Even if you’re familiar with the term “cloud computing” and you know how operating systems work, Google’s Chrome OS is still different enough that it takes some extra explanation. And what better way to learn just what Chrome OS is, and how it will work, than one of Google’s videos. Much easier to understand, right? Google has a knack for distilling complex topics down to simple terms, which is especially useful in describing Chrome OS. Basically, it’s an operating system that is little more than a browser. You don’t house any software on your computer; you use web apps that do the same thing. Instead of using a word processor, use Google Docs....

The world of netbooks is about to get a lot bigger, and better too, with the ASUS Eee PC 1201N. The line of Eee PCs have already contributed so much to netbooks that it comes as no surprise the Eee PC 1201N is redefining the word netbook all over again. The Eee PC 1201N strains the definitions of a netbook because it’s larger than the traditional 10-inches-or-less rule for identifying netbooks. But the Eee PC 1201N has an Atom processor and a 12-inch screen, which still technically makes it a netbook (laptops generally start at 13-inch screens and go bigger). The 1201N is sure to redefine our view of netbook power because it packs exceptionally good specs inside the...

CNNMoney decided to jump into the swirling vortex of Apple Tablet rumors and offer some of their own. The thing is, their elite panel of analysts don’t have many clear details to share (no one does) and some of the things they said seem dubious at best. Laura DiDio, principal analyst from ITIC, seemed to have the most to say, and it’s her insights that seem the most questionable. For instance, she said the Apple Tablet would have a “high-end graphics card.” Granted it will probably have some graphics acceleration to handle media, but why would Apple put in a high-end card into something that will just be used to watch movies and read ebooks? Also she stated the...

Windows 7 has been receiving a lot of praise for fixing problems with Windows Vista, but it’s not perfect either. For evidence of that, look no further than the battery tests of netbooks running Windows 7. It turns out Windows XP gives netbooks a significantly longer battery life than Windows 7. The verdict comes from more than just a one-off comparison, the results are confirmed by tests performed independently at three different publications: Laptop, Liliputing and JKOnTheRun. The most comprehensive test, performed by Laptop, showed that Windows 7 averaged a battery life 47 minutes shorter than XP when tested on 3 different netbooks. The tests were run using Battery Eater, a...

Yesterday we were intrigued by a tablet PC casually shown off by NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, mostly because he didn’t say a word about it. Today, NVIDIA has clarified just what the tablet is and what it’s for. Predictably, when the mystery is taken away the tablet becomes much less interesting. The NVIDIA tablet goes by the name ICD, and it’s just a prototype that NVIDIA is shopping around to cell phone networks worldwide to show off the potential of their new Tegra processor, designed specifically for mobile devices. There is no production version of ICD yet, and NVIDIA didn’t say any carriers have picked up the device yet. The specs are still a mystery, though...