Current location: Home Laptop News Google Chrome OS Unveiled, Open Sourced...

Google Chrome OS Unveiled, Open Sourced, Not Ready Yet

Posted by Daniel Shain

Comments
1
Likes
0
Dislikes
0

10203_main_ChromeOSMenu.jpg

Google today hosted a Chrome OS event, where they discussed details of their upcoming operating system. It's not ready yet, and Google warns it's only for a specific set of users - and hardware - but if you like the idea of living in the cloud, then Google's Chrome OS may be right for you. We've got a breakdown of the major features for you here.

If you've used Google's Chrome browser, we'll just answer your question now - yes, it's pretty much the same. If that seems to make sense, remember that we just told you the entire operating system is fundamentally the same as a browser. If that now makes you scratch your head, that's the point. This new operating system - which Google is actually calling Chromium OS - is 100% browser-centric. Let's talk about what that means.

Google has released a friendly video that explains that, for most people, the browser is the most important piece of software on their computer. They even have a little animated folder complaining that it doesn't get clicked on much anymore. Google figures, loading up all this junk is slowing down the computer in the one task people care about - using the internet! So they have scrapped local storage and pared down everything as much as they can to try to give you something fast.

But they aren't really removing features. You can still have multiple windows open - they just open in tabs. You can pin applications to the top left, where they will function like a tab but take up less space (kind of like a quick start taskbar). There is a Chrome Menu, which is more or less a Start Menu, that contains easy access to your other applications, which then open in new tabs or small "panels" that attach to various parts of your screen (like a music player that you tell to be "always on top"). Yes, you're in a browser, but Google has designed it so it feels surprisingly like you're not giving anything up.

Thanks to HTML 5, Chromium OS does still make use of your computer's native hardware though. The technology is there now to let web apps take advantage of your computer's resources in a way they never could before, and will help make the web apps (which is all Chromium will run) feel more like local apps than the web apps you're used to running in your standard browsers today. So you'll be storing everything online, but access to it shouldn't be much slower for all that. In fact, if Google comes through as advertised, it will be considerably faster.

Chromium OS is all about speed for mobile web users. They have applied many more restrictions than you usually hear about Google products, all in the name of efficiency. For example, HDDs are forbidden - SSDs only, please. Google is also handpicking the hardware components it will certify as good enough for its OS. The initial target for the OS is netbooks (their demonstration ran off an off-the-shelf Eee PC), which is a natural choice for a lightweight, internet-focused operating system.

Google's Chromium OS controls each tab with a process and claims to verify its own code upon each bootup, restarting itself with a fix if it detects any mal-intentioned code somewhere inside itself, so it should be secure. New windows can be opened up as an equivalent of virtual desktops, although certain windows - like chat windows, for example - can stay on top regardless.

Google has today released the code and made it open source. It's still in a very early stage - we're not even in beta here, and Google loves its betas - and not due to be released for general use until this time next year. Still, this represents a potentially large shift in the world of operating systems. Google has confirmed that it will run on x86 chips (like your Core 2 Duos) as well as ARM chips (like the ARM11 in your smartphone), and that it will be free and NOT loaded with advertisements or anything like that, beyond the setting of Chrome as a default browser anyway.

So what do you think? Are you excited? Are you going to pick up the first open source build that's thrown out there in the upcoming weeks and months and hack it onto your computer, or are you afraid this will generate the same large buzz but ultimately small effect that Chrome did as a browser?

Check out Google's blog post for more info, and check out the video here.

(lead picture source: here)

Rate this article

Most Popular Laptops at Pricegrabber.com

Model    
1. G71-340US Notebook [+] Best Offers  
2. Mini 210-1010NR Netbook [+] Best Offers  
3. Pavilion Dv6-2150us Notebook [+] Best Offers  

Comments

  • By: r4i software Nov 30, 2009 1:13 AM

    orginization. needs drag and drop and a feature that lets u choose which notebook ur note goes into. nintendo dsi r4

Add your Comment

Verification Code
Verify (type this text in the box below the image)

Newsletter Sign-Up

Most Popular Laptops & Gear

  • 1. Inspiron Mini 10v Netbook - Customizable

    Inspiron Mini 10v Netbook - Cu

  • 2. MacBook Notebook

    MacBook Notebook

  • 3. Pavilion Dv6-2150us Notebook

    Pavilion Dv6-2150us Notebook

  • 1. EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digital Camera Kit

    EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digita

  • 2. EOS Rebel T1i Black SLR Digital Camera Kit w/...

    EOS Rebel T1i Black SLR Digit

  • 3. D90 Black SLR Digital Camera Body Only

    D90 Black SLR Digital Camera B

  • 1. iPod Touch 64GB Black MP3 Player

    iPod Touch 64GB Black MP3 Play

  • 2. iPod Touch 8GB Black MP3 Player

    iPod Touch 8GB Black MP3 Playe

  • 3. iPod Touch 32GB Black MP3 Player

    iPod Touch 32GB Black MP3 Play

  • 1. UN55B8000 55" LED TV

    UN55B8000 55" LED TV

  • 2. 42LH30 42" LCD TV

    42LH30 42" LCD TV

  • 3. EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digital Camera Kit

    EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digita

Powered by
PriceGrabber.com

Reviews & News by brand

Latest Updates

  • ASUS Eee PC 1000HE

    The Eee PC has a slightly faster Atom processor and a faster FSB compared to the previous models. While this is not enough for anyone to upgrade, it could certainly attract first-time netbook buyers. Read More

  • Dell Vostro A860

    When price and performance must share in compromise, few laptops on the market readily answer the call of duty. When it comes to getting high quality at an affordable price, the Dell Vostro A860... Read More

  • Dell Mini 9

    By now Dell has a full range of netbooks in sizes 9", 10", and oddly a 12" model, of which we’re looking at the smallest 9-incher here. Read More

More Reviews

More Top Lists

  • Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2009

    Yet again, Apple's professional geeks will offer up sessions and hands-on code probing and testing at Moscone West in San Francisco. The dates for 2009 are June 8-12. Read More

  • E3 Expo

    The E3 Expo - also known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo - is the one trade show to visit to get the latest news from the computer and video games industry. Read More

  • CeBIT - Hannover 3-8 March

    Unlike CES, CeBIT is open to the public, so there's no need to be a press or industry affiliate to have a look at this massive trade show, which is the largest in the world. Read More

  • International CES 2009

    Find out all you need to know about the 2009 International CES. It features 2,700 exhibitors, including companies who manufacture products or provide services for the audio, digital imaging, home... Read More

  • Mac World Conference

    Make sure to make a note about the Macworld Expo at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, January 5-9. If you're a Mac user and wish to meet equivalent people in the industry this is the place for you. Read More

More Events

More Apple

More Linux

More Microsoft

Editor's Choice

  • Weird, Extraordinary and Record-Breaking Laptops

    Here are the laptops that break one record or another, be it oldest, ugliest, cheapest or just very out of the ordinary. Read More

  • Top 10 Technologies of 2008

    Laptopical's T.J. Aaron summarizes the breakthroughs in technology of 2008. As we are nearing the end of 2008 - find out what made his Top 10 of the most successful and talked about technologies of... Read More

  • Top 10 Netbooks

    The netbook world has gotten increasingly crowded, and until the massive popularity of the form factor wanes this trend will only increase. Beyond Asus and Acer, major corporations like Dell, HP... Read More

Latest Laptopical.com tweets

  •  

Follow Laptopical.com on Twitter