Review: Chrome OS -- Give Chrome OS a try

This post has been updated to take into account recent changes in Chrome OS.  Click here to see the latest post.

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Apple vs. Windows?  That's the question we often hear.  Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS have dominated the computer industry for a long time and comparison between the two is often a heated debate among computer enthusiasts and fanboys.  The two tech giants are synonymous with modern-day computing.  But there is a contender on the block and its name is Chrome OS.

I have a HP Chromebook with 3G Internet, which I take into classes, as well as a Core i7 Chromebox, which is my main desktop.  And my Windows desktop?  Sitting under my desk collecting dust for 7 months.

What is Chrome OS you might ask?  Well Chrome OS is a brand new operating system built by Google from the ground up with a view toward the web.  If you have used a Chrome browser, you have pretty much used the operating system.  Chrome OS is lightweight and requires very little resources.  Now another question you might be asking right now is what about word processing or my music?  Well, don't fret.  Anything you do on a traditional computer there is an equivalent application on the web.

Word processing?  No problem.  Two solutions are available: Google docs or Microsoft Office online.

Music your thing?  No biggy.  I'm pretty sure most of you are on YouTube anyway.  Plus you can upload your music to Google Play Music online and it will work on any PC.

And as an added bonus, Chrome OS cannot be infected!  It is basically a web browser so there is nothing to infect.  No nasty viruses or spyware.  Also, updates install on the background and simply require a reboot to start.  In addition, Chrome OS takes mere seconds (around 7 in my tests) from pressing the power button to being on the web.

So for hassle-free computing, give Chrome OS a try.