Hasta La Gadget!

You might have heard Google’s Chrome OS will live entirely in the cloud, and that devices running the web-based platform will automatically back up your data on remote servers. You might think it will keep your private details safe — as safe as anything else you trust Google to store, that is. But had you ever considered what the cloud meant for the hardware running it? CEO Eric Schmidt has. This week, he told the Atmosphere Cloud Computing Summit that Chrome OS devices will be “completely disposable” at netbook-esque price points of between $300 and $400. That’s pocket change for a large IT department perhaps, but we can’t imagine tossing even the cheapest Eee PC in our dustbin. How about subsidized, though? Asked whether Google might give away devices on contract, Schmidt said “Sure,” adding afterwards only that his company doesn’t see itself selling the data plans. We wonder what that means for the thousands of enthusiastic towns now praying for Google fiber. Hear Google’s CEO for yourself after the break; info in question begins 13:33.

Continue reading Schmidt says Chrome OS devices will be ‘disposable,’ priced like netbooks

Schmidt says Chrome OS devices will be ‘disposable,’ priced like netbooks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week Adobe released version 5 of its Creative Suite software compilation. CEO Shantanu Narayen has naturally hit the interview trail to promote his company’s wares, but the biggest news from him is actually a delay of sorts. We’d previously heard that Android, WebOS and BlackBerry versions of Flash 10.1 would be available in the first half of 2010, but Adobe’s chief now places delivery to those platforms in the second half of the year. At least consolation may be found in his teasing of new Flash-enabled tablets — most likely to be running Android or Chrome OS — which we’re told to expect to see within the same time frame. As to the question of Apple’s holdout from Flash nirvana, Narayen describes it as a business rather than technology decision, which “hurts consumers” and will ultimately be judged by people voting “for the experience that they want through their wallet.” Can’t really argue with that. Skip past the break for the full interview.

Update: The blog of Adobe’s Lee Brimelow gives us a likely reason for the delay: Flash Player 10.1 for Android has just entered private beta, as has AIR 2.0, with public betas on the way. Devs can sign up to be notified about both right here.

Continue reading Adobe CEO: Flash coming to Android, WebOS and BlackBerry ‘smartphones and tablets’ in 2H 2010

Adobe CEO: Flash coming to Android, WebOS and BlackBerry ‘smartphones and tablets’ in 2H 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 06:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad he was quick to shake his finger in the nose of the other devices out there attempting to fill the gap between cell phone and full-sized laptop, and in particular those market-dominating netbooks. In Apple’s opinion, the iPad may be the gadget for surfing the web, watching movies, reading books and running apps, but it’s surely not the only game in town. And if you aren’t sold on the iPad, but happen to be someone who’s looking to buy a secondary computing device to use while traveling or while simply lying on the couch, your choices at the moment come down to netbooks and… well, more netbooks. And that’s not such a bad thing, especially if you need a feature Apple’s tablet can’t offer, like multitasking, a keyboard, or Flash support. So, before you get up on Saturday morning and run off to purchase that iPad, you may want to peruse the best current (as well as coming) alternatives we’ve rounded up after the break.

Continue reading iPass? The best present and future alternatives to the Apple iPad

iPass? The best present and future alternatives to the Apple iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If Apple had its way, we expect that the iPad would go down in history as the device that nearly single-handedly destroyed Adobe’s empire of Flash. While HTML5 has been in development for years, content providers like the Wall Street Journal, NPR, CBS and more have only begun transitioning video services to the new standard (and subsequently, away from Flash) now that it’s time for Cupertino’s big release. But this week, Adobe has found an ally in Google, which has just announced that the Chrome browser — and more importantly, Chrome OS — will not merely support but natively integrate the technology. In the short run, what this means is that the Chrome browser won’t require you to download Adobe Flash Player or spend time updating it before back-to-back YouTube viewings and marathon Newgrounds sessions. In the long run, Google explains that it intends Flash to become an integral, seamless part of web design up there with HTML and Javascript — and if we extrapolate, an integral part of its new Chrome OS as well. Pardon us for thinking out loud, but it sounds like Google’s found an exclusive feature to highly tout, when it inevitably brings a Chrome OS tablet to market.

[Thanks, Adam]

Chrome brings Flash Player into the fold, trains it to kill iPads? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While the verdict is still out with regard to consumer appetites for a 3rd portable computing device, PC makers are betting the farm on consumer interest in tablets that fill the gap between small-screened smartphones and bulky (by comparison) netbooks/laptops. We’ve already seen an uptick in tablet devices on display at the big CES and CeBIT trade shows, now tablet and MID device vendors look ready to blow out Computex when it kicks off on June 1st in Taipei. According to Roy Chen, ARM’s ODM manager for worldwide mobile computing, more than 50 ARM-based tablet PCs will launch in 2010 starting in Q2 with “a lot more” landing in the third quarter — a date that just happens to line-up with the most optimistic Chrome OS launch schedule. ARM’s seeing so much interest that it had to rent additional floor space to show off the devices. Chen said that many of the tablets are slated for China although all of the world’s top 10 carriers have signed up as well. ARM was showing off two Android based tablets at the press event, including the 7-inch Compal device (pictured above) we gave a whirl at CES. Let’s just hope that tablet makers have plans for some compelling content and service hook-ups with a focus on the user experience — 50 near-identical slabs of touchscreen computing won’t generate much enthusiasm around here.

Over 50 ARM-based tablets launching this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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