Chrome OS and The Web Store

As Monday, Google announced Chrome OS and the Chome Webstore. Chrome OS is Google's Operating System which they have been working on for the past year or so. What Chrome OS is in a nutshell is a web browser. The entire Operating System runs in a beefed up version of Google Chrome. You log into the OS using your gmail account. All your files will be saved in the Google Cloud under your google docs. Your calendar info too. Essentially, there is nothing on your computer but the OS. You may be wondering, what else is there to do in a web browser? Well, that is where the Chrome OS web store comes into play. The web store is just like Apple's App Store. You can browser through apps and extensions, and download them into Chrome AND Chrome OS. That means you don't need Google's OS to use the apps. The Apps can range from checking your email, to having full picture editing programs. The idea is that you never have to leave your web browser. An interesting concept it is, but whether the whole cloud thing will work is what bothers me. It is great having all your info safe up in the cloud. If your computer crashes it is all saved up there. My worry is, what if you don't have access to the cloud. For example, maybe you don't have internet. How would you get your document? Or, even worse, what happens if Google is cyber attacked, or have a mass server crash? What happens to your information? These are all things to think about. I have a feeling it will all work out well in the end. Finally, Google is allowing any Gmail user to register for a chance to test the Chrome OS. If selected, you will be sent a Chrome OS Netbook for testing. I signed up for one, I hope I get it!

~Dave