Rumor: Chrome OS coming in three months

[Emil]

Google is still readying the first Chrome OS computers. The operating system is expected to be ready to ship on them in time for Q2 2011, possibly in June and in several countries. The search giant is currently working out retail deals with manufacturers and suppliers. Recently, there has been a lot of testing going on at factory level with partners Acer and Samsung. The platform is described as being an "optimized experience" for netbooks and will come with Wi-Fi and 3G options, according to Pocket-lint.

Chrome OS will only ship on specific hardware following deals struck between Google and the manufacturers. Chromium OS (the open source development version of Chrome OS) will be available as a disk image so that enthusiasts can put Chrome OS on any machine they please, though this won't get the same support from Google.

Since last year, Chrome notebooks from Acer and Samsung have been expected to arrive in the first half of 2011. A price point has not been finalized, though rumors say devices in the US will cost between $250 and $600.

Chrome OS differentiates itself from Android by targeting devices with physical keyboards. Google's thinking is that many people already spend all their time in a browser, and that building an OS that is essentially a browser will make computers faster, simpler, and more secure.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/43061-rumor-chrome-os-coming-in-three-months.html

 

[Raswan]

Not a bad idea. But while "many" no doubt do live their web lives almost wholly in the browser, many of us do not. Will be most interesting, I think, to see how Chrome stacks up in this respect, or if their browser-based OS is SO awesome that it offsets the deficiencies elsewhere. I know I've been using chrome for about 6 months, and can't imagine going back to ff.

 

[Guest]

Cool, if I can install this on my mums ageing laptop aka "internet machine" and get a couple more years out of the hardware then hell yeah!

 

[spydercanopus]

Maybe Andriod will eat is younger brother Chromium, giving us the legendary Chromedroid

 

[dedparrot]

once Chrome OS gets some traction and starts working pretty well, wouldn't it just work out better if people just installed this on their tablets?

 

[Rick]

dedparrot said:
once Chrome OS gets some traction and starts working pretty well, wouldn't it just work out better if people just installed this on their tablets?

The problem with that is -- and Google themselves say this -- Chrome OS is not designed for touch interface. Android is their touch-enabled OS and it will continue to be for some time, if not forever.

Since all tablets are touch-based, that leaves Chrome OS in some "ultra-portable, web-based device for people who have few needs" niche. It's kind of a weird place to be and Chrome is going to have its work cut out for it.

 

[Guest]

But touch is being developed:
http://chromeossite.com/2011/03/23/google-chrome-os-gets-touch-friendly/
If chrome probes to be popular, getting it on tablets might become mainstream.
The concept is sound... As web based apps be one more reliable and popular,
You won't nwe'd anything else.

 

[Zecias]

i would say that the chrome os is pretty useful for netbooks and weaker laptops, but nothing beyond that.

 

[Guest]

I think that this is premature. I do not think that there will be a market for this OS, as a lot of computing is still done locally.

 

[Zilpha]

that leaves Chrome OS in some "ultra-portable, web-based device for people who have few needs" niche. It's kind of a weird place to be and Chrome is going to have its work cut out for it.

I agree - I am not sure who is going to go for this OS to be honest. Between Microsoft, Apple and Linux, pretty much all target audiences are already covered. Who are they aiming this at?

 

[Flannelwarrior]

Netbooks have been hugely popular in the past few years, and the assumption is that their key demographic is those who like an ultra portable device, with USB ports and a keyboard, with which they can browse the web, stream movies, and...well...that's pretty much it. To power users such as ourselves, it's baffling why anyone would want a non-powerful machine with a non-powerful OS. But (as iPad sales would show) the vast majority of people who use computers only use them to fool around and check FB, are scared of them, and are easily persuaded into buying more user-friendly counterparts. I think Chrome OS is going to have a long and fruitful run beside its brother, Android.