Google Chrome OS

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Google continues to impress, promising to unleash yet another technological advancement for the benefit of all...except maybe Microsoft. The target this time: Netbooks.

Google continues to impress, promising to unleash yet another technological advancement for the benefit of all...except maybe Microsoft. The target this time: Netbooks.

Article Snapshot Google will be releasing a new operating system Google Chrome OS will be based on Linux It will be built to compete with Windows® The Netbook market will be targeted

Huh? OS - Operating System (such as Windows Vista from Microsoft or Leopard from Apple) Netbook - A small portable laptop computer designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet

What's this all about?

Last month we brought you the story of Google Wave, a new innovation that hopes to redefine the way we all think about email and electronic communication. Almost before the electronic ink had completely dried on our last article, Google announced the development of a new Operating System, Google Chrome OS.

About 10 months ago Google released their web browser; Chrome. This was an exciting development as it attempted to address many shortcomings evident in current browsers by optimising JavaScript execution speed and simplifying the entire user interface. It was an attempt to improve the web experience, specifically the Google experience.

By releasing an entire operating system Google aims to take the goals of the Chrome browser one step further, simplifying and accelerating not only the browser but the entire computer and focussing use towards the web. Google tells us to expect a minimal, secure operating system that will boot in seconds and stay out of your way.

How do they plan to do this?

Well, they will use Linux. This is the same technology that powers Brightlabs’ servers and is well known for its stability, security and resilience to viruses. While most Linux servers will not have a graphical interface at all, Google plans to build their own interface which will no doubt be slick and fast to compete with Apple and Windows 7. Oh, it will also be free.

All this means that the next time you look at purchasing an ultra-portable Netbook such as the ASUS Eee PC or Dell Mini, instead of seeing the familiar starting windows screen, you may be staring at a web browser. It seems unlikely that this new OS will make its way onto your primary machine; however there is a possibility that on some machines Google Chrome OS will be used as an instant-on alternative to Windows® which will quickly get you to a browser if you don’t need traditional applications such as Microsoft® Word®.

Google boasts they are already working with a large number of big name companies to bring the Chrome OS project to fruition, including ASUS, Acer, Adobe, HP, Lenovo, Texas Instruments and Toshiba. We can also expect that Google will borrow heavily from other Open Source projects, such as gOS and the Intel-backed Moblin who have already demonstrated the way a web focussed, Netbook OS could function.

For more information and to keep track of developments, check out the Google Chrome OS announcement and FAQ page.