How the Google Chrome OS Works

The Internet has become a central part of the computer experience. Before the Web caught fire in the late 1990s, home computing was largely a singular experience. Computer users created documents on a PC and saved those files to a hard or floppy disk, and maybe worked within a local area network at the office. File sharing usually meant walking a disk to another machine.

Google's Chrome OS aims to eliminate most local data storage and push you to spend even more time online.

These days, computing is a Web-centric experience, and you perform many of your Internet tasks through software called a Web browser. That browser, which may be a program such as Firefox or Internet Explorer, helps you retrieve information from the Internet multiple times per day, integrate it with other online documents and share data galore with people all over the planet. Google is trying to reshape the computer experience by using its understanding of the Web to create the new Chrome operating system (OS).

Traditional operating systems, such as Windows, require a lot of hard drive space and demand some work on your part. You have to install the programs you want individually, manage OS and security updates and manage device drivers, too.

Google's Chrome OS aims to overhaul that paradigm. With Chrome, the browser actually is the OS -- in this case, the Chrome OS builds on the Google browser of the same name. In total, the Chrome OS is built on an open-source version of Linux and integrated with the Chrome browser, a simple media player...and that's it.

Google embraced the concept of an ultra-simple, Web-centric OS in large part due to the huge recent success of netbooks. Netbooks are small laptop computers that are designed to let users access the Web, and not much more; they're inexpensive and feature-limited hardware, and they aren't built for high-powered applications like Photoshop, for example.

Unlike Windows, Chrome won't be available as a download. It'll be pre-installed by netbook manufacturers who adhere to Google's hardware specifications. Chrome is designed to run best on solid-state storage systems as opposed to traditional spinning hard drives, in part because solid-state drives are less prone to failure, but also because they're less spacious -- remember, Google wants you to store your data online. And because the OS uses Web-based applications, you don't need local storage for software, either.
It's no accident that Google stresses the online aspects of Chrome. The entire Chrome project revolves around the cloud computing model. That fancy term simply means that all of your data and applications are stored online, in the "cloud," so that you can access them from any computer, anywhere.

The company says this model will help it develop a better overall OS experience and focus on building an OS with improved speed, security and simplicity. By hacking out all of the non-Web related functions of a traditional OS, Google indicates these goals should be easier to achieve. And the company isn't doing the design work alone. Because this is an open-source project (under the name Chromium OS), Google gets feedback from savvy software developers all over the world.

It's important to remember that Google doesn't intend for Chrome OS to be your primary computer's operating system. Instead, the company sees a Chrome OS netbook as a secondary computer that you use once you're done with the heavy-duty applications you use on a more powerful office computer.

Like most Google products, Chrome OS is free. That fact, along with the power of Google's marketing and distribution, should grab your attention. Keep reading to see how Chrome might alter the landscape of computing as you know it.
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Chrome OS Design and Operation

Chrome is a seriously stripped-down, fast OS. Because Chrome supports only Web capabilities, it can do away with much of the bulk and unnecessary system checks that slow a traditional OS. For example, during start up the OS firmware doesn't have to search for floppy disk drives or other hardware that few current computers continue to use -- a task that other operating systems still perform.
Thus, Chrome is a much smaller OS that consumes almost no disk space, especially when compared to Windows. Windows 7, for example, requires about 60 times more disk space than Chrome (source: Mearian).
One nice result of these differences is speed. A fairly fast Windows machine might finish booting in around 45 seconds. In contrast, Google wants Chrome netbooks to be up and running in 7 seconds or less (source: Tweney).
Google works closely with computer makers to ensure that Chrome systems are equipped with hardware that lets the OS run optimally. Chrome runs on x86-based computers, as well as those with ARM processors.

Unsurprisingly, the Chrome OS user interface looks much like the Chrome browser. Beyond this browser-like OS, these netbooks will have no pre-installed software. There's an integrated media player that lets you watch movies, play music and view photos when you're offline. Adobe Flash is already integrated into the Chrome browser, so you can view all Flash Web sites, too.

iStockphoto/Thinkstock
The Chrome OS is designed to run on small, lightweight netbooks that have little storage capacity.

Because there's almost no on-board storage, you won't even have to worry about installing or uninstalling other programs. When you want to write a report, for example, you just access a Web-based word processing application. Of course, data bandwidth challenges prohibit certain types of work. Video editing, for instance, won't be happening on a Chrome system anytime soon.

