Google unveils open-source Chrome OS for netbooks - already running on the Eee PC

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Google gave a preview of its upcoming Chrome operating system in the US last night. Scheduled for launch in one year’s time, the open source OS is intended for use on low-cost netbooks, but the final version will only be available pre-installed new devices — Google has a number of prerequisites for hardware manufacturers to ensure Chrome’s smooth running.

In essence, Chrome OS is a much-expanded version of Google’s Chromium web browser and almost all of its functionality is based around web applications. Although the operating system code is stored on the netbook itself, the applications it runs are all cloud-based — Gmail, Google Docs, and so on.

Since it just needs to do little more than boot the computer and run a web browser, Chrome OS is much more secure than a traditional operating system, and much faster— Google is aiming for sub-seven-second cold-boot time. Some of this speed also comes from being designed from the get-go to use low-capacity solid-state drive (SSD) storage and Google has deliberately chosen to make Chrome incompatible with hard disks.

Using a netbook that can only work with the cloud will redefine the way in which we use computers, but Google isn’t pitching Chrome OS as a mainstream operating system. Instead, it’s intended for use on lightweight ‘companion’ devices that can be taken anywhere and since these will require very little processing power or storage of their own, they should be no more expensive than current low-end netbooks.

The flip-side, of course, is that Chrome OS netbooks won’t be much use for running anything other than web applications, but this has its advantages for a portable PC. Since all data is stored on the cloud, losing a Chrome OS netbook shouldn’t be much of a problem — any locally stored data is encrypted and simply logging into your Chrome OS account on another device is enough to transfer your files and settings to where you left off.

Google Chrome OS also relies upon a ubiquitous internet connection, but most Google apps already support offline access via Google Gears. How much of a problem using a Chrome OS netbook is when there’s no internet connection remains to be seen, but it’s impossible to imagine that this isn’t a situation that Google hasn’t already thought about.

The source code for Google Chrome OS is available to developers now and once compiled, it will run inside virtual machine software like Microsoft Virtual PC or Sun VirtualBox.

Update: There is already a compiled version of Google Chrome OS that you can install in a VMWare Player (free download) virtual machine and one speedy chap has already compiled a version that runs on his ASUS Eee PC.

[Google Chromium OS]