Google revealed new information about its upcoming operating system called Chrome OS, yesterday. The system will be based completely on cloud computing technology, meaning little, if any, content will be stored natively on computers.
The advantage of such an arrangement, of course, is that users will be able to access all of their data from any computer in the world. The Chrome OS is said to be “instant-on” system, with no need to load drivers and other resident software on computers. As a result, Google will be keeping access to Chrome OS to computers specifically approved to run it.
The project was announced in July, but today brought more details, such as the fact that the entire project will be made open-source and the release date is tentatively set for the end of 2010.
Of course, your data will be in the hands of Google and even with its famous “Don’t be evil” motto means it raises privacy and security concerns. For the typical personal computer user, this is becoming less of an issue as Google’s current applications such as Gmail have eased fears with sheer convenience.
According to Google, having data hosted on cloud servers mean computers will become more like televisions, with a healthy speed boost as well. Computing speed would no longer be dependent on your local hardware, lowering the entry costs to consumer-end computers.
No information has been provided on the pricing of such an OS or the associated hardware, except that Google “expects to have devices in the price ranges people are used to today.” Technologically speaking, cloud computing is rapidly emerging from the realm of fiction, but the question that remains is whether or not users can wrap their heads around having personal data in the hands of a corporation.
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