
Chromebook Pre-Orders Now Available to All - dcawrey
http://www.thechromesource.com/chromebook-pre-orders-now-available-to-all/
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melvinram
At this price, why would I want this instead of iPad? (serious question)

Some possible answers: keyboard, open for hacking on, not locked into App
Store, cloud storage for everything, throw-away and restore on new system
immediately.

Anything else? Am I missing something?

If not, I don't see this being a hit.

 _Keyboard_ \- you can buy keyboard for iPad

 _Open for hacking on_ \- I'd want a real computer to do hacking on.

 _Not locked into App Store_ \- On iPad, you can use the web just as you will
on Chromebook... except on Chromebook, you don't get all the apps that have
already been built.

 _Cloud storage for everything_ & _throw-away and restore on new system
immediately_ \- iCloud?

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Pewpewarrows
The short answer: it's not directed towards you. It became blatantly obviously
during Google IO that they're going after very specific markets: Education and
Business private sector. No IT overhead, constant pushes of the latest
security updates, and free hardware upgrades for as long as the line of
products still exists with a low monthly price per machine. For the small
fraction of use-cases that still need proprietary software there's
virtualization.

They're not going after the home sector here (they have Android phones and
tablets handling that for them nicely). They're going for the throat with
Microsoft's last dominance: schools and businesses. If they can start
upsetting the decades-long lock-in that Microsoft has had in those giant
areas, then Chromebooks have succeeded.

(And before you ask, no the iPad isn't a suitable product for those areas. A
proprietary cloud solution where a business doesn't control their own data is
never going to fly. Also, while mobile Safari has made excellent strides, it's
still not even close to a traditional browser.)

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stcredzero
_Also, while mobile Safari has made excellent strides, it's still not even
close to a traditional browser._

That's not going to last very long.

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Pewpewarrows
Nitro on the iPad 2 is orders of magnitude behind V8 on a netbook with most
every test that I've run. Like I said, it's gotten a lot better in their
latest iterations, but it's still slow as molasses with complex web apps in
comparison.

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fondue
Google: "Security built in Chromebooks run the first operating system designed
from the ground up to defend against the ongoing threat of malware and
viruses. They employ the principle of "defense in depth" to provide multiple
layers of protection, including sandboxing, data encryption and verified
boot."

Thank god Best Buy is selling Anti-Virus with these!

Sarcasm off ... why are these $429+?

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ry0ohki
Seems overpriced by about $200. Competing with Netbooks that can do more and
iPads that can do more and are more stylish...

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dotBen
Weren't Google IO attendees supposed to be getting one of these on/before
launch? I've heard nothing. Anyone else?

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kreneskyp
Google never said when the emails would go out.

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MatthewPhillips
I just ordered mine (opted for the silver Samsung with 3G), here's hoping they
start shipping before the 15th!

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steveh73
"Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S."

Not available to all.

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juiceandjuice
I already have mine.

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sahaj
I got mine a few days ago from Gilt.com

Things I like: Fast. Amazing battery life. Good trackpad. Chrome! Nice
keyboard. Light weight.

Things I don't like: It stutters sometimes with flash objects. Display only
opens at about 130 deg angle. I wish it went further back. The display hinge
closes when it is open at 45 degs and chrombook is out held with screen facing
down. No shortcut to jump to end or beginning of line when typing. Microphone
is not very good - you sound like you are in a tunnel when talking. No way to
change the keyboard repeat rate. No delete key.

Things I wish it had: Magnetic power connector.

I love this little thing. It's extremely fast and the battery lasts longer
than my MacBook (which is going to my parents). It's a pleasure to surf the
web on.

~~~
juiceandjuice
Yeah, the arctic white from Gilt. I haven't got the Rickshaw case yet though,
but I like it for the most part.

I'm playing with it to decided what I want to do with it. I'm probably going
to end up mostly giving it to my parents for my little sister since I feel its
a bit better than Ubuntu in some respects and I don't have to worry about
malware or supporting it.

I've already enabled dev mode on it, which is kind of interesting. Also, there
really needs to be support for archives and zip files and stuff. I downloaded
a zip file of photos expecting to be able to unzip it at least and maybe
upload to Picasa, but couldn't unzip it.

I do want to develop some chrome apps now though, it's nice to have a blank
slate platform and play with something to see what it needs.

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klbarry
I very much like my CR-48, but it is not as much a necessity as a netbook is.

