Google Unveils Chrome OS
At the Chrome OS launch event today, Google unveiled the much-hyped and long-awaited Google Chrome OS.
The Chrome OS is an extension of the Google Chrome web browser in terms of functionality. It’s not like Android but it’s more like the Google Chrome web browser. In simple terms, it is a web-oriented operating system that uses nothing but a web browser with plug-ins, web apps and compatible tools to offer you everything that a conventional OS would.
Google Chrome OS was first unveiled in the July of 2009 and was supposed to be available publicly by the Fall of 2010. However, Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google confirmed that they are planning to release Google Chrome OS in early 2011 and eventually open-source it.
However, Chrome OS does features a lot of a web computing. It is almost a cloud-based OS. The basic idea behind developing this operating system is to minimize the boot-up and shutdown time, and provide a ‘new’ platform for the web-addict computer users.
The OS will initially ship with netbooks manufactured by Google’s hardware partners. However, Google plans to open source it in the later months to utilize its full potential at the maximum possible scale.
Here is how Google describes the need for Chrome OS :
Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. 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. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don’t have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.
Because Chrome OS is a web browser-based OS, Google’s newly announced Chrome Apps Store will have in store web apps and tools required by users for use with the OS. It is, in a fair way, similar to the Apple’s app store where users can buy or download free applications of their choice to customize their devices.
