First Google Chrome OS screenshots leaked? Update: it's a fake
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jul 9th 2009 4:41AM
posted Jul 9th 2009 4:41AM
It's not much, in fact, these screenshots are incredibly easy to fake. Still, a hastily constructed WordPress blog has been setup to host what are claimed to be the world's first screenshots of Google's new Chrome OS -- hailed as both a Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X killer or a Google FUD generator depending upon who you're listening to. As the story is told, a Google representative demonstrated a private beta build of the OS to an anonymous Acer parts supplier yesterday, presumably somewhere in Taiwan. The picture above was grabbed breathlessly while the Google rep was distracted. Highlights of the demonstration break down as follows:
[Thanks, Matthew M.]
Update: We just got another set of shots of what is purportedly the boot screen. To be honest, any of these could be faked, but we thought we'd pass along -- hopefully we'll be seeing something a bit more concrete in the coming weeks. Gallery is below.
Update 2: Mr. Chrome OS Leak himself has come forward and confirmed his "screenshots" to be fake. Thanks, buddy. No word on this other set of pics.
- The "elegant" install on the Acer Extensa 4620Z laptop took about 10 minutes and 1 restart
- Reboots desktop-to-desktop in about 25 seconds
- It was "amazingly fast" in its stripped-down beta form
- The blue orb on the auto-hiding "Chrome Bar" along the bottom of the UI is essentially the start menu
- Navigating the file system can be done in "exploration" (like Windows explorer) or "browser" (search based) modes
- The Chrome Bar can also host a search bar if configured
- Future Chrome OS netbooks will feature an iconified Chrome key on the keyboard similar to the Windows flag key
[Thanks, Matthew M.]
Update: We just got another set of shots of what is purportedly the boot screen. To be honest, any of these could be faked, but we thought we'd pass along -- hopefully we'll be seeing something a bit more concrete in the coming weeks. Gallery is below.
Update 2: Mr. Chrome OS Leak himself has come forward and confirmed his "screenshots" to be fake. Thanks, buddy. No word on this other set of pics.
specs? maybe my mom can use it, since she is absolutely inept at PCs.
I can't wait to test it out. I wonder how it will be like. I hope there won't be an asshole judging it already when they haven't tried out yet.
this would be great for my mom too. she just needs to browse the internet a little and to edit an office document here and there. and her PC has 256 MB RAM
Im pretty sure its purely going to be for use on netbooks and devises where you just want to be able to boot it up quickly and take notes, check emails, surf the web, ect. I think that this will help to define the line between netbooks and laptops and hopefully lower the cost of netbooks, if it takes off that is.
Mom, Grandma... It could be the Wii of the personal computers: Maybe it won't hurt Micro$oft & Apple, but it can certainly go where they could't reach, like Xbox & PS3.
Only good for netbooks and old people.
@Pasky, it would be awesome if I could install it on the PS3. Better than Ubuntu as far as usability on the PS3 goes in my opinion.
Looks fake, since the Google colors don't start with yellow.
Now seriously, couldn't Google come up with a name other than 'Chrome'. They named their web browser Chrome and now their OS. Even the logo is the same too.
What's up with that Google?
@Gabe - good eye!
In Soviet Russia, Chrome OS will use your m...
ah, nevermind.
Wouldn't be that hard to beat Microsoft feature by feature, OSX on the other hand...
Microsoft's had 30 years and still no....
Native Spell Checker (ie, filling out a web form still sucks to this day), yes you can shell out another $400 bucks for Office but c'mon!
DVD Decoder Codec, still ain't native in Windows 7? Macs been doing it for years...
Backup, Optimization and Security that *should be native* but yet costs another $49 ala OneCare, and yet TimeMachine still works and looks and feels better...
Nice..
Hopefully Google will not be releasing a late 2010 OS using something created in spring 2009.
It will already be old...
Yeah, looks full of features
Did I read ARM?
I know some people at Always Innovating that must be pretty excited to have this OS on the TouchBook.
Actually... I'm excited too, now.
Hmm... i think i might stick to ubuntu.
This is totally different than ubuntu though. Its just running linux in the background while it runs programs and widgets in a web environment. So it pretty much doing the same thing as palm is on the pre with webOS except its going to be put on netbooks.
@James
Or like Google is already doing with Android!
@Matt
Android only uses a Java environment. WebOS uses all web languages (soon including Flash). So, they are quite different.
"It was "amazingly fast" in its stripped-down beta form"
ORLY??
----------------------
PS. Google you stepping into the OS territory is a bad bad idea.... You didn't even wait to see how android is doing/will do.
Do what you are best at and refine it. That is the search engine and site ranking algorithms.
