can definitely get linux on these (==interesting), or might they be super locked-down? Definitely a device worth recommending to the former netbook/ 'only use my computer for facebook' crowd. e: the battery is 2 cell, AFAIK even cheap x86 laptops come with 6-cell batteries, so it is a case of cost-minimizing.. shame, i'd lap this up with a 12-18hr battery life.

mtgx 14y ago
2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of SSD + 100 GB of SSD storage in Google Drive (for 2 years). The battery life does seem a bit strange. My guess is Google hasn't had enough time to optimize it as well as they did for Atom, which gives them pretty equal battery lives now, or they are using a smaller battery to cut costs, or Chromebook simply isn't as "ultra-mobile" as Android. But for a Chromebook, I think they need to increase that battery life somehow.
rryan 14y ago
All ChromeOS devices to date have come with a "Developer Mode" hardware switch which turns off trusted boot and allows you to run your own OS / custom ChromeOS builds. I would bet this Chromebook is not locked down.
- armored_mammal 14y ago
  I thought they only allowed you to replace user space, not the Kernel? I'm always so tempted by Chromebooks... All I want out of a laptop is no moving parts, < 12" screen, an 8+ hour battery, and 1080p video playback using my Linux distro of choice for under $300, but nobody delivers... Instead it's just endless parades of 'ultrabooks' that mysteriously cost $800+... I could care less if the hard drive is 100 gigs or 16. But if you can't use your own Kernel I won't use it. Too much like buying a car with the hood welded shut. But I guess for me a laptop is just the minor sibling of my desktop that's supposed to be good enough to watch movies while traveling and look up something on Wikipedia from the couch, and also be cheap enough that it doesn't have to last or not get stolen. In other words, not my main computer. But still have a keyboard.

klrr 14y ago

Can I install GNU/Linux on it?

mtgx 14y ago
Ubuntu 12.10 may support Cortex A15, but I'm not sure. I know they were working on supporting it, so it's possible. There's also an open source Lima driver (for the Mali GPU's) but I don't know if they've even started reverse engineering the Mali T604 GPU in this thing, which is on a totally new GPU architecture, and has support for OpenGL ES 3.0 as well.
recuter 14y ago
Second this question, if it can be "jailbroken" so you have a terminal with root privileges and a standard environment underneath it becomes an interesting option.
- brokenparser 14y ago
  Current Chromebooks require a signed kernel on a separate partition. No grub, no BIOS. Not falling into that trap again, don't see why the new crop would be any better.
  - mdwrigh2 14y ago
    If you flip the developer switch on the side, you can load whatever you want. Here's a guide for loading Ubuntu on one: http://www.devchronicles.com/2011/10/installing-ubuntu-on-samsung-series-5.html http://www.devchronicles.com/2011/10/installing-ubuntu-on-sa...
mdwrigh2 14y ago
From one of the developers on the project: "(And getting a regular u-boot on these to use as generic linux hacking platforms isn't all that hard. Should be a nice base for people to do native ARM development)" https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9HuiPB https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9Hu...

dholowiski 14y ago

I'm skeptical about the 'for everyone' part. Will I be able to buy this in Canada? Or is it really just 'everyone' in the USA and UK?

unicornporn 14y ago
Came here to write the same comment, but replace Canada with Sweden.
- rplnt 14y ago
  The only UK shop doesn't seem to ship outside of UK. And as usual, the price is almost $370, so there you go with the $250 Chromebook.

jpxxx 14y ago

Weird future moment: a 21st century industry titan has to use puppies, kitties, and children to sell a machine that freely dispenses the sum total of humanity's knowledge.

jerf 14y ago
Because the latter is not a distinguishing characteristic. Everything does that now.
- freehunter 14y ago
  That's why it's a weird future moment. We're living in an era where all the information in the world is so readily available that the market for devices that can display this information is hugely competitive.
mmahemoff 14y ago
I had exactly the same weird future moment a few hours ago when I saw the Android event invite: "The playground is open" [1]. Got me thinking what Mad Men era execs would make of it all. 1. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/10/googles-october-29-android-event-the-playground-is-open/ http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/10/googles-october-29-an...
- chaz 14y ago
  Good question, but the medium has changed. That's a media invitation card, that is guaranteed to be carried by online tech sites, but we'll likely never see in Mad Man era TV or print.
jpadvo 14y ago
<passionate_rant> Since I learned I was going to be a dad (in 7 months!), I've found these kinds of advertisements increasingly unsettling, in an uncanny-valley kind of way. I love my tiny one. I've heard the quick little heartbeat. I'm largely responsible for if this little person grows up happy and healthy. The enormity of the ensuing feelings is impossible to express. Uncanny valley situations arise when a simulation looks almost real, maybe 96% real, but the 4% difference is very unsettling because it just looks _off_. You feel a creeping sensation that something is wrong. In this video, Google very poignantly portrays a bunch of vibrant people, children and fathers prominently featured. They are picking at the deepest heartstrings I've ever known. At the deepest anxieties and aspirations that it is possible to have in the human experience. It's 96% poignant. But...they're doing this for what reason again? So they can sell me a $250 piece of electronics and absorb my family into their ecosystem? It's a 4% that makes the entire rest of it feel fake. Turns out that cognitive dissonance relating to your children, even peripherally, is really uncomfortable. :/ </passionate_rant>

jasongullickson 14y ago

They are getting better (although what's up with that hinge? Blech!). Still not as cute or clever as it's ancestor tho: http://litl.com/ http://litl.com/

coob 14y ago

1) Why the old Bluetooth? 2) I bet flash performance on this thing is terrible.

