It’s official. Google announced Tuesday night that they were indeed working on a new operating system called “Google Chrome OS.” Building on concepts that led to the Chrome Browser, Google wanted to rethink what an operating system should be. With Chrome OS, Google aims to deliver a system that is fast, simple, and secure.

In a posting on their official blog site, Sundar Pichai (VP of Product Management) and Linus Upson (Engineering Director) announced that Chrome OS would be “fast and lightweight”, have a minimal user interface that’s designed to “stay out of your way”, and a redesigned security architecture (a.k.a. no more viruses, software updates, malware etc).

Chrome OS will be running within a new windowing system built on top of a Linux kernel. It will support both x86 and ARM processors and it will initially be available for netbook systems in the second half of 2010. Chrome OS will also go open-source later this year and Google is actively talking with partners now about the OS.

It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out down the road. Netbooks have certainly created an opening for Google to enter into the OS space. WIth netbooks, consumers generally want long battery life, fast boot times, and easy access to content and web applications online – all perfect elements for Chrome OS to succeed with.

[Check it out via NetbookTech.com]

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