Jun 5, 2011 0
Google Chrome OS Hands-On
Google is quickly moving ahead with the release of their Chrome OS to the public in the form of 2 new hardware options. The operating system in unique in being a “thin client” that does not rely on a local hard drive for file storage. The idea is simple: a computer that acts as a window to the internet for all of your applications and files.
I received a CR-48 as part of the Google pilot and have really grown to like it. The hardware is very simple: Black on black (what the macbook *should* look and feel like). The screen is bright, it’s lightweight and there are no identifying marks on it whatsoever. The OS is stored on a solid state hard drive, so boot time is very fast. The log-in is your Google ID (your GMail address). It only requires an WiFi connection. From this point forward, you’re working from “the Cloud”.
Google is hoping that “the cloud” means that you will be using and engaging in all of their web-based services. GMail, Google Docs, Google Chat, all of the Google offerings in fact, work brilliantly on the CR-48. You will also have access to the Google Web Store, a service provided by Google that pulls over 2,000 applications and web services designed for Google Chrome OS and the Chrome Browser into one central location.
The use-case for the Google Chrome OS is very similar to the use-case for tablet devices. They are perfect for email, Facebook, Twitter, writing a few emails and online shopping. If you are doing much else, you will likely be looking for something more powerful. Google’s Chrome OS is ideal for a second computer or to have an “always” accessible device for your living room or kitchen. It would also be ideal for children or teens as it has very little, physically or in software, that can be damaged or act as a platform for malware and viruses.
By having all of the software and data that you use live in the cloud is a new way to look at computing. The platform you use become completely irrelevant provided that you have a browser and internet access. Google packages this concept up perfectly with a true set-it-and-forget-it approach for end users. The operating system updates itself to have the latest patches and updates and having your apps living on the web means that there are no more updates or waiting for hot-fixes to download. It’s a pretty strong plan with one point of failure: you must always have access to the internet.
The reliance of WiFi or wireless data is the primary reason why I cannot consider a device like the CR-48 a primary device. It’s very cool and I do use the cloud for much of my work (I write all of my posts in Google Docs), but there are many instances where I am working and do not have access to the web or WiFi. For a second machine or something to use while puttering in front of the Television, the Chrome OS is ideal.
If you’d like to try the Google Chrome experience yourself, you can apply for a CR-48 online. You can also have a similar experience right now by downloading the Google Chrome Browser and looking through the Google Web Store for applications you can use instead of your desktop applications.
Previous entries and thoughts on the Google Chrome OS:
A View of the Google Chrome Store, Dec-2010
Impressions of the Google Chrome Operating System, Nov-2009
