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 February 2nd 2010 8:19AM
@(Unverified) How are you going to hold it? Where do your fingers go???
Dear Engadget,
Please put an option in each user's account so they can have the option (choose) to have comment replies automatically expanded or closed. I hate the fact that you went back to having them closed by default.
Love,
Rick James
@Rick James
+1
P.S. you can't see me.
@7egend
You heard that Engadget? The man has spoken.
Rick James Bitch!
@Rick James
+1000. I hated this "feature" to begin with. Let us decide how to view comments...
@Rick James
agreed, the closed replies are annoying
@Rick James Agreed. It would also be nice if the email reply notifications provided a useful URL. For example I received this:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/02/google-mum-on-chrome-os-touch-support-chromium-devs-show-us-how/comments/25178756/
Which not only brought me to the wrong post but didn't display any replies under it.
@Rick James It would also be nice if comments could remain in place rather than be deleted. Thanks.
Any guesses for a device name?
gPad, eSel (think easel), gnote, gnimble (my favorite).
@weakgeek
gPad, A Pad that is Spot On.
@Kbalz
bump for sauce
cause you sound like a 4chan nub for saying such.
Yeah, lets face it. If Google puts out a tablet with Chrome OS. This will be a no brainer of who will have the more advanced tablet. Only thing is...without the Android Market...would people really like that? Me personally, I wouldn't mind. That's what I have my Nexus One for. I want my tablet to be my computer away from home.
But this concept (minus the screen size) is what a tablet should be. Chrome OS is light, easy, simple. Very nice. Add that touch interface above, and we have a winner.
If anyone can do it...it has to be Google. They'd have to put their name on it though...and actually sell it in a brick and mortar store. Not online so it can face the exodus that Nexus One is facing. Google has the name, they need to really use it.
@iDavey Think you need to read some more about the Chrome OS... The Chrome OS is nothing more than a browser. Any Chrome OS device will be a cloud computing device and a ad gateway for google. This means to really use the device you will need to be connected to the internet..
Android might make a decent tablet but it would still sucks in comparison to the iPhone OS. Stop apple hating and think about the product. One thing I can say is that Android would be a better choice for a tablet than a full OS or the Chrome OS...
@dxdragon
Wow...Apple hating? Where did I mention Apple? I mentioned tablet. Keep up. Comprehension is your friend.
But while we're on the Apple route...lets speak on that. What makes the iPad different from the gTablet (?)? You say you have to have an internet connection...okay. Don't you have to have that on your iPad also to web browse, download, sync, etc?
You forget that every function of Google has offline mode that will let the webapp or program work without internet access. But with everyone having internet access wherever they are now and days, that's really not an issue.
Add into the fact, just because it's a web browser supposedly, it doesn't mean it can't act as a computer. Take this as an example...there's an extension that allows you to open Internet Explorer as a browser within Chrome's tabs. So what's to say they wouldn't allow you to download other browsers and programs to run on your Chrome OS? You're not expanding your mind to the possibility that comes with Chrome.
I mean...if your laptop/desktop isn't connected to the computer...does it really do anything else but docs, music, and whatever programs you have installed? That's pretty much what Chrome OS will be. You'll have docs, music, pictures while not connected. When connected you'll have internet and web apps. It's not that hard to realize...
That's why I say it will be superior to other tablets. It's not a clunky, weighed down OS that requires top notch hardware to make it run just sub par. But it's not a closed off, app only, giant iPod either without ports that make a tablet PC...well, a tablet PC.
Then add into the fact the Google Cloud. Lets say you don't have internet, but you have your phone (Android phone preferably) then you can do everything on your 3G enabled phone, and it will be ready to sync to your Chrome OS the minute that is hooked back up to the internet. Especially if they end up adding Google Docs, Google Music (we can only hope), and other Google Apps to the Android stock OS that will sync automatically also like the mail, calander, and Picasa does now.
