By John Letzing
Published: May 11, 2011 3:06 p.m. ET
Chrome-based notebooks to go on sale next month
JohnLetzing
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Google Inc. announced Wednesday that laptop computers running on the company's Chrome operating-system software will go on sale this summer, marking a significant step in the search firm's effort to compete with Microsoft Corp.
Google GOOG, +1.98% said at its annual I/O developers conference in San Francisco that the "Chromebooks" will go on sale in several countries including the United States in June. Google touts the Chrome-based machines as a more quick and efficient means to get online, as the computer's programs are accessible through an Internet browser.
The Chrome-based laptops are being made by Samsung and Acer Inc. ACEIF, according to Google. "These are not typical notebooks," company executives wrote in a blog post. "With a Chromebook you won't wait minutes for your computer to boot and browser to start."
Mountain View, Calif.-based Google originally began developing operating systems — the key internal software component for any device — for mobile phones. That effort, dubbed Android, was followed by Chrome, an operating system for personal computers. Chrome is also the name used for Google's Internet browser.
Microsoft's MSFT, +0.56% flagship Windows operating system remains a key source of profits for the Redmond, Wash.-based company. Google offers software for word processing and other tasks similar to Microsoft's Office suite, while Microsoft has sought to compete with Google in the markets for online search and advertising.
Google said Wednesday that Chromebooks will be available via Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, -0.70% and Best Buy Inc. BBY, +1.11%
The company said that there are currently more than 160 million active users of Chrome, a technology that Google executives said will come "without the headaches of operating systems designed 20 to 30 years ago."
Shares of Google were down more than 1% at $535 Wednesday afternoon, dragged lower by a broad market decline.
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