Even though Google’s slogan is “don’t be evil” I am not entirely sure whether this also applies to their newest development: the Google Chrome browser.

...the tech world is rocked with the latest announcement made by Google: "...today, we're announcing a new project that's a natural extension of Google Chrome — the Google Chrome Operating System. It's our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be."Google Chrome OS is aimed at people who spend most of their time on the web and will initially be targeted at netbooks.

Although Dell didn't have much to say about Google's Chrome OS announcement last week, the PC maker is apparently looking closely at it. But for Dell--which was not listed as one of the PC makers working with Google on Chrome OS--it is just one of a number of Linux-based operating systems it is evaluating.

The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips

Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks.

Back in July, Google made BIG waves in the tech industry by announcing the development of a Google operating system based on Linux. For years there’s been speculation about if/when Google would do this, and when the announcement hit, there was no shortage of people throwing in their two cents on how this new contender would be either the greatest thing in years, or a complete waste of time.

OK, so it might not be quite as talked about as the mythical Apple iTablet, but the Google Chrome OS-based netbook is also creating quite a stir - especially now the tech specs have seen the light of day.

HTC and Google in apparent alliance to launch Chrome-based tablet later this year. More details are emerging of a Chrome-based tablet PC expected to be launched by Google before Christmas. The tablet PC is expected to run Google's Chrome operating system and will be manufactured by HTC.

Chromium hacker Hexxeh has released a faster, USB-bootable build of Google's Chrome OS called Chromium OS Zero. Meanwhile, ArsTechnica interviewed Google's Engineering Director for Chrome OS, Matthew Papakipos on the past and future of Chrome OS. Hexxeh's final build of Chromium OS Zero follows earlier, well-regarded releases of versions including Chromium OS Diet and Cherry.

With the announcement of Google's Chrome OS this week many have been wondering what this means for Ubuntu. It goes without saying that Canonical does not have the resources available to it that Google has. Or does it?