- Google is not only shooting for the top of the Internet browser market with its new Chrome browser, it’s aiming to take over the netbook market as well. On Friday, Google unveiled additional details of Chrome OS, a lightweight, browser-based operating system for netbooks. The focus is on speed and the Chrome OS promises nearly instant boot times of about 7 seconds for users to login to their computers. "We want Google Chrome OS to be blazingly fast ... to boot up like a TV," said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management for Google. The first notebooks equipped with Chrome OS will be available last in 2010, but in the meantime it will not be available as a download to run and install. Google is keeping a tight rein on Chrome and will only ship it on specific hardware from manufacturers Google has partnered with. In other words, if you want Chrome OS, you’ll have to purchase an official Chrome OS device – well, until someone hacks it and finds a way to make it available by other means. So far, no partnerships with computer manufacturers have been announced, but Google stated that whoever produces the netbooks will have to meet specifications including full-size keyboards, large trackpads and large displays. One interesting feature of the Chrome OS netbooks is that they will not have traditional hard disk drives -- they will rely on non-volatile flash memory and Internet-based storage for saving all of your data. The first part of that sounds great, but I have never been a big fan of online data storage. No matter how secure a provider claims the data is, there is still a higher chance of my data being hacked if it’s stored online than there is on an external hard drive at my home. But it would be ignorant to overlook the growing popularity of cloud computing, which is what Chrome OS will rely on. Applications will all be web-based, so users won't have to worry about installing applications or updating their software. All data will be stored in their cloud and Google vows to monitor code to prevent malicious activity in Chrome OS web apps. "Chrome OS is a totally rethought computer that will let you focus on the Internet, so you can stop worrying about your computer," according to a Google promotional video. To give you a chance to experience Chrome firsthand, Google plans to release all of the operating system's code and design documents to the public. It is a Linux-based, open-source operating system centered on Google's Chrome browser and all applications will run exclusively inside the browser. How will the Chrome OS-equipped netbooks fare? That’s an interesting proposition, as netbook sales for current products are falling well below manufacturer expectations thus far. The cost for Chrome OS netbooks is expected to be about the same as current netbooks, in the range of $300 to $500. Personally I have no intention of jumping on board with any of this, as a netbook has never been a huge draw for me and I’m not overwhelmed by the concepts of the Chrome OS setup……….
- Crap. You’ll have to excuse me if I am absolutely heartbroken right now because……well, because…..okay, okay, let’s just get it over with. Yet another WNBA franchise has folded, with the legendary Sacramento Monarchs becoming the latest casualty of women’s professional basketball. Monarchs general manager/coach John Whisenant broke the news to local media in Sacramento, ending the run of a team that I am told won the 2005 WNBA championship. The Monarchs, as with all WNBA franchises, were run by an NBA team that served the purpose of actually making money and supporting the charity case that was their corresponding WNBA franchise. NBA commissioner David Stern has insisted on perpetuating this farce for a decade under the auspices of supporting women and girls in sports, which is a good concept. However, that’s not enough for myself or other fans of basketball that’s actually good to overlook the crap-tacular product the WNBA consistently put on the floor. Supporters like to argue that the women’s game is more fundamentally sound and interesting, but that’s just the lie they like to tell themselves to make their forced viewing of WNBA basketball more bearable. Look at the bottom line: The Monarchs and Houston Comets have both ceased operations in the past year for purely financial reasons. The Detroit Shock left town and moved to Tulsa in a futile attempt to generate interest for the team in a new market, while the Indiana Fever are up for sale and could probably be had for less than the cost of a new Chevy Cobalt. The Monarchs were owned by brothers Joe and Gavin Maloof, who also own the Palms Hotel and Casino in las Vegas and the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. Their primary focus is (as it should be) on the Kings, who aren’t exactly bringing in overflowing profits so far this season. Playing to a whole lot of empty seats, the Kings are among several NBA teams struggling to sell tickets and