Forget Android Netbooks? Google Announces Chrome OS

Google Android netbooks? The magic 8-ball says “not likely,” if Google has its way.  Early this morning, the Internet giant announced  its Google Chrome Operating System in its attempt to “re-think what operating systems should be.”

Google makes no secret about it. The open source, Web-based and lightweight operating system will initially be targeted at netbooks. According to the Google announcement, netbooks running the Chrome OS (which is based on the architecture of the company’s Chrome Web browser) will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010.

And what kind of netbooks will those be exactly? Google’s Chrome OS (unlike Microsoft Windows) will run on both x86 and ARM processors.  So we are expecting everything from Intel Atom netbooks to the emerging class of smartbooks powered by chips such as Nvidia’s Tegra or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon. But the sky is the limit:”The Google Chrome OS is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems,” the Google blog reveals.

According to Google’s Developer Blog, the OS is being designed “to start up and get you onto the Web in a few seconds” (take that Splashtop!) And though there is overlap between Google’s Chrome OS and Android, Google will leave the choice up to the customers and beleives “choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone.” The company plans to release more details in the early fall on the operating system that is bound to shake up the mobile computing ecosystem.