For years all you could buy at Best Buy was Wintel for personal computing. Now, there’s Android/Linux and Chrome OS, both Linux operating systems and owing nothing to M$.
“The company is now doubling the number of stores selling the device in the U.S. with more than 1,000 Best Buy stores selling the device over the next couple of weeks, Sengupta said. In October, about 500 Best Buy stores were offering the laptop.”
see Google Chromebook rolling out in more countries.
Here are two offered by BestBuy.ca:
Remember the GNU/Linux netbook? Notice that M$ has no way to kill the Chromebook… How the world of IT changes in just a few years. Acer reports 5% of US sales by Acer are Chromebooks…
17522
12798
207
3
2
23982 
11887 
11739 
4655 
4286 
1641 
198 
14 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Been pushing these for a year, cheaper then thin clients.
You can also login to M$ terminal servers useing a particular app.
Finally! Let’s hope this trend continues. I am also looking forward to a day when Chromebooks are able to run Android apps. That will be a BIG step forward.
Yes, the Google tax — invasion of your privacy (people won’t by default replace Chrome OS) — is infinitely better.
Also: makers pay Microsoft licensing fees for many, many Android (please stop with your Android/Linux misnomer) devices.
This is how Android started. “Yes, the Google tax…” Get a life Trollrog.
Balrog, forgets that all internet traffic is intercepted and recorded these days. Look up Camp Williams, NSA and William Binney.
Regardless of what OS, browser or device you are using, your data is being archived for later reetrieval.
Regarding, Android paying M$, it was cheaper to pay the extortion fee then fight. Heaven forbid, M$ loses market share ro actually produces something useful.
“both Linux operating systems and owing nothing to M$.”
You still have to pay something to MS. You pay a mafia “protection” fee.
So what? That means I should to give up my private data willingly to Google because the internet is a surveillance state? Curious, a proponent of free software taking such a stance.
Ah, bloody typos. Pogson, let us edit comments.
So what? That means I should
togive up my private data willingly to Google because the internet is a surveillance state? Curious, a proponent of free software taking such a stance.“Remember the GNU/Linux netbook? Notice that M$ has no way to kill the Chromebook…”
Why not? They can do it just the same way. What do you think Windows RT was for? It doesn’t matter if it’s a giant flop itself, it’s just a tool to force oem’s to either make compatible devices, or not make alternatives.
Interestingly they finally released them over here, but at a 100$ markup, they can go take a jump.
notzed the new samsung chromebook is arm running a google chrome os embedded controller for power management.
Der Balrog get this point we are Linux people. We care more about the pave over factor. Chromebooks have complete pave over if we want to. Right down to replacing the google made and developed firmwares.
So we can opt out of a surveillance state. Exactly how do you de surveillance something like Windows RT Der Balrog.
Remember to 100 percent de surveillance you must be able to take control of the update servers.
Der Balrog exactly why do think that the NSA or CIA could not walk into Microsoft head office and get Microsoft signing keys to allow them to install what ever they like on your computer.
Yes Linux people know chrome os devices have this risk as well. Google does provide the instructions and means to change the signing key of the hardware to one that only owns to you. So only things you approve can run.
Chrome OS devices are far more able to be secured if you need them to be than Windows RT and possible a lot of Windows 8 computers.
Ok do I call Chrome OS devices ideal. No I do not.
But when you have lemons make lemonade out of the best of them.
Der Balrog there is basically nothing on the market that passes a full security review with flying colours. Chrome OS does the best out of a bad bunch.
Start of the list is.
1) can I audit all of the fireware in this device. Chrome OS is No but its a higher percentage than any other device on the market.
2) default state of firmware. Default state of chrome os device firmware is read only unless you open case and move a few jumpers. Default state of all Windows 8 PCand Windows 8 RT devices is firewares are read-write from software. So All Windows 8 RT devices are infect-able by what are called forever viruses. (ones that live in the firmware).
3) Can I change the OS software completely leaving behind nothing of the prior OS. Chrome OS device yes. Lot of Windows 8 PC yes. Windows 8 RT devices no.
4) Full control of update system. Chrome OS out box no. Windows 8 out box no. Windows RT out box no.
5) Is storage local provided. All 3 are yes. That right with Chrome OS you can still use local storage and what ever in there never be sent to cloud.
6) full control over login and location tracking. Windows RT and Chrome OS no. Windows 8 PC with its default in direction of cloud login no if you don’t watch what you are doing.
Der Balrog result buy a chromebook and switch the firmware with your own and run a Linux if you are really worried about privacy.
Chrome books invasion of your privacy is the same as a Windows RT device and a Windows 8 PC if you set it up the default way.
So all your surveillance state stuff Der Balrog is a storm in a tea cup arguement problem is Chrome OS, Windows 8 and Windows 8 RT are in the same tea cup suffering the same issues with the Linux Tux of normal distributions holding it laughing at everyone stupidity for being in there.
Default install GNU/Linux distrobutions logins don’t dial home.
http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/the-hidden-danger-of-windows-8-microsoft-accounts-191185
Yes the lets convince you to login with a email address makes Windows 8 the same as using Chrome OS.
Der Balrog step back do your homework. The surveillance state is also a reason not to touch anything Windows 8 with a 10 foot barge pole.
Chrome OS has improved over time same with Chrome OS hardware. Early versions did not have local storage at all and more of the firmware was closed with ChromeOS devices. The current versions local storage is back without auto sync to cloud. login is still cloud based. One more step and Chrome OS could be quite decent from a security point of view.
The extra step chrome os require from a secuirty point of view is 1 of the following.
1) allow no cloud based logins.
2) allow user to set login provider to there own servers and possible cloud storage integration to own servers.
Either fix chromeos secuirty issues from surveillance state problems. Both would be super perfect.
Microsoft is going the other direction. More and more integrated with the surveillance state over time.
Der Balrog at least with Chrome OS devices I have a bail out option if I need it. Windows RT devices are complete crap in this regard. If you need to bail out of Windows RT due to some security reason you cannot. Windows 8 PC the bail out is made insanely hard.
Chrome OS flipped into developer mode also does not sync to cloud at all. Modern chromebooks this can be done by starting up with the correct keystrokes pressed when you leave that most chrome-book OS destroys all stored files in the device.
You have a surveillance state problem and you need to walk without leaving foot prints. Chromebooks are ideal.