nikcub 14y ago
Flash performance is terrible on my $3700 12-month old Macbook Pro
- zdw 14y ago
  Flash performance is terrible everywhere. And no longer supported on any modern/popular phones.
- brokenparser 14y ago
  Flash is terrible.
mtgx 14y ago
I doubt it. It used to be pretty good with dual core A9's too at 1.2 Ghz. This is a dual core A15 at 1.7 Ghz. And TheVerge reports 1080p works very well on it.

MatthewPhillips 14y ago

Until Google upgrades their apps, or write new ones, that utilized advanced HTML5 capabilities, I have to assume they aren't serious about the platform and neither should anyone else be. They didn't release Android without apps, Chromebooks should get the same treatment.

kzahel 14y ago
Packaged apps (still Chrome canary) now at least have most UDP/TCP socket functionality (when experimental API turned on in flags), so the door is at least open (soon) to more advanced apps.
- MatthewPhillips 14y ago
  It's been open since they did ChromeOS, but Google Talk was the only app they wrote specifically for it. Even today, 95% of Google's apps are firmly HTML4.
  - Evbn 14y ago
    Chrome apps (apps, not websites) use proprietary Chrome APIs beyond HTML. Behind Chrome, Google uses plugins, like webgl for Maps and the Talk plugin for chat. Why does HTML " 5 " matter more than the actual functionality?
andybak 14y ago
Can you be specific about which apps and which html5 features you are referring to?
- MatthewPhillips 14y ago
  All of the normal apps you would get when you buy a new computer or smartphone. Email, calendar, maps, news reader, word processor. Technologies would include things like css transforms, transitions, animations, application cache, indexeddb, file api, canvas, video, full screen... the things that make web apps feel like apps and not web pages.

podperson 14y ago

What puzzles me is why the ChromeBox, with no display (and I'm not sure if it comes with a keyboard and mouse) costs $329 and lacks HDMI. If it were $199 and had HDMI it would seem like a very compelling device.

pajju 14y ago
Yeah its overpriced compared to Chromebooks. Lets wait until it hits mass production. :)
mikeevans 14y ago
The Chromebox has 2x DisplayPort and DVI though. Could always get an adapter for HDMI. I'm with you on the price thing though.
jxi 14y ago
The cost could be better, but keep in mind that this thing can drive 2x30 inch monitors. My latest and greatest macbook pro can't even do that smoothly. Actually, streaming 1080p Netflix on my 30 inch monitor makes the fan get pretty loud.
adamc 14y ago
You can buy a very cheap displayport HDMI adapter; we have a chromebox connected to our television. Although we're currently having a problem with overscan. (The displayport-hdmi connection also seems to flake out when the TV is not connected to it...)

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

benvanderbeek 14y ago

I have an iPad 3 and a Chromebook. I like and use the Chromebook much more, because of the built in keyboard. I know plenty of people who would hate using a Chromebook and much prefer their iPad for everything. To each his own.

mtgx 14y ago

Why was the title modified? I think the fact that it's ARM-based is very relevant.

andybak 14y ago
There seems to have been a rise in over-zealous post title modifications recently. New employee at YC Towers?

TomAnthony 14y ago

I'm very confused! They say it starts at $249, but the 550 is at $449. What is the model number of the new one here? It links to this PC WOrld page for the UK model which just confuses me further: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html?cmpid=display~chromebooksQ3UK~crosB http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.htm... I was interested in buying, but I'm totally confused. Wikipedia also just lists the 550 model as the one released now, and has nothing matching the spec in the Google post. Anyone worked it out? Sorry if I've missed something...

richbradshaw 14y ago
Yeah, I can't work out if PC World even have it listed? It doesn't seem to have a model number, it's just Samsung Chromebook, which doesn't really help!
- sltkr 14y ago
  I'm pretty sure it's this one: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-11-6-chromebook-silver-19273052-pdt.html http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-11-6... But it's 300 GBP, or 484 USD (excluding shipping), almost twice the price advertised!
smackfu 14y ago
It says preorders don't start until noon PT, so another 50 minutes from now. Maybe they are not even listing it until then.
stuartmemo 14y ago
This is the $249 one here: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-wifi-chromebook-silver-19273050-pdt.html http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-series-3-xe303c12-wifi... £229 or £249 in-store. Bananas.
sp332 14y ago
The model number is XE303C12 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LL9VDG/ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LL9VDG/

bitcartel 14y ago

Seriously, shut up and take my money?! 100GB of Google Drive storage for 2 years is included in the price. That storage alone would cost $120 ($5/month). So if you were already in the market for extra storage, you can get an ARM Chromebook for $130.

