Google Chrome OS details revealed

Posted by Katherine Hannaford on Fri 20 Nov 2009

Download an early copy now, but next year you'll have to buy it on a Chrome laptop or netbook

More details about Google's Chrome OS were revealed last night, as Google hosted an event to explain their Windows and OS X rival.

While it's not the finished product, Chrome OS looks to be a fast operating system that's been slimmed down to offer what's essentially the Chrome browser and a few widgets. It will be available on Google Chrome devices (which weren't shown off, sadly), which won't be able to run any other OS apart from Chrome.

Ideal for netbooks or other devices which you won't be using heavily, all of your data is stored in Google's 'cloud', online. That means if you're not connected to the internet your PC suddenly becomes less than usable, but perhaps they'll solve that by ensuring their Chrome hardware is 3G-equipped.

At the Google event last night, their Vice President of Product Management, Sundar Pichai, commented that "as a consumer, you can't go download Chrome OS, you will have to go and buy a Chrome OS device."

The official launch of Chrome OS won't be for another year, however thanks to some quick-thinking individuals, you can download an early copy for your Windows or Mac machine here.

Link: (via TechRadar, Gizmodo and gdgt)