“Meet the new ThinkPad X131e Chromebook: A fast booting, highly customizable laptop PC built with rugged features for the daily rigors of K-12 education. The ThinkPad X131e Chromebook simplifies software and security management for school administrators and provides students and teachers with quick access to thousands of apps, education resources and storage.” Lenovo is the third OEM to jump into ChromeOS. Chromebooks have been doing well on Amazon, apparently, too. Android tablets, iPads, the Mac, and now Chromebooks – it must be rainy in Redmond.
The operating system will become irrelevant.
Its job will be to provide a browser.
Just like PCs are dying. Please.
No the PC is not dying, that is a strawman. What it is undeniable is that the areas of growth are now elsewhere.
The computing field’s growth has always been on the smaller/faster/cheaper category. Up to recently, the PC was the forefront of that category, now it is no longer the case. Smaller/cheaper mobile devices are where the momentum has shifted, once they are smaller/cheaper/and as fast as the PC, then PCs will start to go the way of the workstation, the minicomputer, and the mainframe that went before them.
Some people get too caught out in the specifics of the tool, to the point they miss its essence.
The PC may not be dying, but the form factor is going to change dramatically in the next 10 years or so.
Except my browser only shows documents….
I’m sorry but you are wrong and here is why: Bandwidth caps. Corps are adding nastier and nastier caps here in the states rather than use their profits to buy new lines and the simple fact is that to pack as many features as a fat client program would equal major bandwidth suckage.
This is why I’ve said all those “We’ll stream the games to the user” companies are doomed, they just won’t be able to get enough bandwidth to the end user to make the services work. First time the user gets a $200+ bill for playing $50 worth of games that will be the end of that, we’ll be seeing the same thing happened to the “cloud” fad in the next few years. BTW we have already gone through one cloud fad in the late 90s, then as now it was bandwidth that killed the idea.
For what you say to become true you would need a MINIMUM of 100Mbps FTTH, 1Gbps would be better if you want it to feel no different than using a traditional fat client program but most of the planet are seeing nowhere near those speeds. Look up the speeds of the major cities in the USA (where a good chunk of the software industry is based) and you’ll see speeds around 20Mbps, even in the large metro areas like LA, Miami, Dallas, the lines just haven’t kept up with the times and even Netflix is having to pay for caches closer to the users so they don’t lose customers to caps.
So I’m sorry friend but until the world is draped in fiber, which at current roll out speed will probably take another 30+ years, its just not gonna happen. The schools that buy this are gonna find out real quick when they get hit for the bill for having to have their own backbone link to feed all these internet only ChromeBooks and that will be the end of that. If Google would combine Chrome with Android like they said they would, give users a true offline mode? it could be a big hit, but until then I’m sorry but most will find it all but worthless without a 24/7/365 roaming connection which at least in the USA would require a WISP or Cellular, both of which are VERY expensive.
I agree the OS is irrelevant. The applications are what is important and right now ChromeOS is severely lacking.
Why would anyone buy a Chromebook when for just a little more you can get a fully functional laptop that can run Chrome apps as well as millions of other native apps? I just don’t get it.
@project_2501 – yeah, right. Just like the hardware became irrelevant. That’s why everyone’s using Acer. Or Gateway. Or ZTE Chaung Guang whatever [no offense, vendors! I’m sure some of your hardware is actually good. I’m just describing the trends]. [sarcasm off]
Seriously, I always liked ThinkPads. Beautiful, practical, durable hardware. Newer TPs are kinda different from the older ones, but where is development there need to be some trade-offs.
It’s still great. I only hope it won’t be tied to Google ChromeOS.
Why would you buy a computer that has Google spying on you all the time?
If it’s cheaper than the windows tax one, then replacing chromeos with a linux distro makes this a good option.
Also I wonder if chromeos isn’t easier to secure and lockdown for use than a normal windows install.
Btw I recently got a x130e off the lenovo outlet. The keyboard is just amazing on these things.
Edited 2013-01-18 00:35 UTC
Looking at the keyboard, there are few things that I’ve noticed:
1. Even though it claims to run some Android OS, why does it come with a “Windows” advertising key?
2. There is no “Insert” key, only “Delete” at the top right.
3. The “inverted T” cursor block looks a bit strange, especially in regards of the “Page Up” and “Page Down” keys. Isn’t that unergonomic or at least uncomfortable?
4. It has a “Fn” key, but no key labels for the numeric block “additional layout” which can be addressed by Fn + letters of the right keyboard half. Also, no “Num Lock” key.
