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Click to Visit Stratus0s.Org
It’s been awhile since I last wrote about Chrome OS. I’ve already covered hexxeh’s build back in February. Well, there’s a new kid on the block, Stratus0s, and it’s good, really good. It’s a more recent build and has some neat bells and whistles, including an improved log on system. It has a lot of potential and runs fine (meaning damn fast) on Acer Aspire One hardware. It’s a free download, of course, and touts the following advantages over other OSs:
- No installation. You simply copy the image to a USB stick or an SD card and boot it. Tip: I found the installation somewhat cumbersome in Ubuntu and easier in Windows. YMMV.
- Enhanced look. The UI looks better than Hexxeh’s build, particularly the logon screen. However, there’s not much room to really make Chrome OS shine since it’s almost nothing more than a Chrome browser UI.
- “No HDD. It’s a Cloud.” The OS is designed to rely entirely on cloud storage. Although files can be downloaded locally to a file shelf (space permitting on the USB stick or SD card), fundamentally the idea is to shift everything to the cloud. One advantage of having everything in the cloud is that you can install the OS right on top of the old OS on the USB stick or SD card without data loss, provided you don’t rely on the file shelf. It also protects you against hardware failure.
Stratus0s is a product of Nate Taylor, Steve Pirk and Jordon Wii. Steve Pirk is active on Google Buzz and Stratus0s has an official Buzz account. Download Stratus0s from http://stratus0s.org/ and begin using Google’s Chrome OS today.
Acer is launching Chrome OS netbooks at a trade show in early June taking place in Taiwan, according to VentureBeat’s sources. This is a surprise to many because Chrome netbooks weren’t expected to arrive this early.
I don’t think we’ll see anything surprising with Chrome OS other than possible improvements in speed. Afterall, it’s just an OS that boots a browser. It doesn’t support software installation. Chome OS will appeal to enterprises and anyone looking for a really inexpensive netbook (think: WebTV replacement).
It’s been confirmed that Google’s tablet will run Android, not Chrome OS. This makes perfect sense because the gesture/multitouch support is already built into Android. Also, Android is all about widgets and customization. Chrome OS can barely be customized because, as I always repeat, it’s just boot up to a web browser. Sure, you can install a Chrome browser theme but it’s fairly plain vanilla.
Hexxeh’s build of Chrome OS continues to garner media attention, including an impressive mention by the New York Times — Not too bad for a 17 year old computer hobbyist. You can download it today and begin playing with it.
[via Chad Catacchio at The Next Web via VentureBeat]
In terms of the interwebs, the last decade could aptly be described as the search decade. Google ruled the day. As newbies came online Google was the launchpad where they all began. The company grew to a massive $170 billion market cap. It fended off competitors and, in the process, put more than a few out of business. By any measure, Google won the search war.
I predict that the next decade will be less about one single theme and significantly less about search. Obviously, I am on the outside looking in but these are my thoughts: Google is keenly aware of the fact that this transition is already occurring. To counter this anticipated reduction in traffic, Google has diversified into, well, just about everything relating to your preferences. Google continues to focus on its mission of organizing the world’s information. To do this, it needs to collect information. Where is lacks information, it devises a solution for obtaining it. In no particular order:
Whom do you phone? Google Voice.
To whom do you write? Gmail, Google Wave and Google Buzz.
What do you buy? Google Checkout and Google Product Search.
What do you watch on television? Google TV, which is anticipated to launch with Sony next month.
What do you read? Google Reader and Google Scholar, despite some bumps in the road.
Where do you eat? Google Maps, 800-GOOG-411, Google Places.
What ailments do you have? Google Health, although it appears to be a flop.
Where do you work? Google Profiles.
Where do you live? Google Maps.
What do you look like? Google Profiles and Google Visual Search, perhaps tied together one day.
Where are you? Latitude, Google Buzz and Google Places.
Where did you go and where will you go? Google Calendar.
And, I’m sure I’m missing more than a few fronts where Google is amassing information. As we all know, Google collects this information to sell advertisement space on your screens and mobile devices tailored to you. The genius of this all is that people actually trust Google, perhaps rightfully so. Advertisers do not have access to the answers to every question above, only Google does. Google has been and will be fundamentally an advertising intermediary. The game has changed: it’s no longer about finding something.com hidden away somewhere in the deepest depth of the internet but it’s more likely about giving you what you want, often for free, in exchange for your preferences. What do we receive for free? Search, email, voice transmission, video transmission, web apps, operating systems (albeit not directly but, rather, by eliminating the OS “tax” on devices), news, financial information and the list goes on and on. Most of the world has decided that we benefit from this exchange of preferences for free services. It’s really a unique and fascinating model. Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, recently used the term “platform provider” to describe what Google wants to become. It’s a unique type of company unlike any other.
[As an aside, contrast the Google model with Facebook which simply wants to collect your preferences and share them with the world. The Facebook model is a far less comfortable compromise for the person the least bit concerned about privacy.]
