Tego Interactive » Google

It’s Official: Google Announces Chrome OS

Alfred DeRose — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:34:40 +0000

Google has announced the release of it’s long-rumored OS. Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks that should be be available for consumers in the second half of 2010.

Expected to run on both x86 as well as ARM chips, the OS software architecture is simple according to Google — 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 already available web technologies. Since these apps run within a browser, they will operate on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.

As expected, Google confirmed Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android, it’s mobile OS. 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.

Google Preparing Chrome-Focused OS?

Alfred DeRose — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:42:00 +0000

Ars Technica is reporting that two sources, one inside the company and one outside of it, that Google is preparing to deliver a Chrome-focused operating system targeted at the booming netbook market. Chrome is a browser released by Google last year. One source says that the new OS will be launched soon, perhaps as early as tomorrow.

Circulating since shortly after the release of Android, the theory that Google might be developing an operating system based on a modified version of the mobile platform seems unlikely in this case. Google has very clearly stated in the past that it has no plans to adapt Android to netbooks itself. The search giant prefers to leave that as an exercise for third-party adopters.

Ars however believes another possible approach might be that Google is building a separate lightweight Linux operating system that can be used as a host environment for Chrome.

Google has not yet issued a response to requests for official comment.

HTC’s Hero Android Phone

Alfred DeRose — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:02:17 +0000

PC Magagine says that the first great phone based on Google’s Android operating system may finally have arrived and they may be right. It’s the Hero™ and it comes from HTC, maker of the first ever Android phone, the T-Mobile G1.

The Hero received positive marks from Sascha Segan, PC Magazine’s Lead Analyst for mobile phones and PDAs. In his review, Sascha credits HTC’s new user interface, Sense™, saying it “…breaks free of the dull Google-centric Android interface to deliver a fresh, smooth, sleek new way of staying in touch with people.” Sense introduces a more natural way for reaching out to the people and accessing your important information through an intuitive and seamless user experience.

HTC plans on introducing Sense across a portfolio of phones including those based on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system.