thechromesource – Google Chrome and Chrome OS News and Resources

Hey Google: Please Don’t Create Another Facebook

Posted on 28. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

While it’s clear that they don’t want to talk about it, the powers that be over at Google are scheming on ways to create a social networking rival to Facebook. All I have to say is please do something different. I mean, for starters, Facebook has undergone so many changes since I first started using it that I barely recognize it.

I’m not sure anymore what the difference between a being a fan or joining a page on Facebook really means, and I also don’t like those creeped-out ads that take my birthdate and somehow try to spin it into a reason why I would want to click on those side links.

Facebook Credits? Come on, what a terrible name for a virtual currency. I would have preferred FaceBucks to that. At least it would start some amazing conversations.

I mean, how is Facebook even making any money? I’ve never given them a single dollar. Sure, I know some people love to buy virtual goods, but can you really make a multibillion dollar company out of virtual shovels in FarmVille and brass knuckles for punching virtual faces in Mafia Wars?

Google: just create something that is different than Facebook, and you’ll succeed. Especially since we know that the UI won’t look like MySpace, it will probably work.

In related news, Facebook officially is the only social networking option available, so you might as well add me as a friend since there’s no alternative.

Content Farming: Bad For Cloud Computing

Posted on 28. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

I’ve been reading recently a surge of reports about “content farming” – an insistent creation of cheap and quick content in order to drive traffic and gain revenue from Google’s ad programs. For that end, the content itself lacks a certain degree of quality as the writers are not required to have any knowledge of a subject that they are writing about.

Its purpose is to fill a known informational gap and thus reap profit from content that does not exist about a certain niche. I’d never really put much thought into what companies like Demand Studios and AOL really do. I mean, they have names that appear to some degree respectable.

But in an age where the average college student trusts whatever top query result that comes from a search engine, it’s very real the information that comes from content farms is going to really start plugging up the web. Demand Studios, which has received hundreds of millions in funding, is capable of pouring almost four thousand articles a day onto the web, and using hundreds of social media accounts to promote this content.

You’ve seen this type of content before, although you may not have realized it. It was likely a search result from a generic-looking site with an answer that is never complete enough. You know what I’m talking about.

This is not good for search engines, particularly Google themselves. While users of Android are on the rise, a cloud computing operating system like Chrome OS could reap more benefits from search results. This is based on the notion that people will use a device like that entirely on the web in full-screen mode. One problem, however, is the increased amount of information on the internet coming from more dubious sources because of content farming.

The Multiuser Sketchpad – Social Doodling in the Browser

Posted on 27. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

In what may be one of the strangest – or awesomest – Chrome Experiements I’ve seen, longtime web experimenter Mr. Doob has come out with the Multiuser Sketchpad. Sure, it sounds pretty ho-hum when I put it in words, but this HTML5 based webapp is really cool once you try it out. Here is a fast-forwarded clip of a doodle.

The Multiuser Sketchpad reminds me of scribbling stuff on my desk in high school, but in a fascinating colloborative way. I’ll profess that I’m no artist, but some of the people who doodle on this really have some ability.

Experiments like this are just unbelievable. It’s really hard to describe what watching this is like, so just try it out yourself.  The web is going to further innovate with next generation browsers and cloud operating systems. It just makes every new social tool available to anyone. Go ahead, get your doodle on!

Why Aren’t All Google Apps Made Equally Secure?

Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Google is proudly letting everyone know in an Enterprise Blog post today that Apps is the first set of cloud applications to be certified under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), a requirement needed in order for government entities to use data that is stored in the cloud.

I think it’s a great idea, I wonder why all Google Apps are not made equal to this type of standard. I’m sure that to protect its own proprietary data that the internal operations within Google are running under the auspices of FISMA, why can’t everyone else as well?

I’m concerned about my privacy in the cloud, but there continues to be nothing I can do about it. The United States government, on the other hand, demanded that Google provide proper data security for its business applications. If Google was not going to be providing it, then the government simply was not going to use it. Interestingly, I’m sure that those with high security clearances were using Google Search prior to this point, a service that may have even more security implications for secure data.

Everything is going to be in the cloud whether we like it or not. Witness email, Skype conversations and other web-based services. There truly are benefits to this, but having some sort of standard compliance for all users, and not just for the federal government, could go far in protecting our private information.

