At a recent security conference, Google engineers discussed the security features of the upcoming Chrome OS for netbooks. All Google Netbook products will ship with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to offer strong hardware-level security, which is one of the same technologies used on ThinkPads.
Along with a standard TPM on all models, Google plans to release a version for businesses that would have additional management functionality, likely along with other features, that enterprise customers require for their machines.
I can’t say I see much value for enterprises in adopting Chrome OS netbooks for a large group. A traditional user base requires far more capabilities in their PC than Chrome OS would offer, but there could be a very specific use case for such a machine somewhere.
The pre-release builds of Google’s Chrome OS have recently been updated with support for NVIDIA’s Ion platform found in certain netbooks, including the Lenovo IdeaPad S12
An ambitious individual who goes by the name of Hexxeh has been compiling the open source operating system since it was released and offering additional tweaks & hardware support where he could. This latest version released by Hexxeh brings graphics acceleration support to the powerful, if not terribly common, NVIDIA Ion platform.
Only a handful of netbooks use NVIDIA Ion, although Lenovo’s 12-inch IdeaPad S12 netbook does have an Ion version available. With a Windows OS, it makes netbooks capable of playing modern 3D games and watching HD video. Adobe is also going to release a version of Flash that takes advantage of NVIDIA graphics acceleration to reduce the strain on CPU’s, making any form of NVIDIA graphics a boon for netbook owners.
Chrome OS is an operating system from Google that is designed around the web browser, with limited capabilities to run traditional applications. Instead, Chrome OS focuses on improving one’s web browsing experience and thus relies on you utilizing cloud-based services, like Google Docs or an online image editor rather than MS Office or Photoshop.
Thursday sure has been busy. Two substantial Lenovo leaks and the Google announcement around Chrome OS – all in all rather exciting I do say.
As I mentioned previously, I’d bring you a highlight of the coverage around the web as a one-stop shop to get to all the good stuff, if you haven’t seen it already. I also gathered in some screenshots and videos for you to enjoy here, before you head out across the intarwebs. Enjoy
It turns out that the supposed Chrome OS announcement this week is actually a show-and-tell event being held at Google’s headquarters.
At this special event Google will share some technical information, show off some demos and give a “complete overview” of Chrome OS. Google did clarify that the OS will launch next year, so the chances of seeing it in a device by CES are pretty much nil. RIP Lenovo Tegra-Chrome OS smartbook.
Once all the pundit posts and resources are live tomorrow, I’ll collect them in post here for you all.
TechCrunch is shouting to the heavens that Google’s Chrome OS will be available for download within a week. This gives me some hope for Chrome OS on Lenovo’s smartbook. [By the way, I added a picture to the Lenovo smartbook post]
Google originally said that devices featuring Chrome OS would be available in the latter half of 2010, so an early public release in late 2009 sounds reasonable. The big thing lacking in this release will likely be drivers, so your hardware may not work so well. I do have an IdeaPad S10-2 still sitting around here, if Chrome OS does break I will give it a run on the S10-2.
Chrome OS itself aside, this does give me a little hope that it will be featured on Lenovo’s forthcoming smartbook. If a public version of Chrome OS is breaking soon and Lenovo doesn’t announce their smartbook at CES, then an early 2010 launch of both the smartbook and Chrome OS sounds feasible. My fragile emotions are guarded, but hopeful. Don’t hurt me, Lenovo and Google.
In a recent interview with EE Times, Lenovo “master inventor” Howard Locker discussed his opinions on technologies and confirmed that they will be looking at Google’s Chrome OS.
Amidst discussion of Linux’s failure in mainstream PCs and wireless technology, Locker said Lenovo will be giving Google feedback on Chrome OS, but that “it’s too early to tell because they don’t even have alpha code to test.” This puts a bit of a kink in my plans to get excited over an NVIDIA Tegra/Chrome OS device coming in the next couple quarters.
Maybe the Tegra device will run a new version of Windows CE, or even something as radical as Android. Whatever it will be needs to have a strong focus on web browsing and embedded multimedia capabilities.
