New Chrome OS Tablet Video Churns Rumor Mill
Another quarter, another Chrome Operating System tablet rumor begans to build. Since the introduction of Chrome OS two summers ago, the search engine has been fond of posting mock drawings, UI designs and videos in its Chromium open source code Website showing Chrome OS running in a tablet. I noted in April that CNET discovered changes in Chrome and Chrome OS source code that point to the progress of a Chrome OS slate. Here is the latest clip, albeit from a non-Googler Web developer named François Beaufort, who posted via Google+:
I may have been bullish on Chrome OS tablets in the past, if only because I like to see Google push the envelope. But having used Android tablets - I own a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and have tested the HTC Evo View 4G, Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom and Toshiba Thrive -- they all sync in the cloud. What will a Chrome tablet offer me the Honeycomb tablets can't? There are two more key reasons I'm not so keen on Chrome OS tablets. Ready? First, Apple's iPad has humbled Android "Honeycomb" tablets, which everyone knows is Google's software design. Does anyone know anyone putside Googlers and Silicon Valley who has purchased -- not received at Google I/O -- an Android tablet and not returned it? Right. So the Android brand for tablets, unlike its massive share for smartphones worldwide -- Gartner shows 43.4 percent -- is tainted and weak. Second, and this is clearly a premature judgment -- outside Googlers, Silicon Valley and Google I/O attendees who received a Chromebook free, does anyone know anyone who has purchased a Samsung or Acer Chromebook? Right. So let's not get giddy about a Chrome OS tablet -- for all intents and purposes a hybrid of the two elemtns described above. It's clear to me Google would be unwise to bring to market when Android tablets and Chromebook have yet to take flight in the market. Disagree? Discuss below and/or in Google+ if you prefer. |

Comments (2)
Heres the thing. Google is a search company and anything they devloped so far outside of that has been a dismal failure by most reasonable standards.
I dont know anyone including Google employees who finds value in Goole Chrome. The number of people they say have downloaded Chrome as a Search Engine is 90% less than what they claaim because 90% of the people who downloaded Chrome did it by being fooled into downloading it while they were downloading some other update or software program.
Anti trust is making that part of their case.
Posted by Ira Rothstein | August 15, 2011 9:55 AM
The OS was only released in the spring. Prior to that the tables were running on phone software. So I think we see a similar growth trend as we did with Phones IF the can overcome some of the basic missing features such as:
offline mode
security
inconsistent chrome experience to normal Chrome.
I hear 20% share (correct me there) and was astounded by how well they had done in such a short time. I would have expected 5% especially as Google have a tradition of releasing products half baked - improving via customer feedback. This isn't Apple - but apple isn't free. It's for everyone that can't afford premium goods.
As far as Googles failures
Google docs
Google maps
Google calendar
Gmail
Google earth
Google+
Pretty much anything you need to get the job done. The rest can be done with free 3rd party apps from the web store.
Posted by Martin Lake | August 22, 2011 1:16 PM