[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFeD3qGVsrM[/youtube]

I watched the Google Chrome OS demo today and came away impressed. The product won’t meet the need of power-users, producers, and mult-media creators. But for everyone else, including power-users when they don’t need extra power, Chrome OS is the first legitimate consumer rival for both Macintosh and Windows I’ve ever seen. Much more so than Linux ever was (at least in a consumer sense).

Some highlights about Chrome OS, which has a planned release of “mid-2011” in select Acer and Samsung laptops:

• “Nothing but the Web.”
• Chrome OS features a fast and simple setup process, remarkably fast boot times and an instant resume feature to minimize wait time when the OS wakes from sleep.
• Unified experience across Chrome on netbooks, desktops and more.
• Multiple user support and guest mode — everything a user does in guest mode is private and history is deleted instantly when a session is ended.
• Verizon Wireless cellular data connectivity (international options are available as well) in every Chrome OS notebook/netbook — no contracts, no activation fees and monthly plans starting at $9.99.
• Updates are seamless — no user operations are required to update the OS or apps.
• Most secure OS in the world — security is a major focus of Chrome OS; all Chrome OS data is encrypted by default.
• Verified boot — core OS components are in firmware that cannot be modified.
• Enterprise options — Google is working closely with partners like Citrix to ensure the enterprise market is addressed.
• Google’s Chrome OS PCs get faster over time, not slower like other PCs.
• Initial manufacturing partners include Acer, Samsung and Intel.

Will Chrome OS overtake the world? No. But I could see it becoming as ubiquitous as Google’s own Gmail, if not bigger. Which is huge.

In other words, watch this space. Desktop computing is about to change. If only in how we store an access many of our files.

See also: Will Google Chrome OS change computers?