WILL CHROME REALLY SHINE?

There is a new kid in town and his name is "Chrome OS" as for Google Chrome.  It’s the new operating system to be interactive with Google Cloud.

Google is out to change the world more than they already have, and having applications stored on the Internet in a specified zone, known as a "cloud", is the new way to store information.

I have written about the "Cloud" in earlier articles and there is a huge push for this new avenue of computing. If you have all your information stored in the
nebulous cloud on the Internet, your going to need a vehicle to connect with it.
 
That vehicle, friends is Chrome, Google’s new browser that will do just that. Just what will Chrome do for Google’s cloud users? So how is this different from the way we currently compute?

Now when you use a net book, laptop, desktop or workstation it has an Operating System (OS) and a series of applications to get your work done, or to organize your images, catalog your clients etc.

With the Chrome OS all this will be in the cloud. Google’s intent is to start selling netbooks next year that boot up in about 15 seconds. Now that’s a lot faster than your average PC, Macintosh or Linux box today. After the 15 second boot up you are instantly connected to the Chrome OS in the cloud.

The cloud will  hold all the applications and your netbook terminal-like device will communicate with them. See the marketing strategy here? Fast cheap netbooks, probably selling in the range of $300 to $500 dollars verses cost of today’s laptops ranging from $500 to $4000 dollars.

The change is a historical cycle in control. Years ago there were main frames and localized terminals for access to them. We then had the desktop era, brought about mainly by Apple, IBM and Microsoft in the 1980’s. Obviously Dell, Sony, Acer, Toshiba and many others have followed.

Now the push is on for that old symphony playing again. The cloud is replacing the main frame and the cheap netbooks will be the new terminals. It’s all being marketed with a carrot and a stick, but the stick is unseen.

When you conform to this new convenience you gain speed, simplicity and they tell us security. Do you trust all your personal information to be stored on a cloud? Do you believe that no one will ever have access to your data, but you? Is the security being extolled as good as the claims?

My prediction is that it will be a while for most individuals to feel completely comfortable with this scenario and some never will.

Another factor contributing to faster start up times for the new netbooks will be static drives. The drives can be small because all the apps are on the cloud and
static drives are very fast, however with smaller total size.

So who is partnering with Google to manufacture these fast netbooks? Asus, HP, Lenovo, and Acer for a start. Rumor has it that the little computers may have a larger screen than the average netbook and perhaps a higher quality keypad.

Another large question is how useful will this device be when the cloud is unavailable? If your apps are on the cloud along with your data just what can be accomplished without the cloud? Perhaps you will be able to play music that was downloaded and maybe save a small cache of information?

Well, it looks like they have thought about this also. There is a plug-in, an add on application to connect to your browser called "Gears".  Gears can be used by webmasters to give you access to information "offline". It may provide a richer content to your browser and it can also be used on non-Google sites.

Gears currently is supported with Microsoft XP, Vista and Firefox versions 1.5+ or Internet Explorer 6+. MacOSX from version 10.4+ with Firefox 1.5+ and MacOSX 10.4.11 – 10.5 with Firefox 1.5+ Apples latest 10.6 Snow Leopard is not currently supported.  Linux with Firefox vs. 1.5+ is compatible.  Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 or higher with Internet Explorer 4.1+ is compatible.

The first time you visit a website that has Gears activated you will be presented with an option asking "The website below wants to use Gears." There will be a
box to check is you want to give access. The next time you visit this site you will not be asked the above question.

If you look at this whole concept further, not only is Google out to take over the world as we know it, it also is a direct attack on Microsoft and their effective cornering of the business application market. If you have applications that are free from Google for use on the cloud  what do you need Microsoft Office for?

You know when there is power and money involved there will be an abundance of interest. Google is not the only cloud in the sky. Lots of companies are setting up secure clouds for their customers. A smaller company more closely aligned with a specific business interest may suit some users more efficiently than the Google cloud?

The other thing the media is not revealing is that Microsoft has its own web cloud based OS in the works. Do you really think the existing 800-pound gorilla is going down with out a fight?

There are other Internet applications in other clouds already on the Internet, one such group of apps is Zoho. At this site there are office applications, Internet applications and calendars to plan your schedule. It also includes a CRM  database that has the capability to integrate with a large business.

As time passes more and more companies will be moving to this venue. The cost savings in non-deployment of individual desktops and laptops with proprietary applications will be substantial.

You can download and try Chrome after agreeing to the eula.html. If you want to dig a little further you can explore the Chromium OS, which is the Open Source project behind the Google Chrome browser.

All in all this is a huge undertaking with much thought put into it. How it ends up will be revealed next year and after.

Until then find your cloud and see where it takes you.

Marco