Inside Chrome 6: Syncing

Posted on 23. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

This article on syncing is part of a series of posts that discuss the new features and technology that will come with the official newest release of Chrome browser – Version 6.

When someone thinks about syncing and Google Chrome, it doesn’t come as a surprise that not much comes to mind. But one needs to realize that being able to sync is an important step towards cloud computing. Syncing information from various devices is going to be important going forward, as hardware becomes less of an important element of mobile computing. It should no longer be the device we are using, but the platform by which we use the web. Because of this syncing will become an important, and hopefully transparent element to using Chrome.

Google realizes this, and they have made being able to sync profile information a priority in Chrome so that one can interface their personal data with several devices. One element of this is bookmark sync, whereby one can save a bookmark with their Google Account from one computer and easily transfer it over to a Chrome browser on another device.

Along with this comes extension sync. Since Chrome debuted extensions to offer a rival to Firefox add-ins, the Official Chrome Extensions site has seen over five thousand ways to extend the browser get approved for use. The great thing about Chrome extensions is that they are built using simple web standards – HTML, CSS and JavaScript. While I test many different extensions on a regular basis, take a look at my post about the top non-bloat non-annoying extensions that are useful to life on the web.

If you like using auto-form fills, expect a nice little surprise when Chrome 6 goes stable. That’s because you’re going to have the ability to transfer your information for various forms over to other devices. A useful feature for sure.

One thing I’d like to mention about syncing is security. Many people are concerned about their personal data in the cloud. Google takes this seriously, so here’s hoping that having the ability to transfer information using your Google Account is secure. After the Chinese hacking attacks last year, Google has implemented SSL on services such as Gmail, and they do take privacy with a serious state of mind. They should, since we are relying on them to protect us.

Hey John Simpson, How About I Interview You?

Posted on 23. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

I’ve written a few posts about my feelings of Inside Google, a blog that seemingly has only a focus on attacking Google for its mistakes. I feel like this is wrong. How can you learn anything if you don’t screw up from time to time? Let’s have articles that are somewhat balanced, what’s wrong with that?

John Simpson, the defacto scion of Inside Google, seems bent on the demise of Google. I hate to say this, but that’s never going to happen. The reality is that in the decade or so since Google has risen from a Yahoo competitor to becoming a pillar of the tech industry, the company has innovated to the level that only Apple rivals.

So Mr. Simpson, I’d like to interview you. I’ll pay my way to wherever I need to go to do so. I’d like to ask the tough questions that you query Google about constantly. I’m no fanboy, I call things how I see them. Sure, I feel like Chrome is a very interesting business proposition for technology in general and I believe that it will be successful, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my reservations.

This is also a warning that goes out to all other Google bloggers that seemingly hide behind their computers when they post articles, and you know who you are. For now though, I’ll focus on John Simpson, because the ball is now is court based on this article. I’ll keep my readers updated.

Nexus One’s Faults Just Mean Better Strategy for Chrome OS

Posted on 23. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Lilliputing’s Brad Linder has a piece posted today talking about what happens for Google devices in the aftermath of the Nexus One. GigaOM’s Ostatic blog also had an article on this topic as well, so we’re going to write our take on the whole situation.

Suffice to say, the Nexus One did not exactly take off as planned but that doesn’t mean immediate failure for any impending Chrome OS devices.

Let’s face it: Google tried an experiment whereby another manufacturer built the phone, but it was up to Google to support it. In hindsight that may not seem like the best idea, but it was worth a shot. Now Google knows that they need to work with hardware partners and let those with the expertise design and build the devices under certain specifications.

There’s a whole list of companies that are working with Google on this, and this way of putting a Chrome OS product on the market will be successful: by letting Google provide the platform and the manufacturers developing great products based on the hardware requirements.

Bottom line: we will see Chrome OS tablets and laptops before the end of this year. It may take some time for the products to gain traction, but judging by people’s desire for something between a smartphone and a full-fledged computer, it will be successful.

Doesn’t John Simpson Look Familiar?

Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

He’s from Inside Google, the angriest of blogs I’ve ever seen. I mean, come on!

I’m pretty confident he’s going to approve this one.

Why Use a Laptop When a Tablet Will Do?

Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the advent of the tablet. Sure, much has already been written about the subject, so I’d like to stay away from the normal conversation. I would, of course, like to reference some articles before I delve deeper here, including Devin Coldewey’s article about the coming onslaught of Android slates, as well as Christopher Dawson’s take on the amount of changes he’s seen in a month’s time of more people relying on tablets and smartphones.

I currently use a Dell v13, an $899 ultra light laptop that is loaded with Windows 7 for all of the work I do on this site. Notwithstanding the fact that I had a Dell tech replace the faulty touchpad within a month of purchase and the fact that the graphics capabilities are tethered to the Intel-based chipset, I’m happy with it. But a nagging feeling remains that my current setup is just not optimal. If there were a middle ground between smartphone and laptop that is not Apple based and could give me what I get from the v13, I would happily switch.

The problem with my current laptop is that even though it is light and very mobile, it lacks the “easy-on” that I need. It runs Windows 7, a behemoth that seems to be better suited for desktops or bulky replacements for such. I don’t need all the junk that comes with a Windows OS; I just need something that works. This is not to say I don’t want to tinker, but I would prefer everything be configured from the start, and I’ll mess with what I want to much later on.

I want a tablet; I just don’t want an Apple one. I also am not interested in one that runs Android because that’s for phones, not for computers. Do I need a keyboard? That’s a subjective question, since I do type a lot as a writer but if there is a badass alternative to this antiquated set of Chiclets that I use to communicate then I would be all for it.

What do you think? Is the time for grappling with Windows over? Where is the cloud-based Windows killer we’ve all been looking for?

Asus Dropping Windows CE from Their Tablet Just Smart Business

Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

One of the most popular products at Computex 2010 was the Asus tablet. It was a beautiful device; if anything were to compete with the iPad’s form factor it would be this device. One troubling element, however, was the fact that attendees at the show were kept at arm’s length to actually use the device. A product representative closely guarded the tablet that people could hold on to, while another was enclosed in a glass case.

This bit of posturing by Asus led me to believe that although the company wanted to use Windows CE – or at least try to convince Microsoft of the fact to stay on good terms – it was not going to be a finished product anytime soon. Was I surprised to hear that instead of Windows CE Asus’s tablet will now come with Android? Not really. I didn’t even know that Microsoft was still updating their Windows CE product until I was at Computex.

And I’m not even sure that Android is the solution to battling the iPad. I just know that Asus wants to get their product into people’s hands ASAFP. That means using Android, since the OS is ready to go right now. I don’t blame them for trying to get something on the market right now because it really is an impressive product on the outside. Let’s just hope that they can come up with an interface that is as well.

Inside Chrome 6: PDF, Standard

Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

This article on PDFs is part of a series of posts that discuss the new features and technology that will come with the official newest release of Chrome browser – Version 6.

One element of the web that has always been extremly annoying is the prevalence of plug-ins – sure we’ve always just had to deal with them, not realizing that there may be a better solution. But think about the fact that instead of the neccessary plug-ins for a browser have to be downloaded and updated separately. Who has time for that?

Google continues their alliance with Adobe in Chrome 6 by integrating a PDF client right into the browser. What that means is that you no longer have to worry about not having the Adobe Reader pluging to open up PDF files, oftent the standard document format for sending official files. In fact, the integrated PDF reader is Google’s own, devised from Adobe’s own reference specifications.

Due to the security vulnerabilities exposed by the PDF format this year, it seems like a no-brainer to add this into the update stream with Chrome 6. Unlike other browsers, when there is a possible malicious problem with PDF files Chrome can be updated quickly with a fix that can prevent a problem from possibly spreading. Since PDF files are so ubiqutious, this bodes well for overall web security.

Also consider the impact on Google Docs with PDF itegration. Not only can you open up a PDF and fill it our right in the browser quickly, there is potential to use this feature with other Google services. Vector print support was added for better viewing in Gmail. Also, recently a new feature has launched whereby PDF files can be converted for editing in Docs, indeed a useful feature. Here’s hoping other useful features come from Google on this.