Check out the whole article, as Locker has a few interesting points around Linux adoption and wireless technologies.
Our friends at jkOnTheRun recently had a long chat with NVIDIA and have confirmed that they are working closely with Google to support Chrome OS on the Tegra platform.
As a quick catch-up, NVIDIA Tegra is a low power computing technology platform that has “just enough” processing power, but with exceptional multimedia performance and just as impressive power consumption. We’ve reported on rumors before that Lenovo is developing an NVIDIA Tegra based device before, and part of those rumors included Chrome OS as the operating system.
If there was any question this was coming, there isn’t any more. Kevin at jkOnTheRun and I are just brothers from another mother, as he see’s mobile devices just as I have. Netbooks are “dehydrated laptops” (great quote Kevin!) and try to deliver the full computing experience with lesser hardware that adds a lot of compromises to reduce cost and power consumption. Sure netbooks have their place, but they really miss the mark on what a truly low cost, ultraportable secondary computing device should be.
NVIDIA Tegra looks to be an excellent hardware platform for a proper netbook, rather than a “dehydrated laptop.” And Chrome OS might be just the ticket for a lightweight, web-centric, multimedia-friendly operating system. I know I’m excited…
DigiTimes is reporting that Lenovo will be launching a smartbook at the end of September, featuring NVIDIA’s Tegra platform and the Google Chrome OS.
Just two short days ago we brought you word that the rumormill was insisting Lenovo and Acer would launch a mobile device with Tegra and Chrome OS. This makes sense.
As I discussed previously, NVIDIA Tegra is a really cool platform and frankly is what netbooks should have been. Chrome OS makes perfect sense for Tegra, to be truly web-centric with real multimedia capabilities (Try watching HD video on an Atom netbook). What this smartbook will also need is some type of always-on connection, with either the connection or device subsidized by one or the other. Think what Amazon did with the Kindle’s whispernet – downloads books in the background & with zero billing/interaction from the customer. The hardware will also need to be unique and cool, something that Lenovo seems to be doing well with lately.
I’m still a bit skeptical it will hit by end of month, but I’m waiting with bated breath. You know what they say: once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, third time is…
Lilliputing brings us word from Shanzhai.com that Lenovo and Acer will be releasing new mobile devices later this year that run on NVIDIA’s Tegra hardware platform and use the Google Chrome OS.
File this one under “Definitely, but not quite that soon.” Lenovo has been very aggressive this year. Their Idea line of notebooks and desktops has expanded dramatically, including unexpected devices like a home server, HTPC, and several sexy all-in-one’s. The traditionally slow-to-change and relatively conservative ThinkPad line got my beloved T400s, and rumor has it there are more ThinkPad launches to come. A highly progressive machine with NVIDIA’s low-power, multimedia friendly Tegra platform and Google’s web-centric, highly efficient Chrome OS would be right up Lenovo’s ally as of late.
I think the big hold up is Google Chrome OS. Google is not known to rush anything, and they themselves said polished versions would not likely be seen until next year. Add to that the fact most rumors tend to call for a product long before it actually appears, and you have the makings for a Lenovo-designed, Tegra-based, Chrome OS powered notebook.
What will really separate Lenovo from the pack on this beast is a truly innovative design. The desire to maximize margins and go with something low-rent to keep with the hardware and OS will be huge, but that would once again be missing the opportunity. Even if this is a loss leader, it would make a big splash as a well engineered, unique machine. I know my cries are falling on deaf ears, as it is too far along in the design process to change anything, so I will get off my soapbox now.
This really isn’t a surprise, but PC World recently confirmed that Intel and Google are very closely involved on the Chrome OS project. Atom support was a given, with the low cost free aspect of Chrome OS and primarily web-use nature of netbooks. Catch up on Chrome OS in our previous post.
On a semi-unrelated note, am I the only who thinks a Chrome logo on a notebook would look friggin’ sweet?
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DigiTimes is reporting that Lenovo will be launching a smartbook at the end of September, featuring NVIDIA’s Tegra platform and the Google Chrome OS.
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