Google Chrome OS – Impacts and Expectations
Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last few days, you’ve likely heard that Google is set to release an OS which will be based around similar philosophies as the Chrome browser. So what does that mean?
Well, Google gives some vague ideas of what it might be. It’ll focus on “speed, simplicity, and security” and also says that “most of the user experience will happen on the web.” They say they’ll be building a lightweight window manager on top of the Linux kernel, and that it should get users to the web quickly.
In all likelihood, Chome OS will focus on existing Google products – Gmail, Docs, Calendar, etc. This brings about a few big questions.
1. What’s the point?
No, seriously. Why bother? Since you can access all of these products using any existing standards based browser, why do you need an OS based around a browser? On a netbook, this sounds like it might be great. Since netbooks are typically pretty underpowered, a suite of solid web apps, quick startup and shutdown, and simplicity are certainly nice. Hosting files online like you would with Google Docs would certainly help keep those tiny SSD’s free as well. They also mention that it will work with x86 based chips as well. Which begs the question:
2. Why would you wipe a full OS like Ubuntu, Windows 7, or OS X in favor of Google Chrome?
I love speed and simplicity as much as anyone, but sometimes not at the expense of utility. How many of you would be using Chrome as your browser if not for all those awesome extensions you have in Firefox? With Firefox 3.5, you get almost all of the speed of Chrome, plus a thousand times more utility. The very same can be said about Chrome OS and the other competing OS’s. On a netbook, you might want the simplicity of Chrome OS, but what about on a full size laptop or desktop?
3. How about privacy?
If, as is being speculated, most of your data lives in the cloud (on Google’s servers), how is that going to affect privacy? I mean, Google already does a fair amount of crawling my email, will they be doing the same with personal files? What happens if a court subpoenas my information? Will Google give it to them?
In any case, I hope that Google has some success in the OS market. More competition will breed innovation from other OS makers. I think Windows 7 is shaping up to be pretty good, but I sincerely doubt it would have been what it is now if not for Apple gaining market share with OS X, and options like Ubuntu becoming a more viable alternative every day.
I also have pretty high hopes for Chrome OS considering how many other Google products I use regularly and love. I’d argue that GMail change the way a lot of people think about email, and I hope they do the same with Operating Systems.
Mobile Keyboards
Over at Daring Fireball, John wrote a post talking about mobile keyboards. The battle about mobile keyboards seems to almost reach the veracity of some other famous duels: Windows vs OS X, Ford vs Chevrolet, hamburgers or hot dogs, etc. I expect that my opinion of the subject will certainly not unite anyone into a harmonious chorus of kumbaya and push mobile phone manufacturers into my way of thinking, but here it is:
Software keyboards* are better. “Seriously?” you ask. Yes. Even better than the treo? Yes. Blackberry? The Pre? Yes. “Shill! Fanboy!” I here you call. Nope, I just think that the software keyboard works much better in the mobile space. Alright then, to the asterisk.
*Software keyboards can be better. They are not always. Just take a look at pretty much every phone aside from the iPhone. If you are one of those poor bastards that picked up a Samsung Instinct, one of the dozen knock offs released after the iPhone, or even the Blackberry Storm, I’m sorry. You are probably reading this and cursing at your screen. “Better?! You call this better?! The only key on this thing I can find is the damn backspace key because I use it more than any of the others.” No, I don’t. Those keyboards suck. Hard. I’ve had the pleasure of using a variety of those phones, and if I were stuck with one for my day-to-day, I’d probably stick the voice calls only. I’m sure right now you are furiously tapping out “fjijkng idot”.
No, mostly I am just talking about the iPhone. The iPhone gets a lot of things right (even while it screws up plenty of other things), and the keyboard is one of them, if you trust it. My wife hates typing anything on my iPhone because she doesn’t trust it. She focuses on tapping out each individual letter, which sacrifices a lot of speed. And I think this is why a lot of people hate it.
