Google to 'launch own PC'

[MarineCorps]

Google is planning to provide an own-brand Windows-less PC and sell the low-cost system through a partnership with retail giant Wal-Mart. The machine and/or the sales deal could be announced as early as this coming Friday.

So claims the Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed sources. Whether they've seen the text of Google co-founder Larry Page's Consumer Electronics Show keynote, which he'll make in Las Vegas on Friday, isn't clear, but it's suggested that the talk will cover the new box.
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As the paper notes, analysts from investment house Bear Stearns last month claimed Google was preparing a box capable of shuffling digital Internet-sourced media content around the home across local wireless or wired networks.

Crucially, the rig is said to be based on Google's own operating system - most likely Linux in Google clothing - rather than Windows.

Yes, that old chestnut. But while it has been often claimed in the past that Google wants to get into the OS business, there's been no compelling reason given why this would be a good idea. Google's strengths are internet advertising - which is were its money comes from - and its search engine brand. Whether the latter is strong enough to translate into a very different arena - computer hardware - is open to question. Beyond any licensing fee it makes from its manufacturing partner, what's the gain?

Pissing off Microsoft? It might, but releasing a Google OS is a very long way from displacing the Beast of Redmond from its PC throne, particularly in the desktop segment. Apple hasn't done it and Linux hasn't done, and both have had many years to try. Google wouldn't exactly be short of competition on the hardware side either.

The idea of a low-cost, consumer-oriented information processing system isn't unattractive, but it's been tried before and largely failed. In part, that's because the offerings didn't have a backer of the wealth of Google behind it, but unless the vendor seriously limits what the thing can do, sooner or later the support calls start flooding in and the cost of helping non-technical buyers install new software and updates start mounting. All this just to get a few more ads in front of a few more eyeballs, which is the motivation Google is perceived to have behind launching its own PC? ®

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/03/google_pc_claim/

Cool!

 

[dragokatzov]

well, thats an interesting development. I always thought google was going to come out with its own OS, but not for a few years

 

[Speedo]

Crucially, the rig is said to be based on Google's own operating system - most likely Linux in Google clothing - rather than Windows.

That will probably cause it to ultimately fail, IMO.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Didn't they try this at Walmart already with Lindows?

 

[The Person]

Next time they'll make their own office suite.

 

[Abaddon]

it will fail- familys buy pcs for their kids to play games primarily- it needs to be on windows

 

[MarineCorps]

That will probably cause it to ultimately fail, IMO.

Well I doubt M$ would give/allow google it's own version of XP. Not to mention google's pro open source.

 

[Padma]

Unfortunately, what slozenger says is true: families often buy computers so the kids can play games. And the *name* games are on Windows. (But some companies are starting to work with Linux, too, and offer Linux-native versions, or quick patches to enable Linux users to run them. )

 

[MarineCorps]

Unfortunately, what slozenger says is true: families often buy computers so the kids can play games. And the *name* games are on Windows. (But some companies are starting to work with Linux, too, and offer Linux-native versions, or quick patches to enable Linux users to run them. )

Yeah. I myself am wondering weather to buy it. If it was a windows machine I would buy it np, but it's lunix which means I hesitate.

 

[Padma]

Well, since it's not a Windows machine, I would consider it, except I don't buy PCs. I buy parts, and make my own.

 

[MarineCorps]

Well, since it's not a Windows machine, I would consider it, except I don't buy PCs. I buy parts, and make my own.

Yeah. But I bet you can't build a Google machine.

 

[Maniacal]

But do we really need more cheap (crappy?) computers on the market?

 

[Speedo]

Unfortunately, what slozenger says is true: families often buy computers so the kids can play games. And the *name* games are on Windows.

I think there's more to it than just that. Anyone who uses their comp for more than the basics is probably going to have at least a couple of pieces of software that they've purchased, and probably won't like the idea of having to purchase something different, jump through hoops to get it working (ie, do more than click "setup") or learn a new piece of software.

I think even those who don't would simply balk at the idea of it not being windows. Never mind that, for the most part, the basics in Windows and Linux are very similar.

I think I've used the analogy before, but IMO getting people to switch to linux is like trying to get them to switch to a new language...
I mean, honestly (not trying to sound arrogant) I am probably more knowledgeable about computers than 98% of the world, but even I can't do much beyond the basics in Linux without breaking out the help files, because it's been years since I've really used it.

 

[Abaddon]

Windoze really does have a stranglehold. But then again, i am perfectly happy with it because like many i am ignorant to what linux offers me. I am curious.. but not enough to try it myself.

 

[Padma]

I think there's more to it than just that. Anyone who uses their comp for more than the basics is probably going to have at least a couple of pieces of software that they've purchased, and probably won't like the idea of having to purchase something different, jump through hoops to get it working (ie, do more than click "setup") or learn a new piece of software.