danso 14y ago
Didn't realize it was a 2-year limit. I wonder if Google Drive space is what ink is to the color printer business.
- darkarmani 14y ago
  If it was you'd only have 14 days worth of storage, like the undersized ink that comes with new printers.

cs702 14y ago

It's obvious now that Google intends to keep improving Chrome OS, the devices on which it runs, the services that come with it (100GB of free online storage!), and the cost & headaches of maintaining it -- while aggressively cutting prices. I'm expecting a $199 Chromebook within a couple of years, and a $99 model within the next five years. This has the potential for upending the prevailing business model of traditional PC vendors.

chaz 14y ago
Google's revenue is very closely tied to the amount that people use the web in general. So much so, that they will make more money simply by encouraging people to use the web more. As a result, their strategy is largely to reduce the barriers to the next click and the next session, and thereby moving closer to the next Google search. Faster connections, faster browsers, cheaper devices, more ubiquitous access, etc. It's almost like oil companies subsidizing the cost of cars to make more money. Reminds me of the start of the Michelin guide book, which was created to encourage people to drive to interesting places in France.
- redthrowaway 14y ago
  The same can be said of Amazon and their willingness to take losses on hardware just for the chance to get people into their content ecosystem. I've certainly found that, since getting my Kindle, I purchase all of my eBooks (used to pirate), and also use the Amazon store for goods quite frequently, whereas I previously had never used it.
- kwekly 14y ago
  And at this risk of stating the obvious: the Michelin guide then went on to evolve a culture and impact well beyond it's intended use...
  - justincormack 14y ago
    I don't think it ended up selling that many tyres but a cost benefit analysis would be interesting. It was a good branding exercise.

fierarul 14y ago

I hope this gets released in the rest of the EU too. You couldn't even get the previous Chromebooks in Germany, let alone Romania. A 250 euro Chromebook (VAT included) would be a nice buy. This means an ARM-based Chromebox should be around 150? It's unclear from the announcement if Flash works or not since Youtube could be streaming H264. Edit: Specs, including prices on https://sites.google.com/a/pressatgoogle.com/samsungchromebook/specs https://sites.google.com/a/pressatgoogle.com/samsungchromebo...

ukdm 14y ago
There's 2 models listed in the UK at £229 and £299. Not sure why, the only spec diff I can see on PC World is one says LCD the other says HD LCD. Yet the resolution is listed as being the same.

ernestipark 14y ago

Why does that blog post not have a single link to the product?

jorde 14y ago
Here you go: http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromebook.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromeb...
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]

Metrop0218 14y ago

I'd like it if they weren't telling two stories. We have almost opposing operating systems being shipped by these guys. We have Chrome OS on one hand which focuses on the web being the be all and end all of computing. Then we have Android on the other hand which focuses on client side processing. Which one do they actually believe in?

lhnn 14y ago
Android has people downloading "apps", true, but the apps Google pushes still have the "cloud" has their data backend. It's not like Android's star applications are ones that get you to keep all your data local to your phone. In fact, Chrome OS being centered around the browser (I assume), note the push of the "Google Chrome Web Store" which has browser "apps" installable. I don't think their strategy is divided.
DanBC 14y ago
Why can't they believe in both, and be working towards some kind of merge?
mtgx 14y ago
iOS and Mac OS are not the same. WP8 and Windows 8 are also not the same, just look the same. That being yes, I'd probably prefer some kind of merger, too. But the execution needs to be flawless, and they need to make a compelling case for why you'd use ChromeOS over Android's Chrome when docked to the keyboard.
- Metrop0218 14y ago
  iOS/Mac OS and WP8/Win8 are much more similar than Chrome OS/Android. The disjoint between the latter two is much more pronounced.
ridiculous_fish 14y ago
A coworker explained Google to me as more like a university than a company. It would not be surprising to find two departments in the same university working in divergent or even cross directions.

ck2 14y ago

Does chromeOS have printer drivers? Because I doubt it would work with my Epson for example. Unless it can use linux drivers.

sherwin 14y ago
I managed to set up my 2nd gen chromebook with cloudprint, which was pretty straight forward: http://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/ http://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/
jxi 14y ago
Use Google cloudprint. If you sign-in, it should list all the printers that are connected to any of your other computers where you're signed into Chrome (i.e. through Chrome settings, not just signed into gmail).
- Evbn 14y ago
  So I have to buy another computer just to send a file from my new computer to a printer?

kitcar 14y ago

Here's the actual product landing page: http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/landing.html

EmergencyKnave 14y ago
Yes, I so wish that people would cut out the middleman when posting these types of announcements.
- Evbn 14y ago
  Middleman? That is the official announcement (the "news") on the Chrome blog.
- tobyjsullivan 14y ago
  But the landing page doesn't have the awesome (seizure inducing) video!
  - skeletonjelly 14y ago
    I realised the video wasn't aimed at me when there was a focus on the "who" and not just a list of specs

