This whole internet and 'have everything everywhere' era has simply occurred so quickly, I remember a time when taking your files around meant making sure it was on your laptop hard drive or a USB stick, and doing some random internet searches meant crashing at home or the library where you can get a connection and checking something on the computer. Only a mere five or so years ago, there was no iPhone or Android, and when we thought of smartphone, we thought of a suit dressed gentleman with a Blackberry. Today, consumers are laden with devices and connectivity, hop on a train and more than half will be carrying smartphones, updating their Facebook status 'sitting next to fat guy who takes up the whole seat', checking up the train timetables, or simply killing the time on the train by watching some videos on YouTube. And suddenly, if you're carrying a dumbphone, you're...you're the odd one out.
You're probably wondering what all this has to do with Chrome OS, the thing is, Chrome OS takes this general concept one step further. Instead of only checking up on things and updating your Facebook status through the net though, now Google have decided that it's a good idea to simply put everything on the net, your documents, photos, videos, you name it. The general idea, is you can log in to your Google account on any Chrome notebook, anywhere, and wallah! There you have it, all your files and applications in front of you. It simply stores your content on the web.
In theory, this sounds like an astonishing and marvellous idea, however, burdened by its limitations, Chrome OS looks destined for failure, or at best, dissolution. Its hard to counter the fact that netbooks are simply being bulldozed by the popularity and scale of the new but saturated tablet market, for their prime purpose, netbooks were perfectly adequate however tablets could do the same things in a far more personal and efficient way. Chrome OS takes a step back and brings us back to the sad old days of netbooks. However, Chrome won't be sluggish like typical netbooks, since the OS is really light and efficient, we can expect Chrome to be fast even with a slow processor. Sounds good and all, however consumer attention has shifted, low end computers are no longer high on the buy list, but tablets are easily top spot. There is nothing particularly wrong with netbooks, but the trend has shifted, and Google should follow.
Which brings me to my next point, with Android all guns firing, why would they bother with Chrome OS? Google insists that Chrome OS and Android will suit different markets, but both are no doubt going for low end computing, I doubt we will ever see a Chrome notebook running Crysis or doing any heavy video editing, as far as we can see, tablets won't be doing any of that any time soon either. Hypocritically, Sergey Brin says that in some point in the future, Android and Chrome OS will most likely merge anyway. Android can be customised and upgraded easily to do the exact thing that makes Chrome OS unique, syncing files with the cloud. Additionally, with Android and its vast ecosystem of applications, tailored collection of devices and brands and of course, the more efficient and personal tablet form factor, there is absolutely no compelling reason to pick up Chrome OS over an Android tablet.
There is an old saying that goes - 'Don't fix it if it ain't broke' . I'm not going to lie, I think this is a very stupid saying since things don't have to be broken to be fixed or improved. Thus if we all lived by this saying, we would never progress. However, I think this phrase applies appropriately to what Google is doing here with Chrome OS, being able to sync all your files over the web and to be accessed on any Chrome computer isn't going to be a major selling point.
Don't get me wrong, I do believe that the 'cloud' is the way of the future, however as a primary selling point, it's simply not enough.
On paper, it's a great idea, however its real world practicality and usefulness is questionable. With a brief look on the Chrome OS website, Google keeps telling us that even if we lose our computer, we can simply log onto another Chrome notebook and our files are safe and sound. I don't think there are many people who can actually proudly say that they've 'lost a computer'. Additionally, I hope Google realises that people actually don't mind having hard copies of their files stored on the hard disk, and the comfort of knowing that we can access them without a constant internet connection as is required on a Chrome notebook is worth noting. Also, knowing that our files are tangible and not just ghosts floating in a cloud also provides subtle assurance. Presently, the cloud is great, however it's not yet an essential. Thus selling Chrome OS simply with its cloud capabilities is much like saying that the main selling point of an apple is the colour of its skin. Consumers need more than that.
Put simply, Chrome OS is a brilliant concept, grabbing your files and applications on the 'cloud' sounds like a fun, efficient and inviting experience. However, its limitations far exceed its usefulness. As a stand alone OS, Chrome will never make it, but combining Android and the general cloud concept of Chrome OS, Google could have a winner.
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