Google throws down the gauntlet

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: When Google showcased its open source operating system (OS) Chrome last week, not many found it disruptive enough to move the world to a web-centric computing model. Aimed primarily at notebooks, it did not seem a worthy candidate to take on incumbents like Microsoft’s Windows 7 and Apple’s Snow Leopard.

In contrast, the browser-turned-operating system is already beginning to ignite enthusiasm in an OS market stagnant for years now. For starters, it is clearly trying to shift the paradigm to the cloud—an emerging computing model where users can gain access to their applications from anywhere through connected devices. If it works, it could not only change the way we use computers but also disrupt the culture of application development, with an entire industry dedicated to building stand-alone applications.

Personal computing market dynamics would also be different when Chrome finally enters the market next year. It might be a different hardware world, with an appreciable installed base of notebooks, ultrathins and touchscreen PCs. Google is currently working with ‘all the top partners’ on commercial devices, and has confirmed that the initial focus will be on notebooks with keyboards, although other form factors might come later.

Chrome OS could make the buying equation interesting with its use of solid state disk drives, rather than conventional hard disks. It promises to switch on PCs instantly, just like a TV and other consumer electronics devices. Google claims a boot-up time of a few seconds. Web-based applications take a few more seconds to load. The Web apps will run on application tabs within Chrome OS, which users will access with one click and manage in persistent windows if they so desire.

According to Google, all data in Chrome will automatically be housed in the cloud, or on external server, but will also be cached on the computer’s hardware to boost performance. This means users won’t lose their data if their notebook is stolen or hard disk crashes. “The Linux-based OS is fully open, run applications only in its browser and stores all data in the cloud,” explained Sundar Pichai, vice president (product management), Google, in a webcast. Speed, simplicity and security were touted as the key components of the design.