[Arm-netbook] EOMA/CF idea

[Gordan Bobic]

On 12/30/2011 10:46 PM, Bari Ari wrote:

>> You can build local clouds for these pads with wifi, disk drives and
>> something like a Sheevaplug. Or use a public Internet based cloud.
>> These local clouds can service many users. You can also build them on
>> repurposed desktop machines.
>>
>> For me, I see the bigger problem is converting 1000s of open source
>> apps to run in a cloud model. Hardware is not an issue, it is on a
>> curve where the cost of it will be tiny in a few years.
>>
>>
> Let see how well Chrome OS does on the market and other "cloud"
> services.

I haven't seen any evidence that anyone is taking (or might at some 
point in the future take) ChromeOS seriously.

> This was tried before under a different name. The main problem
> has been the network. Wireless broadband in the US is still awful
> (broadband in most areas is not much better) and there is little
> incentive for providers to improve their service. My guess is not so
> well unless the pressure from police states encourages/forces consumers
> to keep all their data on easy for them to get to places like the
> "cloud". Other areas have much better broadband networks but will people
> actually want to keep their data on a network mystery drive that they
> have to pay for with a subscription model?

The only place where I can see ChromeOS have some success is in the 
enterprise where having a very thin, disposable desktop with all the 
data held at the data center will bring cost benefits, and the network 
connectivity is excellent.

Everywhere else - I'm not at all convinced. I certainly don't see it 
getting anywhere in the consumer-space.

> As smartphones become the appliance of choice for web browsing and
> gaming I can see this being forced on consumers since they tend to lock
> them into 2 year subscriptions anyway when they buy their new phones.
> What's another $20/mo for cloud services that get you better
> games/pron/pics of kittens?

I don't consider a phone to be a viable large-scale web browsing 
platform. There is only so much you can do with a 3.5"-5" screen. It's 
great for a quick look-up of something, but not in any way a viable 
replacement for a laptop. Slates are inbetween, but still not a viable 
replacement. Hybrids like the Transformer _might_ do OK (the jury is 
still out on that one), but again, I don't see the advantage of a 10" 
slate over a 10" laptop of similar spec (just look at the awesomeness of 
the Toshiba AC100). The laptop certainly provides a better productivity 
environment.

Gordan