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Editorial - The Future of the Chromebook: Another Netbook or a Notebook Replacement?

I'm a pretty devoted user of Chrome and Chrome OS. I have three machines in my house that run the OS, and a work machine running the Chrome browser. I have made it my goal to use Google's Chrome operating system whenever possible. So far, I have only had one reason to use my old broken-down MacBook, and that was so I could burn a few CDs for my car. Other than that, I have relied primarily on my Chrome OS machines, an Acer Nettop running Chromium OS, an Acer C7 (my main machine) running Chrome OS, and my Samsung Chromebook also running Chrome OS. I have found tons of awesome ways to do what I normally would have done on my MacBook, and I have not missed using it at all. Not being near my Chromebooks makes me miss them. It simply is a better way to compute. Everything from word processing, to blog management, to news, music, movies, and of course, browsing the web, is better on the Chromebook. Yet, the question has arisen: will Chromebooks rise like the Netbook and stay that

Acer C7 Chromebook Lightning Review (4 GB of RAM)

What is it? This is the latest update to Acer's line of Google Chromebooks, running Google's own Chrome OS- a super light, super fast, and very focused operating environment that brings web apps and the best browser available to the forefront to be the ONLY application available on the system. Despite this "limitation," the device allows users to do the same things (pretty much) that you can do on a full-fledged desktop. Web, email, word processing, spreadsheets, music management, photo management, social networking, news, movies, tv shows... it's all here, and it works well. Who is it for? This isn't for everybody. Let me repeat myself. THIS ISN'T FOR EVERYBODY. In fact, if anything, this is only for those who can handle the reality that you will ONLY be able to use the device with web apps. This isn't the same as a Mac or a PC. It's very different. But if you're pretty much or completely living your computing life in the cloud (like

How Google Chromebooks Replaced My Need for a Traditional Laptop

If you've been reading my stuff for a while, you'd know that I was one of the thousands of early Chromebook adopters, being sent one of Google's Cr-48 laptops back in December of 2010. I've also used many of these devices since the unveiling of the official first model about two years ago at Google I/O. Since then, I've tried, tested, and used four different Chromebooks. It has taken me sometime to formulate a concrete opinion about the units, but I have since decided that these aren't just toys anymore: they're real, usable, and affordable for what they are capable of.  Needless to say, Google has hit a home-run with the latest rendition of Chrome OS, and the current line up of Chromebooks satisfies almost every sector of the laptop buying market. For the past three months I have been rocking Samsung's Model 3 Chromebook. It is perhaps the fastest, cheapest, and most versatile Chromebook I have ever used. As Chris Zeigler of The Verge put it a

How Damaging Will Google Glass be to Human Communication?

Google Glass is  supposed to be the top-notch futuristic way to communicate in the land of tomorrow. It allows you to carry out many functions that are arguably very useful; such as a built-in GPS to help you get around, Google search everywhere, the ability to make calls and texts hands-free, and the ability to capture every moment you desire in the form of pictures or video. Folks, I think this is going to be a very bad thing for humans... especially with my generation. We grew up with these technologies, and they have been a part of us since the get-go. We have always had a lot of information available to us instantly, and the amount of information we are expected to know by the end of high school is crazy to even think about. Sure, we're smart. But we simply aren't able to keep focused on multiple tasks at hand. None of us are. And what is even more problematic is the reality that we all have very short attention spans. We are all very easily distracted. It isn't our f

Google Glass: Will It Bring Clarity to Our Lives?

Google put a phone in your pocket, maps on your computer, android on your TV, a cheap tablet in your backpack and now they’re trying to take over a new part of your life: your face. Google Glass Explorer is  a new venture to put googly googs on your eyes. Google aims to roll out Glass Explorer in the third Fiscal Quarter of 2013. Units will be available just in time for the holiday season. The price is not yet known. Technology experts from The New York Times and The Verge predict it will run somewhere between $99 to $249. Glass will be a heads-up-display. It will always be in your peripheral vision and always accessible with the simple prompt, “okay glass,” followed by a command: “Okay glass, take a picture.” Boom. Glass takes a picture. “Okay glass, call mom.” Glass calls your mother right away. Glass is thin and light: purposely designed to get out of the way. You aren’t supposed to notice it on your face. The goal is to have the technology there when you need it, and have it disapp