Ask HN: Did anyone else get an invitation for a Chromebook?

It's not an iPad-with-a-keyboard. The iPad is much more powerful; it can actually run client-side apps so you can do things either offline, or without the slow, bloated feel you get from web apps. You can SSH from it with reasonable speed (unlike ajax terminals). You can take a picture and save it locally. The list goes on. It's a polished system that's been around for a while, and it's supported by a company with a history of actually supporting and caring about their products.

The chromebook is more of a cut-down web browser with a keyboard that you can't use without having a google account and forfeiting your privacy.

Let's face it - it's a pain in the ass to type on the iPad and mobile safari is painfully slow. The iPad was built for 10% input and 90% output. I love the iPad for media but it mostly sucks for doing anything productive and it sucks for researching compared to using Chrome on my mac or PC.

I for one hope Chromebooks solve that problem and provide a reasonable alternative to the iPad. If they do that's a big win for the web, which has taken a beating as of late.

you were contract by Google, not Gilt.

they simply gave you the option to register with Gilt if you are interested in purchasing the chromebook.

Did you sign up to try and receive a CR-48?

If so, that is why you got the e-mail.

so as an owner of a CR-48 would you buy the Chromebook?

If no, is it because you already have the CR-48 and therefore don't have the need, or because you didn't like the CR-48 and don't think the Chromebook would be useful?