DanBC 14y ago

I love the idea of this. I'm tempted to get one to replace my eee pc 701. I am gently curious how Google avoids the trouble that MS ran into when they tied IE into the OS and pre-installed it on the desktop. How is it okay for Google to ship product that uses all their services? Especially when Google trawls for ad relevant data to make money? (Note: I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just wondering what the difference is.)

hkmurakami 14y ago
my guess is the fact that MS had dominating market share with Windows, while Chromebooks are but a small fraction of the overall PC market.
mtgx 14y ago
The same way Microsoft can bundle Office and all their other services with Windows RT. These markets are very niche right now. However, I do hope Google is able to bundle Quick Office with Android next year, at least on tablets. I'd like to see a regulator try and say that it's not fair for Google to bundle their very little known Office suite (relative to MS Office), while Microsoft can bundle their very known Office suite with Windows.
dannyr 14y ago
As long as Google doesn't prevent other companies to develop software for Chrome OS, it should be fine.

pajju 14y ago

Aren't these Chromebooks subsidized by Google to get into mainstream faster? I always felt there were big tie-ups. (See Asus Nexus tablet pricing) And How much is a google user+account worth? An android or a chromebook device is worth atleast $$$+ for Google on long-run. And users are Locked'in with google's services! :) It must be certain for every subsidized device that ships, Google must be sharing revenues.

monkeyfacebag 14y ago

If Chrome OS had a package manager hooked into Debian's (or anyone's) repos, I'd be all over this. I do almost all of my non-programming work in the browser, but I can't leave the batteries included world of Linux behind just yet.

wickedchicken 14y ago
Is your programming done via SSH to a linux desktop or VM? You can SSH from a chromebook no problem: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhec...
- mjn 14y ago
  Most of mine is done offline, which is so far the dealbreaker for the Chromebook for me. I need to be able to run vim on a local filesystem on a plane. I hear it's possible to root the Chromebook though?
  - wickedchicken 14y ago
    It's pretty straightforward, and as long as you don't modify the hardware it's completely reversible: http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-for-chrome-os-devices/samsung-sandy-bridge http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-fo...
ShawnBird 14y ago
Solid state hard drive, acceptable processor, 6 hour battery. Could be an awesome linux box. Though, you always could just flash it and put your own OS on there.

ilaksh 14y ago

Does either the regular one or the 550 have hardware accelerated graphics? Do they support WebGL?

dschiptsov 14y ago

Just Chrome is not enough. Add GNU emacs, evince (if chrome still not renders pdfs), terminal with antialiased Source Code Pro Ligth font (same for emacs) and openssh-client and I will buy it.) Well, SBCL, MIT Scheme or, sigh, Racket, please.) OK, just emacs and fonts and openssh - 'M-x term' would be enough.)

wickedchicken 14y ago
> terminal with antialiased Source Code Pro Ligth font Just have an ssh-able desktop/VM somewhere with emacs, install https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhec..., and set the font to Source Code Pro (font instructions are in http://git.chromium.org/gitweb/?p=chromiumos/platform/assets.git;a=blob;f=chromeapps/hterm/doc/faq.txt http://git.chromium.org/gitweb/?p=chromiumos/platform/assets...)
hiker 14y ago
There's secure shell for Chrome so you can use all your tools on another (Linux?) machine. I think it's up to the community to port tools to NaCl. The technology is there but it's a matter of time to get all the pieces in place.
Evbn 14y ago
Since when does chrome not render PDFs?

dror 14y ago

They really need to find a way to provide an integrated Android/Chrombook experience. Hardware: * Touch screen * Detachable keyboard so you can use it as either a tablet or a computer * 8+ hours battery life. Keyboard can have an extra battery. Software: * Android * Chrome browser with all the abilities of the chrome OS Price: $400 and under.

netcan 14y ago
I've seen a lot of people travel with a laptop/netbook/ultrabook + tablet. For example a An Air 11" + ipad. Laptop for using in the airport & hotel. Tablet for using at the conference & plane. If they could do both without botching simplicity & elegance, they could probably sell a fair few @ $1000+. It's not an easy not to crack though.

navs 14y ago

I'm in New Zealand so guess I have to wait...longer. My concern is the Samsung aspect. I have one Samsung netbook at the moment and while it's certainly a rugged machine, it leaves much to be desired in the performance department (especially running Chrome for any length of time). I understand it's a netbook and they aren't made to be power-horses but how are other Samsung notebooks? I also have a Samsung android tablet and I despise using it. It's cheap, flimsy and slow. Overall, based on my own experiences with Samsung hardware, I'm not exactly enthusiastic about this being a Samsung device. Maybe it's just me or maybe my expectations are too high but I'll wait for a complete product review before considering this buy.

fmstephe 14y ago
Another kiwi here. I have one of the first commercial chromebooks to come out from Samsung. For me the build quality is one of its best features. It's all plastic, but it has a great hinge and a very good keyboard.

WalterBright 14y ago

It appears to have no local storage.

robertha 14y ago
It has a 16GB ssd.
- WalterBright 14y ago
  Thanks for the information. I couldn't find that on the announcement page.

vamur 14y ago

Not bad, now if Google allowed installing at least some of Linux apps, such as file manager, Libreoffice, VLC, this thing could be a winner.

robertha 14y ago
I'm sure that if you go into developer mode you'd be able put Linux on the machine--and with that all the software you mentioned (I know what you mean though, it would be nicer if you didn't have to jump through hoops).

bgruber 14y ago

i'm surprised that google isn't selling this on the play store.

chanderson0 14y ago
Coming soon! http://blogs.computerworld.com/laptops/21164/googles-new-chromebook http://blogs.computerworld.com/laptops/21164/googles-new-chr...

mokash 14y ago

What happens to your data if you manage to fill up your 100GB quota of free storage and you decide not to renew? If you ask me, it's a very clever way to get people to continue paying for the service after the two year term is up. Not a bad idea.

marban 14y ago
you just can't add files anymore but nothing will be deleted.
- lostsock 14y ago
  Here is the source for what marban said. https://support.google.com/chromeos/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2703646 https://support.google.com/chromeos/bin/answer.py?hl=en&... See point 4.

pgrote 14y ago

Is the pre-ordering working for anyone? I've tried the Amazon link, but no luck. It still says, "Pre-orders will start at 12pm PST."

juaninfinitelop 14y ago
It's working now: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-XE303C12-A01US-Chromebook-Wi-Fi-11-6-Inch/dp/B009LL9VDG/ref=br_lf_m_2858603011_1_2_ttl?ie=UTF8&s=pc&pf_rd_p=1407236782&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=2858603011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0W6G8K10MZ40DPF7Z7W4&tag=crosB http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-XE303C12-A01US-Chromebook-Wi-F...
- pgrote 14y ago
  Thanks. It redirected me to http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LL9VDG http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LL9VDG, which just offered to take my email address when it is available. I thought pre-order meant I'd pay for it. lol

dkhenry 14y ago

Why won't they take this same kind of device and scale it up. I love most things about the chrome book, but I would rather have a 14" laptop with a bigger battery. O know you'll be competing with "full feature" laptops, but honestly chrome books have most of the features I would want ( I would like to see better native support for the development life cycle, but i can get by with ssh )

chris_mahan 14y ago
I use my ($350 in 2008) Acer One a lot more than my cr-48. Although the cr-48 is decent for remoting into VMs via ssh.

ChuckMcM 14y ago

"100 MB of internet per month, for free, from Verizon Wireless." So I'm really sort of conflicted by Chromebooks, I love the concept, but wonder why it doesn't come with 4G/LTE (seems like a 'new' device should), what sort of data plans and are they dynamic like the iPad? (month to month) And 100MB a month? Seriously? That is what 5 minutes of 3 mbit video? 10 minutes of cheezy 1.5mbit video a month? Web sites that start up a youtube embed video when you visit? poof go the mBytes. Heck the WSJ is like 20 - 30MB per issue these days. Seems like 2.5GB is a healthy net allocation for a tablet/laptop experience, that 25x more. Looking forward to seeing one 'in the flesh' as it were.

Lewisham 14y ago
I love the concept, but wonder why it doesn't come with 4G/LTE (seems like a 'new' device should) Oh, come now. You can't even buy an unlocked phone with LTE for less than $400. That cellular stuff is not cheap!
jerf 14y ago
That sounds like augmented data for if you take your notebook out and about, while they expect you to base it on Wifi if you're at home. It's a cost-effective combo.
tobyjsullivan 14y ago
"why it doesn't come with 4G/LTE?" Because that would eat your 100MB data plan in 42 seconds. Not too mention it would probably increase the price. Nobody actually needs 4G yet, we just like it in our fancy things. It has no place in budget (attainable) hardware. "And 100MB a month? Seriously?" Because that is what Verizon, a company that makes its money off selling wireless data, is willing to give away for free (or a subsidized price paid by google). I'm sure they will not hesitate to sell you more if you are in the minority who need to watch 3Mb videos on the bus...
- niels_olson 14y ago
  Cr-48 owner here. You will go through the first 100 MB in a week, maybe you make it almost to the end of the month. By month 3, you want that 1 gb plan to autorenew so you don't have to think about it.

HNSucksAss 14y ago

Apparently $250 only gets you a defective keyboard. No Delete key. WTF.

metalsahu 14y ago

I have an iPad but it is primarily a consumption device and after a couple of hours it starts to feel like I have reached 'the end of the internet'. A light laptop with a really fast browser and a physical keyboard is paramount so I can write, comment, chat, email and multitask. This Chromebook really hits a sweet spot for me both with size and cost!

kryptiskt 14y ago

US and UK only... This pretty much has to be the last gasp for ChromeOS, it makes no sense to differentiate the software this much between Android tablets and Chromebooks with identical internals and just a slight difference in form factor. Next time around they can just put a touchscreen on it and load it with Android 5.0.

tnuc 14y ago
If that was the case then why aren't people installing Android on their PC's or laptops? Or windows 7 on a smartphone? ChromeOS and Android do different things.
- kryptiskt 14y ago
  It's just a browser environment, nothing that can't run perfectly well under Android. Why put resources into this stillborn thing, when they can leverage their hugely successful mobile OS?

