Google names Chrome OS compatriots, Dell noticeably absent
By Ross Miller 
posted July 8th 2009 8:06PM
posted July 8th 2009 8:06PM
Update: Google updated the list to include Toshiba.
posted July 8th 2009 8:06PM
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Dell is towing the MS line.
Ubuntu. First to preload it. Google it.
Dell was Delleted. Haha, lol.
The OS that has the most to fear is Ubuntu, not Windows. So Asus will load this instead of their Mee OS....BFD.
I know that playing "wait-and-see" in a period of any economic turbulence is standard operating procedure for big businesses, like DELL, with nowhere to go but down -- especially considering Ubunto, their last attempt at "innovation" -- but this is googleOS! They'll have a netbook pumping this no more than a year after Asus digs into their market share.
As for intel, they're just peeved that after buying up Clutter and releaseing their Moblin 2.0 beta, most of the blades from the buzz surrounding that just became too dull to cut cheese. Like DELL, though, they've got their seats reserved on the bandwagon, even if it's just because their marketing department demand that at some point they piggyback off of the GIGANTIC publicity.
The circle is complete.
Now google will control just about every aspect of your time on the computer ... quietly collecting your "anonymous" data.
You'll start caring when it's too late.
I'm surprised HP is on that list. They've been heavily Microsoft in their commercials and offerings.
What is it with linux and circles...debian..ubuntu...now chrome?
What's with Windows and squares? ;)
And Apple n ....Apple shapes
Well at least it means we know who are The Squares, who are The Fruit n does circle signify anything?
Who's square, who's curvy, and who's fruity...?
@deanb
The Squares, The Fruits.... and the circle, well maybe its an Ass?
Dell is shit anyways
@David so true, but right now, I am nowhere near wanting to complain, especially from the company that bought me; google search, google image, google news, google books, Gmail, Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Street view, Google chrome, and so much more free of charge.
How, exactly, are they going to steal your data with this? It's open source, for crying out loud!
Dell is probably thinking about what FUN they had supporting Linux. Now they can safely say "fuck THAT" to the next Linux-based OS before seeing how it pans out with other companies.
Support for googleOS?? PFFFFT! Aside from googleOS actually delivering on the promise to "just work," users will just open up their chrome browsers and Bing! the answers to any questions they might have. It all works out perfectly!
Bing is the best way to Google things, IMHO.
Yeah seriously, I would never, ever, want to do customer support as a computer company for PCs being sold to regular consumers with Linux. It's bad enough dealing with barely computer literate people who can't even figure out how to get to the control panel in Windows.
And even with Windows it's all made worse by the fact that 99% of Dell CSRs are as computer illiterate as the customers and just reading off some moronic script.
Even if Google dumbs down the OS the problem is that when something does go wrong with Linux the fixes usually involve opening up a terminal window and typing cryptic stuff, reading cryptic files, typing more cryptic stuff, editing cryptic files, setting cryptic permissions, realizing that it still isn't fixed, then poring over all sorts of config files until you realize that you made a typo. All of which sounds like customer support will mostly involve sending the computer back and formatting over it every time some idiot calls in.
@the4thheat
Perfect.
@mark
perfect
I'd think Dell will help out anyway, even if they're not a "partner" per se.
A Google-branded Linux distribution? They've to add a lot of goodies to convince me to switch from Ubuntu....
This will not be a GNU/Linux distribution. It is a new operating system built on top of the linux kernel. Think of OS X and how they took a BSD kernel and built aqua on top.
No, its more like a completely minimal linux distribution that exists solely to run a heavily integrated Chrome browser in a secure sandbox.
This idea of web app-only functionality gets more interesting when you look at the progression of technologies Google has been working on:
1st was Google Gears for offline-storage
2nd was Google Open3D, a new framework for GPU accelerated 3D in the browser
3rd was Googles work with OpenVG for GPU accelerated vector graphics
4th was Google's Native Client, which is meant to allow native code (aka C/C++ and more) to securely run in the browser
You can see they are completely replication EVERY major fundamental technology that exists in a modern computing experience INTO the browser! They are really going to change things here!
Not really surprised to see HP up there. They tend to like to avoid having only one choice when possible, and dedicate a lot of internal resources to various projects to either run alternate OSs on their hardware, or even tweak and tune Windows to make it unique for devices like their touchscreen computer.
Asus and Acer, also no big surprise with their netbook lines.
Freescale and TI make sense since Google said ARM.
Adobe is a bit of a surprise, I wonder what their involvement is. HTML5 has many features aimed at Flash.
