谷歌操作系统Chrome OS前景如何？

    那些大量投资于微软Office和其它专利软件的企业则是一个Chromebook很难打入的市场。弗雷斯特研究公司（Forrester）分析师JP•戈登曾经在2013年7月的一篇博客文章中指出，Chrome OS的确有机会“填补一块合理的小众市场”，也就是占领那些愿意分割劳动力、同时也愿意使用谷歌软件的公司。戈登认为，Chrome OS的优势包括运行时间长、服务成本低，而且新的应用和内容很容易就能大范围部署。另外一些网络方案带来的协作便利性也是一个重要的加分因素。

    Chrome OS刚问世的时候，许多行业评论人士都很难说出这样一个功能有限且高度依赖网络的平台有什么吸引力。但是随着Windows8/8.1陷入低迷，加上苹果笔记本依旧垄断高端市场，Chrome OS的简洁性突然得到了人们的关注。ZDNet的大卫•格维茨在今年一月写道：“现在我开始向老百姓推荐Chromebook，而不是Windows的笔记本电脑。”

    总体上，分析师们对Chrome OS产品2014年能否继续攻城略地持谨慎态度。NPD的贝克说：“我们认为Chromebook还没有准备好在商用领域与PC进行充分竞争。到目前为止，他们在B2B平台上的销量主要还是围绕着学校和政府机构，因为对于这些机构来说，Chrome OS的某些个别优势成了他们购买Chromebook的一个重要因素——比如易于管理、多账号登录、维护及购置成本低、方便与其他谷歌设备兼容等等。”

    斯蒂斯也表示：“与VMWare合作提供Windows程序无疑会使Chromebook对商用市场产生更大的吸引力。尤其是对于教育市场这种总是有网络连接的行业，或是对于已经大量使用云计算的中小型企业来说，Chromebook是一种非常合适的低成本设备。但是如果出了这个环境，它就得和标准的高性能PC竞争，后者不仅天生就能运行微软Office软件，而且有更大的本地储存空间。”

    虽然在可见的将来，Chrome OS的占有率可能仍然比较低，但是它终于吸引了更多的眼球，其中还包括它的竞争对手，光是这一点也足够让谷歌高兴一阵了。谷歌也肯定不会放弃Chrome OS。谷歌最新推出的Chromebox视频会议系统除了提供了Google+环聊视频会议功能和各种谷歌应用外，还提供了高分辨率的音视频功能，整套视频会议系统只卖999美元。

    另外在市场的各个领域，谷歌都已经在竞争对手的数百万台电脑上建立了自己的桥头堡。它的Chrome浏览器的Windows、Mac和Linux版本已经安装在了全球16.22%的电脑上，另外谷歌还发布了Windows版的谷歌应用启动器。可以肯定的是，随着高速Wi-Fi越来越普及，网络应用将变得越来越强大。这对于谷歌这个到目前为止最大胆的项目来说无疑是个好消息。（财富中文网）

    译者：朴成奎

    For businesses heavily invested in Microsoft Office and proprietary desktop software, Chromebooks are a tough sell. Yet as Forrester analyst JP Gordon noted in a July 2013 blog post, they do have the opportunity to "fill a legitimate computing niche" for companies willing to segment their workforce and switch to Google Apps, at least in part. The benefits of Chrome OS cited by Gordon include high uptime, low service costs, and scalable deployment of new applications and content. The ease of collaboration provided by programs that live online is another important factor.

    When Chrome OS first appeared, industry commentators struggled to see the appeal of such a limited, online-dependent platform. With Windows 8/8.1 floundering and Apple (AAPL) laptops remaining at the premium end of the market, the simplicity of Chrome OS has suddenly become a strength: "I am now recommending Chromebooks instead of Windows laptops for civilians," wrote ZDNet's David Gewirtz in January.

    Overall, analysts remain cautious about Chrome OS's prospects for gaining further ground in 2014. "For business, we don't think Chromebooks are quite yet ready to compete fully with the PC in the workplace," NPD's Baker said. "Their success to date in B2B sales has been focused on schools and government organizations where some of the specific benefits of Chrome OS -- easy to manage, multiple sign-ons, low maintenance and acquisition costs, compatibility with other Google services -- are an important driver."

    "The announcement of the partnership with VMware to run legacy Windows will certainly make a Chromebook potentially more attractive to the commercial markets," Stice added. "They seem to be adequate low-cost devices for scenarios where connections are always available, such as the educational markets or in SMBs that are already heavily cloud-based. Take them out of that environment, and they are challenged by standard full performance PCs that can run Microsoft Office natively and have greater local storage."

    While Chrome OS take-up may remain low for the foreseeable future, Google will be pleased to have finally grabbed the attention of a wider audience, as well as its main rivals. It certainly won't be giving up on Chrome OS: Its new Chromebox for Meetings product wraps Google+ Hangouts video calling, Google Apps, and high-definition video and audio in a turnkey $999 setup for virtual conferences.

    What's more, the company has a beachhead on millions of competing computers across all sectors of the market. The Chrome browser for Windows, Mac, and Linux is installed on 16.22% of machines globally, while the Start screen version of Chrome is effectively Chrome OS running on Windows. What we can be certain of is that web apps will become more powerful at the same time as high-speed Wi-Fi becomes more ubiquitous -- which is all good news for one of Google's most daring projects to date.