While those initial leaked specs for a
Chrome OS-based netbook unabashedly
specified a multitouch panel, Google is remaining shy on confirming just what it's up to in the fingerprint department. When Google's Senior Product Manager of Search was asked pointedly about touch support in the OS, according to
TechRadar he looked nervously at a PR manager before failing to provide a concrete answer. Read that how you will, but the open source wing of the OS,
Chromium, has gone ahead and created its own vision of what touching chrome might look like, including a very compelling video we've included for you after the break. This includes popup context menus, a selection of finger- and thumb-friendly keyboards, and of course some delicious multitouch support. Interestingly, if the scale of the hands in the video below is anything to go by, the Chromium group expects an eventual Chrome OS tablet to be between three and five feet wide, which might be a little cumbersome for those with diminutive laps.
posted Feb 2nd 2010 8:19AM
@OCEAN CLAK
Why would it look like an ipad rip-off?
Have all the previous tablets, including the android ones demoed the last ½ year, been sucked into the reality distortion field already??
@OCEAN CLAK
You do know this is Google we're talking about? LOL.
Why wouldn't they give us that?
The Chrome OS already has all that. So since this is just a touch enabled version (supposedly) then it should have everything the normal Chrome OS has.
@OCEAN CLAK
Unless Apple patent white and blue colors for touchscreen keyboard, I don't see it.
Numeric Keys
Tab
Caps Lock
Ctrl and Alt
@iDavey Actually Chrome OS doesn't have multitasking - it only runs one app, the browser. There are no other apps even available.
@grahamj
Stop spamming nonsense. You're not even knowledgeable about what you're spamming. Refer to your post and mines that you responded to.
@iDavey Sorry you're having trouble keeping up. Allow me to summarize for you:
- Parent said "lets just hope it supports Multitsking, USB support, SD Card Support, Wide screen Support"
- You said "The Chrome OS already has all that"
- I corrected you, since it in fact does not have user-level multitasking.
PS
I'm intimately familiar with this subject matter. You shouldn't assume otherwise. We all know what assume means but in this case the result would be rather one-sided.
@grahamj
Hmm. Yet in the OS concept it showed the ability to open multiple windows, use other apps (you see where he clicked the Chrome logo and a list of apps popped up, yeah that), Lala, Hulu, chat/IM, downloads...all while the current window is still running.
Hmm...that sounds like multitasking to me. So come again.
You're making yourself seem like an idiot, so it was a pretty strong assumption that proved right by way of your response that it doesn't have multitasking.
So once again I state, why are you speaking on things you don't seem too knowledgeable about?
LOL @ "Interestingly, if the scale of the hands in the video below is anything to go by, the Chromium group expects an eventual Chrome OS tablet to be between three and five feet wide, which might be a little cumbersome for those with diminutive laps."
@Astrobiology waving goodbye Now that I've seen the video, that size might be kind of cool. You know, for that market between "tablet computer" and "Microsoft surface."
@Astrobiology waving goodbye The UI of this concept chrome for the tablet is highly-impressive. It also caters some multitasking ability that's pretty cool to see for real. Let's see how the mountain-based company lines their 'rumored tablet' against the cupertino-based corporation. More pics and details: http://bit.ly/google-tablet-pics-and-details
@Astrobiology waving goodbye
That's 4 feet wide to the rest of us..
that size multitouch monitor might be nice if it was really just a desktop. but could anyone really deal with a monitor that was basically just flat on your desk? seems incredibly tough to use while seated....
@Nick Brown
Yeah, my number one question is will it include multitouch? Remember that the Motorola Droid/Milestone only includes it outside the US.
@Nick Brown 45o angle is the norm
@mikedep333
Apparently they're only scared to add it to the phones. All other Android tablets that are actually in the US have multitouch.
@Ducman69
That's what she said.
this should be interesting. what i'd like to see is the iPad 2.0, a Chrome tablet and a Maemo tablet side by side. Gonna be an interesting year
@brrip Why the iPad 2.0? Shouldn't it be a contest of first editions?
@Astrobiology waving goodbye you could say i'm writing apple off for the first generation iPad, at least at what the limitations stand at now. (no flash, closed platform)
apple will obviously respond to these problems in time, but i think at launch, chrome and maemo will probably have the advantage. among the three, i'm rooting for maemo! maemo 5 is so gorgeous, i'd like to see where it goes with the next update later this year
@brrip You think Apple is eventually going to make the iPad not be a closed system? You crazy.
A Challenger Appears!
@00iEye00
"ipoop touch"? What are you, 12?
And seriously, if your definition of 'useful' is limited to being able to run Ubuntu...you have a whole other set of issues to worry about.
@00iEye00
We will have to wait and see until an actual chrome tablet materializes. Personally I hate the atom processor and would like to see an OMAP processor on one of these things.
@jwoelich
Any reason as to why you wouldn't want to run Ubuntu on a tablet? There is no difference between the core of Ubuntu, Android, or Maemo, besides specialized extensions and UI experiences. Though, Ubuntu MID should have a great chance at being good, they would still have to root out unneeded applications and typical crap that comes on it out of the "box".
Though, I don't believe I'd want an Ubuntu tablet, seeing as how bloated it is when it comes to Linux OSs.
