I’m pretty divided right now on Google’s first take at the Chrome notebook. It’s both brilliant and bewildering. It’s both the future and a nightmare. But it’s definitely not boring, which is more than you can say for a lot of “new” technology these days. Watching it mature will be fun. But first the hardware needs to grow up.
If I could buy the Cr-48 right now, would I? No. But I’d download Chrome OS and install it on some cheap netbook.
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Microsoft Launching Tablets at CES
Microsoft has struggled to gain traction with a slate-like device, yet each year the company announces new products, software or operating systems that try to promote a world of Windows-based slate computers.
Next month, at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft will give it another try, presenting a slew of new slates that it hopes will offer some competition to the Apple iPad, which has quickly become the leader in this market.
Google’s Cr-48 Laptop on eBay... Sorta
Wow.
The best part is that a second user has the exact same post… stealing content about stolen property. How very meta.
‘A Week of Air’
Patrick Rhone over at Minimal Mac:
The iPhone is my most mobile computer and the one that is with me anytime I’m awake and anywhere I am. The iPad is still the “everywhere else” machine. That said, here is how the MacBook Air fits in… I now have an option.
See, before, the iPad was an easy choice because the Black MacBook was becoming oh-so-not portable to me. If given the choice of which one to bring to a coffee shop or drag around to clients, the choice was easy. I was taking the light small one. I was taking the iPad. It was less about what was the most appropriate tool for the job at hand (and often either was fine) but the choice was purely driven by size and weight.
Michigan Ave. Apple Store
On Headlines
Chairmen Gruber:[1. In a footnote to an article on app economies.]
Sensational headlines are one of the worst aspects of web-based news media. Pre-web, there wasn’t much temptation for publications to juice their headlines, with the notable exception of tabloids. In print, all publications care about is the circulation for entire issues. With the web, particularly with CPM advertising, publications are motivated to drive traffic to each individual article. Total page views, rather than issue sales, are the metric, and one easy way to juice page views is to use sensational headlines.
RIM Tablet on Video
They may be a little late to the game, but this UI is a pretty impressive combination of the best ideas from iOS and WebOS. I’m surprised this looks so good.
I do have one question, though. With touch-sensitive bezels, how do you hold the device with one hand?
[via DF]
Zuckerberg Signs Giving Pledge
The billionaire founder of social network Facebook Inc. has agreed to give the majority of his wealth to charity, part of a broader group of rich entrepreneurs committing to philanthropy earlier in their lives.
Mark Zuckerberg has signed onto the “Giving Pledge,” which asks its signatories to commit publicly to give away the majority of their wealth.
The 26-year-old is one of 16 billionaires new to the pledge, which now totals more than 50 donors. New names include AOL co-founder Steve Case, investor Carl Icahn and former junk-bond king Michael Milken.
‘A Dead Man Can’t Leak Stuff’
That’s an exact quote from Fox News’ Bob Beckel, talking about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
In a free society, we are supposed to know the truth. In a society where truth becomes treason, however, we are in big trouble. The truth is that our foreign spying, meddling, and outright military intervention in the post-World War II era has made us less secure, not more.
As usual, Ron Paul speaks sanity in a world of madness.
‘It Runs Web-based Applications, not Legacy PC Software’
That’s how Google describes the Cr–48 notebook it is using for developers and testers to start kicking the tires on Chrome OS.
It also speaks volumes to how Google sees the world and the future of computing.
On iPad 2
In short, I think the transition from the original iPad to its successor will mimic the transition from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS, rather than the 2G to the 3G or the 3GS to the iPhone 4.
I think he’s right on the money, especially about this:
Though, honestly, Apple doesn’t really give a shit if you are aggrieved.
What a Shocker: Woz Has Fake White iPhone 4
Mark Gurman at 9 to 5 Mac is reporting that the white iPhone 4 Woz showed off in a video with CNN is a fake. Here is what Woz wrote to an inquisitive 9 to 5 Mac reader:
This Chinese teen sold the white parts on the internet. I got in early (although the kid had already made $130K) and got my front and back plates and modified my iPhone 4.