Google has finally confirmed that it will be releasing an operating system - with the Google Chrome OS arriving to offer competition to Microsoft, Apple and a whole host of Linux distros.
Although the public has been kept in the dark over Chrome OS, you can be sure that Google has been beavering away on its operating system for some time now, and perhaps the interest shown by netbook manufacturers in its Android mobile platform has indicated that the time is right.
So we've taken the details that we have so far about Google Chrome OS and assembled them into a handy fact list for your consumption.
1. What exactly is Chrome OS?
Google Chrome OS is the company's first attempt at designing an operating system for more powerful computers. The Google partnered Android has done well for mobile platforms, and it now wants to take the work it has done there, tie it up with the work it is doing on its still-fresh Chrome browser and make the first 'OS for the cloud' – with most of the work being done on the net rather than on the computer.
"Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS," said Google's statement. "We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds.
"The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web."
2. When will we able to use Chrome OS?
Google has confirmed that it will be making code available to developers later this year and predicts that we will be buying the first Chrome OS powered netbooks by the second half of next year.
"Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010," said Sundar Pichai, VP Product Management and Linus Upson, Engineering Director on the Google blog.
"Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve."
Your comments (12) Click to add a new comment
mowfo1980
July 10th
12. Why is offering an update 'not cool'. Firefox seems to do it on a weekly basis! I too think MS is just being penalised for its size.
Go MS!
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skovsky
July 10th
11. @lovlid,
Well, I don't know about illegal, but there's certainly a forceful & deceptive element to Microsoft's bundling with IE. The other day the little yellow "necessary & recommended OS/security-related update" icon appeared in my system tray. I clicked custom install out of curiosity. The only thing listed was Internet Explorer 8.
Not cool.
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lovlid
July 10th
10. @ poebae "The big difference between Microsoft's forceful (and illegal) bundling of IE"
Whats forceful or illegal about it? Its like telling Argos to hand out Littlewoods catalogues.
"Google Chrome OS will be open source, hence free. Users have the freedom of choice whether they want to use the software or not."
So do Windows users, they always have. You don't have to use Windows, or its associated software, but even if you do, the choice has always been there.
"There's no chance the European parliament will ask them to remove the browser component, unless they start doing the same with all of the Linux distributions that have a default browser built-in."
Because lets face it, Linux has never been big enough to bother with.
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dcolley
July 9th
9. Let's just break this down. Microsoft launches what's it called search 'bing' and admits that not getting heavily into search was its only mistake. But of course that was ok with PC folks, then google does what announces that they are going to release a web based OS. Now that's just not nice. They just don't play fair. Let's face it anything that brings Microsoft down a notch is good for the industry.
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goineasy9
July 9th
8. I'm sure that Google will make sure that their new Chrome OS will be optimized for both online and offline usage, and I wouldn't be surprised to see optimizations even for dial-up. This is Google we are taking about, they didn't get into a position of dominance by overlooking essentials.
As far as having to deal with the proprietary drivers that are the bane of distro users that contain the Linux kernel, I'm sure that their visibility and wealth will convince those hardware manufacturers, that releasing open source drivers is good for their businesses.
Many Linux distros already have incredible hardware recognition, so, I don't think Google will have any problem there. Except for Nvidia and ATI, I haven't had to physically install any external drivers on any of the Linux systems I've installed recently. There are still install disks shipped with most hardware destined for Windows installation. Printers, routers, mouse, keyboard, network cards, ivtv cards work all out of the box with my Linux installs.
I can only see many pluses for the release of Chrome OS.
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hoanglong1712
July 9th
7. I don't know if this os require a faster internet link
if it does, my choice is saying no to cloud computing
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