The matte black Cr-48 won't be sold to the public

The matte black Cr-48 won't be sold to the public, however thousands are being sent to consumers and businesses who have volunteered to test it. It introduces a new kind of operating system, called Chrome OS, that turns to the Web for nearly everything. Google is pitching Chrome OS as its vision for a new form of computing—one that shifts the data, functionality and nearly everything else you would expect from your desktop computer into the cloud. Chrome OS will get its biggest test when Acer and Samsung start selling notebook computers customized to run the software in mid-2011.

Somewhat surprisingly, given Google's claimed commitment to the open Web, Google's app store is not compatible with other Web browsers. Now it is possible to easily modify apps developed for Chrome's store for other "modern" browsers, says Pichai, since they use HTML5 and other web standards designed to enable advanced functionality, including working during offline. The latest versions of Internet Explorer, and other browsers, support those standards. After all some features of Chrome apps remain exclusive to Chrome, just as 3-D effects that tap into a machine's graphics processor. "We need to make sure that apps can do everything that apps can do on the desktop today," Pichai explains. He expects other browsers to catch up as HTML5 and other new Web standards become more common.

The concept is good

The concept is good, however is this simply a new spin on a thin client and the consumer will pay up the wazoo for the cloud apps and storage of personal data? Does the unit have a USB port or hard drive so you can store your own data?

From your article you noted 'users and applcations can't be trusted'.The drones of the world may trust Google, now...Given what I have seen from Google's progression in the last 4 year, I personally will not ever trust Google for anything.What happens when Google screws up your data or privacy.It starts at the top with Google CEO Eric Schmidt who serves on Apple's board and purloins all sorts of information as a normal part of a director's job and uses it to aid Google in entering the hardware biz via Android and however Chrome.If Google was honest, Schmidt would have resigned from the Apple board clear back in 2007 at the latest.Relying on a 3rd party to give you "Free" services is a bargain with a devil.

1) Google is not prefect. They've made mistakes however you should understand that their business model is based on user trust. They don't actually have the choice to be evil. Currently, 99% of their revenue comes from users who visit their sites because they trust the information. I'm not trying to say that you shouldn't be worried; be as worried as you feel is necessary. I'm just trying to get you to see that a 20+ billion company based on securing user's trust isn't likely to sell you out. 2) Eric recused himself when Apple's board discussed anything that competed with Google. It is fairly standard practice. Neither apple nor google would be so stupid to let such exchanges of information happen. It is hard to imagine that companies as wealthy as those 2 would not do the most logical and obvious thing to protect themselves.3) Android is based a company Google brought long previously the iPhone was a rumor much less a product. Android has anyway you look at it benefited from the iphone after all. Steve proved to the telecoms that their lock on the cell phone hardware was holding back the industry. I don't think google could have pulled that off.Android has of course copied many of iphone innovations yet these weren't due to Eric's role on the apple board. Android borrows from the iphone like the mac borrowed from the xerox UI; when all is said and done on. The other statements in your post are odd now I'm too lazy to address them.

Bit like a first generation iPhone

Sounds a bit like a first generation iPhone. Now I guess it worked for Apple. How much it improves security depends upon how good the sandboxing is. Google presumably will need to be able to patch the protected operating system to fix bugs and make other updates, so they can't simply brick up the wall. And unlike Apple, Google will be allowing Flash to run, which adds additional risks.