Recently, Google launched its Chrome notebook pilot program. Google is shipping out their unbranded laptops with their very own Google Chrome OS loaded up to a few lucky testers who will see what a Chromium-powered netbook can really do. To those who haven’t followed Google’s quest for reinventing the operating system closely, it can be hard to understand why the Google Chrome laptop is so significant. This guide should help you understand.

“Nothing but the web.”

Google is of the philosophy that most users spend the vast majority of their computing time online using web applications. Web apps, such as Gmail, Facebook, Google Docs and YouTube, exist totally on the Internet and do not need to be installed on the local machine. As such, all you need to access them is a web browser. So, that’s what the Chrome notebook is—it’s a barebones laptop that is optimized for the online experience. And in order to deliver the fastest boot time and performance, it sheds everything unnecessary.

10 Second Boot Time

The Google Chrome notebook purportedly boots in just 10 seconds. How can it do that? Unlike a Windows or OS X based computer, the Google Chrome notebook doesn’t have to spend time loading resources, desktops, GUIs, file explorer shells and other processes necessary for booting up the operating system. Instead, Google Chrome notebooks are totally dedicated to the web browser.

Always Connected

With most laptops and computers, you’re likely used to worrying about hard drive space and other hardware features. But with the Chrome notebook, everything is in the cloud. The applications you run are online, and the files you save—such as photos, documents and user preferences—are kept in the cloud, too. So, in order to have access to these at all times, you’ll need to be connected to the Internet at all times. To achieve this, Google Chrome notebooks are outfitted with 3G and WiFi. That way, you can stay connected at home, on the road or at a coffee shop.

Web Apps and Games

In order to get new apps and games for your Chrome notebook, you simply “install” them from the Google Chrome Web Store. This works much like the iTunes App Store, except it’s all browser based. Many of the programs are free, and all of them can be run entirely from the web. No installing, no CDs, no upgrades or setup required.

Conclusion

In short, the Google notebook is the purest form of the netbook. It’s an ultra-portable computing device that is married to the Internet in the same way that traditional computers are reliant on their built-in hard drives and file systems. But as more users transition to spending more time on the web, Google is seeking to make that experience faster and more streamlined.