Not sure about Qualcomm.
And yeah, not really shocking that Dell is missing. They don't want to upset MS or Intel with the favorable pricing they get for their loyalty.
Qualcomm are on that picture because:
a) they are also major ARM licensees (currently w/ Snapdragon)
b) they wanted to make everyone else's logo look good
(seriously wtf is UP with that logo? it's the ugliest 'professional' logo I've seen in a while. did they get the boss's 10-year-old to design it in school?)
Quite a bummer about Dell, but where the hell is Intel?
Working on Moblin, obviously...
Where the hell are Nvidia (for Tegra) and AMD?
I don't really see intel being an important partner. The linux kernel already fully supports all of their processors and chipsets.
Agreed. Intel won't want any part of this because it has been investing time in Moblin.
This is going to be a huge fail, because those people who switched to OSX know how easy to use and secure Apple's OS is. Google Chrome OS is basically computer nerd's wet dream like Linux, which did not gain mainstream acceptance and very patchy security and selection of non-industry standard software.
You are missing the point. Google is gunning initially for low end, where Apple doesn't tread - so OS X here is irrelevant. As netbooks decrease in price, Windows makes up an increasing percentage of the cost... that's just not sustainable.
Other Linux distros are certain capable feature wise, but overall just don't have the warm and fuzzy familiarity that Google can bring to the table.
My grandparents get Gmail. It wouldn't take much to show them how to put a simple spreadsheet together on Google Docs. They can enter contacts that will stay with them even if they replace the computer down the road. They can check websites. Google is starting to put together all the pieces of an internet focused OS.
"those people who switched to OSX know how easy to use and _secure_ Apple's OS is"
What? You mean how little it's targeted with viruses?
I'm sick of this myth.
I think your a huge fail iKurt.
Im typing this on my iMac and its true, i love Mac OS. But im also running WIndows 7 RC on my Dell Mini9 and am very interested in this Google OS.
Ive been very happy with Chrome and Gmail and dont do anything overly taxing on the Mini9 so an easy to use, tailored for netbook OS would be perfect.
Ive looked at all the flavours of Linux and they just dont sit well with me, very patchy indeed, ive also tried OSX on it but didnt suit my needs, Windows 7 is good, but is just too much for a little netbook feature wise.
Ask any of your relatives if they heard of Linux. Then ask if they heard of Google.
And there you have where GoogleOS can succeed over the original netbook Distros.
Google has huge brand recognition, and alot of goodwill. People have been using them for years, and Apple haven't spent millions in ad's undermining them.
Apart from Dell that list has most of the major Netbook guys, so when average joe is buying a netbook they can have the option between 'evil, crashing virus laden' Windows, or Google, the guys that rule the internet, and surely the internet guys sound much better on a 'net'book? It's like Asus n co laid out hte red carpet for Google with a new sector of PC's that they can thrive on.
I don't think Google are really aiming to take over the major desktop market, but think of devices like the crunchpad, netbook's, archos's Win7 tablet etc, these devices would work wonders with a simple web based OS.
It feels like open handset alliance/Android all over again.
it's the mirrors, dude.
Dell Computers bug me.... I don't care.
Apple is noticeably absent too :)
Best comment of the thread....
You guys can take on MS/Intel/Dell all you want, but any omission ofApple from this conversation shows how little you know of business models and how competition breeds innovation (let alone lower prices...).
when can we see some screen shots of chrome os?
Download Chrome, hit F11 n have a play about with some of the Google App's n I think that should give a your a pretty good idea of what Google are aiming for.
Dell probably just doesn't want to clutter up their OS choices any more I would imagine.
Dells wise decisions have lead to the fantastic sales surge they are seeing now while their opponents like hp have taken decisions that have given them the problem of being the number 1 pc maker in the world.
I know which horse I'm backing.
Apparently their answer to that problem has been releasing cheaply made plastic laptops that break down as soon as you stare them intensely.
Really, I have owned 2 HP laptops the past year, and they have failed/broken down until I finally gave up and bought a Dell (out of no particular love but I was able to snatch a good deal). I guess that's the reason HPs prices are so competitive though.
^^^ True. I once bought a 1200$ HP laptop, and after 2-3 months of average use 2 parts of the casing turned black (burnt) and half of the keys fell out.
Needless to say, I will NEVER buy an HP again.
I bet Microsoft are genuinely worried. The familiarity of google with the support of most of the big oems.
It is possible that, given time, Windows would seem like a geeks play thing to the average user, when everything can be done fast and simply via Google.
Poké Ball go? lol