Why I hate the CR-48 (but might like Chrome OS)

Google's cloud-based operating system seems promising. Too bad the lousy demo hardware gets in the way.

Google's Chrome OS isn't as farfetched as it sounds. The underlying concept, the computer and operating system as portals to content in the cloud, seems like an inevitability, really. While a lot of content still resides on hard or solid state drives, all signs point to a day when we'll rouse a sliver of a laptop from slumber and interact with all our content on remote servers.

Given Google's (GOOG) track record with cloud-based services, who better to make the next step, right?

I thought as much until my own Chrome OS CR-48 netbook arrived in the mail a few weeks ago. At 4 pounds, the CR-48 resembles a black polycarbonate (aka hard plastic) MacBook without the DVD drive. Even cooler is the total lack of a company logo on the thing – way to be anti-establishment, Google – and the inclusion of decals and laptop skins you could decorate it with. All in all, major points on the design. More

Posted in: cloud computing, Google, Google Chrome, Google Chrome OS, Intel Atom, MacBook, Netbook, YouTube

• Can Samsung save GoogleTV with ARM processors?

  ARM may be the only way for GoogleTV to get a foothold in the living room.

  In November, Bloomberg issued a report saying that Samsung was going to be building GoogleTVs (GOOG), likely with Intel (INTC) chips.

  That didn't make sense to me.  Samsung was developing its own high power chips that are almost as fast as the standard Intel Atom processors that are inside GoogleTVs, except they are based on the ARM architecture and are extremely low MORE

  Seth Weintraub - Feb 27, 2011 11:00 AM ET
  Posted in: Apple Inc., Apple TV, ARM architecture, Google, GoogleTV, Intel Atom, Intel Corporation, Samsung Group

• Can your phone also be your laptop? Motorola Atrix tries

  Is the speedy dual-core CPU enough to act as a good netbook as well as a phone?

  A few years ago Palm introduced the idea of using a smartphone as the brains of a netbook with their Foleo product.  The Foleo was a ARM-based netbook (though it actually pre-dated netbooks) that would sync itself with Palm Treos which would then send information to the Internet. At the time, Palm was in MORE

  Seth Weintraub - Jan 5, 2011 11:36 PM ET
  Posted in: Android, AT&T, Intel Atom, Motorola, Netbook, Nvidia, Palm Foleo

• How Intel changed its tune on tablets

  The chip maker was gung-ho when the market looked small and the iPad was predicted to sell just OK. Now that it's booming, Intel says tablets are important, but not that important yet.

  One thing about Intel's strategy when it comes to tablets and its Atom family of mobile processors: it ain't what it used to be.

  Even though Intel (INTC) reported strong third quarter results, analysts have speculated the strength of MORE

  Shelley DuBois, writer-reporter - Oct 22, 2010 2:13 PM ET
  Posted in: Android, Apple, ARM architecture, chips, Hewlett-Packard, Intel Atom, Intel Corporation, iPad, MeeGo, Mobile, Paul Otellini, Personal computer, Steve Jobs, Tablet, Tablet computer, Tablets