Google unveils Chrome OS for netbook PCs

 

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Posted on 20 Nov 2009 at 08:01

Google has announced full details of its Chrome OS, although admitted that the operating system is still a year away from launch.

The Chrome OS effectively turns a netbook into a thin client entirely dependent on its internet connection. All applications will be web apps, all data will be stored in the cloud and the operating system will be booted from solid state drives (SSDs)—no hard disks will be supported.

This combination of fast hardware and lightweight software is designed for speed.

“We want Chrome OS to be blazingly fast,” said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management at Google. “We want it to be like a TV—turn it on and you’re in your web application.”

And the absence of desktop apps means there’s little to go wrong, Pichai added.

“It’s very simple to use, there’s nothing to maintain. It should just work.”

The interface of the operating system is effectively Google’s Chrome browser, with applications are each given their own tab, and users can shift between different windows each with their own group of tabs.

All user data will be stored in the cloud, with the operating system only using the local SSD for caching data such as settings.

“If I lose my Chrome OS machine, I should be able to buy a new one, log in, and within a few seconds get all my applications back,” Pichai claimed.

Google said consumers won’t be able to download the operating system as it will only be available on hardware that meets Google’s specifications Google said it’s currently concentrating on the clamshell netbook form-factor, but wouldn’t rule out moving to full-scale laptops and desktop PCs over time.

“We’re working with partners to specify the components at the hardware level,” Pichai said. “We really want the software to understand the underlying hardware. We’re specifying the underlying hardware components.”

Of course it will only be a matter of time before the OS is hacked and running on all sorts of hardware, including Macs.

Author: PC Pro