First Look at Chrome OS

Word comes from Gdgt.com that they have a virtual machine image of Chrome OS. As you know, Google released the kibbles and bits of the Chrome OS source code yesterday and it looks like a few brave hackers have put it together for an easily digestible virtual operating system install.

I decided to take my hand at installing Chrome OS in VirtualBox to see how the infant of an OS is coming along. The system booted very quickly. This is definitely going to appeal to those using Windows XP (or even Ubuntu) on their netbooks, as it often takes in excess of an entire minute to boot them.

I also thought the feature of logging into Chrome OS with your Google credentials was convenient. This means if I wanted to borrow my friend's Chrome OS device, he could just sign out and let me log on. There would be no issue of his private data being shown to me.

However, Chrome OS (or Chromium OS, as this source code version is called) is still a very rough version. My trackpad actually stopped working after a few minutes into my session. But overall, I really like where Google's Chrome OS is going.

You can download the virtual machine image here: Chrome OS VMware or VirtualBox Image (we recommend VirtualBox, which you can download here: VirtualBox for Windows, Linux or Mac).
Gdgt also has a USB-bootable image ready, but they warn that it might be for the faint of heart (it involves Linux, oh my!). Make sure you download the VMware image, even if you are using VirtualBox. The VirtualBox image would not boot for me.

So even though Google says Chrome OS will not be available for a "download and install to your computer" type opportunity, we know that with source code running in the wild, it's only a matter of time. Soon we'll have an .iso image to install to your favorite test machine, although it might be a bit hardware limited. Oh, the magic of open source software!

Chrome OS Boot Video

The narrator is a bit dry, but this video will give you an idea of how Chrome OS will accomplish its lightning fast boot up.

Google's Official Chrome OS Video

Interesting...So what do you guys think? Let us know in the comments!

Chrome OS Event Initial Overview

Well, unfortunately, the VP of Product Management at Google,  Sundar Pichai, started today's event off by saying there is no beta of Chrome OS available yet. He then went into describing how far the Chrome web browser has come:

And now for the boot up! Pachai says that Chrome OS will aim for a 14 second boot-up.

Above is the first real screenshot of Chrome OS.

And for all you haters out there: Chrome OS will have Flash support. There were many doubts that this would happen, but it has.

Pichai explained that Chrome OS's goals where the same as Chrome's: 

• Speed
• Simplicity
• Security

Apps will be web-based, no installing. They will be tabs of the Chrome browser.

Matt Papakipos took the stage after Pichai to explain the development side of Google's operating system. The OS will have automatic updates, meaning no users are left behind with security vulnerabilities.  Papakipos also explained how Chrome OS will be different from current systems. He explained that if you get a new computer, you just log into Chrome OS on it and all of your data is there for your, waiting.

And here's the downer: "As a comsumer, you cannot download Chrome OS. You have to go buy a device with the system on it." Well that about does it for me. I thought we would be able to download and install Chrome OS. I mean, isn't that what open source is supposed to be about?

Continue on after the break for the Chrome OS event photo collection.

Google to Hold Event This Thursday Showcasing Chrome OS

The Washington Post sends us word that Google will be holding a Chrome OS event this Thursday, the 19th of November. The event will supposedly involve a "complete overview" of Google's much-anticipated operating system. There will also be more details regarding the release of Chrome OS on netbooks and other hardware next year.

The Post insinuates that next year's launch on specific hardware will be the "complete" launch, making this week's event more of a mere showing. I think earlier predictions of a public beta will hold true and Google should be making Chrome OS available as a download soon after Thursday's event.

The event will be held at Google's California headquarters with Sundar Pichai, Vice President of Product Management at Google, doing the heavy talking. So what do you think? Will we get our hands on the magical Chrome OS the day after tomorrow? Let us hear it in the comments below!

[Via The Washington Post]

Do You Think It's Too Early for Chrome OS?

Garret Rogers over at ZDNet.com asks "is [the] imminent Chrome OS launch reckless?" He points out that early adopters of the operating system might be disappointed with what they find. Rogers predicts the initial Chrome OS release will be "barebones, bordering on useless".

You might have seen this coming, but we have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Rogers. It has been 4 months since Google announced Chrome OS. And we doubt they have been sitting on their hands. Google has legions of programmers (they did develop Android somehow, right?) that come to work everyday to do Google's Chrome OS bidding.

Four months is a long time to get an operating system together, especially one based on Linux. Just look at Ubuntu. They release a new version every 6 months. Rogers says "releasing 'early' is asking for dissatisfied early adopters". Should Google take a page from Microsoft's book? Wait 5 years like MS did before releasing Windows Vista? Not sure if you've noticed, Mr. Rogers, but that didn't turn out too well for Microsoft...

So we think an early "alpha" build is indicative of a great OS. Let the masses (or the nerds that know how to install OS's) test Chrome OS and tell Google what is wrong with it. Then they can fix it, toss it to some OEMs and get it to the market at large. Then everyone will be happy! So what do you think? Will the first release of Chrome OS disappoint users? Tell us in the comments!

[Read the ZDNet.com post in its entirety here]

Chrome Browser Shows File Managing Skills in Time for Chrome OS

Word comes from Downloadsquad.com that there have been some interesting changes to Chrome for Chrome OS's source code. The recently discovered browser is now showing even more signs of the power it will have in Google's operating system.

Now you can examine your files and directories in Chrome (just as you do with Windows Explorer). To check this out just type these into Chrome: "C:\" (for Windows), "/Users/your_username" (for Mac) or "home/your_username" (for Linux). Now this isn't exactly groundbreaking, since Firefox will do the same thing.

However, Download Squad also points out that the source code now contains a "mount library". This reveals plans to have the Chrome browser mount drives in Chrome OS. So get ready to really do "everything" through your browser in Chrome OS!

[Via Download Squad]