5. No “Scroll Lock” and “Pause / Break” keys.
6. Instead a “Print Screen” key between the right “Alt” and “Ctrl” keys, where usually the context menu key (which is also missing) is placed.
I can only assume that this deviation from default keyboard capabilities has been considered “in line with the software and the purpose of the device”, so it’s not a major limitation for its future users:
http://googleenterprise.blogspot.de/2013/01/for-schools-new-lenovo-…
Maybe it’s safe to assume that the future users won’t be typing much, especially not higher amounts of numbers, so probably everything is fine.
I’m fully aware of the fact that I’m a keyboard nazi, and I see things nobody else can see. 🙂
Image for reference:
http://www.lenovo.com/shop/americas/content/img_lib/portals/ps/educ…
I dunno. I use teminals and vim/elvis so these “extraneous” keys aren’t so important to me. I much prefer this pgup/pgdn configuration for web browsing use. The keyboard feel and typing speed I can get is the same as my ergo keyboards, that’s what matters.
Seems like your keyboard nazi stuff is all about the fluff and not about choosing applications that properly leverage keyboard usage.
That might very well fit nicely on a laptop keyboard in comparison to a normal one. Older ThinkPad keyboards have the typical 2×3 matrix (Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page up, Page down) on the top right which is “too far away”, compared to where this block is located on a normal (full size) keyboard.
In fact, it’s not, as I typically value applications that make good use of the keyboard to allow efficient work. Editors (like vim) are a good example, even some web browsers pay attention to provide a good keyboard interface, while integrating it well with mouse action (for example mouse gestures).
I jsut wanted to point out what looked “atypical” to me when first looking at the keyboard. Note that I consider it the main input method for creating content. For consuming content, it doesn’t play a big role, but on the other hand, different device formats (smartphones and tablets) may be better suited for consuming content than a laptop. Revisiting who the laptop is intended for, it should be judged if the keyboard layout (and its “shortcomings” and “incensistencies”) match with the software that is provided by the system.
In such an environment, keys like “Scroll Lock” or “Pause / Break” can surely be omitted. Maybe even “Insert” is not needed. Many keys have a certain “historic background” and are important to power users or specific branches only. It heavily depends on how good the software is designed.
Edited 2013-01-18 13:41 UTC
Because it almost makes no difference from buying a computer that has Microsoft spying on you all the time? Or Canonical?
* And I’m not sure if Apple computers have anything that is similarly “helpful”.
Microsoft doesn’t spy on you all the time or I doubt at all.
You can see exactly what information is going out using something like wire-shark.
`sudo aptitude purge unity-shopping-lens && sudo service lightdm restart` takes care of Canonical’s spying.
How are they ‘spying on you all the time’?
You’re asking this about Google, a company who’s primary source of revenue comes from ads? Ads that result from Google analyzing your search activity, your email, your documents, your music (if you use that service), etc? Wow, how could they possibly be spying on you?
Obviously they will use information gathered when using their services to present you as a data point against advertisers, I’d say every ‘free’ service does this, including Bing, just read the end user agreements of these type of services.
Is this what you describe as ‘spying’? Because it’s not exactly a covert operation, it’s kind of common knowledge that when you enter something in a search engine, this will be logged as a statistic together with any other data they have gathered on you, in a web search that would be your browser, operating system, screen resolution, etc, and likely identified through a cookie and thus combined with other searches belonging to the same cookie, ie you.
This is what all these services sell, Google/Bing/Facebook etc, a ball of data consisting of your online interests and habits which is sought after by advertisers.
If I already use Google’s services I can’t see how I would be more ‘spied upon’ with ChromeOS than I am now. And I certainly doubt I would be less ‘spied upon’ by using alternate ‘free’ services, the same data gathering goes on everywhere.
It’s up to you to decide if you think the services offered are worth having your online habits be used for targeted advertising, one way or another you will have to pay for using these services, as it is now you are paying by being a data point for sale.
Like… TV, newspapers, magazines, sport events, etc?
Oh, and OSnews, too.
Google doesn’t need to spy on you on the OS level. Google does just one thing: provide you with an easier way to get on to the Internet. And once you’re there, it’s hard to miss sites, that somehow use Google AdWords or some other Google Product, even if you are not directly using GMail or other Google services. That’s also the case with Android: You can get vanilla Android for free (actually it’s not even legal to bundle selfmade Android distributions with Google Services). All Google needs to do is to give folks web access, this will ensure their income.
It’s not spying when you have agreed to allow them to do it.
But what have people actually agreed to? For example, all the information collected by AOL search allowed researchers to track down specific people. Can we actually say that people know what they’re agreeing to in this age of one-sided* 100 page EULAs?
