Will Google's Chromebook go some way in making IBM clones obsolete?

[mammador]

I've kind of grown up with IBM clones. At least for the great part of my life, they've been the dominant personal computer platform. But is this new Chromebook going to rival, even outdo, IBM clones?

It would be interesting to see how MS respond. Yes, it has Office (one of the few decent MS products ever IMO) but Windows is its mainstay. Could a cloud-based Windows work?

 

[SockHaser]

The cloud has a LONG way to go before I trust my OS to it...

 

[theeedude]

It will go some way. I want to try it on my old laptop.
I mostly use Chrome browser on my computer, don't really do much else with it, so all the overhead and security risk of Windows is not worth having.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I've been wrong many times, but I just don't see this taking off...

 

[s44]

Actually, I think Honeycomb has already made Chrome obsolete. Transformer >>> locked sub-netbook

 

[zerocool84]

The cloud has a LONG way to go before I trust my OS to it...

It's obviously not for hardcore people, it's for the general population that don't need a full-fledged OS.

 

[smartpatrol]

You get a cheap laptop that does most of the things that ordinary day-to-day users want. . . but in exchange, you have to give Google complete access to all your data and usage patterns, and store everything on their servers.

I have a laptop with a real OS and 1TB HDD. Obviously Chrome OS isn't for me. Whether it will actually take off, who knows? Personally though, I hate the idea of it and would like to see it fail.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Until there is a simple way to migrate away from Windows based servers, MSFT will always be around.

Here is the simple fact. the first calculators were four function (add, subtract, multiply, divide) and cost hundreds of dollars and few manufacturers. Over time they got cheap and had more manufacturers. A simple calculator is almost a commodity today.

Now look at computers over the past 15-20 years. A PC cost thousands for an entry level model. Today, $300. in 10 years, a laptop will probably cost $100 if that. NO ONE is going to pay $100 for Microsoft office other than maybe businesses.

Google's laptop is simply a migration towards this eventuality.

What the world will look like in 10 years is anyone guess. In 20 though, my bet is that there will be manufacturers you never heard of offering PCs, laptops and/or whatever device is mainstream. Things like iPads WILL NOT cost $500+. If you learn from the history of the calculator, you can expect with some certainty that no products like iPods and laptops will carry a premium.

 

[shortylickens]

Protip: No one has referred to them as IBM clones in over 10 years.

 

[alent1234]

Until there is a simple way to migrate away from Windows based servers, MSFT will always be around.

Here is the simple fact. the first calculators were four function (add, subtract, multiply, divide) and cost hundreds of dollars and few manufacturers. Over time they got cheap and had more manufacturers. A simple calculator is almost a commodity today.

Now look at computers over the past 15-20 years. A PC cost thousands for an entry level model. Today, $300. in 10 years, a laptop will probably cost $100 if that. NO ONE is going to pay $100 for Microsoft office other than maybe businesses.

Google's laptop is simply a migration towards this eventuality.

What the world will look like in 10 years is anyone guess. In 20 though, my bet is that there will be manufacturers you never heard of offering PCs, laptops and/or whatever device is mainstream. Things like iPads WILL NOT cost $500+. If you learn from the history of the calculator, you can expect with some certainty that no products like iPods and laptops will carry a premium.

laptops aren't going to cost $100. we've hit a $299 low point for the ultra cheap. at some point it doesn't make sense to make something cheaper because there is no profit. you keep the price point and improve the specs every year

cell phones will drop in price and probably tablets, but not PC's or Mac's.

the google laptop is the same specs as an average netbook with the same or slightly higher price and a gimped OS. if i told my mom to buy one she'd hate me because i would always be saying how it can't do this or that

 

[poofyhairguy]

IBM Clone = x86
Chrome OS = Basic Linux desktop

So installing Chrome OS on an IBM Compatible PC doesn't mean its not IBM compatible, it just means it runs a different OS.

Otherwise I destroyed my old IBM compatible Pentium 3 when I put the first Ubuntu on there.

My thought is that this might work well in education, but otherwise is too little too late. Back in 2007 this would have been great, but today all the rage is "apps" which are the EXACT opposite of Chrome OS.

 

[cheezy321]

No way in hell.

Just like iPad sales haven't really cannibalized PC sales, the Chromebook will make an even smaller dent in the market.

 

[Cruisin1]

IBM Clone = x86
Chrome OS = Basic Linux desktop

So installing Chrome OS on an IBM Compatible PC doesn't mean its not IBM compatible, it just means it runs a different OS.

