Google and HTC Working On a Chrome OS Tablet

JimMariner

Senior Member
Dec 23, 2009
94
2
500x_500x_tablet-chrome.jpg

Everyone is clamoring about tablets these days—ourselves included—so it's not too surprising that Google and HTC are set to join the fray. They are reportedly working together on a Chrome OS Google Tablet.

Smarthouse, an Australian publication, reports that HTC and Google have been collaborating "for the past 18 months" and have produced "several working models of a touch tablet," including one outfitted with Google's Chrome OS. We wrote why a Google Tablet would be a good idea last month, and with the Apple Tablet discussion reaching a fever pitch, it's harder and harder to get excited about a Chrome OS netbook from Google.

Having collaborated on the Nexus One, a smart phone that impressed us with its design as well as its hardware, HTC and Google partnering on a tablet seems like a promising prospect. But will it "compete head on" with Apple's tablet as Smarthouse claims? Probably not.

From what we know, it seems like Apple is putting as much effort into their tablet's content as they are into the gadget itself. We've written extensively on how an Apple tablet could redefine newspapers, textbooks, and magazines. In the last case, we've already salivated, more than once, over concepts for how magazines might evolve in a multi-touch future. Add that to Apple's recent acquisition of Lala, a move that likely points to a cloud-based future for iTunes, and the reports that Apple is trying to secure TV show subscription packages for the iTunes store. Admittedly, not a whole lot is certain about Apple's tablet. But you start looking at all of those pieces and how they might fit together around one device, you can easily envision a gadget that is focused on streaming the stuff you read, the stuff you listen to, and the stuff you watch.

It's hard to foresee a future in which a Google Tablet tries to go head to head with Apple on the content level. That's not to say, however, that there aren't some compelling things that could be offered by a Google tablet. As the launch of Google's Chrome OS made clear, they're looking toward a future with a multitude of devices that can access the Internet quickly, cleanly, and cheaply. A Google Tablet could be just the thing to realize all of those goals. When we tried out the JooJoo tablet, we saw how a well-designed tablet for consuming web content could provide an engaging experience. A Chrome OS tablet by Google would likely work the same way, keeping typing to a minimum and offering a literal hands-on web surfing experience. [Smarthouse via Business Insider]

By Kyle VanHemert,
gizmodo.com
 

New2u

Member
Jan 24, 2010
15
0
Well depending on the size it might be an awesome device. So far the look of it is quite sleek.
 

New2u

Member
Jan 24, 2010
15
0
I'm still holding my breath on this one, lately the things put out by HTC and Google, have been nice but they still haven't WOW'd me... kinda like the ShamWOW commercial. HP has a decent looking one coming out also. The notion ink adam looks kinda cool, but the ICD vega looks really awesome. One of those 3 would be really awesome to have.
 

carioca10

Member
Nov 1, 2010
5
0
What about the Google Tablet?

When will it finally come?

Will it really last more for coming?

Chrome OS Handwriting Support Cements Google's Tablet Aspirations - OS, Software & Networking by ExtremeTech

May 20, 2011 -By Lee Mathews
Chrome OS Handwriting Support Cements Google's Tablet Aspirations


At I/O 2011, Google put Chrome OS on display for all to see. The first third-party hardware was also unveiled, with a tandem of laptops from Acer and Samsung held aloft proudly by Vic Gundotra. For now, Google decided to focus on notebooks because "that's where web usage is happening today," Gundotra said, adding that Chrome OS could be applied to any number of form factors.

We've known about Google's tablet aspirations for Chrome OS from the earliest days of its development. More than a year ago Google posted several tablet UI mockups to the Chromium OS project site. They looked snazzy enough, but Google's efforts remained focused on laptops -- a platform with which end users are more familiar and comfortable that tablets.

If you had any doubt about whether Google's plans for Chrome OS still included tablets, they can now be dispelled: the arrival of handwriting support in the Chromium source code seals the deal. While the code could be designed to make the Chrome browser more tablet-friendly on all operating systems, this particular code has landed in the /browser/chromeos/cros/ directory, which makes its intended target clear. Devices with keyboard don't generally require handwritten input support, so it stands to reason that Google is pushing ahead with Chrome OS on tablets (or at least convertibles). The developer notes also mention an extension component which will be shipped by default with Chrome OS.

Right now, though, Android tablets are starting to build momentum. Honeycomb-powered slates like the Xoom, Eee Pad Transformer, Iconia Tab, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 have been generating plenty of interest. Android 3.1 on the Motorola Xoom has been generally well-received and noted as feeling both more polished and complete than the initial Honeycomb release, and it's due to arrive on Acer and Asus tablets next month.

There's nothing wrong with Google wanting to hedge its bets, though. If users continue to spend greater amounts of time on the web and developers get behind Chrome tech like Native Client and Chrome Web Apps, Chrome OS will be well-positioned to challenge more traditional operating systems.

If not, the company can always continue rolling Android on tablets and figure out a way to integrate the full Chrome experience there. Who knows, with ARM versions of both OSes already in existence and Android being ported to x86 by Intel (which already powers the Chromebooks), maybe there's a dual-boot Google device on the cards for future tablets.
 
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J515OP

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 6, 2011
5,172
899
another candidate for a date with Apple in court

I'm pretty sure this is a bad photoshop of an ipad. Why don't people at lest take the time to photoshop a tablet with a reasonable chance of being from HTC or at least an Android tablet?
 
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