* And I don’t mean paper, but who benefits.
Guess what, I do not care if they record my search requests. If it helps them to provide a service more taylored to me, I actually benefit from the information they collect.
And since they do it openly it is not spying. It is an agreement.
It’s good to hear that you consider it a fair trade of information for the service.
However, personally I would disagree about it being open. If it were open, you’d have easy access to all of the information that Google collect about you. As far as I’m aware, this is not the case. Moreover, even if you opt-out of using Google’s services, it’s not clear how much information they nonetheless retain about you.
Unfortunately privacy is also a societal issue, and the decisions other people make affect more than just themselves. Personally I’m very uncomfortable about the quantity of data Google collects and I would much rather privacy was valued more highly.
I’m not saying you’re wrong though: everyone makes their own judgement about how they value these things.
As long as this trend will extend to all models from Lenovo and will put an end to their notorious participation in the Windows tax scheme – it’s a good development (I presume Lenovo doesn’t pay for the Chrome OS to Google?). Otherwise I don’t see this as anything worth special attention.
How dare Lenovo sell things that in demand!
:facepalm:
They can sell anything they want. Product tying on the other hand has nothing to do with users’ demand – it’s purely serving MS interests.
Edited 2013-01-18 16:14 UTC
It serving theirs and anyone who wants a laptop with Windows on it as well.
Trolling the shit out of every article (this one didn’t even mention Microsoft) gets bloody irritating.
You are obsessed, it is rather sad really.
Edited 2013-01-18 16:30 UTC
The “article” is just an ad, but the OSNews write-up did mention Redmond.
It serving theirs
Yes, because of MS rebates and in violation of the antitrust laws which forbid product tying. But as I said above, if this trend is true (Chrome OS pushing out Windows), let’s see how they quit their Windows tax enforcement. You seem to have a blind spot for Windows tax, and pretend that the problem doesn’t exist. That’s silly.
Edited 2013-01-18 17:01 UTC
I’m sure Attorney General shmerl will sue Microsoft for Anti-trust any day now. OSNews is lucky to have legal experts like you.
The fact that companies get away with it until forced doesn’t mean that what they do is legal, even if they put it in their EULA. Lenovo already found out about it in court, but they don’t seem to learn even on their own mistakes.
Edited 2013-01-18 19:58 UTC
Likely because:
a) Not a lot of people even do this, so there’s no education within the support channels to provide such a service.
b) They still believe they are within their legal rights, and a few lost cases in a few countries, doesn’t legal precedent make. If they think that eventually they can fry this fish and get a court to affirm their right to dictate their own return policies (specific laws in countries expressly forbidding this aside)
c) You simply don’t see a change because enough people don’t care enough to even request such a refund. How would you know if they’ve changed their policy? Have you recently tried to acquire a refund? I think it is premature to suggest they haven’t changed their position when you haven’t had an opportunity to check if they have.
Do you honestly think every small claim decision against a company is enough to change their ways? In the US, small claims courts are sympathetic to the individual/consumer and at least here, its hardly a litmus test for any kind of legal policy.
Their policy is stated explicitly, so you would know if they changed it or not.
https://shop.lenovo.com/ISS_Static/ww/ag/merchandising/us/popups/ret…
If you acquired a software product separate from a hardware product, and paid a license fee, you may return the software product in its original, sealed package within 21 days of the date of invoice and obtain a refund or credit.
Note the phrase “separate”. I.e. if it was bundled, they brazenly refuse to refund you. They changed the language after they got fried in French court. But just slightly to make it more obscure. Before they used to say it more openly:
Lenovo does not provide refunds or credits for portions of a packaged offering provided at a single price or for preloaded programs installed by Lenovo.
But Lenovo has done so before, out of court, despite their EULA.
In another news Asus and Lg are planning to release Windows Phone8. Windows phone 8 have been doing well lately. Windows Phone, Iphones, BB10, and now firefox phone- yaa it must be rainy in Mountainview. lol
If it takes ASUS from announcement to release as long as it took Nokia, then Mountain View has nothing to worry about for quite some time.
FirefoxOS could make some inroads into market segments that are currently dominated by Android 2.3 phones. But as long as Google remains Mozilla’s default search engine provider, the potential damage will be limited.
Exactly the same impact that you have described, will Chromebooks have on Redmond.
There is nothing from Microsoft in the Chromebooks, so every Chromebook sold will reduce Microsoft’s grip on the PC industry.
Is there any indication at all that Chromebooks are selling in appreciable numbers, or that consumers even want (and are not terribly confused by) such a device?