I agree that many people have already purchased Windows software to do the things they need, and are loth to "waste" that purchase. OTOH, in Linux the concept of purchasing software is almost

As for "do more that click 'setup'", how about this: Let's say I want to install genealogy software on my PC. I open the Control Center, click the "Install new software" button. Once it has loaded the list of available software, I type "genealogy" in the search box. I examine the results, and decide that "Gramps" looks like it does what I want. I select it from the list, and click the "Install" button. A few minutes later (depending on the size of the program) it's installed and ready to run from the menu. Voila! Select what you want from a list, and click "Install". What could be easier?

I think even those who don't would simply balk at the idea of it not being windows. Never mind that, for the most part, the basics in Windows and Linux are very similar.

As far as the dektop itself goes, they *are* very similar. Except that, IMHO, the Linux Desktop Environments (and Window Managers) are better. They do things now that I can't do in Windows, unless I buy some 3rd party app, which still may not do what I want. And if you don't like KDE, you can use Gnome, or XFCE, or Fluxbox, or IceWM, or ....

I think I've used the analogy before, but IMO getting people to switch to linux is like trying to get them to switch to a new language...
I mean, honestly (not trying to sound arrogant) I am probably more knowledgeable about computers than 98% of the world, but even I can't do much beyond the basics in Linux without breaking out the help files, because it's been years since I've really used it.

I have to admit, most people don't like change. When they are force-fed Windows on every computer they buy, of course they learn to accept that, and decide it's "easy" because they have spent years learning the ways to make it do what they want.

But, IIRC, studies have shown that the average computer is not even used by "Junior" to play games, but by "Mom and Dad" to browse the web, read email, and do "light office" work, e.g., write a letter to Aunt Harriet. If you give them a PC with Linux pre-installed (especially one of the more "newbie-friendly" distros, e.g., Mandrake, or Suse), they won't have any real problem. There on the task bar (and/or as an icon on the window) is a button for Firefox. (All but computer illiterates know of Firefox by know. ) There's one for KMail (which works very much like Outlook/OutlookExpress, but without the virus/trojan problems). Open the "start" menu, and there's a bunch of office applications, like OpenOffice Writer, which is 90+% compatible with MSWord (you have to do some pretty fancy stuff in Word to confuse OOo). Let them play with it for a few hours, and they can be as productive as they ever were in Windows.

But I'm not trying to convert the whole world to Linux. IMO, if you're happy with Windows, more power to you. But for those who *aren't* happy, I want them to know that there *are* alternatives. And you don't have to be a geek to use them.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

But, IIRC, studies have shown that the average computer is not even used by "Junior" to play games, but by "Mom and Dad" to browse the web, read email, and do "light office" work, e.g., write a letter to Aunt Harriet. If you give them a PC with Linux pre-installed (especially one of the more "newbie-friendly" distros, e.g., Mandrake, or Suse), they won't have any real problem. There on the task bar (and/or as an icon on the window) is a button for Firefox. (All but computer illiterates know of Firefox by know. ) There's one for KMail (which works very much like Outlook/OutlookExpress, but without the virus/trojan problems). Open the "start" menu, and there's a bunch of office applications, like OpenOffice Writer, which is 90+% compatible with MSWord (you have to do some pretty fancy stuff in Word to confuse OOo). Let them play with it for a few hours, and they can be as productive as they ever were in Windows.

The problem is that when they go to use another Linux computer it will probably have a different distro and they will have no idea what they are doing. You understestimate the ability of moms and dads to look at a computer screen and decide they can't do the task at hand without even trying. My first experience at going between two different distros was from Red Hat to Gentoo and pretty much none of my Red Hat experience did anything for me and I was at least competent enough to install Gentoo myself during my first Linux install ever.

 

[logical_psycho]

It sounds like a bad idea to me, it'd be better if google would focus on its core activities. The computer business is a much more risky, competitive business. With websearch google is king and emperor, with building computers they will be just another computer company.... without any reputation yet.

 

[Padma]

Of course, Google has announced that this rumored "GooglePC" does not (will not) exist.

 

[frekk]

it will fail- familys buy pcs for their kids to play games primarily- it needs to be on windows

This is not the reason for the domination of Windows. Linux is inherently better as a gaming platform, because it handles RAM in an entirely different and far more efficient way. Windows dominates the general market simply because proprietary software designers have had a difficult time making money selling their overpriced bloatware on the Linux market. It's much easier to get the dollars out of the wallets of Windows' users, and they are far less demanding. The other factor is that Linux is sort of stuck where Windows was in the early to mid 90s ... people perceive it as being a niche thing for tech heads, and are intimidated by it. Windows broke out of this with the release of Win98 or thereabouts and even more so with the release of XP, and most of the change was simply advertising and changing the image, which is a difficult challenge for a non-proprietary OS which does not have a marketing department and oodles of cash for TV spots.

I don't even really see it as a big factor, the video games. The biggest sales are low-end machines like bargain Dells, which cannot play most of the newest games anyway. Families buy consoles for their kids to play games on. Families buy PCs to use the Internet, mainly.

 

[MarineCorps]

Of course, Google has announced that this rumored "GooglePC" does not (will not) exist.

Yeah. So I've heard. To bad.