Google Chrome OS Shows Limitations of Android

From PC World: Google's decision to create a new Internet-centric OS for netbooks shows the limitations of the Android mobile OS for netbooks and raises questions about its future on those devices, developers and analysts said.

While Google is adamant that Chrome OS is a separate project with a separate design goal and not meant to replace Android, observers have wondered why Google would choose to form two OS projects for netbooks rather than adapt Android for netbooks and PCs, especially while some developers already have ported the OS to netbooks.

In its blog post explaining what Chrome OS is on Wednesday, Google continued to attest that Android is suitable for netbooks, while explaining the difference between it and Chrome OS.

"Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks," the company wrote. "Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the Web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems."

The decision to create a different OS for netbooks rather than continue the work being done around Android "caught me off guard," said Frank Gillett, an analyst with Forrester Research. "I thought that, given that Android was based on Linux, they'd be able to stretch it," he said.

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