Posted on 01/03/2006 1:24:28 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Speculation is mounting that Google will this week unveil a no-frills personal computer costing as little as $200
Dominic Timms
Tuesday January 3, 2006
Speculation is mounting that Page will use a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Friday to unveil details of a low-cost computer or internet-enabled device that will run on a new operating system developed by Google.
Because the device - similar in concept to the Mac Mini unveiled last year by Apple's Steve Jobs - doesn't use Microsoft's Windows, it could cost as little as $200.
Despite its low price it would enable users to collect and store internet-delivered content such as films, music and photos then show it on TV.
According to the LA Times, Google will announce details of the new device at CES, where it could also unveil its partnership with Wal Mart to sell the machines.
The report follows comments made by US analysts just before Christmas, suggesting Google would expand into hardware.
In a briefing note, Bear Stearns analyst Robert Peck said the US online giant would launch Google Cubes - simple network-based boxes that could link and control home entertainment, computer and automation systems.
"In fact, Google could over time become more of a hardware company than anything else," Mr Peck said.
The idea of network computing - where dumb terminals connect to a network pulling down applications where necessary - has been around since the early days of the PC, .......
(Excerpt) Read more at media.guardian.co.uk ...
Google OS? What for?
Explains today's jump.
For their new web device....
Thin clients anyone? Be funny if it turns out to be a Sun Sunray on a diet. Thin clients are made for Internet terminals and on line storage.
Sounds like a 2nd generation WebTV for DUmmies.
They're going to invent WebTV again?
Yeah, they're gonna be dead ducks with a GOOSE..........
Google at $600
Commentary: Today it's really cheap or really expensive
The OS could be good though - especially if they could find a way for it to be able to run windows programs (perhaps in a way similar to how Unix-based emulators have had mixed results with. Yeah, it isn't likely, I know). Their applications (Google Earth, Google Desktop, Picasa, etc) have been fairly impressive so far (Picasa less so).
Google already gives you a GB of space for gmail, flickr allows you to store photos on line.
Why is this appealing, I have a friend who spent months copying all their photos to a PC that failed, PS went poof taking the whole box with it. All his work, cost and cataloging gone in a flash. Yeah I know he should have backed it up, but who really does this. Much easier to let the on line provider do the grunt work. Same with viruses and other exploits.
Yes, that's true. However, the online providers are going to have to vastly improve security and privacy before we reach the stage where most people will trust them with personal data.
Hardware is getting incredibily inexpensive....it's hard to see what can happen cause we are all blinded by our PC view of computing....but they may be on to something....putting up with the Malware that Windows has attracted....is getting to be a real pain....
Gee, the thought of those two little wannabe socialists making another $Billion just makes me giddy. Watch for Larry and Sergey to become the next Soros for the DNC. If I were them, I would be thinking about how to prevent Microsoft from taking over their business by just creating an identical search engine like they did to Netscape, Wordperfect, Lotus, etc,etc,etc. Its not as though advertisers are getting a better bang for their buck paying Google instead of Yahoo or AOL.
Those el cheapo PC's suck.
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