bravura 14y ago

Is this good for programming through an SSH shell? I am looking for the most portable device that I can use for programming. The key concerns are: Weight + size, and keyboard layout. Since I code through an SSH shell, the laptop's mem + CPU specs are not very important for me. I believe that the Mac Book Air 11" has a good enough keyboard. (I haven't tried it for long, but the keys are the same size as the 13", just closer together.) The Chrome book is only slightly thicker (0.8" vs. MBA 0.7"), only slightly heavier (2.5 lbs vs. 2.4 lbs), and wider (13.2" vs. 11.8"). Weight and thickness important here. It's also much cheaper. What do you think are the downsides of using the chrome book (or a macbook air 11") for primary coding through an SSH shell? [edit: Is there some store I can play with a chromebook in real life?]

VikingCoder 14y ago
Chrome Secure Shell uses Native Client: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhec... So I doubt it will work with the Chromebooks coming out. I could be wrong. I have no experience with the other SSH tools available for Chrome. I'm a big fan of Chrome Remote Desktop: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desktop-bet/gbchcmhmhahfdphkhkmpfmihenigjmpp https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desk... I use it from my Cr-48 to drive my home desktop computer. My corporate IT guys have blocked it, though (even the outgoing connections) which bums me out. Games are not playable, but otherwise, it's darn good.
huggah 14y ago
They're great. For a while, Chrome would take over keys needed to use Emacs and other terminal applications. However, internally a lot of Googlers user Chromebooks + Chromebox as their only window to their dev box. It's what we give interns now. I'm particular to XMonad, and like being able to run a few GUI applications, but I used a Chromebook for a while and the dev experience was nice enough that I almost switched. One great thing is that the SSH client is smart enough that you don't have to use screen to handle network interruptions . The trackpad isn't as good as a MacBook, but other than that the device feels great.

vibrunazo 14y ago

This smells like the best cost efficient device to use as a media center for the living room. Cheap, put Ubuntu on it for VLC. Leave it on and plugged to your big screen tv 100% of the time. Use my main laptop on my couch to store files via lan, and remote control it. Is there any better alternative to this? Today I just plug my laptop in and out of the tv when I want to watch, and use my tablet as remote control. I have a xbox, but it's so bad compared to having full vlc. I would pay 250 to save me the trouble of connecting my laptop to the TV. It would be the perfect setup of my dreams.

ralfd 14y ago
An Apple TV costs only 99 dollars. You don't need to use iTunes. Mountain Lion and a newer Mac can mirror their whole screen natively. For older Macs or Windows PCs there is the third party software "Airparrot" (10 dollars). Short VLC demo with 1080p Apple TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0lM_R7LQ0Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0lM_R7LQ0Y For Windows: https://twitter.com/AirParrot/statuses/232201363235418112 https://twitter.com/AirParrot/statuses/232201363235418112 http://airparrot.com http://airparrot.com
- rustynails77 14y ago
  YMMV with Apple TV. Specs are here, http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html If you're like me, it will play about 10% of my collection. WDTV Live, on the other hand, plays everything. If you're in the Apple eco-system, Apple TV is great. For those who aren't, it's Apple's way or the highway. I'm half in Apple, half out of Apple, and it's a total nightmare.
  - ralfd 14y ago
    That's the nice thing with screen mirroring, so you can just use VLC with the ATV to play all kinds of video formats. But you are right that there are other boxes available and they all cost way less than $250.
danbee 14y ago

waynesutton 14y ago

This is great, but why don't chomebooks and the macbook air come with built in 4G/LTE? I mean remember netbooks? Mobile carriers were selling them with contracts. We're going in 2013 and everything should come with built in 4G/LTE. If the nexus 7 had 4G it would be a winner.

mtgx 14y ago

Looking forward to a Google+ or blog post from a ChromeOS developer about why this Chromebook only has a 6.5h battery life, which is less than I would've expected. Is it because Linux/Chrome OS is not that optimized for battery life?

hiker 14y ago
I'm a MacBook Air user and the battery life of my Chromebook is way longer than any laptop I used before.

mrbill 14y ago

Ordered. I've been wanting an ARM-based netbook for a few years now.

laktek 14y ago

Anyone considering to use it for development? (Similar to the iPad + Linode experiment?)

Cowen 14y ago
I preordered one with the precise intention of using it for all of my portable typing and development needs. I've really liked Chromebooks for a while now, but I could never get past their price point. Now, at $250 I wasn't really worried about it. I'm considering posting something about it after a week or two, but we'll see :)

TheMagicHorsey 14y ago

The weirdest thing about these Chromebooks is that they are terrible machines to code on. You would think that Google would make some sort of effort to put some free development tools on them to promote their technologies like AppEngine, DART, Go, etc. Instead we are left with various garbage pail cloud IDEs. I would totally get one of these, but I'll probably install Ubuntu on it (at least as a dual boot).

skeletonjelly 14y ago
Weirdest? Did you see any developers in that video? I think you're misunderstanding who this is targeted at. Having said that they would make nice dev machines, it'll just take a bit of effort.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- TheMagicHorsey 14y ago
  But that's my point. People have been trying to get kids to start coding. What better way than to make the price of entry less than $300.
Evbn 14y ago
They have SSH, so they are better than Android and iOS tablets for this task.
- biafra 14y ago
  You mean: They have a keyboard. Both iOS and Android have SSH.

ryanhuff 14y ago

Get Minecraft to work on it and you will introduce the Chromebook experience to many, many kids.