For more basic computing tasks, though, you should be able to find applications that suit your needs, using Google's Chrome Web Store. Similar to Apple's App Store and the Android Market, the Chrome Web Store will offer applications for a huge variety of tasks.

There are other major differences between Chrome and established operating systems. In a traditional OS, it's vital that you install device drivers that let your computer work with other hardware. If you use Chrome, Google reasons that the primary third-party device you need is a printer -- but the company doesn't want you to have to install drivers. Instead, you'll use Google's Cloud Print service, which lets you print from any computer to any printer that's connected to the Internet.

Unlike other operating systems, Chrome doesn't bombard you with an endless series of OS update alerts. When you connect your netbook to the Internet, Google updates Chrome for you automatically. The whole idea is to make your computing experience easier and more secure, with less fuss and frustration.

The Future of Chrome OS

In spite of its Google branding, Chrome is anything but a sure bet in the OS arena. At its core, Chrome is a variation of Linux, which has been around in various incarnations since the early 1990s. In other words, why would Chrome succeed where other versions of Linux have failed?

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Thinkstock
It's too early to tell how the majority of computer users feel about saving their private, secure data on Google's servers, as the Chrome OS requires.

There are plenty of challenges for Google to address. One issue that may drive away users is that without an Internet connection, a Chrome computer's capabilities are severely restricted. Sans Web, there's simply not much this kind of machine can do, because it can't access any data or even programs other than the included media player.

Many users may also be turned off by the idea of storing all data online. Most people are used to saving at least a few critical documents locally, and being separated from that data may be too much to bear.

Privacy issues are another concern. It's one thing to store a list of passwords or important financial information on your own hard drive. It's quite another to story that information on a Google-owned server, no matter how many assurances the company touts in its privacy policies.

Other users might be confused by the fact that Google already offers an open-source OS called Android, which is becoming increasingly popular for smartphones. Publicly, Google insists that there are differences between Android and Chrome. It says Chrome is simply for people who spend the bulk of their time using their computers for Web purposes, and that although Android does the same things, it also has a lot of non-Web related capabilities. However, the two operating systems do overlap and may converge in the future.

Google may also encounter resistance from users who don't like low-quality netbooks. But those people may not have to wait long for Chrome to appear on better PCs. There's a good chance that if Chrome is successful on netbooks, Google will begin offering an updated version of the OS for more powerful laptop and desktop computers. However, the first releases are geared toward netbook offerings from the likes of Hewlett-Packard, Acer, Lenovo and Asus.

There's also the issue of control. People are concerned that Chrome puts them totally at Google's mercy, with less control over their own data. To counter these issues, Google relies heavily on the goodwill it has generated over the years. And because many businesses already rely on a suite of Google products, such as Google Voice, Google Docs and Gmail, Google is betting that people will be likely to adopt the Chrome OS, if only due to inertia.

It's too early in the Chrome game to see exactly where it will end. Perhaps Google will make substantial inroads into the OS market, further angering rival Microsoft. Or perhaps users will see Chrome as too restrictive and too skimpy -- even for a secondary computer.

In time, we'll see just how Google's Chrome gamble plays out. The company that revolutionized the way we use the Internet just might transform our concept of computing as a whole, too.

For more on operating systems, Google and other related topics, take a look at the links on the next page.

How Java Works

Have you ever wondered how computer programs work? Have you ever wanted to learn how to write your own computer programs? Whether you are 14 years old and hoping to learn how to write your first game, or you are 70 years old and have been curious about computer programming for 20 years, this article is for you. In this edition of HowStuffWorks, I'm going to teach you how computer programs work by teaching you how to program in the Java programming language.
In order to teach you about computer programming, I am going to make several assumptions from the start:

• I am going to assume that you know nothing about computer programming now. If you already know something then the first part of this article will seem elementary to you. Please feel free to skip forward until you get to something you don't know.
• I am going to assume you do know something about the computer you are using. That is, I am going to assume you already know how to edit a file, copy and delete files, rename files, find information on your system, etc.
• For simplicity, I am going to assume that you are using a machine running Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT or XP. It should be relatively straightforward for people running other operating systems to map the concepts over to those.
• I am going to assume that you have a desire to learn.

