Google rumors galore….
There are all sorts of rumors circulating about Google’s product announcements tomorrow at CES. There are still stories floating around about a Google PC running linux and there are stories about pay-download videos and a software bundle. No official word on these from Google. (They had denials about PC talks from some of the retailers that were supposedly approached.) The Google Cube is listed as the codename for the Google PC according to one article.
Google Pack is named as the software download which would include Firefox, a version of Norton Antivirus, Adobe reader and Realplayer. They also are expected to reveal some deals to distribute video online.
I don’t know about the “PC” rumor. I suspect IF it is a hardware device it may well be a very specialized device. (Internet video/multimedia center appliance?) Maybe something not unlike a small Tivo or Mythtv device with the added benefit of downloading videos from Google’s network? Of course, it would have web browsing capabilities as well (as mythtv does, don’t know about TIVO). It may lack the capability of real-time recording and just be an “internet tuner” of sorts… Or more specifically it may be a “google video tuner”… I really doubt we’ll see a full desktop PC.
The pay for video downloads will come, don’t know if the announcement will be tomorrow, but it makes sense. The Google Pack I’m a little more dubious of. It seems a bit outside their typical focus of organizing information. I think with the two items above, an argument could be made… But, we’ll see tomorrow.