I was solicited for a job at Google last month by their HR department. I turned them down. Here’s why:  (more…)

Some small search-outfit announced today that they’re bringing Google Fiber to Provo later this year, pending the city’s no-brainer approval next week.

This is really great news for my home town. It means free 5 mbps internet for every household, free 1000 mbps Internet for 25 public institutions, and $70/mo. 1000 mbps Internet for anyone who wants it. For reference, I pay $50/mo. for 15-20 mbps from Comcast. From a math perspective, we see that 1000 is a lot better than 15-20.

From a consumer perspective, it’s the most coveted internet in the nation. Provo will be just the third U.S. city to offer Google Fiber, in addition to Kansas City and Austin, Texas.

Reporting for Fair & Balanced. :)

Thanks to cut-rate pricing and high user praise, Google?’s new Chromebooks have finally struck a nerve with savvy consumers. But they may go unnoticed this holiday as tablets still dominate wishlists. Continue reading…

Over the last year, my wife and I have really enjoyed our Samsung Chromebook. In terms of quickness, it’s like buying a web-only Macbook Air for under $500. We reach for it often — more than conventional laptops, as much as our iPad.

With the above announcement, I’ll probably reach for it even more once the refresh becomes available in April. For $400, you get an aluminum case with a faster processor and DVI out for streaming stuff to TV. There’s also a Chromebox version for computer labs and corporate minions.

Should be fun to see if Google can get more traction with these—I think they’re a great computing companion device.

Because that’s what you get when you buy a Samsung Wi-Fi Chromebook.

Admittedly, it’s not a perfect analogy. The Macbook Air is skinnier in the front and capable of 1080p playback, whereas the Samsung Chromebook can only render 720p HD. The former is also made of industrial titanium, whereas the latter uses high-end Macbook-like plastic. And in terms of startup and resume times, the Chromebook is faster—near instantaneous. (more…)

From one of the most brilliant minds of our time comes…

• Fox News: 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Nintendo Wii U
  
• CNN: Why some dissatisfied users are shunning Facebook
• Fox News: Chromebook forecast: Cloudy with a chance of sunrise

… on the impending irrelevance of Blackberry. This coming from a six-year Blackberry user (but I’m in the minority, and only use it for texting and voice calls now — no portable apps or Internet for me).

In other words, I use a dumbed down smartphone, so I’m not a target candidate.

The video could use a little editing, but it does an effective job in selling Google’s version of cloud computing. So much, in fact, I predict these “computer-like objects” will be a lot more relevant than tablets, but only if they come down in price. The reported $350-500 launch models, available June 15, are too much.

See also: My Chromebook is a fast tablet with a faster keyboard

Source: Nielsen

I’ve been using Google’s new Chromebook for over a month now. I use it a lot, often times reaching for it over my Macbook.

Why? It starts and stops faster. In a single second even. It connects to the internet faster. In seconds, mind you. The thing is quick and lightweight. Much like a tablet computer or iPad.

Better still, the Chromebook has a full-size but no-nonsense keyboard, making it the faster and better input device when compared to tablets. And it has a lot more “apps” than closed-system tablets.

Admittedly, the trackpad is finicky. But overall, I’m very impressed with the Chromebook, especially as it’s replaced some of the functions I used to prefer on either my desktop or laptop. It might be the best living-room laptop ever made. And it’s a great travel option as well.

If manufacturers price this thing under $300, I think it will make significant waves in the computing world upon release this summer.