Google's new Chrome OS Netbook

So Google is getting even more into computing with the development of their new Chrome OS. It's based on the Chromium OS project, their open-source OS platform. (Chrome OS is specific to the hardware on-board Google's netbooks.)

It's primarily a web-based OS - there is very little software on board the computer, to the point where it literally boots up in a matter of seconds. (I've seen it - it's a thing of beauty.) The entire interface runs out of Google's Chrome browser, with the ability to install and run web apps. It's got VGA and USB ports, and both Wi-Fi and 3G radio on board. (It also comes with 2 years free of Verizon (?) 3G connectivity, which starts only once you activate it.) One major hardware change - they've replaced spinning hard drives with flash memory. It's sleek, it's fast, it's cool.

I had heard some whisperings of it, but didn't really get a chance to see it in action until I ran into Stephen, a student at my school. He is a computer programmer and TSA member, and was approved to pilot one of Google's CR-48 Chrome netbooks for free. I had a chance to see it in action a bit, and Stephen seemed initially impressed with it. He and I were drawn to it for the same reasons - curiosity about whether it was a viable computing alternative, and interest into whether it would work for some of our day-to-day computing needs.

Needless to say, I promptly submitted my own application. I registered as an educator, and requested about a dozen netbooks for some students and staff to test out. (I'm hoping I wasn't asking for too many, and wrecked my chances.) Our district uses web-based services which are reported to have to use Internet Explorer, so I'm interested to see how well the Chrome netbook is able to integrate with some of those services.

A quick, lightweight, simple-to-use-and-maintain netbook like this has great promise for teachers and students - I'm really hoping that Google will approve my meager request to have educators field-test them. With my school's BYOT initiative, it seems a great fit to provide students and teachers with another technology alternative, to see if it can hold up to the rigors of the classroom.

I sat down with Stephen the other day, because I wanted to capture his ideas and opinions of the Cr-48 and Chrome OS experience from the beginning. He's had his netbook for about two weeks now. After the audio file, I'll give you a quick summary of his comments.

Tell me a little about what your computing background is.

• Linux, Windows and Mac user
• Some programming in Visual Basic, PHP, Java, JavaScript
• Teaching himself C#

Tell me a little of what you know about the Google OS.

• It's all web-based; appears to be based on Linux
• Can't "dig" into the Chrome OS like you can with Windows
• Would like to open up the file system more, but understand why they haven't
• Interface is through Chrome browser
• Apps run faster - perhaps because of the solid-state HD, perhaps fewer processes running

What attracted you to the Google OS notebook?

• It was free :), plus free 3G for two years
• Wanted a netbook - has a very robust laptop for programming and gaming, but bulky
• Too large a footprint to use effectively in the classroom (with books, papers, etc.)

How much getting used-to did it take?

• 2-3 days to get used to it, particularly the keyboard
• Has been trying to use it exclusively (part of the requirements of pilot program)
• Sometimes switches to other laptop, because Flash seems a little "laggy" and buggy
• Loves the fact that updates happen automatically - apps and browser

Do you think this could be a useful tool for teachers and students?

• Useful particularly for students - good battery life, keep notes online
• Fast - before, taking quick notes was faster on an iPod, now taking this out is faster

Do you see that the Google OS notebook might have any drawbacks, particularly for educational use?

• Wi-Fi and 3G are necessary - if you don't have an internet connection, there's not much you can do
• Some apps will work offline temporarily, but not a whole lot of offline
• Google is working on Gmail and Docs offline
• 3G is getting cheaper, so it's a more viable solution
• Good cheap plans - including pay-as-you-go

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iPads in schools? Too much, I think

Not too long ago, news floated around that Georgia legislators were looking at the option of replacing school textbooks with iPads. With the rise of more portable devices - larger than a cell phone, which would not be a great medium for reading books regularly - this seems like a natural step for educators.

Employing a digital device to handle the print material allows for easier updates of content: rather than the cost of writing, editing, printing, binding and shipping thousands of new textbooks, the content can be updated on a digital file and made available for download. Additionally, the content on a digital device can be more appropriate for this generation of learners - infused with images and multimedia, interactive, shareable, and integrated into other resources (like the web).

My concern with this is the device itself. Granted, I have not had the opportunity to play with an iPad, but I do know that the general public has a very "starry-eyed" view of anything Apple produces lately. While the iPad might be the most visible tablet device, it still lacks elements that would make it a killer educational tool.

First is the price - I've always felt that part of the price in newer Apple products is due simply to the name. (Why is it that the iPad has taken off lately, whereas Windows tablets from about a decade ago seem to have fallen into shadow?) To make it an effective educational tool, it needs to be a lot cheaper, so that schools and systems can afford to replace them regularly - and to make them available to teachers, as well.

Secondly is the proprietary nature of the iPad. Apple's always been notorious for holding onto the programming of its devices - and while writing apps is accessible (for example, using IntroWizard or AppBreeder), I imagine working with the OS is not. That might be a huge sticking point for school systems with well-developed IT infrastructures.

So while I applaud Georgia legislators for looking forward, I think aiming for the pie-in-the-sky iPad is not the right way to go. I had a chance recently to preview a Barnes & Noble Nook from the B&N across the street from my school. The Nook is powered by Google's Android OS, and has just about as simple an interface as the iPad. It and similar devices have the ability to host and run apps, browse the web, etc. I'm not sure licensing with Barnes & Noble is necessarily the right answer, either, although with a smaller pricetag (in the $200-250 range, as opposed to $499 and up for the iPad) it's much more cost-effective.

Okay - so here's my killer educational device:

• An Android-powered tablet - Android is infinitely more customizable than the iPad OS.
• Multiple USB ports for students and teachers to connect jump drives, peripherals, etc.
• Wireless VGA for teacher tablets. (This might be cumbersome right now, so the technology still needs some developing. Allowing teachers to be freed from cords while displaying work on a projector or interactive whiteboard is a deal-closer for me.)
• Wi-Fi capability to connect to a school's or location's Wi-Fi network.
• An on-board integrated software security package that includes:
• GPS access to help retrieve the device in the event of loss or theft.
• monitoring software, accessible through teacher administrative software - this could both monitor student's activity, and incorporate "screen-sharing" or remote control to allow teachers to interact with a student's tablet.
• anti-virus software.
• A tweak to the Android OS that restricts installation of apps - either through password-protection, network verification (only when connected to a specific Wi-Fi network, for example), or some other control measure.
• Simple device control buttons for the most common functions - Home key, left/right keys for page navigation, Internet key.

If someone could develop a device for cheaper than most on the market, and market it specifically to schools and school systems, that would be an outstanding emerging market, so to speak.

I'm really excited to see what develops with this technology in the educational arena this year.

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