Google Chrome OS Launches Next Week

Rumors are circulating that Google is set to launch an early version of its free, open source operating system, Chrome, next week, with a full version release expected in 2010.

Google first announced the impending launch of its new Chrome OS in July. The company said in blog post that Chrome would initially be going after the netbook market, maintaining that netbooks running Chrome OS would be available for consumers in the second half of 2010.

Google positioned its Chrome OS as the answer to clunky competitive operating systems that are inherently not designed to accommodate the Web. "The operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no Web," Google said. "We're announcing a new project that's a natural extension of Google Chrome—the Google Chrome Operating System. It's our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be."

Chrome, however, is the combined effort of variety of players -- Google said it has been working with numerous partners on the Chrome OS project, including Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, HP, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texus Instruments and Toshiba.

Meanwhile, the search engine giant is also touting Chrome as a lighter and speedier alternative to more established competitors in the OS space.

"We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear—computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them."

Google also said last summer that the new OS will feature a strong Web focus with minimal interface. Google also said that Chrome was designed with revamped security architecture to minimize risk of viruses, malware and security updates.

Whether those pie-in-the-sky fantasies will be manifested in Chrome OS remains to be seen, but at least the launch appears to be within striking distance.

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