Google Chrome OS
Google have recently unveiled their latest piece of software, 'Chrome OS', and it's tipped to be as revolutionary as sliced bread. Chrome OS is an operating system like no other, and in a clever appreciation of the current hardware market, it is designed to be run on netbooks.
It is still in the testing stages and is due to be officially released next year, however there are a few features worth noting already. The OS is based on Linux, and is leaner than Windows, which means faster boot times and a smoother, more stable experience for the end user. User data will be stored on Google's servers, (rather than your local machine) and as a consequence it will be possible to synchronise this data with other Chrome OS devices.
However, if you want to use popular applications like Word and Adobe Reader, Chrome isn't for you. Only Google approved web applications such as Gmail and Google Docs will work with the new OS. In fact the only application you will have on installation is a web browser from which your files, emails, media etc. will all be controlled.
Google have defended this Orwellian level of control by claiming that because Chrome OS doesn't allow the user to install desktop applications, the user is less at risk from malicious software. This could make it safer for online transactions and other data sensitive activities on the web, but no system is currently 100% secure, and Google do admit this.
Possible problems are: suspension or interruption of the service, interception and spoofing or privacy issues and of course the fact that all of the apps are web based, so a good internet connection is vital. With the advent of Chrome OS, Google will also have unparalleled access to your personal computing habits, browsing patterns and behaviour.
We are currently testing the open source early version of Chrome OS, called 'Chromium OS' on a Samsung NC10 netbook and it certainly does represent a massive shift from the norm in OS interfaces and user interaction.
With the recent releases of Windows 7 from Microsoft and Snow Leopard from Apple, the OS market is beginning to look very interesting indeed.
Written by R. G. L. Birkbeck
It is still in the testing stages and is due to be officially released next year, however there are a few features worth noting already. The OS is based on Linux, and is leaner than Windows, which means faster boot times and a smoother, more stable experience for the end user. User data will be stored on Google's servers, (rather than your local machine) and as a consequence it will be possible to synchronise this data with other Chrome OS devices.
However, if you want to use popular applications like Word and Adobe Reader, Chrome isn't for you. Only Google approved web applications such as Gmail and Google Docs will work with the new OS. In fact the only application you will have on installation is a web browser from which your files, emails, media etc. will all be controlled.
Google have defended this Orwellian level of control by claiming that because Chrome OS doesn't allow the user to install desktop applications, the user is less at risk from malicious software. This could make it safer for online transactions and other data sensitive activities on the web, but no system is currently 100% secure, and Google do admit this.
Possible problems are: suspension or interruption of the service, interception and spoofing or privacy issues and of course the fact that all of the apps are web based, so a good internet connection is vital. With the advent of Chrome OS, Google will also have unparalleled access to your personal computing habits, browsing patterns and behaviour.
We are currently testing the open source early version of Chrome OS, called 'Chromium OS' on a Samsung NC10 netbook and it certainly does represent a massive shift from the norm in OS interfaces and user interaction.
With the recent releases of Windows 7 from Microsoft and Snow Leopard from Apple, the OS market is beginning to look very interesting indeed.
Written by R. G. L. Birkbeck
Labels: Chrome OS, Chromium Project, Google OS, Netbook OS
posted by Wytech Ltd at
14:52
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