Is the Google Chromebook a good choice for business users?

The recent launch of the Google Chromebook has generated a lot of talk in the IT industry. But is this really a good device for business users?

Before determining whether it would be the right device for your needs, you will first need to take a look at what the Chromebook really is. It is actually a type of netbook, that isn't a complete laptop, but still has more than just a thin look. What separates Chromebooks from the other netbooks out there is that it runs on a special operating system, called the Chrome OS, which is a custom built operating system that is based on a Linux kernel. The device has been specifically designed to browse the web and to use Google's cloud based apps. Another feature of the Chromebook is the availability of some Remote Desktop applications that let you remotely control another computer, no matter what operating system that remote PC is running.

This is an interesting feature that can prove to be very useful for business users. There are already a few remote desktop applications available for the Chromebook and there are many more being developed. The thing that will make developing these tools for the Chromebook easier is the fact that software vendors do not need to develop a client app for the Chrome OS itself if they don't want to. They simply need to make their Remote Computer applications work with HTML5 enabled browsers such as the latest versions of the Google Chrome browser or Mozilla Firefox, which can run on pretty much any operating system out there.

According to some experts in the world of IT, the Chromebook may not yet be a good piece of hardware for business users who are looking for a netbook that will meet their needs. The selection of applications is quite limited at the moment. There is also one main concern: most apps for the Chromebook are not installed locally, but rather are cloud based. This saves plenty of local hard disk space, but it also means that they will be essentially unusable if you are in a place that has no internet connectivity.

There are also certain features that are lacking, one of the most staggering is the lack of support for ZIP files, which is a common format for distributing compressed material. Printing is also reported to be quite difficult as it is based on a cloud app.

For now, those who need a reliable netbook for business are better off waiting until improvements are made to the Chrome OS. Windows based devices are also compatible with more Remote Connection software tools. If you really like Google's Chrome OS so much, there is an open source version of it available, called "Chromium", which can be installed on practically any desktop computer, netbook or laptop, in addition to Windows or any other operating system that you may be using.


This article was written by Phillip Presley he is interested in computer science and new technologies. He recommends that all companies consider integrating new Remote Desktop Software technologies into their business.