Samsung on Tuesday released the first Chrome desktop computer that essentially shifts work into Internet “cloud” using a version of the Google Web browser as its operating system.
Staunch Google partner Samsung unveiled Series 3 Chromebox along with a beefed-up Series 5 Chromebook that is the latest in a line of Chrome-powered laptops introduced last year by Google.
“This is the next step in our journey toward an always-new computing experience focused on speed, simplicity and security,” said Google director of product management Caesar Sengupta.
The Series 5 Chromebook with its 12.1-inch (31 centimeter) screen weighs 3.3 pounds (1.48 kilograms) and measures less than an inch (2.5 centimeters) thick.
The Chromebox measures just 7.6 x 7.6 x 1.3-inches (19 x 19 x 3.3 centimeters).
Buyers will need to provide their own monitors, keyboards, and mouse devices.
The new Chromebook and the Chromebox feature dual-core Intel processors, 16--gigabyte solid state drives, and built-in wireless internet connectivity.
“The new Samsung Series 5 Chromebook and Series 3 Chromebox provide the rapid, convenient and ever-improving computing experience that was so well-received in our first Chromebook,” said Samsung marketing vice president Todd Bouman.
The Chromebox was priced at $330 and available at US and British online shops including Amazon.com, NewEgg.com, and BestBuy.com. It was to roll out in additional countries in coming weeks.
The Series 5 Chromebook Wi-Fi model was priced at $450 and a version with 3G telecom data service capabilities was priced at $550.
Google built its Chrome operating into notebook computers in a challenge to software at the heart of Microsoft’s empire.
The computing model shifts operating software into the Internet letting data centers store data and tend to tough tasks.
Shifting operating software to banks of servers on the Internet means that Google tends to matters such as updating programs and fending off hackers and malicious software.
Advantages include quick start-ups from disk-drive free machines, long battery life, and essentially being able to dive into one’s desktop data from anywhere on the Internet.
“With a new, app-centric user interface rolling out today and thousands of available web apps, we couldn’t be more excited about this evolution,” Sengupta said.
“This next-generation hardware from Samsung based on Intel processors and hardware-accelerated software delivers nearly three times the performance of the first-generation Chromebooks.”
Agence France-Presse
Nokia Lumia 610 can't install Angry Birds, Skype and more - Crave
Nokia and Microsoft have run into problems with the new Nokia Lumia 610. While trying to avoid the fragmentation issues faced by Android, Windows Phone has properly shot itself in the foot -- with a catapult and an Angry Bird.
The budget Lumia 610 is the first phone powered by Microsoft's Windows Phone software to arrive with just 256MB of RAM -- and it turns out many Windows Phone apps just won't work on the phone. That includes Angry Birds, the smash-hit game from Nokia's fellow Finns Rovio, and, even worse, Skype -- which is owned by Microsoft. As snafus go, this one is pretty delicious.
Other games that won't install on the Lumia 610 include PES 2012, Plants vs Zombies and Assassin's Creed, offering an error message when you try to download them.
So how did this happen? Originally, Microsoft set exacting standards for the hardware of any phone that wanted to run Windows Phone software, to ensure a high-quality experience. That avoided the fragmentation issues faced by Android -- because Google's software is entirely open, Android phones come in all shapes and sizes, and so apps have to be tested across a bewildering range of screen sizes, processor speeds and even different versions of Android itself.
But as Windows Phone makes up just a fraction of smart phone sales, Microsoft lowered the minimum standards for phones powered by Windows Phone, to allow for cheaper mobiles to entice new customers. Sadly, it appears that in the process Microsoft has walked right into the exact same problem as Android -- and with only a handful of devices on the market rather than thousands.
Still, it's likely to be a temporary problem. Fans of flinging fowl will be glad to hear a version of Angry Birds is on its way for the 610 and other Windows Phones with low memory. Apps continue to work fine on the higher-end likes of the Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 900.
Are you tempted by Windows Phone at a lower price? How much of a cock-up is this for Windows Phone? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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