Google on Ulitzer

Google says it's working with a bunch of unidentified "top OEMs" to create a Chrome notebook based on a Google hardware reference architecture that will hit market around this time next year in time for the holidays.

It expects the widgets to change the basic computing model by transferring everything to the cloud.

Google accepts that such a device won't suit all use-cases but it should suit those, particularly youngsters, who spend most of their time on the web, to a "T."

Google will position the thing as a "companion device" to one's more robust and conventional laptop or desktop.

It means to tackle laptops and desktops somewhere down the road.

Google said its reference architecture, whose components are still apparently being spec'd, won't support hard drives, only solid-state memory, and will demand a somewhat larger form factor than today's notebooks to provide for a full-sized keyboard and touchpad. Its connectivity will be Wi-Fi.

Google disclosed its plans Thursday in a Chrome OS webcast, where it demoed the thing and open sourced the code so developers can play with it and contribute to the project.

Remember, Google's never developed an operating system before. It's big and it's hard. It's also a matter of winning mind share and an ecosystem.

The open source contingent will reportedly work with the same source tree as Google developers. What with may be problematical since Chrome OS doesn't work on conventional machines; virtualized is a possibility. Google will have a list of validated hardware.

Chrome OS, whose watchwords are "speed, simplicity and security," is supposed to make the Internet instantly accessible like a TV - Google is currently trying to get its boot time to under seven seconds - and - in a challenge to Microsoft - every application it runs will be a web app.

It promises no software install, maintenance or management since the software will be in the cloud along with all the data, which is synced to the cloud, making offline use possible via cached data.

All data, Google said, including local data, is encrypted by a random number algorithm. And, unlike your conventional operating system the root file systems is read-only.

Provided the cloud is functioning, it's supposed to solve the security problems of the traditional PC. All applications are treated as a hostile, Google said, and locked down in a "security sandbox, separated from both each other and the operating system.

Chrome OS looks like the Chrome browser with application tabs at the top of the screen. And Google talks about Chrome OS as a browser.

Google declined to discuss the cost of the reworked x86 netbooks, begging off that it was up to the hardware makers and component costs can change in a year. Apparently it's shooting for current price levels. It suggested that other browser makers could develop Chrome-style packages of their own.

Google also begged off discussions of an app store.

The widgetry supports Flash and where possible open source drivers and the usual slew of storage devices and mice. Android apps, not being web-based, won't work on Chrome OS. Chrome OS apparently doesn't print yet but it's supposed to before it comes out.

Chrome the browser, meanwhile, now in its twentieth update is close to launching on the Mac and Linux. Google clocked the Windows version as 39x times on JavaScript than IE. It claims 40 million users.