Google is diversifying in other ways too. Google Apps, the enterprise version of the free online office suite, will probably meet with tremendous success. This arena is monetized differently. No business enterprise wants to share its confidential information with Google in exchange for advertisements. Instead, for a reasonable cost, companies pay for the cloud-based services. Google Apps fundamentally differs from just about every other Google property in this regard.
Google sits on a boatload of cash right now and could diversify into other areas as well. It dipped its toes into the hardware water with the Nexus One but I do not anticipate a significant push in the hardware direction. Google simply wants more, better information and faster. By diversifying, Google has solidified itself as the conduit through which we deposit our preferences and information and donate some eyeball movements and mindshare to advertisements that we might find appealing.
[I will likely write a follow-up piece regarding competition in the "platform provider" business with a focus on Facebook.]
The cloud just got better. Google Docs, the free online document editor and office suite, has been substantially revised. The most notable improvements are: speed/responsiveness, real-time collaboration and better formatting, particularly for imported documents. The official Google Docs blog details each and every improvement, for those interested in a complete breakdown.
Speed and responsiveness were made better by, among other things, improving the javascript used for Docs. My biggest peeve with Google Docs was the lag between choosing some option and seeing an on-screen response. Now, Google Docs truly competes with desktop software in a meaningful way.
These improvements are very important for Google Apps to succeed. Why? Google Docs has competition on the horizon. Microsoft will release an online version of its popular Office suite later this year. This could be a real winner for Microsoft who has struggled with revising Office. The Ribbon and other recent updates have yet to catch on with many. I’m just guessing but I expect the online version will support the semi-familiar Ribbon but it could also have an option to run with drop-down menus. We’ll have to wait and see.
More important than trying to eat up Microsoft is speeding the adoption of Chrome OS. Remember, Chrome OS is simply a web browser. It does not support the installation of software or local apps. It relies entirely on cloud services. I wrote back in November 2009 that Google Docs was the weakest link to adoption of a Chrome OS world. Despite the most recent improvements, Google Docs remains the weakest link in the chain but the progress announced today is substantial.
P.S. Here’s the video I almost forgot to add to the post:
The Jolicloud team has been busy at work improving upon their free netbook OS. The latest improvements include:
- A new browser instead of Prism for the web apps. It’s called “Nickel” and it’s based on Chromium, the open source project behind Google’s Chrome browser. Nickel is HTML5 ready.
- New support for up 100+ 3G keys for connectivity.
- VPN support for enterprise. Jolicloud now supports the following VPNs: Cisco OpenConnect, Cisco Concentrator VPN, Microsoft VPN, and OpenVPN.
- Desktop switcher mode. This enables Jolicloud to change from the Ubuntu Netbook Remix-style UI to the traditional Ubuntu-style UI. This is a significant step in making Jolicloud more than just a netbook OS.
There’s a Jolicloud installer for MS Windows and for Linux. The pre-Final version was released two days ago. To download: http://www.jolicloud.com/download#jolicloud-express. It’s free. Why not try it out?
P.S. Check out the related posts below for my preliminary assessments of Jolicloud.
This is a follow-up to my post entitled, “Linux Netbook Showdown: Ubuntu Netbook Remix vs. Jolicloud Pre-Beta,” which is one of my most popular posts. Between Ubuntu Netbook Remix (“UNR”) and Jolicloud, I opted for UNR. Now, I find myself preferring Hexxeh’s Chrome OS Flow, though my netbook can triple boot into Windows 7, UNR or Chrome OS Flow.
Before I give you the “whys” and what factors to consider, I want to caution that Chrome OS Flow supports many netbook configurations but not nearly as many as UNR. Accordingly, if you are considering Chrome OS Flow, visit Hexxeh’s site to check for compatibility. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, here are the “whys”:
I use my netbook primarily for the browser and to access web apps. Both UNR and Chrome OS Flow support essentially the exact same browser, Chrome, and browser extensions. UNR has an edge though because you can install additional Linux software. So, if you want to run TweetDeck, for example, you might prefer UNR. (By the way, TweetDeck is difficult to use on a netbook because of the low screen resolution.) Chrome OS Flow affords more real estate on your screen for the browser because there is no taskbar, just tabs along the top edge. Also, Chrome OS Flow boots on my Gateway netbook (same hardware as Acer Aspire One) in about 10 seconds and shuts down in a mere 4 seconds. It is lighter on system resources which could extend battery life. Finally, one of my major peeves with UNR is the automatic update feature. Every time I boot up UNR, I have a long menu of updates that need to be installed which take quite a bit of time and bandwidth to install. While updates can be postponed or disabled, long downloads are a necessary evil of UNR. On the other hand, Chrome OS Flow operates with far fewer files (you can install it into a mere 2 GB paritition) and dependencies. Updates take less time and they are on-demand only.
