Chrome OS, Follow-up
November 30, 2009
A week ago Google said the first devices (they are devices now, not only the netbooks, but they said the netbooks will be the first to have it) running its new Chrome operating system will be available by the end of 2010, Sundar Pichai, a Google VP, said “the company is specifying what hardware features, such as chips and wireless cards, devices must have to run the software”
“The new operating system comes as Google looks for ways to diversify its business. Online advertising constitutes 97% of the company’s $22 billion in annual revenue and efforts to cash in on its software applications and video-sharing site YouTube have generated limited results. Analysts say Chrome OS is an ambitious long-term strategic move, but any impact on the company’s financial performance would be years away.”
“In a statement, Microsoft said Google’s product "appears to be in the early stages of development."” [WSJ]
Pichai said “Chrome OS can pull data from devices such as digital cameras and will support printing, it boots up to bring consumers right into the company’s Chrome Web browser. It stores users’ data online, allowing them to access it from other devices. But the software will have some limited ability for users to perform tasks without Internet access, such as watching videos” one of the questions raised about the software in the past.
