Google Plans a PC Operating System - NYTimes.com... - All Things Google

"SAN FRANCISCO — In a direct challenge to Microsoft, Google announced late Tuesday that it is developing an operating system for PCs based on its Chrome Web browser. The operating system, called Chrome OS, is initially intended for use in the tiny, low-cost portable computers known as netbooks, which have been selling quickly even as demand for other PCs has plummeted. The move is likely to sharpen the already intense competition between Google and Microsoft, whose Windows operating system controls the basic functions of the vast majority of personal computers. “Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS,” said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, and Linus Upson, engineering director, in a post on a company blog. “We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the Web in a few seconds.” Mr. Pichai and Mr. Upson said that the software would be released online later this year under an open source license, which will allow outside programmers to modify it. Netbooks running the software will go on sale in the second half of 2010. The software is compatible with processor chips made by Intel and ARM, the company said. While Google Chrome OS is aimed initially at netbooks, Google said it believed the software would be able to power full-fledged PCs. Google has already developed an open-source operating system called Android that is used in mobile phones. The software is also being built into netbooks by several manufacturers. But Google has not encouraged netbook makers to use Android as an operating system. The company appears to be positioning the Chrome OS as its preferred operating system for netbooks, though it said competition between the two systems would likely drive innovation. Chrome OS fits Google’s Internet-centric vision of computing. Google believes that software delivered over the Web will play an increasingly central role, replacing software programs that run on the desktop. In... more... - Susan Beebe from Bookmarklet