Dell is now using Google's Chromium OS in an effort to test the operating system's capabilities on a Dell Mini 10v netbook, opening the door for a possible Chromium-powered Dell product.
Chromium OS, a project related to the ChromeOS, was first released to manufacturers and software developers last week.
Dell technology strategist Doug Anson noted that the cloud-based OS obviously isn't appealing without a wired or Wi-Fi connection -- but once it's connected to the Internet, the power of the OS is apparent.
"The Chromium browser is extremely fast and makes for a great Web-centric browsing experience. Boot time appears quick too - about 12 seconds from hitting the power button."
Dell isn't on the official list of Google partners at the moment, but may be added if Dell has success integrating the Chromium OS on its netbook products.
Although it has a fast boot time and impressive cloud-based features, I'll reserve judgment until additional developers work on the OS. The network manager reportedly takes 5 to 10 minutes to ready a network connection, according to Anson, which is a time frame I doubt many people are willing to wait through.
Another major problem is that the OS must be restarted by using the power button, as the OS doesn't have a reboot/shutdown feature at the moment. Google will continue to work with developers to fix these issues, and make further improvements, so I look forward to seeing the OS improve over time.
