Google Chrome Event Summary

Last night Google held an event to highlight the release of a number of new products from the Chrome team. First of all they highlighted a few new features of Chrome including the PDF integration, a new cloud to printer option in which you can print documents on any printer anywhere in the world and a new faster java script engine which claims to have improved the speed of Chrome. They also announced that the people using Chrome has now tripled from 40 to 120 Million.

They then went on to announce the new Chrome Web Store, which allows developers to make applications which run exclusively in Chrome which they can then sell or put ads inside. There are already a number of free and paid apps in the app store including an app from the New York Times, Plants vs Zombies (a popular mobile game), TweetDeck (a Twitter/Facebook app) and more. Google have said that the store is currently only working in the USA, but i was able to get into the store just now and downloaded a number of apps, so try it out for yourselves by going to the Chrome Web Store.

Finally, they introduced the long awaited Chrome OS for netbooks and laptops, which is a cloud based operating system using a number of Google apps. Applications on Chrome OS include Google Docs (which was also showcased with offline support), a Gmail Application, News Applications (which you can now get on the Chrome Web Store) and more. They showcased the new OS on a new laptop which they will be giving out to selected beta participants who can apply online. Setting up and logging into the machine itself takes less than a minute – simply enter you’re Google login details and it will automatically sync your account with your netbook. Google also announced that there will be more netbooks out on sale next year from Samsung and Acer.

Read more at the official Google Blog, or checkout the official Chrome OS website.