Google's Chrome OS

Microsoft has ruled the roost for some time now, and while Apple have made various attempts to topple them they’ve never come close. Sure, they’ve begun dominating the mobile phone market and the music market, but when it comes to operating systems Windows is still top dog.

Now Google are looking to take on the goliath with an operating system of their very own – Chrome OS. It will be based around the Linux system and will initially be available on netbooks, which if you aren’t already aware are smaller and cheaper versions of laptops. This will be a tester of sorts to see how they fare, before making the big push onto laptops and home PC’s.

Google claim their OS will offer a significantly faster online and offline experience than their rivals. Google say, “We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you on to the web in a few seconds.” They also believe it will bring people closer to important files, such as family photographs and digital music, by storing them online as oppose to home PC’s where they are more vulnerable to viruses and other such threats.

The clash has been predicted for a while, with Google growing and expanding each and every day, and those who have tested it are marking it as a serious threat. Stay tuned because this is set to unfold into an epic battle.

Sept 1998 - Google founded by Larry Page and Sergey Bring
May 2000 - Ten foreign-language versions of Google.com emerge
June 2000 - Google is the world’s largest search engine
Aug 2004 - Google shares sell for $1.67 billion (£1 billion)
June 2005 - Google Earth, satellite imagery-based mapping, is set up
Oct 2006 - Google buys YouTube for $1.65 billion
May 2007 Google Street View available in US
Nov 2007 - Android operating system for mobile phones
May 2008 - Google Health allows people to collect, store, and manage medical records online
Sept 2008 - Google Chrome web browser launched
Feb 2009 - Google Ocean provides a 3-D look at the ocean floor
March 2009 - Google Street View comes to UK

Sources: Google, Times Online Database

Craig Bryan, NoobFeed