Google has been working on a new window manager called Aura that brings many features of a desktop OS. Chrome OS now has a desktop, a taskbar, apps are placed on the desktop, there's support for wallpapers and overlapping windows.
According to Chrome's engineers, Aura is a hardware-accelerated "user interface framework for Chrome UI" that offers "rich visuals, large-scale animated transitions and effects that can be produced only with the assistance of hardware acceleration". Aura is cross-platform and should "provide the foundation of a flexible windowing system and shell for Chrome and ChromeOS on a variety of form factors".
The latest Chrome OS release is only available for Samsung and Acer Chromebooks as Cr-48 Chromebooks will skip Chrome 19.
Why is the Cr-48 going to skip Chrome 19? I would love to have this!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I remember, Cr-48 does not have the graphical power to run this user interface. Chrome OS developers aim to slim it down enough in the next major update to make it work on Cr-48. But it is looking like support for Cr-48 is going to be dropped in the future as it is simply not capable of keeping up with the updates in Chrome OS.
DeleteGoogle's answer:
Delete"No, we'll only be skipping the Chrome 19 update for CR-48 users due to platform considerations. To be clear, we’re still committed to supporting CR-48 devices and they will continue to receive security and critical updates as necessary. Samsung Series 5 and Acer AC700 Chromebooks will receive this update and we’ll bring CR-48 devices back onto the release train after this release. Thanks for reaching out and sorry for the inconvenience!"
"Security and critical updates..." so - does that basically mean that this is it on the feature train for the CR-48? Sad - I was really looking forward to trying out Aura on it.
Delete*Opinion*
DeleteWhat they are actually doing is making CR-48 users want to buy the new products. Like iPhone 4S got SIRI, and all the other iPhone users got pissed .... -_-
Me sad. I love my cr-48. Guess it will soon be time to load Linux.
ReplyDeleteChrome OS is Linux...
DeleteYeah, but Other Linux will still run on it when new ChromeOS won't.
DeleteWhich does not run on the cr-48...
Deleteyea any linux distro runs on the cr-48 just fine..
DeleteI don't know about everyone else, but my CR-48 Pony in Dev mode dual booting Ubuntu is still receiving updates. All the features mentioned in this article and more added...current version: Google Chrome 20.0.1116.0(Platform 2199.0.0-12.04.25)
DeleteAnd, you can always install anything Linux on these including the ChromeOS nightly's offered by Hexxeh http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/
Reminds me of Windows... Dislike the new taskbar design
ReplyDeleteIt's are shame for Google. Google you are thief!
ReplyDeleteWell, when all else fails, just go back to what you do best; copy other desktop OS UIs..
ReplyDeleteGood artists copy, great artists steal.
DeleteLame wannabies trace.
DeleteWell, clearly Google just copied, not stealed.
DeleteLol, that looks like a blant copy of MacOS and Windows.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of JoliOS
ReplyDeleteWas thinking the same thing.
DeleteOn my Acer Aspire One, JoliOS had less problems than ChromeOS, but right now, it runs Linux Mint. And it runs it very well.
DeleteIt's so boring to always see these comments about XYZ copied this from Apple/Microsoft. Aside of Apple/Microsoft doing the exact same thing if there is a better design somewhere else, how do you consider to do a taskbar differently? And even if it had been done differently, then everyone would start to complain because it's not like the stuff you are used to. You just have to take a look at Gnome 3 which tries to create something new and how people responded to it.
ReplyDeleteExactly. There is almost no innovation in software interfaces now because certain things just work well when done in a certain way. Everyone 'copies' from everyone else. Just get over it.
DeleteNice answer I give u the reason
DeletePeople complain about Gnome 3 because its not in their habits. I personally do like it.
DeleteI this design is the best for running multiple applications at once, they must however keep the simple and brilliant design of Chrome OS. Which I think they will, and besides that... They should release it in other countries as well, c'mon now Google, I've been waiting for ages now!
ReplyDeleteWell i have a cr-48 and it worked good until i updated it then it wouldn't go to sleep it would shut down. so i put ubuntu dual booting for a while and ubuntu ran faster than chrome did with the latest fixes or before updates. i shook my head and said well i guess this is the time to change my cr-48 so i changed the bios and wow the sleep was fixed after a bios update. Its crazy if i ever want to go back i can just load the vanilla version of chrome os. but ubuntu 12.04 beta works really good and i get the desktop experience with out having to wait for chrome 19 on my cr-48
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to install GNU programs as VLC?
