Google is working on a new operating system, called Chrome OS, for inexpensive computers in a daring attempt to wrest away Microsoft’s long running control over computing experience.The new operating system will be based on its Chrome browser and would be an open source operating system initially targeted at netbooks. Google intends to rely on help from the community of open-source programmers to develop the Chrome operating system, which is expected to begin running computers in the second half of 2010.
Google is designing the operating system primarily for "netbooks," a lower-cost, less powerful breed of laptop computers that is becoming increasingly popular among budget-conscious consumers primarily interested in surfing the Web.
The operating system represents Google's boldest challenge yet to its biggest nemesis - Microsoft.
A high-stakes duel between the two technology powerhouses has been steadily escalating in recent years as Google's dominance of the Internet's lucrative search market has given it the means to threaten Microsoft in ways that few other companies can.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has been trying to thwart Google by investing billions of dollars to improve its own Internet search and advertising systems.
In the past month or so, though, Microsoft has been winning positive reviews and picking up more users with the latest upgrade to its search engine, now called "Bing." Microsoft is hailing the makeover with a $100 million marketing campaign.
Now Google is aiming for Microsoft's financial jugular with Chrome its operating system.
Despite its own power and prominence, Google won't have an easy time changing the status quo that has governed the personal computing industry for so long.
The Chrome operating system will run in a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel - computer coding that has been the foundation for the open-source software movement.
Google has already introduced an operating system called Android, but that is only used for mobile phones at the moment.
The Android system worked well enough to entice some computer makers to begin developing netbooks that will eventually run on it.
Google, though, apparently believes a Chrome-based system will be better suited for running applications in netbooks.
"Computers need to get better. People want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them and they want to access the Internet instantly,” Google said.
Google has already introduced an operating system called Android, but that is only used for mobile phones at the moment.
The Android system worked well enough to entice some computer makers to begin developing netbooks that will eventually run on it.
Google, though, apparently believes a Chrome-based system will be better suited for running applications in netbooks.
"Computers need to get better. People want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them and they want to access the Internet instantly,” Google said.
"Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems," said the company.
"Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds," the company said.
"Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds," the company said.
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