Google Chrome OS for Netbooks and Beyond Announced

The Google blog has announced the Google Chrome Operating System. Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks.

Later this year Google will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010.

It looks like Google is taking on Microsoft noted some analysts.

Google says speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. They're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal and most of the user experience takes place on the web. They are redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips. Google is working multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple -- Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies.

Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. 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. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google.

Google believes tha thaving happier users they are more likely to spend time on the Internet.