ReplyDeleteIn Chromium OS with yum I was able to.
Have you done an ACL Android Compatibility Layer in order to play Android Games and other Android Apps?
My deaktop Sabayon XFCE with Chrome installation from Gentoo repos seems faster and cheaper to me.
I hope ARM64 Chromebooks and other "normal" GNU/Linux ARM64 based computers will have more market share.
... and how do you imagine a touch-based Android app working on a non-touch laptop?
Delete("Poorly" is the word that comes to mind.)
New user interface would be nice. This is a Windows 7 Aero Style with nothing than more transparency, nothing new for me. :(
ReplyDeleteThe same thing they did with google plus,android now with chrome os, they take the familiar and used designs and implement it in their products, to attract more users i guess. I dont know if this is always a smart move, i think Google more than anyone should know that, in the IT world the new idea/concept is what is important, not going back with the old.
ReplyDeleteIt looks very nice but I think it's still just a browser, except now it looks more like an OS.
ReplyDeleteNow it looks like a cross between iOS and Windows 7.
For real? After having so much trouble with Android patent infringement they are doing a GUI that is a blatant copy of Windows 7 and OSX? This is just food for patent attorneys.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that second screen shot looks a lot like LaunchPad in OSX
DeleteShhhh charles, they might hear you
ReplyDeleteWOW! I think there's absolutely NOTHING I'm less excited about.
ReplyDeleteI guess "Nothing but the web" didn't really have alot to stand on.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of Windows...3.1, minus the window border around the icon groups.
ReplyDeleteManaged to ape both Apple and MS while also alienating their reference platform. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThey basically took windows 7's task bar, and Mac OS X's launchpad, added aero, and shipped it.
ReplyDeleteBefore this I would choose Joli OS, but now I don't know which one choose...they look exactly the same :P
ReplyDelete(Except for the taskbar, which is at the top)
is it release ?
ReplyDeleteI have a Samsung Series 5 ... and update !
but I haven't see this new UI !
Yes and no. Review the code and you shall see.
ReplyDeleteIt is for Dev Channel only at the current time.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry !
DeleteI haven't look out this version is only for Dev channel.
Now, I have change my Chrome Chanel to Dev ...
It is so wonderful !!! So good !!!
Thanks Google !!!
Wow, talk about a blatant rip-off of pre-Panther/Aero's title bars and BOTH OS X's Dock and Windows 7's taskbar… Anyway, it's nice to see they used a picture of Vasco da Gama bridge for the wallpaper… Are there any homesick portuguese engineers in the Chrome OS team? :P
ReplyDeleteOh, by the way, what's up with text selection within this form (on my iPad)? It gets broken (as in, I can no longer type or delete characters) once I try to move the insertion point or make a selection! I have to hide the keyboard and tap the field again (or try to hit the desired insertion point without resorting to the loupe-activating tap-and-hold gesture)… Not cool!
Oh, I forgot to mention Apple's Launchpad… Seriously? I mean, even the background tinting effect is the same! What's next, multiple pages represented by little dots centered under the icon grid? :P
ReplyDeleteMicrosoft's taskbar, Apple's launchpad, Linux's kernel.
ReplyDeleteGood artists copy, great artists steal!
So what's the point of having this 'web' operating system that's slow enough to need a more powerful laptop when you can install Ubuntu, have the same eye candy and run the same Chrome on top of it?
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if Android had a fork or something tailored toward desktops. Or a Googlegineered Linux desktop.
ReplyDeleteLOL
Deletecool... hope it gets a full PC release (not specific models only) in time, and I hope it gets Android App compatibility to it also... This would make a cool OS...
ReplyDeletelooks like a mix of windows seven with lion, but it rocks!!!
ReplyDeleteThis actually makes it a bit more beautiful, fast and still more comfortable and that is actually great. I'm happy that it's still all on the web, that it's still just a browser.
ReplyDeleteGoogle's Chrome OS started with a great idea - of booting up your computer right into the web. And I think they should that maintain that cool idea and not stray away from it. It's really an idea that may change worlds!
Love the new design BTW. Making things look pretty is really a big leap forward.
it would be insane to have full blown chrome on a android tablet
ReplyDeleteWow, this window manager looks so cool, really looking forward to the OS.
ReplyDeleteMan this thing looks like a best-seller! Really awesome theme and pictures!
ReplyDelete