[moved from "What the relation btw Chrome & cloud computing?"]
In a Q&A session, Marissa Mayer includes Chrome in the cloud computing initiatives of Google:
"Also, when you look at this notion of cloud computing, that is particularly interesting. When you look at what has happened to Gmail, docs, spreadsheets and, now this week, Chrome, it tells a powerful story about how information can be stored online and how we can use online tools to facilitate easier sharing and collaboration. This is a different computing paradigm than what people adhered to up until now. Clearly we are going to continue to focus on that."
Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/09/marissa-mayer-t.html
Sure, Chrome helps people using Web applications (thanks to faster JS engines), but is it the only connection between the web browser and Google's cloud computing project?
I bet there is something coming that will put Chrome in the core of the cloud computing project. I don't know why, but the way Marissa bring Chrome and Cloud Computing together persuades me there's something more... and something great...
Suggestions:
* An advanced toolbar/add-ons pack for Docs, Gmail, Talk (yes! think Talk Labs Edition), with of them working offline (Gmail, Calendar, Health, News, etc.).
* A new 'Browser Sync' service, à la Mozilla's Weave (http://labs.mozilla.com/projects/weave)
* A real Gdrive (finally) that display Google Docs items but also desktop stored files (this would hurt MS a lot!)
* A P2P software withing Chrome (sounds a little crazy)
* An OS for netbooks optimized for Internet navigation (ie made for Chrome). But I'm not saying that Android experience encourages them to push in this direction!
* Any other idea??
FYI, Google is expected to announce something @TC50, at 11:40 today (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10034172-2.html)
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Jérôme I wondered the exact same thing when I read this!
On a related note, take a look at the last paragraph at http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-06-10-n87.html |
Oh thanks Philipp! It answers perfectly my question...
The "changing toolbar" would make a lot of sense. As Ubiquity makes its first beta steps, the timing isn't suprising:
* an address in the page and the maps icon goes up
* a phone number... and google talk (inside Chrome) will be ready to call
* a .pdf, .doc, .xls (...) extension and voilà! Google Docs ready to upload it
* a photo, and picasa shows up
* an email address, and the contact manager climbs the bar
* a date somewhere? the event is brought clother to Calendar
* naturally, Chrome Sync and Google bookmarks are in the pack (and what about an Android Sync?)
Now, this is cloud computing!
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When Marissa says "Chrome", I think she's really thinking "Gears", which really is important to cloud computing.
But the talk of a "changing toolbar" got me thinking...
Now that Chrome has unified the URL box and the Search box, there's really no need to display yet another search box when the user visits google.com. The "Search" and "I'm Feeling Lucky" buttons wouldn't be needed either, because the user would just use the OmniBar as usual. That would _really_ streamline the Google home page :-) |
