googlechrome

Was it merely coincidence that, on the day Google decided to give a detailed progress report on its forthcoming Chrome OS, Microsoft divulged that Windows 7 was outselling (by a factor of two) any previous version of Windows?

Today (Nov. 19), after weeks of speculation, Google engineers revealed lots of geeky details about the Chrome OS. The update is important to the market for smartbooks, since many smartbooks are expected to eventually run the Chrome OS. Note in the bullet points below the lack of app portability across Android and Chrome, predictable but with a potential downside.

sundarpichai

Here are some of the more interesting points, courtesy of Gearlog which live-blogged the event, which featured Google vice president of product management for Chrome, Sundar Pichai (right):

  • * Chrome OS is focused on three primary features: speed, simplicity, security.
  • * Sundar Pichai, VP of product management for Chrome, describes netbook growth as “phenomenal.”
  • * Most new apps are written for the Web. Pichai says Google wants all of personal computing to work like Gmail, stored in the cloud.  With Chrome OS, there are no conventional desktop apps; everything is a link within a browser.
  • * In a demo, Chrome booted up in 7 seconds. Google is trying “very hard” to make this shorter.
  • * Chrome OS has an application menu and application tabs. Google says it wants users to discover new applications as well as the top rated apps (sounds like a dig at the App Store).
  • * Anybody who writes an app for the Web is writing an app for the Chrome OS,” says Pichai.
  • * All hard disks in Chrome OS are solid state drives, no rotating discs allowed.
  • * If something malicious is detected, the system automatically reboots.
  • * Late fall 2010 target for Chrome OS devices; form factor will be large netbooks with full-size keyboards.
  • * No price estimates yet.
  • * No specifics on Google Chrome app store.
  • * Initially focused on netbooks and netbook-like form factors.
  • * Android apps won’t run on Chrome OS (sounds like a big downside but probably necessary, since Google will have to differentiate between Android and Chrome).
  • * Chrome will run on x86 and ARM.
  • * They’re taking an “innovative approach” to print drivers and will reveal more next year.

Lisa