Google Commits to 20 Years of Green Power Purchases

Posted on 20. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

The Official Google blog posted really early this morning a release that talks about the company entering into a twenty year green power purchase agreement to buy energy from an Iowa wind farm called the NextEra Energy Resources Story County II. By buying this power at a set rate today for 114 megawatts over twenty years, the company puts a lot of commitment behind NextEra’s plans to expand its wind energy portfolio. It also gives Google more of what it is going to increasingly need: energy.

The second quarter saw Google double its spending on data centers – from $276 million in the first quarter to $476 million the previous. There’s no doubt that will the continued rollout of cloud computing that Google is going to need more data center infrastructure – and more power.

Consider that in the first quarter of 2008, Google spent $842 million on data center expenditures, and you can see how widely variable this spending is going to be. The price of energy fluctuates on a very high level, so whatever Google can do to stay ahead of the curve, it will do.

Chrome OS will be bringing everything to the cloud for users. That means more data is transferred from Google’s customized servers, and more power consumption on the back end. It appears that the information economy version of the industrial engine, the data center, and its ever growing use of energy will power the growth of this trend.

AMD Ontario to Compete with Intel’s Atom in Mobile Devices

Posted on 19. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Lilliputing has a report out that Intel’s oft-pushed around little brother in the semiconductor space, AMD, will be releasing a chip aimed at mobile computers. AMD has always been a lower-cost solution to Intel’s chips, and the release of this chip called Ontario offers both manufacturers and consumers better choice in processors for netbooks and tablets.

This information was provided to investors during a recent AMD earnings call. AMD CEO Dirk Meyer said that the performance and power consumption of the Ontario chip would be comparable to the Atom, although graphics capabilities would be better than Intel’s chip.

While having both the Intel Atom and now AMD Ontario as mobile computing options for processing is good, we’re still convinced that most Chrome OS devices will eventually run on an ARM solution. ARM offers more flexibility when paired with cloud computing and low-power capability than traditional processors.

Noticeably absent from the list of official Chrome OS partners is Intel, although many manufacturers that produce Intel-based solutions are taking a part. There is an overwhelming amount of ARM processor developers on the list such as Qualcomm (Snapdragon processor), and Texas Instruments (OMAP processor). Freescale Semiconductor, an ARM-licensed developer of the i.MX series of processors whose Taiwan office I had a chance to visit while I was at Computex, is also a part of the official list, which must mean something, right?

Inside Chrome 6: Video

Posted on 19. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

This article on video is part of a series of posts discussing the new features and technology that will come with the official newest release of Chrome browser – Version 6.

The rise of video on the internet is going to really change the web – although that has been said for years, it’s taking advances in broadband and browser technology for it to happen. We’re getting close, and the fact that Google TV is coming later this year with a version of Android and the Chrome browser on top, new technology in Chrome 6 will propel web-based video even further.

Chrome 6 will support the WebM standard, which runs on the recently opened-up video codec called VP8. WebM is supported by Mozilla, Opera and Google among other technology companies. The early beta of Firefox 4 is the first browser to support WebM.

Earlier this year, Google bought On2 Technologies, which owned the patent to VP8. Once the acquisition was made, several open source groups such as the Free Software Foundation asked Google to open up VP8, and they did. The On2 acquisition was big for the development of HTML5 video in newer generation browsers. With WebM, HTML5 video is run through an open standard, a process that in the past has been handled by Flash and a video technology called H.264, which is not open.

So what does this all mean? Improved quality of video as well as overall performance, no matter where you are. Plus, we’ll see more capability to mash-up, modify and generally edit videos in ways we probably have not yet even though of.

Need some proof? Consider this Chrome Experiment called “Destructive Video” by Sean Christmann. Although it uses the Ogg video codec instead (WebM just came out), you are able to break up a clip into pieces whilst the video is play. Also, check out the YouTube mobile site, which is HTML5-based and very snappy. Although the codec used here is H.264, the WebM format will be introduced as mobile devices get WebM, which Android is expected have implemented later on this year.

“Using Chrome OS” Book Shows up on Amazon

Posted on 16. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Michael Miller, author of such titles as “Easy Computer Basics” and “Googlepedia: The Ultimate Google Resource” has a Chrome OS book in pre-release on Amazon. I’m not making this up.

“Get comfortable with Google Chrome OS fast, with this media-rich, customized, hands-on learning experience!”

