In the business and consumer world, Windows is the boss when it comes to the desktop. Sure some people use Linux for enterprise and everyday solutions, some use Mac. On the whole, Windows continues to reign supreme.
What about Google though? Android has already disrupted the mobile world in a big way, but will continued evolutions to both Chrome OS and the Internet itself eventually threaten Windows?
Chrome OS is Starting to Get Attention
Samsung and Acer have long been the only partners to join up with Google and offer Chrome OS devices, but now Lenovo is joining in too. The new Lenovo ThinkPad X131e is an 11.6-inch laptop with a resolution of 1366×768, 3 USB ports, a web cam and a 3.92 pound weight.
The new Lenovo Chromebook is meant for bulk ordering for the educational sector at the moment, though it could eventually be up to everyday consumers as well.
Although getting one new hardware partner doesn’t mean much, it could signal future changes in the marketplace. We are relying on the net more and more, making a cloud-computing device like Chrome OS a good fit for many individuals.
Its integration with Google Docs and tons of web apps make it work great not just for education and basic “online services”, but even as a business tool for those that need a mobile laptop that has quick boot time.
Chrome OS was once laughed off and dismissed.. what’s different now?
Big profile people in the tech world once dismissed Chrome OS. It was simply a browser and nothing else. This didn’t seem like a big threat to more robust systems like Mac and Windows.
The change though is that people love systems that you can log on with an account and have all your settings and services right at your fingertips. Most of us have extremely fast broadband connections that barely ever go down, and so Chrome OS makes more sense then ever before.
Cloud connectivity makes life easier. The good news is that Microsoft and Windows 8 also is heading in this direction. Windows has much tighter cloud integration than ever before, but it still has a ways to go. Microsoft needs further embrace combining its services and platforms. They need to have one unified store for all Windows Phone and Windows 8 apps. They need a single log-in that will work with your phone, tablet or PC and instantly load up all your apps, music, movies and other files.
Like I said, Windows 8 and WP8 can already do some of this to a limited degree.
There will come a time when we don’t need the traditional desktop and its resource-heavy applications. When that happens, Windows will be judged on how well it integrates with services on the web, as well as how great its mobile-centric apps/programs are. This is why Microsoft needs to start working towards a powerful cloud-connected system that combines the best of all worlds: speed, cloud connectivity and local mobile-centric apps that combine with all the services we like.
If Microsoft doesn’t? Google will beat them to the punch.
Chrome OS is NOT a threat to Windows, not yet. As time progresses? If Google starts pushing Android and Chrome OS together, Microsoft could have a serious problem on their hands.