No indication except being on the top of Amazon’s laptop sales for >90 days. However, Amazon does not release sales numbers (Google either) so it is anyone’s guess.
Yeah, I’ve learned not to read too much into it. Lumia’s routinely top Amazon charts but it doesn’t translate into really blockbuster sales.
Lumia Amazon ranking was deliberately gamed by Nokia (launch on holiday, cheaper than elsewhere, listed only in small subcategory). No such gaming is apparent from the Samsung Chromebook. In fact the brick-and-mortar stores which sell the Chromebook report high demand as well.
I wasn’t that into the idea of ChromeOS when it came out but increasingly they’re catching my eye. Interesting when they say the specs don’t make it a powerful machine. My first laptop – and I wrote a book with it – was PIII with 4G on the hard drive and 555Mhz on the processor. So by that comparison, these Chromebooks are nice and fast.
I was tempted by the Samsung one but Lenovo makes great hardware. Maybe I’ll give it a look.
I love it when marketing droids try to exactly quantify gains from a given product. “This product is now 56% more awesomer!” Not 55%, or 57%. No, it’s exactly 56%. Does anybody fall for this kind of bullshit?
While I see your point, It does depends how well time is managed.
I could understand Samsung launching chromebooks.
Given their production versatility and close cooperation with Google they could afford a product they didn’t believe in.
But Lenovo? They seem pretty focused (even their smartphone adventure starts to pay off) and wouldn’t release something they think would almost certainly flop, esp. not in the ThinkPad brand. That means they believe chromeos is indeed into something.
Anybody knows what markets is this one targeted?
Of course unless Chromeos is the new freedos for those OEMS.
Unlike FreeDOS, ChromeOS is actually useful. Complete with web browsing, email, word processing etc.
Unlike ChromeOS, FreeDOS is actually useful without internet connection. Complete with word processing, games, editors, programming languages and internet access is also possible if really required.
full guis as well
http://www.freedos.org/software/?cat=gui
Nice one.
A friend of mine was quite found of GeoWorks.
I don’t deny that these are possible, just people are not turning to FreeDOS if they want those.
ChromeOS is not targeted at people without Internet access, though you can work offline if you wish.
Though testing this on the so called average consumer would end up… funny-sad. Pretty useless, at best.
Yep. There’s never been a web browser, email client, or word processor for DOS. No sir.
The DOS applications might fulfil 1995’s idea of web browsing, email, and word processing.
But they’re selling Windows 8 machines.
Maybe either Windows 8 spooked them, or they see it as an opportunity to test the market with something completely different.
As a fan of the TrackPoint (and third button), I will need to take a look at this. I’m not part of the intended audience, but, if the price it reasonable, I would consider getting one.
Yup, cost is important here. With samsung’s chromebook at 250USD and the acer c7 with celery 847 at 200USD the price could make some difference here. I doubt they’re chasing business users with this chromeos x131e.
Ahh, I see 429USD for a unit, but with no indication of which CPU, how much RAM, what kind of storage to be included.
Edited 2013-01-18 19:50 UTC
A more respectable article is now available:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/01/lenovos-new-thinkpad-x131e-c…
Technically, it always rains in Redmond.
Glad to see this alternative operating system is ( relatively ) thriving! I don’t know how great it is for school though. As a visual impaired individual that has always used a laptop in school I must say Microsoft’s OneNote is excellently tailored to a student’s needs. But, than again, as a European I have no idea what K-12 education is anyways.
I still remain somewhat confused about why a Chromebook exists at all. How is it better than a laptop or netbook (with the Chrome browser if you really must) that can work offline so much more easily?
Couple that issue with the fact that mobile data plans are expensive, free wi-fi isn’t often available outside the house and Chromebooks are locked down (have fun trying to put a “proper” Linux on them), I remain struggling to work out what advantage a Chromebook gives you.
No wonder I never see anyone using them when I’m out and about because they become a virtual brick when on the move.
It is better to many people because it is more simple to use. Compared to a traditional PC, you have to care about a whole lot less things.
Especially the lack of need for backups is nice for a lot of people. If the computer breaks or is lost, just replace with another Chromebook and continue to work. All your data is still there.
That Chromebooks are locked down is only true until you flip the developer switch. Then you can install whatever distro you like.
You can work offline with Chromebooks. The 3G versions come with 100MB/month mobile data plan included. And free Wifi may be more common than you think. Some articles mentioned Starbucks.
While it may not meet the requirements of everyone, it does already for a whole lot of people.
It’s across Lake Washington from Seattle. It rains all the time there. What does that have to do with software again?