Now Moblin, that would be sick if it were modified slightly to incorporate touchscreen support, along with an equally good quality capacitive OLED screen, not too big, not too small, with an option for either a hardware keyboard and d-pad or a really slick touch UI keyboard and gesture system. Android + Moblin - engadget comparisons of everything to iPad = I'd buy it if executed properly.
I still don't know why Google developed Chrome OS, why not a variation of Android for tablet and netbooks rather than a web browser with cloud apps?
An article... about a tablet... with no mention of the device that shall not be named. *sniff*... I'm so proud of you, Engadget. Let's keep it up by not posting 15 articles a day on this one, either - deal?
Back on topic - what the heck is the video supposed to be showing us with that ridiculous scale, anyway? Aside from that, nothing looks too outrageous in the vid, except of course, for the whole multi-touch on a Google device thing.
@brown like dookie - Why does multi-touch on a Google device look so outrageous? I see that every time I use my Hero...
@Rebajas
Do you now? How about any other Android device besides the Hero and Eris? How about you open Google Maps on the Hero and try some pinch-zoom. Let me know if it works, because it doesn't on my Hero ;).
@brown like dookie
You forget this is not a phone. The multitouch fiasco doesn't really extend past mobile phones.
Google tablet...Or Google 27-inch TV?
@LAY Its for that new emerging market "Coffee tables with computers in them"
@Astrobiology waving goodbye Damn, I'd buy one! Checking weather, news, e-mails, etc... while drinking my morning coffee without having to turn on my laptop would be awesome. More so if the screen could be angled to work as a TV/traditional monitor or a drawing table (capacitive, pressure sensitive stylus included).
HEY COMPANIES! Here's an idea. It's free!
Who is the blonde in those pictures? She looks hot and I must have more
@Kbalz
bump for sauce
cause you sound like a 4chan nub for saying such.
What you all failed to see from the first shot is that...it hovers!
I will definitely buy either the Google or the iPad.
I need something light and simple that I can carry between office rooms which allows me to "Use the internet".
FLASH is a MUST.
Without Flash, I can't have as much fun with it at home as I can with it at work.
I need wireless smartboard technology, or wireless projector technology so I can do demonstrations.
I need easy access to free apps and cost based utility apps.
I will definitely give Google a chance. Hopefully it will have every single user interface enhancement of the "ECLAIR" running on the NEXUS ONE.
http://www.epinions.com/review/Google_Nexus_One_Cell_Phone/content_498127572612
THE GODAMNED FUNNY thing about iPad is that a CHINESE company is trying to SUE APPLE claiming Apple copied their tablet device - the P88.
http://forums.mactalk.com.au/57/80369-apple-copied-our-ipad.html
The P88 has USB ports and FLASH. Obviously apple didn't copy it.
The Barnes and Noble NOOK is looking better and better for people who want true E-READERS.
http://www.epinions.com/review/Barnes_Noble_nook/content_495050657412
"If the scale of the hands in the video below is anything to go by, the Chromium group expects an eventual Chrome OS tablet to be between three and five feet wide."
You must be blind. I see an 11x17 sheet.
@gerrrg This is a concept device. I bet it gets larger and shrinks as needed almost magically. That is why the concept is so huge. By the time this thing gets released we will have that tech.
Pie Cherr
DID YOU MEAN CREAM PIE????
A month ago, just after the N1 has been released. Rumors of G and HTC making this google tablet has surfaced the net: http://bit.ly/google-tablet-detail-rumors
Some are quite ambiguous, but somehow, the chrome OS with this new UI matches. It'll be interesting to see how Google will come-up with a tablet with specs/features more lucrative than the iPad.
LOL@Chromium Devs...
So you really like the iPad, when Safari is on the Google Homepage?
Wow, Innovation.
@Wesscoast
Wow, what an original comment.
And what exactly did the iPah innovate anyway?
@LAY
It innovated enough that other companies (who seem to know a bit more about all this than some random comment schlep) are copying it within days of its release. Rather telling.
@jwoelich
Copy what?
@jwoelich
Copy? Companies were working on their tablets before Apple acknowledge the existence of the iPad.(Which happen when Jobs said it on Jan. 27)
@jwoelich
copying WHAT exactly? the iPud seems to have been doing the copying from where I sit, friend. if anything, the iPud is an example of how NOT to make a tablet.
y halo thar Google iPad
Since Chrome OS won't support running apps at all, let alone multitasking, I guess I can assume everyone here who complained about the iPad in that respect won't want this either.
Pity, Google used to have geek cred.
@grahamj uh.. won't Chrome OS be using a "tabbed" system to run 'applications'? And won't it be able to run multiple tabs at the same time?
That pretty much sounds like multi-tasking to me...
@MXY23 That's not multitasking, it's still just one app. Surely Mobile Safari doing that won't be enough for the iPad moaners here either.
@grahamj
How about we relax with the conjecture? Manipulating the tab interface to work more like classic windows on screens with a reasonable amount of real-estate is possible.
Additionally, multitasking doesn't necessarily involve having two windows open side by side. Many smart-phones multitask even though their screen real-estate doesn't allow for windows. All it means is that a process can continue doing it's thing in the background without having the app pause indefinitely or shut down.