Chrome OS

It all began one day when I was on Facebook and a post from Google Chrome popped up on my news feed. "Register now to be one of several thousand people to test the new Chrome OS and receive a new netbook" it said...or something to that effect. Google was sending out about 60,000 unbranded netbooks loaded with the new operating system and wanted some guinea pigs. To sign up, one had to answer a few questions then submit the application. I thought, "Why not?" I sort of did it for a lark because I'm one of those people who never wins contests, lotteries, drawings and the like. The one question that wasn't "multiple choice" asks you to give a "compelling" reason in 140 characters or less, why you should receive a free netbook. Well, I knew I was sunk then. I was no computer geek, tech, programmer....or anything like that. I'm just a middle aged guy who likes to hang out at his computer...too much. I had gone this far, so I decided to continue the application process by jotting down a trite, two-word sentence as my "compelling reason" for receiving a prototype netbook. I completed the registration, submitted it and thought no more about it.

As the days went by I began reading reviews of the new computer by people who had received their free machines and followed the Chrome OS story. This was even more evidence to me I would not receive the test hardware. Then, lo and behold, on December 15, 2010, UPS delivers a package to me from a Brian Jeffries in Kentucky. Guess what? Yep....what Google calls the CR-48 netbook with the Chrome OS had arrived! I couldn't believe it at first....I never win free stuff.

Time to start playing with my new toy. First some background. I have a 4 year old desk top with Windows XP and a new HP laptop with Windows 7 at home and a new Dell desk top with Windows XP (supposed to have Win 7) in my office at work. These are the 3 systems I am comfortable with and know the best.

The keyboard is definitely different! I have read it is similar to a 2006 Mac Book Air. I'll take their word for it...I've never owned a Mac. Where the caps lock key is on most keyboards, you will find a search key. All the F function keys are gone and have been replaced with such things as refresh, back, forward, dim screen, brighten screen, mute, volume up and down. There is no delete key.

The most amazing thing about the CR-48 is its start up time. Even with my new HP laptop, from the time I press the power button until it is ready for use a full minute can go by. Since this new netbook is totally web-based, there are no local programs and other software to load as it boots up. This puppy is ready to go from a cold start in 7 to 10 seconds! This is one of the big selling points. Also, when you open it from sleep mode, it is ready to go, instantaneously.

So far it's a fun little machine to play with. Some problems I have experienced: The flash player crashed while using it on two different websites at the same time. The video was jerky (frame drop out?) when I changed to full screen mode on a Vimeo video, and one You Tube video was jerky, even without switching to full screen. I am also noticing some lag with the loading of some pages, like my iGoogle page where all my news, weather, etc. are located.

I've only had the CR-48 for three days, so there is a lot more testing yet to do, but I am enjoying it. I believe there is a future for this technology, especially if the price is right. If they would sell these units for $100 or less, it would shake up the industry.