As mentioned in my review, Jolicloud is a different animal when compared to Chrome OS. It has a mix of installed applications and webapps that will satisify both early adopters and regular computer users. However, I found that the “connect to the cloud” notifications when I first booted the system up would be confusing for regular users. I will have to take a look at the new version, but in the previous one it seemed to me that they only reason I needed to actually login to Jolicloud’s servers was to download and install new applications – of which I had to make a choice from their app directory.

But I like this concept of Chrome being the underlying engine for running applications that are web based. This shows that Chrome is really more than just a web browser even right now. A great example of this is Chrome Frame which can be paired with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer to run more intensive applications than the standalone IE can handle.

Related posts:

1. Review: Jolicloud Netbook OS
2. Let’s Get Ready to Rumble – Jolicloud vs Chrome OS
3. Android vs Chrome OS: It’s All About the Webapps

As previously reported here, there is a beta for using HTML5 while on YouTube. This allows anyone using a HTML5-compliant browser to use it. But that means using a compliant browser such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox or IE when coupled with Chrome Frame to use it. The current version does have its quirks, but eventually it will result in a a faster and overall better user expeience when looking at any type of media over the web.

You can take a look at how to use HTML5 and its early performance on the YouTube site right here:

It’s pretty clear from the clip that the video loads pretty fast. Instead of using Flash as the go-between, HTML5 allows web developers to directly  embed compressed video files such as MPEG right into the code itself so that it can be called from a server. Not to mention that Flash can take up a lot of resources on your machine if you’re trying to load up a couple of videos. The only intermediary is the application that you use, further evidencing the fact that personal computing is becoming more centralized around the internet browser and the standard application that we use to view it.

Related posts:

1. Google Pushing HTML5 for the Future
2. HTML 5 Beta Goes Live for Youtube
3. HTML5 Will Replace Google Gears – But Not Without On2

My perception would have been that this type of site would be something done by an ambitious programmer, but in fact Google runs the site and there is a submission process that is required to show off your project on the site. This is a place that shows off some new application concepts that can be run in Chrome browser, or Internet Explorer with Chrome Frame if you wish. Although some of these are a bit basic or rough around the edges, remember this is simply and experimental site that is simply showing off what Chrome was actually created for.

One case in point was Bomomo, which is a new way to create digital art. I opened this project up in a browser window, and in under a minute I was able to create my first work:

Say what you will about my artistic tendencies of lack thereof; the point of this is how cool web technologies are becoming. Those who are not especially technical can handle these type of apps. I am sure that some can relate to this, for example I’m especially impressed with myself and my use of Bomomo  since I can barely finger paint. Chrome Experiments has all sorts of browser apps that can be checked out. It’s really about how much time you want to waste during your day looking at this type of stuff.

Related posts:

1. Video: Chrome Experiments Compilation
2. Google Pushing HTML5 for the Future
3. WPilot is a Browser-Based Multiplayer Space Shooter (No Flash Required)

The benefits of using HTML 5? Faster video loads as well as smoother playback.

When looking at videos on the Youtube site with the beta, you’ll see a HTML 5 logo when your clip begins to load. Other than that, and along with the inability to go full-screen there really is not much I noticed different at first glance. But that may change as I watch more videos. Interestingly, another video site that I’d never heard of called Vimeo also is testing HTML 5, where there is a link to switch over on the lower right hand side below individual videos.

Anyways, go ahead and sign up for the beta at YouTube if you’re interested. There are some issues right now with Flash for Chromium OS, and it is for Google’s own benefit in the project to get HTML 5 up and working successfully on YouTube.

Check out Google’s own presentation on HTML 5 from September 2009 right here:

Related posts:

1. YouTube Moving to Open Formats?
2. Video: Using HTML5 with YouTube
3. HTML 5

Sure, you’re thinking it’s totally worthless. But but then again, maybe not. This just shows what you can do with some Javascript in a new generation of browsers. And in the future, HTML 5 will be the engine for this type of stuff. You can play with this yourself, search all you want. But don’t try using Internet Explorer, because when I surfed over to Google Gravity with IE7 I got this:

Although that shouldn’t happen in an IE7 window using Chrome Frame, if the developer were to have it  enabled in his code.

Related posts:

1. Google: Let’s Piss Off Microsoft with Chrome Frame
2. Chrome Experiments Offers a Glimpse of the Future Browser
3. Maybe Google Knows Too Much, GoogleSharing Can Help

We all know that Internet Explorer has become a slow and cumbersome behemoth, and for those who are unable to install Chrome browser on a managed machine this is a simple fix for that as you can easily download a small executable and then run it. It would also be useful for developers who need to test different browser versions in one application as well. Chrome Frame works with IE 6, 7 and 8. Here is a video from Google:

Although released under the auspices of development, this kind of stuff must really irritate Microsoft and when this was first announced last September they issued a statement that using Chrome Frame may have security implications, but Google later released a patch that allayed those concerns.

Anything from the positive department  for Microsoft? Looks like Bing is making headways in search. Must be all those ads on television. Too bad I make my own decisions.

Related posts:

1. Google Search Gets Interactive With Google Gravity
2. Microsoft Takes Issue With Chrome Feature That Can be Turned Off
3. Chrome Experiments Offers a Glimpse of the Future Browser