All of the tools you need to start programming in Java are widely available on the Web for free. There is also a huge amount of educational material for Java available on the Web, so once you finish this article you can easily go learn more to advance your skills. You can learn Java programming here without spending any money on compilers, development environments, reading materials, etc. Once you learn Java it is easy to learn other languages, so this is a good place to start.
Having said these things, we are ready to go. Let's get started!

Top 5 Kinect Hacks

With the release of the Kinect for Xbox 360 (the first hands-free game controller) in November 2010, Microsoft was poised to completely transform the gaming industry. The Wii's motion-sensing controller had opened the door to the future of gaming when it was released; Kinect blew that door off its hinges. Gamers everywhere were thinking about the full-immersion possibilities of gaming's next step.

The Xbox Kinect has taken the world of gaming by storm -- but hackers love it, too. See more video game system pictures.

But the real revolution stirred by the Kinect had nothing to do with gaming. Hackers immediately saw potential in the device far beyond its intended use as a gaming accessory. On Kinect's release date, Adafruit Industries, an open-source hardware development group, posted a $3,000 bounty for the first successful, open-source driver to make use of Kinect's motion-sensing technology outside of its Xbox 360 application [source: Adafruit]. The bounty was claimed by a hacker who didn't even own an Xbox and managed to create a Linux-based camera driver for the Kinect in about three hours. The contest is over, but independent developers continue to find new uses for the Kinect every day, some of which are pretty darned cool. Join the fun as we scope out five Kinect hacks that transcend the device's gaming roots.
Evil Genius Simulator
What better motivator for a hack than bringing fun to your fellow brainiacs? At Maker Faire UK 2011, a pub-hatched hack came to life rather quickly when Tom Wyatt and friends conceived of the idea to hook a Kinect up to a pair of Tesla coils [source: Frank].

In simple terms, a Tesla coil (named for its inventor, Nikola Tesla) is a transformer that produces extremely high-voltage, high-frequency electrical currents. When the electricity is discharged, sparks are emitted. You've probably seen this effect employed in movies. By using the Kinect's motion-tracking technology to correlate user movement to the frequency of the Tesla coils' current, this hack created the illusion of lightning shooting from the user's hands. Suddenly, even the most mild-mannered gent is transformed into Lord Palpatine.

Don't let all that power go to your head! The next hack in the lineup has the potential to be a real life-saver. 
Robotic Surgery Assistant

Robotic surgery suites like this one may soon add a Kinect to their arsenal of tools.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to perform surgery? How about performing surgery without your sense of touch? Doctors do it every day with the use of robotic surgical tools. This Kinect hack adds a new level of precision to the robotics-assisted operating room.

Graduate students at the University of Washington are developing a force-feedback device for surgeons performing procedures with robotic tools. While robotics-assisted surgeries are not a new concept, there has always been a problem: Doctors using the instruments don't receive tactile feedback from their equipment. During non-robotic surgeries, doctors employ their sense of touch to guide their movements; in the minimally invasive robotic procedures, they've always had to rely on cameras.

This ingenious hack uses the Kinect to map virtual force fields around the vital organs of patients, preventing accidental incisions, adding a new layer of safety and providing surgeons with improved, real-time feedback as they work. In addition to advancing the field of robotic surgery, this enhancement also saves thousands of dollars, as other options are estimated to run around $50,000 [source: Dunn].

Does the thought of surgery make you squeamish? Fear not! The next hack is nothing but fun.
As a PS3 Controller
Owners of Sony's PlayStation 3 game console have it rough. While all their Xbox 360-owning friends get to flap their arms around unencumbered to play games using their Kinect peripherals, PS3 owners are forced to use the PlayStation Move, which consists of remote controllers with Ping-Pong ball-esque orbs mounted on the ends. What's a player to do? Take matters into his own hands by getting the controllers out of them, that's what.

Before this hack, PS3 users had to use the PlayStation Move controller for motion-control gaming.

Shantanu Goel has converted the motion data collected by the Kinect into the format normally used by a PS3 controller. While his hack is still in its infancy in terms of development, Mr. Goel has posted footage online showing his handiwork in action as he works his way through the popular, first-person shooter game "Killzone 3." "Killzone 3" was the first action game to take advantage of the PlayStation Move controllers, and this hack shows players that, with a little ingenuity, they don't need handheld controllers at all.

Feel completely in the dark when it comes to action gaming? Perhaps the next hack will help you find your way.
Navigation Aid for the Visually Impaired

The white cane used by many visually-impaired people may soon be replaced with a Kinect-based alternative.