bring in fans. With thaty reality facing them, the Maloofs clearly felt that the added burden of a WNBA team on their backs wasn’t something they wanted or needed. The WNBA would like everyone to believe that there are investors from the Bay Area looking to purchase the team, but those claims seem dubious at best. "Everyone in this business environment ... you have to do what has to be done," Joe Maloof. “Our focus is to turn the Kings around, and to do that, we have to put all our efforts and good salespeople on the Kings.” Don’t worry, Joe; no one blames you. In fact, we all salute your incredible resolve for hanging on to a money pit like the Monarchs for so long. Go forward proudly and know that no one harbors any ill will toward you and your brother for this brilliant, brilliant business decision………
- Ever since the apparent death of Brian Austin Green's Metallo character earlier this season on Smallville, speculation on a possible return has been buzzing. Green first appeared in the Season 9 premiere as Metallo's alter ego, journalist John Corbin. He lasted all of one week, dying in the second episode of the season after a battle with Clark Kent in which he accidentally ripped out his own Kryptonite-infused heart while trying to kill the Man of Steel. Perhaps portending a return for Metallo, Dr. Emil (Alessandro Juliani) remarked in that episode that Corbin had become more machine than man, so the chances for his survival might be good. Dr. Emil’s words have ultimately proved prophetic and Green will make his return in episode 18, which is scheduled to air in the spring. As noted in Friday’s Smallville recap, the show is on holiday hiatus until Jan. 22 (you still suck for that, CW!), so the eighteenth episode of the season is actually a bit further away than it might otherwise seem. Still, it has been a very good season up to this point, even without the über-hot, amazing Kristin Kreuk around to brighten up our TV screens and our lives as Lana Lang. Seeing elements and aspects of the Superman mythology gradually woven into the Smallville fabric has been a lot of fun and adding talented actors like Green to the mix for a few episodes definitely can’t hurt………
- Woo hoo! It’s “embarrassing family member of a U.S. senator” time and I could not be more pumped. Let’s get started with Alexandra Forbes Kerry, the older of Sen. John Kerry's two daughters, who was arrested for suspicion of DUI in Hollywood Thursday. She was pulled over for a traffic violation about 12:40 a.m., at which time officers somehow deduced that she was somewhat impaired. Kerry refused to take Breathalyzer test at the scene and it wasn’t until later in the night that a test could be administered. That test showed a level of 0.06, under the legal limit of 0.08. "She was arrested for driving under the influence," said Officer Sara Faden, who added that Kerry was released on $5,000 bail. Kerry was initially pulled over for an expired registration and was released after the results of a Breathalyzer test at the police station were under the legal limit. It appears the film producer and director has dodged a major bullet here, but merely being linked with the letters DUI in the media should be a solid black eye for Sen. Kerry. However, it’s not likely to be quite as embarrassing as things are for Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., whose wife got all liquored up and decided that driving into a few parked cars would be a good way to show just how capable of driving under the influence she is. Police say an officer stopped 76-year-old Charlene Lugar Wednesday evening at a McLean intersection after noticing damage to her car and seeing smoke pouring from the hood. Hmm…..sounds curious, tell me more. An officer approached the vehicle and questioned Lugar, who showed obvious signs of intoxication. A little thorough police work led to the discovery of a damaged, unattended parked car about two miles away from the traffic stop. Fairfax County police determined that Lugar struck the vehicle but was far too hammered to realize what she had done. She’s been charged with drunken driving and hit-and-run, both of which are misdemeanors. In a statement, Sen. Lugar said that he and his wife are "deeply sorry and embarrassed that this accident has occurred." I’d say so, senator. But you might be a bit more embarrassed than your wife because a) you’re the public figure and it’s your name that will be dragged into the mud more for this one and b) she’s probably still a tad hung over and may not realize exactly what she’s done. I’m offended personally because what the heck did that parked car ever do to Charlene Lugar? It was just sitting their on the side of the street, minding its own business and not expecting some molared-up old senator’s wife to come crashing into it. Here’s hoping the judge sticks it to Charlene Lugar at her Jan. 8 trial is scheduled in Fairfax County General District Court……………
No comments:
Post a Comment