I was a somewhat early adopter of the iPhone, and as such, a lot of my friends wanted to play with it. Some of them “got it” with the keyboard, and some didn’t. Plenty guffawed after incorrectly hitting a few letters. What they didn’t realize, though, is that you don’t have to hit the right letters every time. The iPhone’s predictive text and auto-correct capabilities are why I love the thing.
Some examples. On the Apple’s iPhone keyboard page, they illustrate pretty well how the auto-correct works. Say you type “ouizza”. The iPhone realizes you meant “pizza” and if you don’t cancel the auto-correct, hitting space will change it the the right word. This is one of the reasons why after my first week with the iPhone, my Treo was left in the dust.
The second complaint about the iPhone keyboard is usually how small the keys are. But again, the iPhone has thought of that as well. Say you type the word “type”. As you are typing, the iPhone will start enlarging the targets for each letter invisibly. After you type “typ” the iPhone will enlarge the area around the ‘e’, since there aren’t any common words spelled “typr”, “typw” and so on.
Those two features make the iPhone much more usable for me. Of course, it is still ultimately a matter of preference. I’m sure your dad will tell you that those new-fangled software keyboards aren’t for him, just like the last good Mustang Ford made was the ‘67. While I prefer the feel of a solid Blackberry keyboard, I’m confident that even with practice I wouldn’t be able to type as fast on a hardware keyboard as I can on the iPhone.
Of course, the touch screen on the iPhone is also one of the things that I hate about it. Not because of how it works on the iPhone, but because now everyone seems to think that touch screens are better. Alas, that is another discussion.
An idea for DVD clutter
Go from this:
To this:
This method is pretty simple. I picked up the boxes at Walmart for about $7 each, and then a hundred paper sleeves for about $6. The total project cost me about $23 and houses around 120 DVDs (with room for at least 80 more.) I opted to do it this way because the boxes can actually make nice display pieces, DVDs can be easily lent, and I can alphabetize. Also, a bit cheaper than most of the 200 sleeve DVD books I found. I also labeled each paper sleeve to help sort easily. If you’ve got a good idea, share it in the comments.
We Get to Come Home!
Finally! Everything looks good with Jackson so we are being discharged in an hour or two. See you all soon.
Homecoming (I Hope)
Well, it looks as if we will get to return home soon. Jackson is back in the room with us at the moment, and if his breathing stays good, we should be able to leave sometime in the next couple of days. Ashley is doing very well. She’s now up and walking around, and she could probably actually be discharged anytime.
And here’s a picture:
Jackson and Mom
World, Meet Jackson Rhys Smith
Alright, so in just a few hours, my son will be born. Look to this post for updates over the course of the day with links to videos and pictures! Updates Below, Keep scrolling!.
Update: Thursday Evening:
He’s a big boy. 10lbs, 14 oz and 22.75″ long. Happy and healthy 
Update: Friday morning.
So the little guy is having a bit of trouble with rapid breathing and temperature. He’s been breathing a little too quickly, and his temp is stuck at around 100. Because of this, they’re (doctors) putting him on IV antibiotics to prevent any infection (which this could be a sign of), so he’ll be stuck in the nursery. Sorry prospective visitors.
However, he’s in very good shape, and his numbers have already improved since this morning. The antibiotics take about 48 hours to fully work though, so he’s there for the next two days. The nurses and doctors stressed with us that we shouldn’t worry, and this kind of thing can be fairly common with c-section babies. This is very much a “preventative” rather than a “reactive”.
More later. In the meantime, enjoy a picture of the little guy.
Jackson with an IV 
Note: IV’s look scary, but he’s totally comfortable and doing well. Apparently, he likes the heater they have on him so that’s why he’s sitting all open like. They were going to move him to a regular bed, but I guess he’s really comfortable
Update: Friday Afternoon:
He’s doing pretty well. Should be back in the room with us soon. Numbers are back just about where they should be.
Update: Friday Night:
Pictures!
For more, visit Flickr.
Jackson with Mom
Bath Time!
Wink 
Dad, Elly, and Jackson
Grandma and Jackson
Elly, meet your new Brother!
Jackson and Dad
Jackson, meet Mom
Jackson’s First Bath