If this hack from University of Konstanz students Michael Zöllner and Stephan Huber reaches the open market, life could get a lot simpler for the visually impaired. As part of a graduate project, this dynamic duo has developed a helmet-mounted Kinect setup that acts as eyes for visually challenged users. The Kinect is combined with a prototype, vibrotactile waist belt to digitally analyze the wearer's indoor surroundings and give audio navigation commands to guide him or her through the area [source: Zöllner and Huber]. It's very similar to the way a GPS system in your car directs you to turn left or right at the appropriate point in your journey (hopefully).

At the moment, this system also requires a slightly clunky backpack, which carries a laptop to process all of the information from the belt and the Kinect. With just a little streamlining, though, this could easily be the replacement for the white cane normally used by visually impaired people to navigate their surroundings.

Now that you've got your bearings, click forward to the next page to learn about a hack that could aid disaster rescue efforts.
3-D Mapping Rescue Robot

The final hack to round out our top five has one goal in mind: saving lives in emergency situations. This application of Kinect's capabilities, like two others in our list, was born in a graduate university program. An engineering team at the University of Warwick has coupled the Kinect with a mobile base to create a robot capable of serving as remote eyes for rescue workers.

In high-danger situations like collapsed buildings, where conditions are simply too hazardous for human crews to enter, this mobile robot uses the mapping abilities of the Kinect to hunt for signs of life. While the rescue robot is not able to move survivors, it is capable of mapping the areas it scans in 3-D to enable rescue personnel to concentrate their efforts and minimize risk to all involved. Because this application of the Kinect's motion-detection system is less expensive and more sophisticated than the laser-based alternative, it may soon be tested in real-world situations [source: Lee].

As is immediately apparent, the Kinect's possible applications are as varied as the developers working on them. Hacks that turn the device into an artist's brush, a musical instrument, an autonomous mini helicopter, a sculpting tool and an e-mail command interface have popped up since the Kinect's release, with fresh hacks coming to light every day. It's entirely possible that at some point in the future, the Kinect's association with the Xbox 360 will be eclipsed by its contributions to the robotics and art worlds.

How Laptops Work

In a way, the skyrocketing popularity of laptop computers is ironic. They're completely portable, and they use less power and make less noise than desktop models. But, they're often a little slower and have less graphics and sound processing power, although these differences can be too small for most users to notice.

Laptops are also more expensive than desktops. The price gap is closing, though -- laptop prices are falling faster than desktop prices, and laptop PCs actually outsold desktop models for the first time in May of 2005 [Source: Windows IT Pro].

How can all the equipment found in a desktop tower fit into such a small package? And how can laptops be efficient enough to run on battery power alone? In this article, you'll discover the answers to these and other questions about laptops.

Overall, lap­top and desktop computers are very similar. They have the same basic hardware, software and operating systems. The primary difference is how their components fit together.­

A desktop computer includes a motherboard, video card, hard drive and other components in a large case. The monitor, keyboard, and other peripherals connect wirelessly or with cables. Whether the case sits vertically or horizontally, it has lots of space for add-in cards, cables and air circulation.

A laptop, however, is much smaller and lighter than even the most compact PC tower. Its screen is an integrated part of the unit, as is its keyboard. Instead of a spacious case with lots of room for air circulation, a laptop uses a small, flat design in which all the pieces fit together snugly.

­Because of this fundamental design difference and because of a laptop's inherent portability, components have to:

* Fit into a compact space
* Conserve power
* Produce less heat than desktop components

Often, these differences make the components more expensive, which can contribute to higher laptop prices. In the following sections, we'll examine how laptops handle these differences.

What is the working principle of a DC motor?

The working principle behind any DC motor is the attraction and repulsion of magnets. The simplest motors use electromagnets on a shaft, with permanent magnets in the case of the motor that attract and repel the electromagnets. The reason for using electromagnets is so that it is possible to flip their magnetic field (their north and south poles).

So the electromagnet is attracted to one of the permanent magnets. As soon as it reaches the permanent magnet, it’s north and south poles flip so that it is repelled from that magnet and attracted to the other permanent magnet. This video shows you the parts and how they fit together:

It is possible to get even simpler, although at that point the motor changes from being useful to merely instructive, as shown here:

The key to this demonstration motor is the fact that the insulation coating on the wire ends is only removed from one side of one of the wires