Google announced their new Chrome operating system yesterday, and as you’d expect from Google, it’s something innovative and entirely online, since as Google points out, we’re all online almost all the time anyway. At its heart, Chrome OS is just a browser, and all the applications that you’re used to having on your computer run as web applications (like Google Docs). A key difference from traditional web apps, though, is that Chrome will be able to harness some of the powers of the computer that it’s running on, thanks to the next generation of HTML, HTML 5. Like a browser, Chrome OS will start in mere seconds, and it’s designed specifically for netbooks. In a nutshell: Chrome OS is just like Google’s Chrome browser, except it’ll run web based applications that give it the functionality of a conventional operating system. While a developers build is available now, Chrome OS will officially launch sometime next year.

More, after the jump.

Now, I think that this is a great idea in a lot of ways. I <3 the cloud. It's where most of my work lives... I use Google Reader and Google Docs extensively, and it's liberating to be able to access all of my stuff instantly on any computer while never having to worry about backing up my data. The problem is that too much of what people do on computers that's not in the cloud already (i.e. internet, email) requires the local memory and processing resources of a physical computer. You know, things like audio, video, and gaming. It’s great that Google OS is integrating existing web services like Google Docs and Hulu and stuff into one streamlined interface, but that convenience is just not enough incentive for me to abandon things like local storage and local oomph for applications like Photoshop. What’s it going to take? Easy: way faster internet, available everywhere, since the cloud is no good if you can’t access it. I’m talking about internet that’s fast enough that Google can run Photoshop for me and I don’t need a computer with oomph, like what OnLive is trying to do with video games.

So, in summary, I’d say that Chrome OS is an excellent direction for Google to be taking, but for it to really take off, infrastructure needs to develop to the point where internet is everywhere and it can consistently deliver information at speeds that allow server-side storage and applications to replace local content and hardware. And this will happen, just not quite yet. Until then, Chrome OS is going to be a bit of a niche market, but it’s certainly appropriate for netbooks and other platforms that are geared mostly for online use anyway.

[ Chrome OS ] VIA [ Gizmodo ]

By Chris Scott Barr

It’s getting hard to remember life before YouTube. Before our favorite video streaming site existed, we had to scrape by with America’s Funniest Home Videos and the occasional gem on Newgrounds. These days not only do we get to watch millions of stupid (and once in a while educational) videos, but they’re also available in 720p. Of course in this age of high-definition TVs, YouTube knows it could do better. And starting this week, they will.

That’s right, this week the site will allow users to upload videos in 1080p, and play them back in the same resolution. It seems that some videos that were previously uploaded in 1080p have already been converted. The above video has been confirmed to be streaming at full 1080p. It looks great (in comparison to SD), loads fast and has no stutters when streaming for me. What do you guys think?

[ YouTube ] VIA [ Dvice ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Traveling during the holiday season isn’t always the most fun. With crowded airports and the risk of getting snowed in, many people will do their best to steer clear of flying when possible. Of course, if your loved ones are on the other side of the country, you don’t have much of a choice. Thankfully if you do get stuck in an airport this season, one company is making sure that at the very least, you’ll have internet access.

Google has announced that they are making free Wi-Fi available in 47 airports across the US. You can click here for the full list of covered locations. Google isn’t rolling out some sort of new wireless service, but instead paying the service providers to allow everyone free access. They are also matching donations made while at the airports (using Google Checkout) up to $250k. The contributions will go to your choice of charitable organizations. Also if you’re in one of these locations after November 16, you can submit a photo of yourself for a chance to win a number of different (and unnamed) prizes.

[ FreeHolidayWiFi ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Chris Scott Barr

There are some people in this world that need to be connected to the internet at all times. Sure, I’m an internet junkie, but I don’t think I’d ever go so far as to install a permanent WiFi hotspot in my car. GM announced that they will soon start offering Autonet, an always-on wireless internet solution for your car.

The device can be installed in your new van, SUV, truck or crossover starting later this month. Installation will set you back $499, while service is going to cost $29 a month with a 1GB cap. There is also a 5GB package, though no price was listed. The WiFi signal will reach up to 150 feet away, so you won’t be limited to using it just in your car. Great, now kids can check their Facebook and watch YouTube on long car rides. All my brother and I had was one GameBoy to fight over.

[ GM ] VI A [ CrunchGear ]

It’s rather shocking to see the differences in network infrastructure worldwide. As if to make some kind of point, news comes that Portugal ISP Zon will be offering its customers 1Gbps service starting this September. The country will then become the world’s third (and the first in Europe) to provide such speeds, along with Japan and South Korea.

There’s no word on the technology being employed as Zon is a cable operator and DOCSIS 3.0 limits bandwidth at 320Mbps. Some say it could be a publicity stunt, but if it’s not, then good on Portugal, I guess. It’s just that it really sucks to live in Canada. Get this: I’m paying $75 each month for 10Mpbs, capped at 100GB monthly. 10Mbps! How sad is that?

Let us know your horror (or heaven) stories in the comments.

VIA [ Xataka ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Don’t you love it when you realize that you missed a movie in theaters, and thus have to wait months for it come out on DVD? I’m sure that the movie studios have a good reason for doing it (profit, mostly), but it can still be rather frustrating. Well a few movie studios including MGM, Paramount and Lionsgate have jumped on a project that will allow you to watch movies at home, before they are released on DVD.

The project is called Epix, and it works in two ways. First, it is a TV channel that will air movies in a pay-per-view fashion before they are released on DVD. Second, they will also allow you to stream the movies to your computer, in 720p no less. This all sounds pretty good right? It would be pretty cool if it weren’t for the one little catch. Epix will only be housing their servers with select ISPs. What that means is that you will have to have both TV and internet service through a specific ISP in order to enjoy these movies. Honestly, if I can stream movies online, why do I need a TV channel for it? I ditched my cable service in favor of Hulu and Boxee and I have no regrets. I think I can wait for a DVD.

[ Epix ] VIA [ Dvice ]

By Chris Scott Barr

In some ways I feel bad for parents these days. Sure, as kids we all had our own slang that our parents didn’t always understand, but that’s nothing compared to what is used for texting. To the older generation it can read like a foreign language. Well LG feels the pain of these parents, and has created a translator.

The DTXTR is a simple little web app that lets you enter “teen text” and click a button for a translation. I suppose this is a decent idea, as some parents might be confused by what their kids are saying. But honestly, I wonder how many people will actually bother with it. I mean if a parent isn’t savvy enough to decipher the messages that their kids are sending, are they really going to bother going to a website to figure it out? If I were a kid and sent my parents something that they couldn’t understand, they’d just ground me until I learned how to spell properly.

[ DTXTR ] VIA [ TechCrunch ]

By Chris Scott Barr

I’ve been contemplating dropping my cable TV service for a couple of months now. There are two main factors that have influenced this idea. One, I realized that I don’t actually watch that much TV. There are a few shows that I follow on a regular basis, which brings me to my second point. All of the shows I watch can be found online. For free. Hulu is by far the site that I watch the most video on, and soon it will have even more to offer me.

Disney has just wrapped up a deal that will land them a 30% stake in Hulu. They will be putting up roughly $100 million and will soon start offering full ABC shows and classic movies on the site. Yeah, it’s definitely time to dump my cable.

[ WSJ ] VIA [ Wired ]