Clio

Today Google took the covers off of its much-hyped Google Chrome OS. Google Chrome OS’s introduction is a landmark in computing, as it is not only the first new, significant operating system to be introduced in the last ten years, but it is the first completely web application-focused operating system to be released. And it won’t be the last.

What’s significant about Google Chrome OS?

• Every app on Chrome OS is a Web app. No native applications.
• Nothing is stored on your computer.
• The operating system is the browser.
• Fast. Boots in 7 seconds. 3 seconds to login.
• Secure. All your data is encrypted on your machine. If you lose your machine, what little is stored on it (saved passwords, etc.) is completely secure.
• Flash-based – will only support flash-based drives. Hard-disk-based drives are dead.
• Open-source. Other than Linux, none of the other major operating systems are open-source. Google Chrome OS could be the first mainstream open-source operating system.

In a way, Google Chrome OS is the logical conclusion to what has been a profound shift away from desktop applications to “the cloud”. Ultimately, Google Chrome OS is a return to the decades-old concept of mainframes and timeshare computers. All your data is in the cloud. Your security is in the cloud. Your computer ends up being a “dumb terminal” that accesses the cloud. And your terminal is the web browser.

Google Chrome OS may be late to the operating system game, a space that’s already dominated primarily by Microsoft and, to a lesser degree, Apple, but we think it’s well-positioned to make some significant inroads. Why? It’s at the center of what could be deemed a “perfect storm” of factors that will, in a couple of years, make Google Chrome OS seem like a prescient move by Google:

1. Netbooks. In the current economic climate, netbooks (small, lean, web-focused laptops) have seen unprecedented growth. Many people are realizing they don’t need a big, expensive laptop or desktop computer.
2. Cloud computing. Soon, every application you want to use will have a web application equivalent. For some, this is already the case. We have web-based document creation, web-based legal practice management, web-based accounting software, web-based photo editing. If you’re waiting for one of your favorite desktop applications, you won’t have to wait long – it will either be released as a web-based edition, or a competitor will emerge to replace the incumbent with a new web-based application (see the Mint.com and Quicken story, for example).
3. Device Convergence. Laptops are getting smaller and smarter all the time. Mobile phones are becoming more sophisticated. Tablet PCs, like Apple’s rumored tablet, will see increased adoption in the next 2-3 years. The line between laptops, phones, and tablets will start to blur sometime soon, and Google Chrome OS will likely play an important role in this transformation. How Google Chrome OS will fit into Google’s Android strategy will be interesting to see, but they do, without a doubt, have a plan for this.

We’re excited by Google Chrome OS here at Clio. The following overview video gives a great overview of what Google Chrome OS is all about: