Acer AC700 shipping

Acer AC700, otherwise known as Acer Chromia 700, has finally made it to the stores. To recap, Acer Chromia 700 runs 1.6GHz Intel Atom N570 processor with Intel GMA 3150 graphics. Display is 11.6 inch with resolution of 1366 X 766. Chromia 700 has 2GB of RAM and weighs 1380gm (48.7 oz). For connectivity we [...]

Speech Input added on Google Chrome 11 beta

The latest beta version of the Google Chrome web browser can now support HTML5 speech input API. This is relevant since developers can venture to writing different apps that can transform texts to speech. This enables the user to interact with the browser with the help of a microphone. You can find a section of [...]

Linux Netbook users – Opera 10.5 to be faster than Google Chrome browser

Alpha version of Opera 10.5 browser was earlier released before Christmas for both Windows and Mac, which caused a bit of upset in the Linux community. But, now we have come to know that it was delayed for a good reason.

The upcoming Opera 10.5 will sport a new browsing engine. Codenamed “Carakan”, this new engine will speed up the browsing 7 times than the current already-so-fast Javascript engine. This will make the Opera 10.5 even more faster than the Chrome and of course, the slow Firefox

Another improvement over the previous versions is that the cache is more streamlined allowing faster start up and shutdown times. It will support the newer HTML5 properties.

Bottom Line: Once again, Opera will become the faster browser on Earth

Click on read to see the screenshot of Opera 10.5 which looks much different than the current version

Google Chrome OS aka Chromium OS details

We have mentioned Google Chrome OS and Chrome OS netbooks and MIDs many times here on Gadgetmix.com. Well, as expected Google has revealed few more details about the Chromium OS today. We were looking forward for its BETA release or launch of some netbook running Chromium OS, but that did not happen.

Chromium OS is an open-source project that aims to build an operating system that provides a fast, simple, and more secure computing experience for people who spend most of their time on the web.

However, we got some juicy details of what the Google wants Chrome OS to do:

• It certainly is not going to replace your desktop OS. It can do so if the only activity you do on a computer is web-browsing and chat. The apps that will be used on the Chromium OS will be using HTML5. In simple words, these are web-based apps, that completely depend on the Internet connection. So, no Internet connection means that app would be useless
• Boot time of mere 7 seconds: Although this will greatly depend on the hardware it will be run on, but Google wants to keep the boot times as short as possible. Google is even touting it as “Instant on OS”. Note that Google is still optimizing its code for even shorter boot times
• Google’s Chromium OS comes with these web-apps: Picase Web, Hulu, YouTube, Google’s Music app and Notepad
• Right now, Google’s main aim is to get it on as many netbooks and MIDs as it can. It will be made available for both x86 as-well-as ARM infrastructures.
• Expect machines to be out before the Christmas season commences
• Right now, Google is making only its source code available for download.

Lenovo won’t be launching any Linux netbooks – verifies interest in Google Chrome OS

After lots of babbling and rumoring, Lenovo now came forward and authenticated about planning and considering netbooks with Google Chrome OS. However, it is going to a some time for the Lenovo to churn out netbooks totting Chrome OS as they do not even have Chrome’s Alpha code to test on their netbooks.

Lenovo also pointed out that Windows 7 has further widened the gap between Linux and Windows. According to Lenovo, people were returning their Linux netbooks as they were not able to run iTunes on it. As weird as it sounds, we actually think that Linux, especially Ubuntu 9.10 has come with plethora of improvements and new user-friendly features. Just because it cannot run iTunes does not means that it is an inferior OS.

Example: it takes less steps to install an app in Ubuntu than Windows. Just go to Ubuntu Software Center; find the app and click install. No more Terminal mumbo-jumbo

Google announces Google Chrome OS for Netbooks

Google Chome OS – not to confused with Google Android OS, has been announced by Google. According to Google, we have been using operating system that was not designed for “web browsing”. It sounds a bit bizarre as even then, the (awful) Internet Explorer was being bundled with every copy of Windows OS.

Google Chome is an open source and light-weight operating system that is designed to load within few seconds after you have pressed the power button. Google says that their upcoming OS is designed to run on both x86 as-well-as ARM chips. So expect to makes its debut on MIDs too along with netbooks.Google Chrome OS is using Linux kernel underneath and thus their OS is not prone to viruses and trojans.

Right now, over 30 million people are using Google Chome OS. Google is already in talks with computer manufactures. I am sure Chrome OS will be used as a supplementary OS by a lot of people in coming months, if not as main OS.

IE 8 more secure than Firefox and Chrome – well, that is what Microsoft thinks!

According to Microsoft, IE 8 is safer; provides more privacy and is more reliable than the Firefox and Chrome.

(Click on the picture to see the full size screenshot)

I am speechless! I do not use IE at all as I find it as something that gives invitation to hackers and viruses. Firefox and Chrome are the way to go on netbooks as-well-as notebooks.

[Microsoft]

Is the Google Chrome recommended for the netbooks like ASUS EEE 700 series with WVGA resolution?

Google Chrome came out of its beta stage a couple of days ago. It is working great on the notebooks and other latest netbooks with 1024 x 600 resolution. But, how does it work on the UMPCs and netbooks with WVGA (800 x 480) resolution. Installation The installation was painless. I just pointed my browser [...]