Otherwise I destroyed my old IBM compatible Pentium 3 when I put the first Ubuntu on there.

My thought is that this might work well in education, but otherwise is too little too late. Back in 2007 this would have been great, but today all the rage is "apps" which are the EXACT opposite of Chrome OS.

How are apps the exact oppositte of chome OS? chrome OS is all about apps as far as I can tell...

 

[mammador]

Until there is a simple way to migrate away from Windows based servers, MSFT will always be around.

Here is the simple fact. the first calculators were four function (add, subtract, multiply, divide) and cost hundreds of dollars and few manufacturers. Over time they got cheap and had more manufacturers. A simple calculator is almost a commodity today.

Now look at computers over the past 15-20 years. A PC cost thousands for an entry level model. Today, $300. in 10 years, a laptop will probably cost $100 if that. NO ONE is going to pay $100 for Microsoft office other than maybe businesses.

Google's laptop is simply a migration towards this eventuality.

What the world will look like in 10 years is anyone guess. In 20 though, my bet is that there will be manufacturers you never heard of offering PCs, laptops and/or whatever device is mainstream. Things like iPads WILL NOT cost $500+. If you learn from the history of the calculator, you can expect with some certainty that no products like iPods and laptops will carry a premium.

OK. But does anybody need an IBM clone, other than for gaming, graphic design, or other heavy apps? Now that tablets, smartphones, etc. abound, nobody really needs an IBM clone for Web browsing or Facebook.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

No chance.
Like I said at other times, and will continue to do, the world is much bigger than the U.S.... There's no way in hell the rest of the world will become so enamored with the cloud idea. The former Communist countries, especially, are not much interested in centralisation anymore, because they've already been burned once.

 

[corkyg]

OK. But does anybody need an IBM clone, other than for gaming, graphic design, or other heavy apps? Now that tablets, smartphones, etc. abound, nobody really needs an IBM clone for Web browsing or Facebook.

Does anyone really need Facebook, etc.? My PC is for work, not play. Seems to me that you are talking about parasitic kids, not working adults.

 

[shortylickens]

Does anyone really need Facebook, etc.? My PC is for work, not play. Seems to me that you are talking about parasitic kids, not working adults.

Pretty much.
I dont hate Facebook, but having looked at it a lot (people link shit to me all the time) I see it as a place where bored kids go so they dont have to actually do anything real.

Theres nothing wrong with it, but its never a good selling point for me when talking about any sort of computer or gadget.

 

[cheezy321]

Pretty much.
I dont hate Facebook, but having looked at it a lot (people link shit to me all the time) I see it as a place where bored kids go so they dont have to actually do anything real.

Theres nothing wrong with it, but its never a good selling point for me when talking about any sort of computer or gadget.

As opposed to posting on Anandtech all day ?

 

[shortylickens]

MESSAGE RECIEVED!

I will now go back to pron and games.
Wait, I gave up video games. Guess I'll go to the gun range.
No ammo, but I can watch other people shoot and learn a few things.

 

[mammador]

Does anyone really need Facebook, etc.? My PC is for work, not play. Seems to me that you are talking about parasitic kids, not working adults.

Even though hundreds of millions of PCs are sold every year, tablets and smartphones are the fastest growing computers out. And they are best used for light applications, like Web surfing.

 

[alent1234]

OK. But does anybody need an IBM clone, other than for gaming, graphic design, or other heavy apps? Now that tablets, smartphones, etc. abound, nobody really needs an IBM clone for Web browsing or Facebook.

so where are the 70 million ipad users going to download apps, photos, etc to? i put my photos on my laptop first and then the ipad. with chrome you can't even keep any data locally

 

[JD50]

so where are the 70 million ipad users going to download apps, photos, etc to? i put my photos on my laptop first and then the ipad. with chrome you can't even keep any data locally

Why don't you just put them directly on your iPad?

 

[poofyhairguy]

How are apps the exact oppositte of chome OS? chrome OS is all about apps as far as I can tell...

Crome Os is about using web applications , with no local applications. The apps craze is all about devices having local applications instead of less functional web apps.

 

[theeedude]

Crome Os is about using web applications , with no local applications. The apps craze is all about devices having local applications instead of less functional web apps.

Web applications can be cached locally for offline use. Functionality depends on the actual application. The apps craze is about the apps, not about where they reside.

 

[mammador]

so where are the 70 million ipad users going to download apps, photos, etc to? i put my photos on my laptop first and then the ipad. with chrome you can't even keep any data locally

On the iPad itself? Isn't that the point of the app store?