It’s $16.49, 360 pages and in paperback. Release date is November 29, 2010. Does Mr. Miller know something that the rest of us do not?

Most Popular App on Android? The Browser

Posted on 15. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Senior Vice President of Product Management Jonathan Rosenberg said on Google’s Q2 conference call today something that certainly bodes well for webapps, and maybe a different way of looking at mobile technology. The most popular application on the Android platform is, of course, the browser.

Is that true on Apple’s platform? Maybe, maybe not, I don’t know the answer (I did look), but without Flash, it makes one wonder how Apple plans on moving forward with apps. Do they want it to be the browser, or is it more profitable for them to keep all content (apps, music and movies) in their own Store?

Android’s browser shares some of Chrome’s elements, like the V8 JavaScript engine. How much more of Chrome will be lent over to the Android browser in the coming years? When will Chrome be the browser for Chrome?

Here is a graph provided by Business Insider from Nielsen, showing the top downloaded apps by smartphone. Where do you think the browser fits in on this graph for these phones? Is it the browser, as it is on Android? Also, note the amount of Google services (Maps, YouTube, Search) that comprises this graph.

Will People Actually Want to Move Away From Windows?

Posted on 14. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Maybe Windows is horrible, or could just be enough for people to get by. ITPro’s Simon Brew has an article talking about alternatives to using the Windows operating system. Of course, there are open source alternatives in Linux and Chrome OS was brought up, but the main question brought to mind is this: are users actually going to want to switch from Windows?

On example of this is the fact that Microsoft is still trying to get users off of Windows XP, which debuted in 2001. If a user does get off of XP, their alternative now is going to be to start using Windows 7 which to some people may not be any different than the classic XP. It starts to make one wonder how much market share Google can really take from Windows, especially since probably the only ones buying a Chrome OS system will be those who are actually seeking out the device.

So, with that logic, maybe those who actively hate Windows will go out and look for a Google alternative when it arrives, but the fact of the matter is that Microsoft holds a dominating ninety percent share of a profitable market, and they are not going to lose out very quickly to upstart operating systems.

An example of Microsoft’s stronghold is that somehow, Internet Explorer, known to be an inferior browser through technical tests, still commands a sixty percent share across its three versions. Anyone can download one of the better alternatives, but either they don’t know they can or can do what they need to with a Microsoft product. And that’s the problem.

Surprise – Google Recently Surpasses Yahoo in Time Visited

Posted on 13. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Silicon Alley Insider’s recent chart showing the amount of time spent on major sites displays a strong push for both Google and Facebook, while the previous (shocking) champ Yahoo is experiencing a steady overall drop.

Yahoo and AOL are in steep decline, while Microsoft is simply staying afloat, most likely bolstered by spending hundreds of millions on marketing their Bing search engine. Apple, which is rumored to be preparing for a more cloud-based approach, isn’t even on this list.

Facebook has really pulled up close with Google, but co-founder Sergey Brin recently said the company is unfazed by Facebook’s growth.

“The indications that we have show that when Internet users become Facebook users they actually do significantly more searches on Google,” Brin told Reuters in Sun Valley, Idaho last week.

But Google isn’t resting on their laurels in regards to competing with Facebook. That would explain this recent release of a huge 216 slide presentation by Google UX researcher Paul Adams on the problems and opportunities of social networking.

w3schools: Chrome Adoption Growing Fast

Posted on 12. Jul, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey.

Back in January, I remarked about how quickly Chrome browser had been gaining share of the early adopter market. Back then, 10% of those who used the w3schools.com web developer site were browsing with Chrome. Now six months later that figure has jumped to over fifteen percent. Here is the month by month stats for 2010.

Those growth numbers are pretty impressive, don’t you think? They are markedly different from other browsers, whose numbers do move nearly as fast as Chrome.

So the data here tells one that those who develop for the web are increasingly interested in at least checking out what Chrome is all about. Recently Chris Blizzard from Mozilla told Gizmodo that they aren’t afraid of Chrome, and the data here suggests he’s right about that notion: Firefox has not lost any share to Chrome, it has mostly come at Microsoft’s expense.

NetApplications is reporting that worldwide use of Chrome is somewhere around 7%, so those who are using it to  develop and otherwise create for the web are double that amount. That seems pretty logical to me.