Google Chrome OS available as free VMWare download (update: first impressions)
By Vlad Savov 
posted November 20th 2009 1:44AM
posted November 20th 2009 1:44AM
Seriously, how awesome have the past few hours been? Engadget turns the design stakes up to 11, Google finally dishes the dirt on Chrome OS, and now you can even download the forthcoming software to have a fiddle with yourself. It's completely free, though you'll need VMWare running atop a Windows, Linux or OS X installation to make the magic happen. Naturally, we've been considerate enough to provide download links for everything you'll require at the source below, so get those fingers clicking. We've already successfully installed the browser-based OS and will soon be sharing our own hands-on thoughts, but if you beat us to it, spill your insight in the comments below. We do read 'em, you know.Update: Join us after the break to see what we thought of our first run through the new OS.
Well, we've had a chance to have a quick and dirty snoop around Chrome OS and our early conclusions are rather predictable. This really is a browser with an OS attached rather than vice versa. You get your tab-based navigation up top, and the focus is of course on the internet, with minimal option buttons on the far right and app launchers at the top left. Unfortunately, in order to access the more interesting apps, one requires a Google.com login which we do not have, so we were stuck gazing at only the Gmail and Calendar applications. They act and function much like their online counterparts, but for the significant lag and choppiness that may be attributed to the still very early stage of development or the fact it's running on a virtual machine.
Rest assured we'll be doing our utmost to get access to the full, albeit still skeletal, Chrome OS experience, and as soon as we can take a look at the rest of the apps on offer, we'll do a more in-depth analysis. Stay tuned.
Writing this post using Chromium!
So, basically this is Google's version of "SplashTop".
Oh, sweet! It has a porn-mode!
Id rather be patient and wait 45 seconds to boot and have a full blown OS. Seriously.. is that really a reason why somebody should get this thing? The BOOT time??
Wow, finding that download is like going on an Easter Egg hunt. WTF?
Its about as limited as I expected the first release to be, basicly a bootable chrome browser. Now that public releases are out though it will develop really fast should look pretty good in a year or so, even android is just now starting to shine in 2.0. I just hope they are faster with these @google.com login conversions than it took me to get a wave invite.
Doesn't work with Fusion 2. What a waste of time.
I am waiting for it to release
This isn't really a comment on the Chrome OS, but the new gallery look is FANTASTIC.
Okay, it does work in Fusion. Just follow the instructions carefully. It's hugely disappointing, but it works.
No one has mentioned but there is a battery indicator and wifi/eth on and off in the upper right hand corner. Also the screen space is basically full screen all the time.
Where are the apps they showed in the vid?! For now (until we get a google.com account) its just a browser in a Virtual Machine..
I'd love to seed this customized by HTC for an internet tablet.
so, now we cant get a google account to use the apps?
Oh also Chrome themes do theme the whole OS, pretty nice.
> "to have a fiddle with yourself"
I try to have a fiddle with myself several times a week at least.
Anyone know if you can run Chrome OS under Parallels Workstation instead of VMWare? I'm already running Parallels, so I hope I don't need another virtualizer.
engadget. for some reason, I really am not liking the changes to you site..i really liked the old one..
You be trollin in the wrong thread
Downloaded, ran, browsed...meh
time to login screen in vmware isn't valid. all of my vm's boot to the login screen in under 10 seconds and that includes every windows server version, xp and win7. I practially live in vmwares on a day to day basis.
Slow and buggy. I hope Chrome OS running natively isn't this bad.
this is... well, its hardly what i call an operating system... It wont be replacing windows anytime soon. and honestly. unless you literally do nothing more than browsing the web on the cheapest low end computer you can get, this is great for you. For the people who actually DO things, this is just a simple toy to load up and go, oh yahh. so thats what they are doing, have fun with that. Great idea for kids? wait, no parental controls you say? incognito you say? so who is this targeted to? people who love doing not a whole lot? must be. on another note this is lacking almost all configuration settings forcing us to use what looks like vga. k thanks 1995
Can this work with Boot Camp on Snow leopard or Regular Leopard (10.5 or 10.6)? Also It actually look pretty interesting. Defiantly not for a desktop or laptop but very goo for netbook. Also this will be good for school systems as well. You can login on in any computer and still have your files there for you
Who even boots up their computer anymore? I reboot it sometimes but i never have it off and boot it up. Do people need a fast boot time?
I could see this popping up on other devices - TVs, Blu-Ray Players, etc. But I don't know about using it as a single use type device - eBook reader style - will only work mainly with non-computer users.
YAY VMWARE ROCKS!!!!!
wheres the link people, i want to try it too.... and which VMware version should i try
To those complaining about this being in the cloud:
I personally use things like photoshop offline, but for the most part, if my internet connection is dead, I get up and walk away from the computer anyway... I will keep my Mac for real work, my PC for media center, but something like this on a laptop would be awesome... if my internet connection is down, I am not going to get on the laptop anyway, so it doesn't change a thing for me and for most other people who never even use any apps that can't be run online... and they will probably have offline mode for a lot of webapps in the coming years... and if you are using a laptop with 3G (or 4G soon enough) in addition to WiFi, there is little chance of not having some kind of connection.
VMware instead of Virtualbox? DUMB. I want to be behind Google, but the censorship in China, the lack of openness in many of their products, and now a vmware image instead of the superior and open source virtualbox image? I'm having questions, and Google is making me very nervous.
What stage is this release on?
http://grab.by/Hjk
lol wut?
It's running REALLY slow on VMWare Fusion on Mac. Also, the screen resolution is really low and I can't find a way to change it. Installing a new theme was easy and quite fun, but this build is definitely young.
As far as i can tell there is no display options. This is also designed to be used on netbooks, think about net book specs, they have 1gb of ram, anyone sharing a full gig on this whatever you call it?
LINUX
I am going to try this out.
I am now pissed of. I am almost trying the start this os for couple of hrs now but it always give me the following error "Network not connected and offline login fail" I tried with VMware Fusion and Virtual Box and all possible network connection. I am using Mac Snow leopard and Airport. ANy clue will be great
Did you change your network settings from NAT to bridged?
@TerrorX
Ya i did. But still same problem. I even tried with vista. Are you able to work it out? if yes is your internet over wifi
@Kaushik
mine worked fine on Windows 7 64bit, i am using a teamed Ethernet connection.
Google why not release something with a few more bugs in it it has only crashed on my 6 times already!!!!! once just trying to open the help! Junk so far you could not pay me to run this let alone give it a way for free! it sure lives up to the beta!
Umm where's the command prompt?
I don't understand the point of this. I can go out and buy a netbook for ~$300 with a real OS.
If the selling point is cloud computing... big deal... Seriously, how long before Apple, MS and some distro of Linux offers cloud services in a productized way for the normal user.
I guess I am missing the point.
sumone tell me how to download it
What's your opinion? Good stuff? I'll give it a go...
You can log in as "chronos", "password" if you get that "Network not connected" error. You can see a sort of application menu, but not like the ones in the pictures.
Here's the USB version for anyone who wants it, I've sent it to Engadget, waiting for them to post about it.
http://bit.ly/5ZxEtx
Main site link here: http://carbon.hexxeh.net/chromiumos/
You could also just install firefox on windows.