Michael Mace of MobileOpportunity has a thoughtful blog post on the Chromebook vs. Windows.
"Besides, Google did a couple of sessions at IO comparing web app development to native app development. They all concluded that web app development was better for content-playing applications, and that for productivity apps you need native software. And native software is exactly what Chromebooks won't run."
He's not a fan of Google Docs as a complete replacement for Word (or any other native word processor):
"Since Google does not seem to be focused on fixing Docs, it's theoretically possible that some other app developer could create an online replacement for Office that really works, and offer it on Chromebooks. But who would want to invest in that area when Google Docs is there as a competitor? Docs is just good enough to hinder innovation, but not good enough to take out Office."
Then again, I'm not sure anyone outside of the Free Software as Religion crowd is a giant fan of Google Docs.
"Besides, Google did a couple of sessions at IO comparing web app development to native app development. They all concluded that web app development was better for content-playing applications, and that for productivity apps you need native software. And native software is exactly what Chromebooks won't run."
This is key. Google, for all its size and it's many areas of strength, lacks for focus and follow-through. The Chromebook is a neat idea, until you actually confront what using one full-time would be like.
The next level of computing is making the experience simpler for users, not offering up lesser alternatives with more complications.
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