@cherryboom
Where are y'all keep getting this Apple stuff from. When did I even type Apple???
@iDavey said: "This will be a no brainer of who will have the more advanced tablet."
One way to take that is that this supposed Google tablet will be more "advanced" than the iPad. Since all it will do is run a browser versus the iPad's massive base of installable apps, I fail to see how your assertion could become true.
@grahamj
As I said in your own post. You obviously failed to see the Chrome OS UI concept...right?
And once again...where did I say Apple? Where. Can one of you three actually point out the word Apple in my original post. Y'all don't seem too bright.
And applications? You forget web apps. The fact that this is a fully operational browser (as you keep putting it) flash is enabled. Once again...look at the video sir/ma'am.
http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=hJ57xzo287U&page=2
@iDavey I saw the concept. So? It's a video. Again, have you tried Chrome OS?
And where did I say you said Apple? Where? Re-read my post, perhaps then you'll be able to understand it. Don't forget the word "installable" which explains the confusion in your last paragraph.
To further clarify things for you: There are installable/native apps and there are web apps. Chrome OS will only run the latter. The iPad supports both. The former are far more powerful, being able to access much more of the hardware directly. Thus, more advanced.
@iDavey
i agree with you that chrome os + tablet = win
...lol i'm noticing a pattern... with apple product coming out you get excitement and fanboys ma**urbating @ steve's picture, but with google thing coming out everyone is skeptical...
... yea, i just proved that 90% of commenters on this site are apple fanboys...
who's gonna build these chrome based tablets ? HTC ?
@appleipad
proably, i got a feeling google and htc are going to do huge things togather. good hardware and open-sourceness will prevail in the end!
*flash of light*
future nimbus:"what he said!"
I'll be happy when the Chrome browser adds features for tablets, let alone ChromeOS.
Despite having clear-cut APIs in Windows 7, Chrome doesn't support touch panning (aka scrolling using touch) or the tablet input panel.
But I guess when it doesn't support jump lists or properly support the taskbar thumbnails yet, that having robust tablet support would just be too much to ask for.
I definitely would buy this tablet especially since it seems Google is slowly going to be merging the chrome OS and android platforms together.
Firstly, my experience with Chrome the browser has been horrible, I've done speed test of loading webpages with Chrome, Firefox and IE multiple times and Chrome always loaded last (yes, cache was cleared and all that good stuff)
Hopefully the OS will fair better but I'm definitely loving the concept. Everything is blank and then you just tap on screen and options populate. This "looks" like another closed system but hopefully it isn't. Another thought just came to mind...Google should buyout JooJoo, up the memory (4GB is horrible) and spread it to the masses! I would get it in a heart beat.
@Plazmic Flame
What kind of computer you have. You're the first I've ever heard that happening to.
@Plazmic Flame
Wow. My experience, and millions of other users experience was the complete opposite. Chrome offered the smoothest, fastest, crispiest, No-bull$hitiest browsing experience among all three.
@brown like dookie
You forget this is not a phone. The multitouch fiasco doesn't really extend past mobile phones.
IF, if I needed a tablet in addition to the laptop and big screen Android smartphone combo, this would be it.
the biggest problem with most tablets shown @ CES was the OS (android doesn't work on tablets, just like all other phone OS's)... when chrome os comes out that problem will be gone and @ the next CES we all are going to be flying in that "sweet tablet heaven"...
only when chrome os comes out tablets are going to become the next netbooks, right now they are just huge impotent smart-phones.
There will always be need for pointing devices, try using any CS4 apps with a touchscreen :-/
@FrankJ I guess you know all 42 million iPhone users huh?
Google has finally joined Microsoft in making vaporware 3d renderings of products instead of actually bringing them to the market.
It's kinda sad.
@(Unverified)
Only difference is...Chrome OS has been announced, and it will be released.
The only thing now is if they feel a tablet version is necessary.
I wonder how big is the screen in the video
@00iEye00 Lol!