Do you know what kind of applications can run in the new Goolge Chromebook?
As we have told you in another Google Chromebook article, the Google Laptop doesn’t run client software applications. This means that you are not allowed to install local applications as you are, for example, in Windows, Mac, Linux, etc. One of the reasons is that Google believes that these days most people need nothing but the web to work or study using a laptop. Instead of client (local) applications you can run web applications. Web applications are apps which run in your browser and don’t need to be locally installed in any hard drive, because of that Chrom OS only needs to run a browser.
Apart from the known advantages of running in the cloud(link to cloud computing), there is a security aspect which has to be regarded for IT Departments (talking about small and medium business). The web-based management console enables them to easily set policies to define which Chrome Web Store applications and extensions are pre-installed, allowed, or blocked outright.
Where can you find software applications for Chromebooks?
Chromebooks run hundreds of thousands of available web based applications such as Gmail, YouToube, Google Docs, etc. Many web applications are available as Chrome Web Apps or Chrome Extensions in the Chrome Web Store, and top business applications are available in the Google Apps Marketplace.
What about Chrome OS and client software apps?
Google is hoping partnerships with companies such as Citrix, which let such software run on a central server, will help patch over problems like workers who make heavy use of desktop software programs such as Adobe design, GotoWebinar, WebEx, etc.
However, Google expects to see Web-based HTML5 applications replacing even this type of desktop software. The Aviary suite, for example, provides a glimpse into the future how traditional desktop applications may translate into a browser-based model.
But, can Chromebooks replace PCs? The answer is ‘Not yet’. Nowadays, Chromebooks can do about 80% of the taks that a PC does. Google expects that 80 percent to increase to 95 percent by next year.
Lastly, do Chromebooks support Flash? Chrome Laptops have Flash support built-in but these don’t support Java and Silverlight.
