Watch out Microsoft: Google formally announces Chrome Operating System, turns up heat

It was only a matter of time; 9:37pm Pacific Time on July 7, 2009 in an innocent appearing blog post to be exact. With "cloud computing"—a term used to describe the new world of light weight computing where local storage and processing matters less—on the rise, Google is taking the...

Intel to Lenovo and Samsung: No special pricing for you!

Intel today revoked preferential pricing to Lenovo and Samsung for its Atom chipset which power popular netbook models, typically with screens 10-inches and smaller. Apparently both manufacturers violated terms by using the lower-priced chipset in models with larger screen sizes. The netbook market is an entertaining place these days. First,...

San Francisco Chronicle goes wrinkle-free with new “high-definition” format

Here's a European twist on the standard newspaper trend piece. Usually we hear about things like Kindle when talking about next generation newspaper delivery. Starting today, however, the San Francisco Chronicle is delivering a glossy—or "high-definition"—look to the newspaper. No tech gadgets required. Following in the footsteps of several overseas big-city...

Solar Update: June 2009, solar stats and PG&E’s SmartAC program

Well folks, we are definitely in full swing with the summer season. The weather in the Bay Area has been scorching these past couple of days. I am reminded by those that I have spent time in other parts of the country that at least we should all be grateful...

Google Voice: One number to rule them all

Hey Google, where's my invite?! Yet again, following in the footsteps of Apple and Nintendo's get-in-line marketing jujitsu, Google's new Voice service is available "by invite only". We've seen this movie before, with Gmail. And it works well. Like a roped-off club entrance with snaking lines, people tend to gravitate...

Bionic knee: My story

Guest post by Jane Lurie. SSC is a great place to keep up with all of the cutting edge developments in technology. I love expanding my tech horizons as I read all the entries. I have been experiencing the miracle of a technological development in medicine and I am continually amazed...

Gateway enters netbook market with first 11.6-inch display

With today's announcement of a new $399 netbook, now even Gateway, famous for their cow spotted shipping boxes and low prices, has entered this white hot market segment. As I've written before, I still believe netbooks will become the new notebooks. They continue to get bigger displays — from 8.9" to...

Silicon Valley started here, in a garage, 71 years ago

A garage anywhere else usually means car restoration projects, power tools or piles of old boxes and long-forgotten knick-nacks covered in dust and moth balls. But here in Silicon Valley, it often means start-ups. There are many garage stories. Most recently Google famously used garage space in Palo Alto to tinker...

Twitter and revolution, natural partners in Iranian up-rising

It's hard not to be amazed what is happening in Iran, on multiple counts. One is the up-rising of the youth that has quickly spread and now has the country on the brink of revolution. The spectre of another dictatorship, suppressing the people, ignoring the will of the voters and,...

Join the Stark Insider fan page on Facebook

Have you heard about this incredible new web site called Facebook that lets you stay in touch with your friends?   It may be small and anonymous now, but I think it's going places. And so do we at Stark Insider. Announcing the Stark Insider fan page on Facebook. Check it out,...