Google Chrome App Store

[Cunning Plan]

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/

Awesome!

Have fun.

[Cunning Plan]

This is fun.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kdmmkfaghgcicheaimnpffeeekheafkb?hl=en-US#

[FUBAR]

is that actually a store for 'apps' for your web browser...

aren't they just called toolbars / news tickers or even just... websites... and have been about for ages?...

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: FUBAR

aren't they just called toolbars / news tickers or even just... websites... and have been about for ages?...

Its preparation for their Chrome OS which is being launched soon. All Chrome browsers can also use the apps. It's working proof of their 'cloud' computing premise where nothing is actually downloaded, it is all online-based.

Basically, the idea being, you start your computer, you start Chrome, then you won't need anything else, you just have everything online.

It is also the foundations for an official tablet to compete with the iPad.

[FUBAR]

thats fair enough i guess, especially with the tablet computers as that kind of system is perfect for them, I don't really see the benefit for home systems though, surely its easier to have everything there rather than streamed to you all the time.

Quoting: Cunning Plan

It's working proof of their 'cloud' computing premise where nothing is actually downloaded

you still have to download the apps...
they work the same way most online games do, you buy the game / download the installer, set it up then all the multiplayer content is online.

Battlefield BC2 for example.

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: FUBAR

I don't really see the benefit for home systems though, surely its easier to have everything there rather than streamed to you all the time.

The BEST feature of Chrome is that is Syncs your account with other Chromes you login to. So if I use my girlfriend's Macbook, I want to have all of my bookmarks and settings on there without having to set it all up again - with Chrome you can just tell the account to sync, Chrome then downloads everything from Google's servers and you instantly have a carbon copy of your browser. That's the brilliant thing about everything stored by Google and not on the computer.

So, my work iMac, my MacPro, my girlfriends MBP, my laptop etc etc, all have the same settings and bookmarks etc etc. If I don't want a link there anymore, I delete it and it is deleted on all the other 'Chromes' that are synced. Perfect for that 'part' on eBay you found at work that you want to bid on when you get home - just drag it to bookmarks top bar, go home and it is there ready and waiting for you.

Same for documents, I have most stored online, so i can access anywhere on any rig.

Quoting: FUBAR

you still have to download the apps...

What are you downloading? There shouldn't be anything downloaded, it should just run from the 'cloud'. The idea of the Chrome OS experience is that you could potentially run it all from a 10MB harddisk!

[FUBAR]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Perfect for that 'part' on eBay you found at work that you want to bid on when you get home - just drag it to bookmarks top bar, go home and it is there ready and waiting for you.

erm... ebay watch list?...

Quoting: Cunning Plan

The idea of the Chrome OS experience is that you could potentially run it all from a 10MB harddisk!

why would you need to do that when you can fit 32/64/128GB or more & more as time goes on onto a usb key sized device that can easily be incorporated into a mobile phone let alone a tablet pc or literally anything that you have at work/home/car/RV/international space station etc etc??? it just seems pointless to me.

Quoting: Cunning Plan

What are you downloading? There shouldn't be anything downloaded, it should just run from the 'cloud'.

If you have something running & visible on your monitor it has to have got that data from somewhere, whether from your local HDD or streamed/downloaded ad-hoc from cumulonimbus whatever, it is invariably going to be quicker to access that data from a local device rather than having to rely on your internet connection of whatever speed to stream that data to you from somewhere else on the planet.

I just don't see the point, AT ALL to be honest, its just a different way of doing something that has already been working fine for the last 15 years online & via websites & program (not "app") downloads.  Its reinventing the wheel, and TBH I like the round one we've already got.

[FUBAR]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

The BEST feature of Chrome is that is Syncs your account with other Chromes you login to. So if I use my girlfriend's Macbook, I want to have all of my bookmarks and settings on there without having to set it all up again - with Chrome you can just tell the account to sync, Chrome then downloads everything from Google's servers and you instantly have a carbon copy of your browser. That's the brilliant thing about everything stored by Google and not on the computer.

This I can totally see a benefit to, i.e. if i'm round at Dean's / Ian's / Steve's houses etc or whatever I could get all of my settings there & then. but there's no way that at my work they would let me have access to all my porn favourite websites there!! so it still seems like the idea is a gimmick that will fall flat on its face.

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: FUBAR

but there's no way that at my work they would let me have access to all my porn favourite websites there!! so it still seems like the idea is a gimmick that will fall flat on its face.

But that's a restriction imposed by your work, not Google It's a service and a feature that is available, working and unique from Google.

I guess it also depends how and how much you use online services.

Google are the pioneers of the internet and this is yet another set of features and programs that will completely change the way the internet is used and what can be achieved with it. I just thought you guys would be interested learning about and playing with the new ideas.

Point is, don't think so much about your rig as it is now Fubar, I mean there is no way Google could run all of the software you want to and save all the movies, music etc. That is your main rig and you are into customising technology to suit your needs. However, think about another target audience here - the people who just want to get on the net to update Facebook, the older person looking to just do shopping online etc. If they could get a Netbook for just the price of the hardware as no software needs to be installed if it is running Google Chome OS (which would be free), it would be cheaper and suit their requirements.

