In the same way that Google Wave is being designed, in a way, to represent what email would look like if it were invented today, Google’s just announced operating system is Google’s attempt to “re-think what operating systems should be”. Google says that the operating systems that we use today were fundamentally developed before the consumer web was around, and thus aren’t conducive to the activities and goals of computer usage that is expected in this day and age.
The Google Chrome OS, which is set to be released on netbooks in the second half of 2010, is an open source operating system that will run on both x86 and ARM based architectures, and Google hopes to initially target netbooks, but the OS will definitely be used elsewhere as well.
As the name implies, the Google Chrome OS is going to be like booting right into a browser in just a few seconds. This puts Google’s suite of web applications in a favorable position as Google brings more and more users into the cloud. Google also makes the point that developers who create new web applications will be developing for the largest computing platform, as web apps based on web standards will run in any browser, giving that application access to a user-base which extends to Mac, PC, and further.
In case it wasn’t clear, the Google Chrome OS will be completely free, and open-sourced later this year so that the open-source community can contribute to the project. We mentioned that the Google Chrome OS will start showing up on netbooks in the second half of 2010; Google says they are working with a number of technology companies to bring Chrome OS equipped devices to market, including: Acer, Adobe, Asus, Freescale, HP, Lenovo, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.
Google seems to be very transparent about this project, as it seems to benefit consumers enormously. Consumers are going to get a quick booting, free OS. Netbook and other hardware producers have a solid choice in a free open-source OS which means consumers won’t have other OS license fees passed on to them. Additionally all of this is going to create good competition in the instant booting OS space, which means innovation and better products.
Read the official announcement from the official Google blog.
July 8th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
New article: Google announces Google Chrome OS http://cli.gs/epLrv
July 9th, 2009 at 2:25 am
Not so fast with all the happiness. Where the OS is Chrome, what happens to all of the Firefox users (catch and grab being a must on all mobility products these days), Safari users or even IE users? If MS proposed an OS that booted straight into IE, I’m sure Nelly would have had fire flaring from her nostrils, no? Can anyone name a Google software launch where everything was fully baked from the off? – I’m more circumspect. Yes, competition is good, but I’m going to wait and see before joining the parade.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:40 am
We do not want to spend most of the time in patching, patching and we need a good competetion. Let us wait and see. The Chrome OS is free.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
“The Chrome OS is free”
Like linux is.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
If this is another one of googles attempts to jump on the netbook bandwagon with some cheesy linux compilation, im not gonna bother with it. Ive never met a linux based “thing” that could give me a pleasant experience without having to jump through a few hundred flaming hoops if I wanted something out of the ordinary (like installing a program not initially included with the install ;’).
If its going to be as mediokre as their browser, its hardly going to be worth the parade. :’)
July 27th, 2009 at 6:18 am
If it:
a) is an instant-on type OS, especially one that can hand off to something like Ubuntu or OS X (or, yes, even Windows)
b) has a Dalvik or Java type runtime for portable apps (even if they’re not true native apps, like Dalvik and Java apps aren’t)
c) it runs on a convertible tablet netbook, esp. a 10″ one, like the EeePC T101
Then I’ll be VERY interested.
Otherwise … if it doesn’t have at least 1 and 2, I probably wont.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
i tried Chrome OS and it is pretty much like a scaled down version of Ubuntu. Chrome is just based on Linux and there is nothing new about it.
December 29th, 2009 at 5:17 am
Chrome OS is just another rebranded Linux GUI, it would be much better if Google came up with an OS that would directly compete with Windows.
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January 8th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Google is the best!!!
January 9th, 2010 at 5:28 am
I have installed Chrome OS on one of my laptops. Well, it feels like Ubuntu GUI the first time i use it. It is pretty much very basic.
August 12th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
i have tested chrome os both at home and at work, it does not seem to be better than ubuntu.~`