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Google talks about Chrome OS
Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Corporate News, Google, Software
Google already has a browser, Chrome, and a touch-based operating system in Android. Yet, the company has been touting it's upcoming Chrome OS, a system to be run on low powered devices, which will be a complete cloud OS, with no local storage or apps. The New York Times talks with Sundar Pichai, Google's VP, about some of the ideas behind the new OS. The vision is a computer that starts in seconds, not minutes. The system basically runs a browser, and everything is accessed through the web. Whether it's email with Gmail, productivity with Google Docs, or any of the myriad of online products that the giant offers. While the OS will start with netbooks, Google now sees Chrome OS expanding to tablets, laptops and TVs.
It's worth remembering however that the cloud can fail, and that an OS that is completely web centric is of no use when the Internet connection goes down. With the two Google systems, Chrome OS and Android, likely to clash in the future, it's hard to see how compelling the cloud-only option will be.
Read More 
| New York Times
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Several Chrome OS notebooks coming for the holidays
Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Google, PC / Laptop, Rumors
DigiTimes yesterday reported that several vendors have plans to bring Google's Chrome OS to some of their devices as early as this holiday season. Sources say that Google will have its own branded Chrome notebook by the end of this month, with HP and Acer following in December. It's apparently an attempt by the device makers to test the waters. Chrome OS is Google's way to make a device that's more web centric, with little to no on-board applications, and all your data residing in the cloud.
It's worth noting that Google is now playing in this field with two different operating systems: Android and Chrome OS. With Android being an obvious success in the smartphone market, and coming out on many tablets these days, I for one am skeptical as to the marketshare a device based on Chrome OS can gather.
Read More | DigiTimes
Firefox 4 Beta 1 available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Software
Mozilla has finally released the first Firefox 4 beta, and you can download it now. Firefox 4 is a major step up from the previous version, with a redesign of the user interface, greatly improved HTML5 support, hardware-accelerated HD video playback, better add-on support, and a bunch of other new features. Luckily, the Mozilla team has pulled everything together in a blog post to fill you in on all the fun. With Google Chrome gaining on Firefox marketshare, you can bet Mozilla is gonna be pushing the new hotness found in 4.0 hard. You can download Firefox 4 beta 1 now.
Google Chrome for Mac and Linux picks up extension support, bookmark sync
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Google, Internet, Software, Videos
For all of you running the Google Chrome browser on Mac and Linux platforms, you’ll wanna update to the latest version of the beta, which includes support for extensions, as well as bookmark syncing. There are already over 2,200 extensions available in the Chrome Extensions Gallery, so you can get a bunch more functionality in your browser, dare we say, a more Firefox-like experience, just by updating. Seriously, go do it. Oh, and if you need to see how it all works visually, hit the demo video above that Google put together.
Read More | Google Chrome
YouTube launches opt-in HTML5 video player
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Software
YouTube has just launched a new experimental HTML5 video player, which would replace their Flash player for supported videos. Flash has long been seen (with good reason) as a resource hog, so switching to the HTML5 browser should show a dramatic performance increase. One user reported a resource drop of over 50% when using the HTML5 player when compared to the Flash version. You can get in on the action, as long as you are using either Google Chrome or Safari 4.0 or above (although we’ve heard that it also works with recent versions of Firefox.) The only catch here is that videos with ads, annotations, and captions will still play in the older Flash player, and you won’t get fullscreen support. Of course you can try it out, and if you don’t like it, you can just turn it off.
Read More | YouTube HTML5 Video Player
Google Chrome OS revealed - take a look
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Google, Internet, PC / Laptop, Software, Videos
Google has finally taken the wraps off of Chrome OS, its new Linux-based operating system that is all Internet-centric, running the Google Chrome browser as its main application. Yeah, the whole point of the Google Chrome OS is that it is web-based, and you interact pretty much exclusively in a browser window. The way Google sees it, you spend 95% of the time you are on a computer living in your web browser anyway, so Chrome OS is built to optimize that experience. Nothing is actually stored on the computer itself, as everything is stored, instead, in the cloud. Hit up the video above for Google’s introduction to Chrome OS, and we’ve got another video after the break taking a look at the UI concept.
Click to continue reading Google Chrome OS revealed - take a look
Google Chrome 4.0 Includes Bookmark Sync
Posted by Dan Hughes Categories: Google, Internet, Software, Videos
Google announced Monday that its Chrome browser’s 4th version has gone Beta. Most important feature in my eyes: Bookmark syncing.
Back when I was an Firefox fanboy, Delicious’ method of syncing bookmarks was magic to me, and was the epitome of the internet experience. When Chrome was released, its speed sang to me, and I willingly sacrificed my bookmark sync to Chrome’s seductive quickload times. Now, Google makes everything magical again as Google announced Monday that its Chrome browser’s 4th version has gone Beta, including with it Bookmark Sync.
According to the announcement, XMPP is used to keep your browser in touch with your Google Account, which will keep track and sync down your bookmarks.
In a side note: Google also claims to have increased performance by a brain-spanking 30%!
Read More | Google Chrome Blog
Google Announces Chrome OS Partners, includes Acer, ASUS, HP, Lenovo
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Google, PC / Laptop, Software
Ever since the Google Chrome OS was announced, many have been wondering which partners would be working with Google to release new devices based on the ambitious operating system. As it turns out, Google is answering those questions, releasing a short list of partners that they’re working with.
Today, Google has announced that they’re partnering with Acer, Adobe, ASUS, FreeScale, Lenovo, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, QUALCOMM, Hewlett-Packard (HP.)
Click to continue reading Google Announces Chrome OS Partners, includes Acer, ASUS, HP, Lenovo
Read More | Google Chrome Blog
Google to Launch Chrome, an Open Source Web Browser
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Google, Internet
Google announced today that it is launching its new beta browser, named Chrome. Available in more than 100 countries supposedly tomorrow, so far it is only for those with Microsoft Windows. (The company says it is still working on the Mac and Linux versions.) Google’s official blog almost apologized for their comic that discussed the joys of their new browser, saying that they tend to “launch early and iterate” and that the mailroom was a bit hasty letting it out. Be that as it may, it took us long enough to get used to Firefox, so we think we will let the hardcores try it first.
Read More | MSNBC
CES 2008 Video: VoodooPC $22,000 24k Gold Omen AU PC
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, CES, CES 2008, Design, Features, Home Entertainment, Music, Podcasts, Videocasts
At VoodooPC‘s section of HP‘s CES booth, we got a look and some specs about their Elemental series Omen AU, a completely gold-plated PC, covered in 24 karat gold. Sporting the classic Voodoo wiring job and with support for up to triple SLI, the entirely water-cooled, quad-core system seriously rocks. The price tag is enough to by a nice car, however, at $22,000. Only two have been sold thus far, but I imagine Flava-Flav will be calling to have them put one on a chain soon enough.
Sure you’ll need a second mortgage to enjoy this system, but it’s one of the few pieces of technology on the floor you can say will actually increase in value over time. (The price of gold rising dramatically lately.)
Hit the video and see it first-hand, and check out our photo gallery for some up-close pics.
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