RexRollman 14y ago

I was lucky enough to obtain a CR-48 from Google, two years ago this winter, and I still find it to be an enjoyable machine. The downside to the unit is that it is useless without an Internet connection.

nzealand 14y ago

Perfect for Grandma except..... no skype.

gurkendoktor 14y ago
Wow. I hadn't thought about this, but Skype is one of the defining apps of the internet for me. Now it feels just weird looking at the Chromebook (same as the PlayBook with its front-facing camera, yet no Skype).
Evbn 14y ago
Google chat/Hangout....

wmf 14y ago

A few details from one of the developers: https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9HuiPB https://plus.google.com/109993695638569781190/posts/6MDhf9Hu... "...getting a regular u-boot on these to use as generic linux hacking platforms isn't all that hard..."

AYBABTME 14y ago

"A Chromebook for everyone"; cool. The article talks about the author's childhood in India, how he dreams of bringing computers to everyone. The price makes it a device that could be bought by anyone. The size of the computer, the autonomy, the low power, everything looks like it's meant to really democratize computers to an even wider audience, say in developing countries where 3G/LTE networks are surprisingly developed and cheap (depends on the country, of course). But then, its bundled with Verizon, limited to the US and the UK. What are the 3G frequencies? Is this thing locked with Verizon? Say I want to give one to my friend in Vietnam, so he/she can get access to a computer, will the 3G modem support the carrier's frequencies there? Unknown: it's listed as "WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n, WWAN : Verizon 3G". Great. The device is nice, the price is nice. But marketing it as "a Chromebook for everyone" is just wrong. It's a laptop for people in the US, that's it. And really, I wonder what kind of "humanitarian" problem it's solving. I understand the low price is to create a following for the product, but I find the "Chromebook for everyone" brand phony. Unless "everyone" == "Verizon customers living in the US".

alanh 14y ago
I think you are somewhat confused. (Edit: I had misunderstood the parent; see below.) The $250 model does not appear to be bundled with Verizon. In fact, I don’t think it has 3G capabilities, just Wi-Fi. The higher-cost Chromebook 550 (Intel) does support 3G. So your entire argument is based upon a misunderstanding, is it not?
- AYBABTME 14y ago
  Sorry, I was refering to the 3G model (329.99$), but I forgot to make it clear in my comment. However, my perspective is that Chromebooks are meant to be used with a connection to the internet, which makes the 3G model sort of mandatory (for 3G/LTE access is more accessible - in my experience - in developing countries than full internet connections). It's in that perspective that I hold this argument. For the case I'm basing this opinion on, a basic internet connection (DSL) in Vietnam costs much more money than a basic 3G/LTE internet connection. Also, a DSL connection will only be usable from home. I know this DSL/3G relation is also the case in other developing countries.

wcchandler 14y ago

I would really like to see derivations of this. While Google generally touts itself as being "open," I feel like this is an atypical implementation. It would be nice to see a more FOSS version using Gecko/Mozilla with some kind of personal cloud based storage like dropbox or ubuntu one. I'd even like to see Microsoft release a build that ties directly into MS products -- sky drive, azure, office365. While arguably, that's what other products are for, it'd be nice to use the chromebook as a base to help drive down hardware cost and increase user adoption. I want to think of this as the IBM for the cloud generation.

alanh 14y ago

I’m concerned that there does not seem to be any sort of warranty. My family tried one of the original Chromebooks, and it lasted merely a year before physically breaking from normal usage.

vrodic 14y ago

Nice: Samsung Exynos 5 Dual Processor. Another laptop (there are too few of them) with an ARM CPU. Too bad it will not be available in Croatia.

metatronscube 14y ago

I made the mistake of getting the Acer chromebook in the UK when it came out and it was probably the worst computing experience I have ever had. Slow, laggy, frequently crashed, terrible video playback (couldn't watch YouTube videos), cheap hardware (screen developed a crack which split corner to corner completely), terrible battery performance, no cellular connectivity and flaky wifi behaviour. All for 400 quid! It looked like a fisher price toy and behaved like one as well.

celerity 14y ago

Another, indirect, effect that I hope to see from this is cheaper MacBook Airs in the future. Competition! (I need a bit more than the terminal/SSH/text-editor to do my development.)

bennny 14y ago

I love these! I own a web app development company, and we're buying one for everyone and using google apps for the workflow (as well as one of our own apps!). I recommend!

adamc 14y ago

A laptop I can't use when I don't have a network connection has pretty limited value. Does the chromebook have some mechanism for offline editing, etc?

huggah 14y ago
Limited. Google Docs work fine offline, but you can't code on them. More Chrome apps might expand what you can do later.

aik 14y ago

In all seriousness: At this stage yet -- does anyone care? What type of person would buy/use this? (I don't mean to imply it's not good -- I seriously don't know who it's made for.)

thisismyname 14y ago

How do I get photoshop on this thing?

