Granted, a Chromebook isn't a full-scale Windows or OS X-based machine -- far from it -- but given just how often our work is shifting to the web, Chrome OS is becoming dangerously close to "good enough" for most. Chalk it up to serendipity if you must, but Chrome OS is becoming more and more relevant with each passing day, as we're dealt far fewer offline-only apps and far more cloud-reliant ones.
You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: Chrome OS isn't "a real operating system." There's no question that it's different; it's the first major OS to launch without the ability to install local, desktop-based applications. Particularly for businesses, this could be a major deal-breaker. To solve that issue, Google has partnered with Citrix to create a new build of Citrix Receiver, a piece of software that should leave its existing beta trials and hit the public universe this summer.
We saw a brief demo of the software used on a CR-48, and while the setup was obviously optimized, it worked shockingly well. A backend Windows server had a copy of Photoshop CS5 onboard, and the CR-48 was able to load it within a matter of seconds through Receiver. Not a light model -- we're talking about the full, bona fide version of Photoshop.
Editorial: Google clarifies Chromebook subscriptions, might have just changed the industry
The competition is really heating up across the board. In other discussions about Microsoft limiting the ability to install other OSes, it could further provide impetus for some to consider other choices.