Google announces Chrome OS, coming to netbooks second half of 2010

We can't believe it's actually here, but after hearing whispers of a Google OS for what seems like ages now, the company's now gone official with its plans. According to the official developer blog, it'll be an open source, lightweight platform that can "power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems," and will be capable of running on x86 (that includes Intel Atom) and ARM chips. Addressing potential overlap with Android-based netbooks, the official line is that "choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google" -- a pretty wild statement to make, but hey, it's still all Google. A large portion of its fresh out of beta Google Apps suite already supports an offline mode, so we guess the groundwork's laid out. The company says it's currently working with a number of OEM manufacturers and that it'll initially appear on a number of netbooks coming to market sometime in the second half of 2010. Excited? We are.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2009 10:48AM]

yep Chrome browser suck major ass .I gave it a try and it left me with a bad mouthtaste .
nobody can beat Opera .
I bet Chinese government would love Chrome OS .With some minor cooperation from Google no ammount of tweaking will get poor chinese descendents over the wall ,if their PC would come with Chrome OS 中国preinstalled.

How about Yahoo OS ? baidu.cn OS yandex.ru OS ?

[astrocramp Posted Jul 8th 2009 10:57AM]

This is great if you want your pr0n, financial data, work email, and entire life indexed by google servers. It will be free to the user but completely advertising supported - everything disclosed to whoever wants to pay.

Google's too nosy for my tastes.

[AssassinX Posted Jul 8th 2009 11:39AM]

This move is more of a threat to mainstream Linux distros (ie Ubuntu) and Apple's OSX than it is to Microsoft. Why? Well think of the purchase reasons. People install/buy these OSes as an alternative to Windows. Now there is a new alternative. These people were already not planning to give MS money. Sure, it will conquest some Windows users, but I think the damage to the alternative flavors of OSes will be far greater.

[Aluminoid Posted Jul 8th 2009 11:58AM]

If they can port WINE to it and it runs WoW it will sell like hot cakes:) I mean...er...be eaten like free hotcakes...I guess...

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2009 12:12PM]

Everyday I become more and more convinced that google IS becoming skynet...

I mean, they're building a super huge server unlike anything ever seen... with a googleflop....

it's kinda scary

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2009 12:37PM]

This explains why they haven't made the Mac version of Chrome yet. They're too busy doing this crap.

[mazzthepianoman Posted Jul 8th 2009 1:22PM]

I do not see a large sector of the population able to afford a wireless data plan on top of their current home internet and wireless bills. Let us hope for and support a push for white-space nationwide broadband. The telecoms will fight it tooth and nail but in the end the free flow of information and universal access would really help push the country forward during a time where we need it most.

[sam1am Posted Jul 8th 2009 1:37PM]

Chrome OS will be released later this year.

It just won't appear stock on some netbooks until mid-2010.

[jsphslgr Posted Jul 8th 2009 3:11PM]

This has the possibility of being THE gamechanger that finally unseats Microsoft. Clearly Google's goal is to bring computing to the Cloud. If they get their way, this could be used everywhere. Think about it: Google Docs, Google Health, Gmail, Gcal, etc. Granted there are many other applications out there, and there will almost certainly be a use for machine-side storage, but it's only a matter of time until Google has us by the strings.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2009 3:30PM]

Google FTW!

[NewNeverSleeps Posted Jul 8th 2009 8:17PM]

http://www.thinkgos.com/cloud/index.html

A browser-based os...that looks strangely like Chrome. Also based on Linux.

[neojubei Posted Jul 8th 2009 10:12PM]

Hell yea. Definitely buying a Google Chrome netbook next year.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2009 11:27PM]

this is great. can't wait till the EU anti-trust group starts requiring PC mnftr's to provide this as an optional OS. microsoft deserves it.

[LonnieDVD Posted Jul 9th 2009 7:39PM]

I will see if Chrome is still around in 2011, when I need a new computer. Until then, Vista all the way baby!

[ummm Posted Jul 11th 2009 12:32AM]

Wow. It's like Google going into every field of technology as much as it can. Cell Phones. Browsers. Now OS. Next up Google iTunes.

[GeekGirl Posted Jul 11th 2009 8:07PM]

Love to see it :)

[mpeters13 Posted Jul 12th 2009 8:39AM]

Fake Steve Jobs says it best: "Trying to make an OS out of Chrome is like saying you're going to turn a Pontiac Aztek into a stretch limousine. I suppose it could be done, but why?"

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 14th 2009 5:37PM]

Are you really going to get OS from advertising company? :-)