Chrome OS, announced by Google nearly a year ago, is a lightweight, open source operating system designed for netbooks, at least initially. Like its namesake Chrome browser that's steadily gaining market share, Google's new OS is built for speed. Startup times, including access to the Web, should take seconds rather than the minute or longer that most Windows users endure. The cloud-based design should provide quick access to Google's suite of online applications too.
Netbook manufacturers are readying Chrome OS-based devices. Acer, for instance, has announced plans to launch a series of Chrome OS netbooks. And other industry leaders, including Asus, HP, and Lenovo, are reportedly developing Chrome OS hardware as well.
Who Wants It
So does the world need another desktop operating system? Yes, particularly if the new contender advances the genre. Windows 7, a fine OS for conventional desktops and laptops, is overkill for netbook users drawn by Google's simple promise: Faster access to the Web, online apps with cloud storage, and fewer security hassles.
Given the low-cost appeal of netbooks, early Chrome OS adopters will likely be bargain hunters and perhaps students seeking an inexpensive alternative to a full-size Windows PC. The Google brand will help sway consumers--including those wary of little-known, Linux-based offerings like Ubuntu--to buy Chrome OS devices. Businesses may test Chrome OS portables this year, but mainstream adoption won't occur until 2011 at the earliest--and that's only if Chrome OS delivers on its promise.
Chrome OS is more than simply another Windows or Mac competitor. It represents a dramatic shift away from desktop-oriented PCs to a cloud-based future. It'll be interesting to see how consumers and businesses take to Chrome OS devices--and how Microsoft and Apple respond to Google's latest threat.
Contact Jeff Bertolucci via Twitter (@jbertolucci) or at jbertolucci.blogspot.com.