That target audience wouldn't need a 10000000TB harddisk and 8888000GGGTTT graphics card, they aren't those kind of people, so something that can get on the net, which has the ability to expand through the medium of 'Apps' fills that gap nicely. They could even run the whole lot from a 1GB memory stick or something.

Even I would like a cheap fast Netbook just to check on forums and browse about in bed (yeah yeah ), but I would still need my main 'rig' for work.

What I have linked you all two, is the second-part of the foundations for that infrastructure. The first part being the rest of Google's established services - Google Calendar, Docs, File Storage, Labs, Reader, Gmail and Android.

Here is my Chome screen:



That is potentially all you need on a Netbook. You can customise with backgrounds etc, etc.

All I am saying is, don't be too static in your thinking of the internet and computers. This is great progress from the big G-man.

[Incursus]

Speaking of Google the new Nexus S also looks

http://www.google.com/nexus/#/index

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Incursus

Speaking of Google the new Nexus S also looks  

Yah, wonder how good the camera is though, that is the only function I am not that happy with on the HTC Desire

[Incursus]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Yah, wonder how good the camera is though, that is the only function I am not that happy with on the HTC Desire

Camera is the last thing I look for in a phone tbh.
Doubt they will ever be as good as a dedicated camera.

They only thing I don't like about the Hero's camera is the lack of a "flash" and that's only because it's a useful emergency torch

[philoldsmobile]

Quoting: Incursus

Camera is the last thing I look for in a phone tbh.
Doubt they will ever be as good as a dedicated camera.

they never will be, the lens and cmos sensor is simply too small.

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: philoldsmobile

they never will be, the lens and cmos sensor is simply too small.

Surley only too small by today's technological standards? Perhaps something will be invented that is smaller but can take in even more light and detail..

[Incursus]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Perhaps something will be invented that is smaller but can take in even more light and detail..

Indeed.  After all the human eye is a smaller than most decent, dedicated camera's

[FUBAR]

Quoting: Incursus

After all the human eye is a smaller than most decent, dedicated camera's

so you're recommending an eyephone then...

[FUBAR]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

But that's a restriction imposed by your work, not Google  It's a service and a feature that is available, working and unique from Google

I never said that it wasn't a restriction imposed by my work, and I disagree that this is unique, it seems to be as I've already said a different way of doing something that every computer in the world currently does already hence my 'reinventing the wheel' analagy in my last post.

I have also at no point compared this in any way to my specific PC at home I purposely used general terms to specifically try to avoid the suggestion in your response that i'm looking at this purely from a fairly tech-savvy, High-end Gaming PC user. this is the impression I get from what you posted.

I genuinely do not see any major benefits outside the ipad-style tablet PC market for what google are implementing, and even then its a push because, as I said you can fit massive amounts of storage into small mobile devices already and even a processor capable of playing 3D games as demonstrated on the ipad adverts, with all this already a reality and perfectly accessible on all existing Apple & Microsoft operating systems.

So you get the Chrome OS on a new machine, from any major Manufacturer.

You then chose your web browser (which I assume google will have to offer a choice just like Microsoft now has too because of the Monopolies Commission)

You then decide you want to personalise it a bit, so you download/install the New York Times App, sign in & start browsing their articles.

Then you decide you want to play a Game, you then either stick the disc in or download that program (app?), install it & start playing online.

Meanwhile in the house next door...

Your Neighbour gets Windows 7 on a new machine, from any major Manufacturer.

You then chose your web browser (because Microsoft now has too offer a choice because of the Monopolies Commission)

You then decide you want to personalise it a bit, so you open your web browser & go to New York Times website & add it to your favourites, sign in & start browsing their articles.

Then you decide you want to play a Game, you then either stick the disc in or download that program (app?), install it & start playing online.


How is that new & unique?
Yes I do understand that if you then went to your mates house & logged in or grabbed your tablet PC your NY Times app would automatially appear, and I believe i've already stated I think this is good.

i've now over-run my lunch break...

[Andy]

The thing I don't get about this 'cloud' idea is that you need an internet connection for it to work.

The basis as far as I understand is that Google Servers hold your 'OS' and you effectively are remote operating and using the computer or system as a portal. This is theory is an OK idea, if you have the internet.

Say you have a powercut, straight away, if you have a tower you have no computer fine, but say you have a laptop and you want to work. You wouldn't have any files or programs.

What are the security risks? I don't really care about my Gmail account, as much as my Dad goes on about how they're looking at, but when you're talking documents that could be work based, or other important info, how much of that is secure?

It's a nice idea, but I don't think it's a winner or it'll take off much. I like to have a computer that has what I want on it, by reling on a third party for that information I'd say you're adding just another possible problem or security hack.

[Incursus]

Quoting: FUBAR

so you're recommending an eyephone then..

[FUBAR]

Its the way of the futur(ama) man!...