Google Chrome OS

My 2 Cents on Google OS (Chrome OS)

It definetly going to game changer and how? Google started experimenting offline web through Google Gears. It then become standard as part of the HTML5. Standardization of Offline capabilities tells that it is very important feature everybody needs. MySpace utilized Google Gears and it is able to offload 20-30% of the load to the browser (read Offline sync).

So what is my Windows usage normally,

1. I check news - especially Tech News, politics and world news
2. I check emails
3. I blog
4. I document (I mean I create documents for official or personal)
5. I watch video and listen to music
6. Connect to TV or secondary monitor
7. Instant messenger
8. Video/Photo editing

Items 1 - 4, can be easily done, most of the time, in web. Without web all the above doesn't make sense. And 99.9% of the time people buy computer to connect to web. As Sun optly put "Network is computer".

Offline document editing, needs little bit of OS support. Office documnets should be opened through web browser and it has muscle to understand it (Java Script code). So if google is able to come up with simple idea of opening documents stored in the local file system, they can easily replace native word document editor. Or, in the open source world, open office already very capable, If google is able to bring more efficient version of open office, thats it. 90% of the problem solved. It also stongly ring the death knell to Microsoft's cash cow, office suite.

Google indeed has good photo editing (glorified picasa) and drawing tool (Sketchpad). So they just needs to spin the threads to make all this available.

Why Google needs OS?

Yes Google needs it. Because, Microsoft instigated it. It is trying hard past couple of years to invade Google's Search business. Its Bing and its forefathers taught Google that, if Microsoft is able to capture 20-30% seach engine market, what would be left for Google? It is obvious for Google that it would go into OS business. They got a great momentum from Android. Yea, smart phone is kind of fledgling market but Netbook is also kind of very much in the early stage. So targetting Netbooks and Smarbooks (Microsoft doesn't have product for ARM) , it will make a good enough dent in Microsoft OS market. So, I bet even 1% market share is 1% loss to Microsoft. Google knows OS, they very much successful in server class Linux machines. So, they will bake Linux into very much palatable format. I am eagerly awainting to see its coming.

I also able to see fumes and smokes all over the net.

1. Eric Schmidt should step down from Apple Board or
2. Microsoft will not allow Google to make Chrome OS Survive blah blah.

I am thinking half glass full in Google's case. Here is why,

For Eric Schmidt Step down fumes, here is my thoughts...

1. It is that Google released Android which competes against Apple
2. Google is going to release Chrome OS to compete against Mac OS

I am not thinking it is not really a good reason, because, It is same as Google has gmail and Apple has MobileMe; Google has Chrome and Apple has Safari etc etc. So, in theory, if you work on computers, you will find multiple applications/Components which is manufactored by varous companies. So whats wrong with it? It is good for Consumer and competition is good for ecosystem. More over, the space/people with which Apple address is ultimately different. But if they fail to innovate, they will perish. I guess, Android, in few years, going to make iPhone what Microsoft's Windows made Max OS in 90s (It is not because of best OS but because of strategy- seperating harware and OS apart and making harware partner to grow). But I don't think Apple will let this happening this time. Current market trend is Mac is gaining on Windows due to failure of Vista. So if you look at the space which Google Chrome OS addresses is Netbook and above (may be Notebook and Desktop) is different and Apple is not into that. But I want Google to go against Apple territory. It is good because, Apple will open up its iPhone OS because of Android or innovate more which will make on par or more with Andriod( I am thinking few years down the line) I still believe, they are holding the Google to stop releasing muti-touch feature in Android. I like Eric should step down from Apple and up Google's throttle to innovate more.

Microsoft should be having big troubles. It can't be give it Windows 7 free after all it is one of the cash cow for Microsoft. So whatever way it goes, it affects Microsoft as Google has gained lots of loyal user and customer and they ready to jumb in if Google release Chrome OS.

If Google executes well like how Firefox did with Browser, Microsoft surely will be in big trouble.

But it is very well possible with Google. The big advantage already with Google is 1) ARM - Chrome OS will run on ARM 2) Partners - Since it is always best to use free and best OS to make Netbook/Notebook so they will gain % benefit. Android also did the same. Who will hesitate to buy a computer which is $$ less and which has all the functionality they want?.