UNR has some upsides, however. You can play MP3s locally, though I switched to the cloud-based GrooveShark music player to facilitate the move to Chrome OS Flow. UNR also supports a variety of other local software, including OpenOffice.Org. So, if you need to work on your computer while outside of Wifi range (or 3G, if you have it), UNR would definitely be a better choice.
If you’re thinking of making the move to Chrome OS Flow, I recommend that you make your system multi-bootable in case you change your mind later. Chrome OS Flow’s Wiki has a good tutorial for multi-boot.
If I’m overlooking some of the pros can cons of UNR and Chrome OS Flow, then please comment below.
Will Dewry, Google software security engineer, recently revealed that Chrome OS will be released in two flavors, one intended for home use and the other for business use. The business version will not be released until next year.
This comes as a surprise to many considering Chrome OS is already built like a tank but runs as fast as a Formula One race car. It is unclear what features will be added to the business version but Dewry stated that it would offer more “management muscle.” To me, that sounds like remote access by the IT staff and restricting peons from changing settings.
I would also expect better integration with Google Apps in the business version. Additionally, the home version requires users to login with a gmail account; perhaps the business version will support custom domains.
[via Engadget]
Click to visit www.glideos.com
Transmedia Corporation’s “Glide OS 4.0″ is an advertising-free, cloud-based operating system. You can access it through any web browser (including mobile browsers) and through a proprietary desktop app (Windows/Linux and OS X flavors). It has all the bells and whistles of Google’s free cloud services (calendar, email, documents, spreadsheets, etc.) and some other services not offered by Google:
- 30 GB of free online storage in the “GDrive” and a desktop app to automatically sync directories on your computer and in the cloud.
- The best web-based image editor I have seen. While it’s not exactly PhotoShop or GIMP quality, it will do the trick for basic use.
- An online version of PowerPoint called “Presenter.”
- It’s very customizable, e.g. you can set wallpaper and other custom options.
Frankly, I’m not doing justice to the scope of offerings available in Glide OS 4.0. It’s truly a complete operating system that is remotely hosted. Glide OS 4.0 has been favorably reviewed by InformationWeek, PC World, CNET, eWeek and PC Magazine. Walter Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue of the New York Times both wrote rave reviews about it.
A cloud-based solution like Glide might be particularly appealing to those running Chrome OS on their netbooks (including the Flow variety I wrote about). Currently, there is nothing comparable though Office 2010 is supposed to have a cloud based version. As noted in many of the reviews of Glide, Microsoft is playing catch up with Transmedia’s free offerings. Glide OS 4.0 is completely free for up to 30 GB of storage. This would be more than sufficient for most and I intend to use it for my online backups. A 250 GB account runs $50 per year.
Check it out at http://glideos.com/.
[Thanks Brian]
Last night Wired.Com posted up a good article that lays out a strategy Google could follow to dethrone iTunes as the leader in music distribution. Many of the suggestions involve leveraging the cloud and allowing users to stream their music purchases to their devices.
I’m blogging from within Google Chrome OS Flow by Hexxeh. As you may know from my previous posts (e.g., this one), Chrome OS is simply a bootup and login to the Google Chrome browser. The simplicity of the Chrome OS offers performance advantages on netbooks. I’m evaluating the very popular and recently released Flow build of the Google Chrome OS which is offered up by Hexxeh (link at end of post). Continue reading »
Mock Up of Chrome Tablet by Gizmodo Blog
The tech world is in a tablet frenzy right now, primarily fueled by the now credible rumor that Apple will unveil a tablet this month. An Australian publication, Smarthouse, has started a rumor that Google will soon unveil a Chrome OS tablet to compete with Apple’s upcoming tablet. Needless to say, there’s rumor based upon rumor here; however, it makes perfect sense considering Google’s assault on Apple.
The Google vs. Microsoft war received far more attention in 2009 (Google Web Search vs. Bing, Chrome Browser vs. Internet Explorer and Chrome OS vs. Windows) but Google is also waging a significant war with Apple. This will be the story of 2010. It is no wonder why Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, left Apple’s board of directors in early 2009. Below are five attacks Google has recently made on Apple:
Unless you were born yesterday (which would really suck because of its proximity to Christmas), you already know that Google is fundamentally an advertising company. In 2008, Google generated over $21 billion dollars in revenue and over 95% of that revenue was generated by Google’s Adwords program. Year end numbers for 2009 will probably be at least as impressive. Google’s success, however, depends on it not remaining simply an advertising company.
I read that the beta version of Chrome OS that I tested will be altered to allow users to login from the browser instead of the blue screen that follows the boot up. This will enable logins and logouts without rebooting the computer. Whoopdie do, right? This is a far more significant development than it may seem. It suggests to me that the so-called “personal computer” will become the “public computer” and also supports the notion that Google will install free computers in heavily trafficked areas… investing heavily in this endeavor and significantly profiting from it.
I installed a VirtualBox image of Chrome OS that is floating around online. It’s available from gdgt and other less trustworthy sources. To sum it up… waste of time. The test drive was entirely unfilling but it did significantly pique my interest in antitrust concerns.