Karunamon 14y ago

I remember when I was a little kid, getting one of those kid's "laptops" with a monochrome display and a bunch of educational games. The higher end ones cost as much as the low end chromebooks. It's the future. Glad to be living in it :)

balancdreviews 14y ago

Flash forward a few years... With the amount of cash GOOG has, and the droppping costs of hardware, they can take an AOL approach if they so choose. Instead of free CD's, they could distribute free computers. Load them up with Goog default search and all sorts of reconnaisance functionality to enable them to deliver more enticement to advetisers. It's like signing up for AOL. It's hard for people to drop it after they've gotten used to it. Could people get used to free computers? I think so.

tapsboy 14y ago

While $249 is good, ChromeOS should start seeing traction when they get this one out for $199 and an ARM Chromebox for $99. Even better $49 for ChromeOS on an HDMI stick.

JVIDEL 14y ago

I'm more surprised that it took Google so long to launch a really cheap chromebook, after all previous models were almost the same than a lowend laptop with a Windows license. Its weird since there were not many models to begin with and Google could easily make a ton of the things to bring down costs and thus price. They seem to be doing even more now, switching from x86 to a dualcore ARM, so its no longer a laptop/netbook but a smartbook and that explains the sub-$300 price. I wonder how small the SSD must be since its not even listed, only the size of the cloud gdrive is. As for success, I don't know: it seems like a good offer but I get the feeling it would far more popular if it ran Android instead, though it would need a touchscreen for app compatibility.

anotherbadlogin 14y ago

This piece of shit doesn't even have a Delete key. Pathetic.

andyhmltn 14y ago

Can someone please tell me why it needs to be $200? It's a web browser. That's it. I'm not knocking it don't get me wrong but I won't buy one until they are at least $100 cheaper. Google managed to release the nexus 7 that cheap so why not this? It doesn't require heavy specs or even storage. Just a keyboard, a phone processor and a screen.

bdg 14y ago

For $200 (and that's after 13% taxes in Ontario) I picked up a cheap netbook with an n2600 inside it, which came with a windows license. I installed Arch Linux with LXDE. My system uses about 60MB of ram from console, 90MB of ram when I'm running LXDE. I boot up chrome and I'm at 170mb used. Processor use is for the most part almost always under 10% (and n2600 is gutless). What I'm saying is that for $200 I can get a computer suits the needs of facebooker/instagram/pintrest users... and burn money on a windows 7 license, and whatever profit Acer made from the sale. Chromebook's over-priced.

Evbn 14y ago
Resolution? RAM?

netcan 14y ago

I really think there is a fundamental problem with the ChromeOS idea. Android & iOS seem much better. If they could get a good android laptop to market @ under $500, I would definitely buy one for my Dad, maybe for myself as a second machine. I thought chromeOS was a great idea when it was first announced. You could get most things done on the web. On a browser only machine, you wouldn't need to worry about managing your machine. Installing apps. Worrying about OS versions. Keeping your file system straight. Malware. Things most users were completely lost on. A browser-only machine would give you 80% of the power with 20% of the problems at 50% of the price. Along came Android & iOS. They're platforms where finding, installing and uninstalling apps is safe, fun & easy. OS updating & general admin is manageable. Malware isn't as much of a problem. Some things like the level of access a user has to the file system (and therefore needs to know about) are till unsolved. But, overall the complexity that a browser-only machine bypassed became a much smaller problem. Ipads can be figured out by 4 year olds and computer illiterate adults quickly and enjoyably. On the other hand, the web is having trouble solving the last 20% of the problem. Just before android OS was announced, the momentum for things moving on to the web seemed unstoppable. The last 20% has been slower. Browsers have been getting more capable at a great pace but when I look at the web apps that most people use, they are not really that different. Sure, you can use Google docs and edit photos online and read books and watch youtube, but its still a compromise in some cases. Users have the option of using webapps on an ipad, but in many cases they prefer native. Basically, a webbrowser-only OS is a compromise. It's not an deal breaker compromise, but it is a compromise. And if iOS/Android start coming in notebook form, I don't see any upside to making it.

mrbill 14y ago

Anyone know an actual ship/expected date for these, other than "next week"?

lifeguard 14y ago

These are interesting for users, but for hackers I always go back to sub-$300 laptops on sale from Fry's: http://www.frys.com/product/7147992?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG http://www.frys.com/product/7147992?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT... I have got full Linux driver support on two other HP models in this price range.

Krutet 14y ago

What they should do is cut back on the bezel. Iv'e started to hate the bezel on most of my screens I have. It just feels and looks so unnecessary and old. Cut back on the bezel and make it a 13 inch screen in the same package and you have a clear winner!