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| Google Chrome user interface |
In the 21st century, almost everyone who has a
computer knows that it’s pretty much useless without an internet connection.
The web browser is the single most-run program on anyone’s computer. Just think
about it: when you’re stuck at the airport without internet access, a sense of
impending doom comes over you. You feel disconnected and lost without the
ability to surf through millions of websites at the speed of light. And, like
everything else, Google knows this.
Google realized that all you really need on your laptop is
your web browser and an internet connection. So, they proposed that instead of
installing an operating system on your laptop, all you need to install is a web
browser, since everything you want to do on your computer can now be done
online, in the cloud, through your browser. Why do you even need an operating
system like Windows or Mac? You don’t.
What is Chrome OS?
Chrome OS is not like the browser you are probably using to view this blog
right now, unless you're on a Chromebook, in which case, it is the browser you are using to view this page. Chrome OS comes installed on laptops called ‘Chromebooks.’ These
laptops don’t have any conventional operating systems installed on them, just
Chrome OS, which is a beefed-up version of Google Chrome, the web browser which
you can (and should) install on your current PC. Anyway, what this means is
that instead of waiting a minute for your OS to boot up, and then 10 more
seconds for your web browser to load, you just have to wait 10 seconds for
Chrome OS to load.
You can also watch this video, if you still don't get what Chrome OS is.
Development of Chrome OS began in 2009, when netbooks were
gaining popularity for their small, portable size and low power consumption. A
tablet version has been under development since March of this year.
Chrome OS Now
Currently, you can only get Chrome OS if you buy a
Chromebook, which is a netbook built specifically to run Chrome OS. Chrome OS
cannot be run on any other computers. In summer 2011, Google partnered up with Acer
and Samsung to produce two amazing Chromebooks. Google also manufactures a prototypical
Chromebook, dubbed the CR-48, which isn’t available for sale, unfortunately.
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| Samsung Series 5 Chromebook |
Google is also looking into producing a desktop version of
the Chromebook.
Features
Although I have never used Chrome OS, I am a great fan of the web browser version, and thoroughly enjoy some of the features that have
migrated over from Chrome OS. One of the best features is the ability to log in
from any Chromebook or normal PC and have access to your browser
and files. Since everything is stored in the cloud, you just sign in with your
Google account and you can access everything from anywhere. The cloud is
basically the servers to which all your files and data are uploaded. So you don’t
need a hard-drive, and you can access all your music and pictures from any
device, even your phone. And all this happens automatically, so you don’t even
have to think about it.
Speaking of automatically, Chrome OS also updates itself
constantly, without bothering you. Every time you start the OS, it updates
itself. Also, since it’s basically just a web browser, it can’t get viruses or
anything. Yet. It’s only a matter of time before people start figuring out how
to plague Chrome OS as well. But till, that’s an awesome feature.
You might be wondering what happens when you’re not
connected to the internet, though. That’s hardly likely to happen. Chromebooks
have built-in Wi-Fi and 3G. But if you do happen to lose signal, you’ll still have
access to all your stuff. This is where the offline features come in. You can
access your email and photos even while you’re in an internet-less zone.
Limitations
Now that you’ve heard me praise Chrome OS so shamelessly, it’s
time to dwell on its flaws. One of the major flaws which you’ve probably
already figured out is: what about the other apps that we occasionally use on
our PCs? Like Microsoft Office, Skype, iTunes, and some pieces of really specialized
software? While there are alternatives for the first three, too many people
already use them, and aren’t willing to adapt to a whole new operating system and leave their beloved programs behind.
One thing that Google definitely needs to work on is getting in-browser
versions of these programs. However, for users who need specialized software
like Rhinoceros (a 3D modeling software that I use), it seems Chrome OS is
never going to work.
Another obvious limitation is that it’s a web browser and
with no internet to browse the web through, your shiny, new Chromebook will basically
be rendered useless. Even though Chrome OS supports offline browsing and such,
the apps are very much limited when they don’t have the power of the interwebs
behind them. This is a major Achilles’ heel; it seems Google put too much faith
on the fact that we’re going to have internet all the time.
Many concerns also arise from the fact that all your stuff is
stored in the cloud. While the cloud does allow you to access your stuff from
anywhere, it also means that anyone else can also access your stuff from
anywhere. So, cloud computing isn’t the most secure way to store your stuff,
but hey, how often do Google’s servers get hacked? But I’d still like my files on a
hard-drive, handcuffed to me, just to be safe.
Conclusion
That has been my rant on Google’s latest attempt at having a
finger in every pie. Chrome OS, I would say, is definitely a very innovative
idea, and a fresh perspective on what role computers and the internet have come
to play in our lives. But I think it still has a long way to go. I tried to
find different reviews on Chrome OS, but I hardly came across a negative one.
But then again, I did use Google to search for them.
Jokes aside though, I did find some interesting opinions on
Chrome OS out there. A lot of people seemed to love the OS itself, but thought
it was a failure because it could never replace Windows or Mac. The thing is,
Google didn’t intend to replace any of the current operating systems. It
created a completely new class of operating system, by completely removing the
traditional operating system.
Fun Fact
Here’s an interesting piece of information I came across.
Google took a daring step while designing the Chromebooks and completely
omitted the Caps Lock key from the keyboard. And guess what they replaced it
with?
A search button. Oh, Google.
A search button. Oh, Google.
Anyway, I thought this was interesting since
the Caps Locks key has been a standard part of the keyboard layout for years now,
and Google just decided it didn't need the Caps Lock key anymore.
Links
Here are some links you might want
to check out:
Sources
Mostly my opinion and some stuff I heard and read on various
blogs. I also had a some help from Wikipedia and www.chromium.org.
