Business
Google Chrome OS announcement
Highlights from the Google Chrome OS announcement today.
Highlights from the Google Chrome OS announcement today.
- No launch, beta or devices today (contrary to what was being reported on some outlets)
- Chrome OS a year away
- Project goes fully open-sourced today
- Just over a year since Chrome browser launch - 40 million regular users
- 39x faster JavaScript compared to IE8
- Over past year, Chrome browser updated 19 times
- Chrome browser for Mac and Linux coming, as are extensions
- Google want Chrome OS to access GPU, have better access to system resources
- Perfect storm of converging trends - Netbook growth, cloud, laptop and netbook becoming more like phones, phones becoming smarter, overall increase in mobility
- Google Chrome OS focuses on three things - Speed ("fast like a TV"), Simplicity, Security
- On Chrome OS, every app is a web app, simple to use, easy to maintain
- All data on Chrome OS is in the cloud
- "If I lose my Chrome OS machine, I should be able to go out and buy another and be up and running in minutes ..." No local data
- Cold reboot demo - to logon screen in 7 sec, full OS in another 3 sec
- Chrome OS looks like Chrome browser
- Applications can be pinned as favorite applications "tabs"
- All data stored in the cloud in Google Docs
- Streaming music from YouTube
- Google OS make good entertainment platform
- Reading ebooks
- Microsoft has been working on a killer app for Chrome OS ... Office Web App ;)
- "Want computers to be delightful and work"
- Looking through USB flash drive:
- All Chrome OS storage based on solid state drives
- Speed improvements based on following changed:
- Verified boot to improve security:
- Reboot to recover - reimaging on the fly:
- Security for an Internet age
- User data on machine is always encrypted and always synced to the cloud - local data is just a cache
- "Not another OS, but choice for users"
- Google working with OEMs to come up with reference hardware (SSDs, WiFi cards ... etc ...)
- Target time frame - end of 2010, for Holiday market
- Google want larger netbooks with larger keyboards, touchpads etc
- Chrome OS not downloadable - will have to buy a Chrome OS device ... hmmm
- Developers can get Chrome OS running on a netbook today - "You need a screwdriver"
- Flash works, YouTube works ...
- Here's a video for you:
- Expect to have prices in the price range people are used to today ...
- Google Chrome OS device will be a web-based "companion" device
- There will be some things the device will not do
- Everything that works in Chrome browser, works in Chrome OS (codecs etc)
- "A lot of what you see in Chrome OS will make its way into Chrome"
- Initially focused on netbook form-factor devices, in future could run on laptops and desktops
- Will Chrome OS run on non-Intel (x86) platforms such as ARM? - Yes
- Printers - "We're taking an innovative approach, more next year. Yes, Chrome OS will print"
The announcement is now winding down (Q&A) so a few personal thoughts:
- Chrome OS sounds interesting but the device reference platform means that unless hardware vendors unify netbook platforms, it's not a real competitor for Microsoft/Apple
- Chrome OS is definitly aimed at people who are deeply rooted in Google web apps ...
- I like the security model, and the cloud-based data and settings system is a nice idea, especially for people who lose/break devices regularly
- Biggest hurdle I see - connectivity, and how the device will work when not hooked to the web
Thoughts?