The End of Personal Computing is Near ...

[nslay]

I guess it's no surprise ... we all heard of ChromeOS by now
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/12/google-microsoft-chromebook-laptop

We're heading back to the 1960s and 70s. Time sharing on steroids.

Let's see if the consumer says NO to the Cloud ... a concept that really amounts to, "everything we already do" anyway. I'm not necessarily opposed to the Cloud, I'm just opposed to extreme applications of it (i.e. such as supplanting local storage).

But, I have a feeling the consumer will trade privacy for cheap/free cool toys and services. These guys are good at buying souls with candy and donuts.

[Blaze]

I think Joe said it best on Twitter:

will I pay $500 for a Chromebook? Probably not. Will I pay $20 to test drive one for a month? Absolutely! Google priced this one right.

I totally won't buy this one outright, but if they're offered as a rental service, I would probably keep one for a year.

[deadly7]

You're so 2011. Personal computing already died because of His Holyness' iPad 1.0 release last year.

[nslay]

You're so 2011. Personal computing already died because of His Holyness' iPad 1.0 release last year.

iPad is not a thin client or dumb terminal.

[deadly7]

iPad is not a thin client or dumb terminal.

I think you missed the blatant sarcasm... I just think all of these "professional analysts" (read: paid shills) that proclaim 'The end of the PC is near!!!!!' every time someone releases a new computer is tiresome.

[dark_drake]

What is this "computer" you speak of?

[Chavo]

1 "Shared resources are too slow; lets use a thick client!"
2 "Distributed resources are painful to manage; lets use a thin client!"
3 goto 1

[nslay]

iPad is not a thin client or dumb terminal.

I think you missed the blatant sarcasm... I just think all of these "professional analysts" (read: paid shills) that proclaim 'The end of the PC is near!!!!!' every time someone releases a new computer is tiresome.

You don't need to be a "professional analyst" to understand the implications of ChromeOS. I'll remind you that ChromeOS is a pure "web OS" that does not use local storage (except for storing the OS itself). It's a "smart" terminal for all practical purposes. If consumers bought into this technology, this would clearly be the end of personal computing.

Highly demanded web OS technology would also have several secondary effects, such as the increased cost of PC hardware (particularly storage).

I have faith that consumers will not buy into this. The Cloud, for all its convenience, isn't well suited to this kind of computing.

[Joe]

I think Joe said it best on Twitter:

will I pay $500 for a Chromebook? Probably not. Will I pay $20 to test drive one for a month? Absolutely! Google priced this one right.

I totally won't buy this one outright, but if they're offered as a rental service, I would probably keep one for a year.

Except, unfortunately, I was wrong. I will not be signing a 3-year contract at $20 a month for a Chromebook. I tweeted that before noticing that you couldn't get one for 1 month.

[nslay]

I think Joe said it best on Twitter:

will I pay $500 for a Chromebook? Probably not. Will I pay $20 to test drive one for a month? Absolutely! Google priced this one right.

I totally won't buy this one outright, but if they're offered as a rental service, I would probably keep one for a year.

Except, unfortunately, I was wrong. I will not be signing a 3-year contract at $20 a month for a Chromebook. I tweeted that before noticing that you couldn't get one for 1 month.

Wow, I didn't realize it was a subscription service. Makes sense if they manage the storage and OS for you.

I wonder how this expense compares with an occasional visit to Geek Squad (which I've heard can be expensive).

[Joe]

I think Joe said it best on Twitter:

will I pay $500 for a Chromebook? Probably not. Will I pay $20 to test drive one for a month? Absolutely! Google priced this one right.

I totally won't buy this one outright, but if they're offered as a rental service, I would probably keep one for a year.

Except, unfortunately, I was wrong. I will not be signing a 3-year contract at $20 a month for a Chromebook. I tweeted that before noticing that you couldn't get one for 1 month.

Wow, I didn't realize it was a subscription service. Makes sense if they manage the storage and OS for you.

I wonder how this expense compares with an occasional visit to Geek Squad (which I've heard can be expensive).

I don't think it is. The lease is to the computer itself. I think the hosting itself is actually freesupported by Google's ad network.

[Blaze]

I'd be interested in a 1 year lease at that price, still. 

[Joe]

No way. The business pricing, $28/mo, puts you at $336 for 1 year. Or, you could just go get a netbook, which can do a whole lot more.

I really think 1-3 month leases are the best option. Obviously GOOG can afford it, and we all know that if a service/device is good, users will stay with it. For example, when my Android died this morning and I got a dumbphone loaner.. *itches*

[Blaze]

I don't to keep the thing forever, since it'll be obsoleted soon enough, and I don't want to drop a ton of money at one time on it.  The reason it's attractive to me is the payment installments.