by Leigh Goessl

Created on: June 27, 2010   Last Updated: February 19, 2012

Google is getting ready to launch their Chrome operating system (OS) in the fourth quarter of 2010. This move will further up the ante in the battle between Google and Microsoft for various segments in the technology market.

When Google announced its intentions to develop its own operating system last year, many have been wondering how the Chrome OS will perform and whether or not it will truly be a competitor with Windows.

Here is a brief and basic rundown of what to expect from Google Chrome OS:

♦ The Basics

Google Chrome OS is described by Gizmodo as "an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks". Most of the user experience will occur through the web interface and the product is designed to be appealing to those who spend most of their computing time on the Internet.

Here are an additional few attributes:

• Runs on top of a Linux kernel
• Uses the web as its platform and bases itself around established Google services such as Gmail, Google Docs, etc.
• Runs on web applications using HTML 5
• Runs on x86 and ARM processors
• Cannot use it to replace windows, users will have to purchase Google supported hardware

♦ User Experience

• Free, unlikely other proprietary operating systems
• The OS does not require installations or updates
• Is said to contain security architecture that is supposedly virus-resistant and easy to update
• Starts up rapidly and boots straight into the browser; it is optimized for Chrome and is anticipated to be very fast
• Not designed to use with desktops, only netbooks
• Interface is designed to look like other Google apps
• Contains tabs and virtual desktops

With this new product Google is seemingly taking another step forward to eliminate the need for a hard drive and is taking their version of the operating system online. Essentially it is a powerful browser and integrates all applications users tend to use.

Google's approach leans towards making the traditional type of operating system outdated and unnecessary by integrating the online stuff most people are doing anyway.

Gizmodo describes Chrome OS as "The idea, here, it seems, is to replicate most, if not all, of the functionality in a native OS, while keeping the lightweight, ultra-secure framework of a thin client. In other words, Google's not asking much of its users in terms of changing how they do stuff; they're

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