Today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Glide is launching a powerful operating system for the Google Chrome browser.

It is available for install today at http://www.GlideLife.com. Glide effectively transforms Google Chrome from a standard browser into an OS with a rich application suite and 20GBs of free storage.

Glide equips Google Chrome with file synchronization and automated file format translation to speak with multiple remote Windows, Mac and Linux desktops and all mobile platforms, web content capture, a rights based file management system to manage data across desktops and mobile devices, a word processor, presentation app, spreadsheet, photo editor, email client, online meeting app, drawing tool, web publishing app, contact manager, calendar and much more.

“Glide inserts an operating system and an unusually rich suite of productivity and collaboration applications into the Google Chrome browser,” said TransMedia Chairman and CEO, Donald Leka. “Through your Google Chrome browser you can now manage your files and information and web content across devices with online and offline access. Just download the Google Chrome browser and then install the Glide OS plugin extension and you are good to go.”

Cloud Computing: The Glide OS Approach Versus The Google Approach
The Glide cloud computing solution is free of advertising and comes with 20GBs of free storage.

Whereas Google’s Chrome OS is hardware centric and will only run on a limited number of devices with little or no distribution, Glide runs on virtually any device and platform today.

While Glide runs on Linux and Android, it also runs on Windows, Mac, Solaris, Blackberry, iPhone, Palm Pre, Symbian and Windows Mobile.

Whereas Google Chrome OS is "autocratic," requiring that you store your files in their cloud, Glide allows you the option to work locally on your desktop.

Glide makes it possible for users to work without latency by using native apps on their local desktops and automatically syncing data when bandwidth is available.

Glide transforms virtually any major browser into an OS, not just Google Chrome. The Glide OS plugin extension is also available for Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

A Bootable Glide OS for Netbooks
Netbooks and other mid sized devices have for the most part failed to meet a clearly defined need for most consumers and business users. Furthermore, while Glide believes that Linux is an important part of the cloud computing future and supports Linux, Linux based Netbooks for the most part have failed to gain significant market share. Hundreds of such devices will emerge over the next few years. Some will find specialized applications and others will gain short-term traction. But the problem remains that while both the cell phone and laptop have clearly defined uses, the notion of users carrying a third device seems implausible. More likely, the mobile phone and the laptop will continue to evolve to meet the needs that Netbooks and other mid-sized devices seek to fill and mid-sized devices will find important specialized niche markets.

In the first half of 2010, Glide will release a bootable version of the Glide OS for Netbooks making it possible to launch the Glide OS at startup. The Glide Netbook OS will provide a unified desktop, file management system, a comprehensive suite of native versions of the Glide Application Suite, offline access to your communication and collaboration suite and data capture and sync technology to provide a cost effective alternative to Windows for specialized niche markets like healthcare and education.

The Glide OS was first unveiled to the public on April 18, 2005 at The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention.