Erstwhile Microsoft Killer Stands Up as Google Chrome OS
For all the market heft that Google's search delivers, for all of the hype around the Android mobile operating system and Chrome Web browser, the most direct, erstwhile Microsoft killer may have appeared late last night from Google in the form of Chrome OS. By now you've read the reports, which you can pick through on TechMeme today. Slated for release to open source later this year, Chrome OS is a platform created to better exploit the speed of the Chrome browser and modern Web services. Google Chrome OS will run within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel and will run on x86 as well as ARM chips. Google is working with multiple OEMs to bring a "number of netbooks to market" in the second half of 2010, but the OS will be able to power desktops as well, Google claims. All Web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written for Google Chrome OS, but it will also run on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux. Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, and Linus Upson, engineering director, wrote:
We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear—computers need to get better. People want to get to their e-mail instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet. If that isn't a shot across the bows of every OS maker, I don't know what is. Google is vowing to beat Microsoft, Apple and Linux distributions at their long-time games. I wrote the other day (picking up where Mark Cuban left off) about why Google is getting into new markets: to find that next big thing to sustain its massive growth. Is Chrome OS it? I'm still digesting this amazing news, so expect more on this later. Now ... off to the T-Mobile-Google myTouch 3G launch. |
Comments (6)
This fall, I will have to dual-boot Windows7 RC and Google Chrome OS.
Posted by Jim | July 8, 2009 8:32 AM
I wonder how simliar it is to Android? If not it is a sign that one or the other is not very portable to certain functions or systems. Two OSs for a similar function? Sounds more like Microsoft than Microsoft.
Posted by Bill | July 8, 2009 9:25 AM
Just replace GOOGLE with Linux above and look 3 years back. Same story - same disappointment. Weren't 2008 and 2009 ment to be the LINUX desktop years and nothing happened? And now the crap about a GOOGLE OS. Guess that means even more annoying ads when using google search or any other google products.
Posted by Roland | July 8, 2009 12:22 PM
Its groundbreaking idea from Google web OS and they are planning to wipe out Windows in a most strategic manner. Google clearly pointing to Microsoft when they say "The operating systems that browsers run were designed in an era where there was no web". But there are few questions which are unanswered like what will happen when we will go offline in Chrome OS? Can we use offline applications like iTunes or Photoshop? Can we run third party applications? How they are going to make profit from it ? I am also bit concerned whether Chrome OS will be embraced by enterprises as it is open source and web based as there is always a security issue....Just wait another thought can Chrome OS will become a global hit especially in small countries where internet is very fickle. But leaving these things aside its going to be win-win situation for the users and it will be interesting to witness the war between giants.
Posted by Krishna Santani | July 8, 2009 3:37 PM
Bad enough my movements are tracked and followed and being used to smash me with ads and stuff I didn't ask for. That's just in a browser, and now they want an operating system???!!! All this is going to be is another way for them to gather data on you and tell you that you need to buy more crap you didn't ask for. Tell you you need to update this and replace that and here are twenty thousand businesses that'll sell you what we tell you that you need. No thanks.
Posted by Steve | July 9, 2009 2:42 PM
What will the killer app be that will cause this to disrupt the desktop OS lead by Microsoft? If there is none, then it will be like Linux in the desktop market (something of interest and for hobbyists).
I see a bigger impact in the embedded, kiosk-type, and netpc market. Considering the purchases that Intel has also made into this realm it will be interesting to see if both will buddy up.
Posted by Joey | July 9, 2009 4:44 PM