Google PC will start in seven seconds or less

RELATED NEWS Google shows off Chrome operating system

More web use drives more Google ADS

Google said it is giving away the software for free, similar to its Android smartphone software, with the idea that improving the Web experience will ultimately benefit its Internet search advertising business, which generated roughly USD 22 billion in revenue in 2008.

Google made the computer code for the Chrome OS available to outside developers on Thursday, allowing developers to tinker with the software and potentially design new applications to run alongside it.

But the company said Chrome at least initially will not be able to run on just any PC, and executives said they expected that most consumers would get the operating system when they buy a specially-designed netbook.

With Chrome, Google is seeking to challenge the dominance of Microsoft Corp's Windows, which runs on nine out of 10 personal computers.

Google said all data in Chrome will automatically be housed in the so-called cloud, or on external servers, but also cached on the computer's internal hardware to boost performance.

It also said Chrome applications, which are used for such every day tasks such as word processing and email, will be Web-based.

Shares of Mountain View, California-based Google fell 1% to USD 570.44 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq.