Menlo Park (ip-192.com): Google confirmed that it will launch its new Chrome OS in fall of 2010 instead of 2011, as originally planned. The open source based operating system is geared towards netbooks and laptops that will run applications within a browser. To deliver a great user experience, Google plans to be initially very selective and control the devices Chrome is running.
"Chrome OS is one of the few future operating systems for which there are already millions of applications that work," said Sundar Pichai, Google's head of Chrome development, during the Computex trade show in Taiwan. "You don't need to redesign Gmail for it to work on Chrome. Facebook does not need to write a new app for Chrome."
Announced in July 2009, the Linux based operating system is aimed at users who spend most of their computer time on the Internet. During a demonstration of an early version in 2009, Google made clear that the Chrome OS will take the minimalistic approach of the Chrome web browser to the next level. While the operating system did feature tabs for the browser and applications, it was also blazing fast. Google software engineer Martin Bligh demonstrated in a video posted on YouTube that Chrome OS could boot devices in 4 seconds. He also explains how Google is able to achieve this speed. Another preview showing what to expect from Chrome is available in this YouTube video.
While it is not clear how many applications Chrome will support initially, Google says that it plans to integrate Adobe Flash into the OS. CEO Eric Schmidt indicated in April 2010 that Google will supply the Chrome OS for free, but manufacturers and retailers would be able to set their own price for the hardware the operating system will run.
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