Google has officially announced their full throttle entry into the race for netbook superiority with their Google Chrome Operating System. Expected to be ready for serious web junkies in the second half of 2010, the key aspects of Google Chrome OS will be speed, simplicity and security. Unlike Microsoft, Google is convinced that "computers need to get better" and they plan to design their OS with the proper horse power required to make that impossible dream a reality.
"Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems."
"The operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web."
The netbook category offers a huge opportunity and Google hopes to get into the race early enough to establish themselves as the dominant leader of internet browsing on devices with tiny keyboards and minuscule memory. It's clear from the press release that the search engine giant also intends to target cloud computing as a key feature.
"Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year."
Apple has proved with the birth of iPhone that small can be spectacular with iPhone OS quickly pulling ahead as the dominant OS X version. Recent reports of demand for Apple's 13" MacBook Pro outpacing supply may be a clear signal from consumers that small is the new big. While 13" does not exactly match the petite 7" to 10" screens of some popular netbooks, it would not take a grand leap for Apple to introduce a new product aimed at filling the gap between their iPod Touch and MacBook laptops. A crushing blow certain to strip much of the sheen from the world domination plans being built around Google Chrome.
While Chrome OS will have little effect on Apple's OS X in the immediate future, it is an obvious attack aimed squarely at the core of Microsoft. Be on the lookout for the Microsofties to strike back at the Googlers sooner than later. If netbooks do what smartphones do but only bigger, you have to ask yourself: why bother with a netbook?
Gentlemen... start your engines!
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