Chrome OS hacked for Dell's Mini 10v, WiFi and all

If you've got a Dell Mini 10v and you've been hankering to take Chrome OS for a spin in its proper environment -- a netbook, that is -- today just got a lot more interesting. One helpful tinkerer over at Dell has hacked up a USB-bootable version of the as-yet unfinished (and still quite rough) Chromium iteration of Google's OS with a working WiFi component. As you'll recall, in our tests wireless wasn't happening, but that's all changed now... for 10v owners at the very least. It looks like there are still some kinks to be worked out, and you'll be cruising into the OS on a Dell Gmail account, but at least you'll be able to walk around your house while screaming "I'm using Chrome OS!" unburdened by pesky wires or meddlesome sanity. Check out all the info at the source, and prepare for a crazy Friday night of netbooking.

[Joseph Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:26PM]

That didn't take long at all.

[Nerdtalker Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:26PM]

Perhaps the mini 9 as well?

[cisasteelersfan Posted Nov 27th 2009 9:09PM]

@Nerdtalker

I sure hope so!!

[shu Posted Nov 28th 2009 6:32PM]

looks like it'll take me 2 days to find out, as it's currently going at around 30KB/sec... i hope there's a torrent for it soon

[chancekang Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:27PM]

can't wait to get this baby on my epc....

[Ipwnnubletz Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:27PM]

What a surprise!

[Karate Tortoise Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:31PM]

I WANT TO WIINNNNNN!

oh, this is just a regular post. anyway, i still think the logo looks like a pokeball

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:56PM]

not a pokeball, nor an ultraball, but a "traffic light"-ball

[Thaylin Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:32PM]

I used this on my EEEPC 701 series and everything runs great. Wifi, Audio,. Everything. right from my SD card.

[JoeRodricks Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:49PM]

Cool, except wasn't it on Google's lIst of supported hardware for devs?

[Paul Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:50PM]

If you boot this from a USB drive does your hard drive still spin up?

[NAME Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:51PM]

AHAHAH all those losers who wait that CHROME OS was crap

eating you own foot now are we?

how does you ganggreen foot taste now? Ha, editorials. what a crock.

who the fack are you to question Google. eat crow.

[Parias Posted Nov 27th 2009 8:25PM]

@(Unverified)

It's still crap.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:51PM]

"I'm using Chrome OS!"

[xirsteon Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:53PM]

too basic for me...

kind of remind me of when netbooks first came out and every manufacturer started shipping Ubuntu on them and next thing you know was consumers returning and asking for Windows...

Yes as cloudy as it may be, i'm not too sure it'll be cloudy for long time w/the a normal consumer

[Paul Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:54PM]

@xirsteon

And what's wrong or 'basic' about Ubuntu?

[benjgvps Posted Nov 29th 2009 12:33PM]

@Paul They came with Xandros originally.

[Didou Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:53PM]

Since Chrome OS has been made open source, wouldn't it be simpler to say someone has modifier/recompiled it to work on the Dell Mini 10v ? What's with the term "hacking" ? :-P

[p0p0 Posted Nov 27th 2009 5:03PM]

@(Unverified) Engadget has to be sensational to make something simple seem more news worthy.

[haubey Posted Nov 27th 2009 5:21PM]

@(Unverified) that is exactly what i was thinking! I don't thin the term hacking can be used at all. Open Source is meant to be modified. the Google ChomeOS will be subject to certain restrictions, but the Chronium (Chromium?) OS is completely Open Source and can be used in any way, shape, or form.

[theoneandonlyradiostation Posted Nov 27th 2009 6:59PM]

@p0p0
I think this is very news worthy considering this is one of the few things that would limit you from (at least temporarily) running full time on your netbook

[mbreese Posted Nov 27th 2009 10:59PM]

@(Unverified) This is actually the correct usage of the term "hack". As in, "it's a clever hack" or "hacking out some code". Hack in and of itself doesn't imply anything nefarious, usually just something clever.

[Didou Posted Nov 28th 2009 2:14AM]

@mbreese I wasn't thinking of anything nefarious but it just seems unnecessary.

To me, something like reverse engineering is hacking but simply modifying code & re-compiling it doesn't register as hacking to me. :-P

[Pies Posted Dec 1st 2009 7:25AM]

@(Unverified) "Hack" was appropriate in this context, since it's one-off and unsupported.

[va jj Posted Nov 27th 2009 5:26PM]

it already works on the eee pc 900ha wifi without hacks.

[Smurf Posted Nov 27th 2009 5:43PM]

Don't forget the Acer Aspire One! (AOA150)

[benjgvps Posted Nov 29th 2009 12:36PM]

@Smurf Does it really work well with the it? I tried and my touchpad was only responsive 60% of the time and my wifi didn't work (Granted I have a Dell 1390 wireless for when I tried out OSX86)

[NinjaMonkey Posted Nov 27th 2009 5:59PM]

Google monitors every move, in which case they know exactly what you do, type,eat... Web cams anyone?

Screw Google Street View. I want Girl Next Door with Chromium View.

[Robert Harrold Posted Nov 27th 2009 6:27PM]

how do you hack something that is open source? isn't the better term "extended" or "made to work"?

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted Nov 27th 2009 6:38PM]

Are not all netbooks the same? It should work on all of them now...

[nycland27 Posted Nov 27th 2009 6:46PM]

OMG!!! Chrome OS supports wifi, I'm there

[demand Posted Nov 27th 2009 9:56PM]

Is there really that much enthusiasm for this? Surely anyone who is techy enough to install a hacked, prerelease os is going to want something more complex, and anyone who doesn't mind the simplicity won't have heard of it/won't want it because it's unfamiliar.

[mardenator Posted Nov 27th 2009 10:40PM]

ok, i downloaded it, but it has been abt 5 hours, and the download says"5days left".. did i do something wrong?? help!!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 28th 2009 12:13AM]

I just wanted to comment about how this is the funniest engadget article in a long time. I love the screwball humor here this one sir is at it's best.

[richardthethird Posted Nov 28th 2009 2:55AM]

I can hear the awakening rumble of lawsuits already as Linux based developers cry plagarism. "I don't ever recall having to sign away intellectual property rights to google". This is a disaster just waiting to happen when somebody as commercially viable as Google enter the arena.

[austinbutcher Posted Nov 28th 2009 4:16AM]

But the Wifi works on my Samsung N310 when I boot from a USB?

[Rebajas Posted Nov 29th 2009 12:23PM]

@austinbutcher

Is that a question or a statement you aren't entirely sure about?

[austinbutcher Posted Nov 29th 2009 1:01PM]

@Rebajas

If you took the time to read the article you would see it said "As you'll recall, in our tests wireless wasn't happening" So my comment it "But the Wifi works on my Samsung N310 when I boot from a USB?" So I'm making a statement in the for of a question.

[pankomputerek Posted Nov 28th 2009 5:32PM]

Maybe Studio 15? Will it work is there a source for this?