So people should not diversify? I guess ive been getting bad investment advise all these years. How did you get to be so smart?
Android is only spreading in availability and appeal...it's doing well.
Im not saying they shouldn't diversify their products. But it takes time to know if something is going to succeed. Android may have "strong sales", but shouldn't they refine and work on it a bit more before releasing a totally new platform?
Google seems like a control freak to me atm.
I have no idea why everybody loves Google with such a passion. It wont take too long for some to realize that Google is turning "evil".
I don't believe it. I'm expecting a different approach to an OS interface...Not something similar to Windows.
Why? Google have effectively been copying Microsoft's entire business strategy for years so it's no surprise that they'd copy their OS.
Having said that I'd never use any OS with any links to Google. Google have a bad habit of accumulating as much personal information as they can and I'd expect any OS they develop to take this as far as possible. No company that colaborates with governments to the extent Google does should be allowed to hold onto anyones information.
I'm with you in that regard.
So please enlighten the world as to what you think would be a "better" interface...
=/
I didn't realise that in order to post my view, I had to come up with an alternative.On top of which, usually when one uses quotation marks, they actually quote what someone has written.
Of course I'm aware of Engadget's comment system, so I'm going to have to assume you were talking to someone else, since I never criticised or suggested that there was something better. I said I expected differently from them.
wow. if you guys think you can create a brand new looking interface for an OS why not try submitting your ideas than just sitting there getting fat and whining. i don't get it why people complain yet they don't do anything for it. you don't deserve the good things in life. nuff said.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark#Irony
And since you did criticize them for making it "similar to Windows" (ooh, I used them to quote you that time instead of ironically!) I figured you could give us all insight as to what you think is a better interface for a web-centric operating system.
"To avoid the potential for confusion between ironic quotes and direct quotations, some style guides specify single quotation marks for this usage" - The wikipedia article ;D
"I never criticised or suggested that there was something better. I said I expected differently from them."
You did criticize them... I can't believe I also have to point out the definition of criticism:
(n) criticism, unfavorable judgment (disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings)
I point to your stated expectation of "different" without giving constructive criticism as to how they are to achieve this with a web interface. (Oh no... I used double quotes again!)
This is the stupidest debate in the history of forever. Just shut it up already.
omg Andir, stop being such a whiney dick
@Andir
You'd be absolutely correct IF the OP's post had a negative connotation. As I read it, it's fairly neutral. "Different" doesn't mean he's passing unfavorable judgement; it just means he expects something else. For a better understanding of "different" look at the tab placement for IE compared to Chrome.
My people are defensive of Google.
@jakem
"Having said that I'd never use any OS with any links to Google. Google have a bad habit of accumulating as much personal information as they can and I'd expect any OS they develop to take this as far as possible. No company that colaborates with governments to the extent Google does should be allowed to hold onto anyones information."
Big Brother is watching...
"Google have effectively been copying Microsoft's entire business strategy for years so it's no surprise that they'd copy their OS." - jakem
I know, right? I mean, Google is totally copying Microsoft Live Search. Or wait, it's Bing now. Whatever.
Anyway, Google is *totally* copying Microsoft.
*rolls eyes*
So from this thread, I learned how to quote someone properly and how I should use single quote and double quotes properly.
"Doh" -- Homer
It's obviously a fake (for me), I don't think Google is that stupid to put a huge "Google Chrome Private Developer Plus" using ugly fonts and classical colours. It just doesn't match with the whole design.
I noticed the font was not consistent with Google's logo, too. The "g" and "l" are both different. I also am surprised that the developer beta would be version 1.3.0. Wouldn't they use build numbers? Or 0.x versions?
Photoshop, 5 minutes.
I call fake.
1) Google never renders long strings such as "Google Chrome OS Private Developer Beta" in the google font and colours. That is restricted to the word "Google" only. You can easily make these highly unconvincing graphics at googlefontdotcom.
2) IT HAS THE WORDS "PRIVATE DEVELOPER BETA" IN MASSIVE LETTERS ON THE WALLPAPER
I've said enough.
Also, why is the start menu a few inches along the "chrome bar"? Seems a bit foolish to me.
yea, and the colors on 'Google' dont even correspond to the real logo! fake without a doubt.
your right, google wouldnt continue the colored letters
there is also a strange smudge on the end of the chrome "e" you can see in this picture: http://chromeosleak.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/file0043.jpg
I mean, it's not even the Google logo! Look at the colours!
Yes its very likely a fake.
I'm not saying these shots are real for certain, but your argument is a moot point. This wallpaper would have been designed by an engineer since it is obviously temporary, not something that's officially sanctioned by the logo/marketing department.
I'm sure it will be on the pirate bay soon :P