We sat down with engineers and product managers for two days exploring the ins and outs of CHROME OS. We wanted to understand the story of how it developed, what it does and why it is important. Over all, we wanted to figure out how we could begin to explain it in 3 minutes to as broad an audience as possible.

The best way for me to understand CHROME OS is to say that it is really a computer – it is a computer built entirely around and for the internet. It is a computer that starts incredibly fast and does one thing incredibly well: getting you on the internet. It does that via Google’s wonder browser: CHROME. Unlike any other computer, however, CHROME OS does not store any of your information on the machine. It is made completely for cloud computing.

So the challenge set before us was this: Explain what CHROME OS is to a general audience and show how it was a natural result of Google CHROME (the browser).

Here are some of the hurdles we had before us:

1. Not everyone knows what a browser is. According to Google’s research many people don’t know what a web browser is, and most people just use the browser that came installed on their computer.  The story of Chrome as Google’s solution to the web browser does so many things well and is really the backbone of CHROME OS.

2. Explain Cloud Computing and addressing people’s fears. Most people don’t really understand the concept of cloud computing and those who do will have a list of reasons why they wouldn’t be able to switch over to a complete Cloud experience.

3.  What the %&#$ is an Operating System anyways? Hmmm…

4.  Making the video technically accurate. Engineers were watching our progress and helping us make sure that every statement was on the up and up.

5.  Overall leave the viewer with an understanding for what CHROME and CHROME OS are and why they will care. Because once you fully understand what is going on with cloud computing, you really will care.  This is the dawn of a new type of computing that will become more common than I even realize.

My personal reaction:

I do a lot of video editing and photoshopping and stuff that does not happen in the cloud.  My first reaction to CHROME OS was “it’s cool but its not for me”.  But at the price point these will likely come in at, a CHROME OS computer is less like a computer and more like an essential accessory.  Need a computer that stays in the glove box of your car for those times you are stuck out of the house?  My mother-in-law will probably carry one of these around in her purse everywhere she goes. Who wants to lug a big honking laptop to the coffee shop anyway, just to send a couple emails, while you wait for a friend and enjoy a pumpkin muffin and a foamy double latte? Sounds good to me.

And one day, photoshop and video editing will be in the cloud.  One day really soon.

What are your reactions to this new product?

Hope you enjoy the video.

“I’ve got 11 minutes to get home before the video is up.” Ben said as he put on his bike helmet.  He had a 40 block ride down Prescott to get to the house he is staying at while in Portland.

I updated my Twitter:

What is google wave? I’m glad you asked: http://bit.ly/z6PN2 – Now I’m going to bed #epipheo

The next morning LifeHacker and Gizmodo had our video on their front page and since then many of you have said how much you like our epipheo.  Thanks for your support.   We have no idea how many views the video has received in the last 12 hours as YouTube seemed to stop counting at 638, but if we make it to the top 20 on www.viralvideochart.com Ben owes me dinner.

*update: Ben owes me dinner.

- Jon Collins

Epiphean
Oh Yeah, and we got an invite:

We decided that a website devoted to collecting, discussing and rating epipheos from all over the internet was an excellent idea.  As a result, we are glad to announce that epipheo.com has launched.  While there is still more code to write to get the page really humming, you can stop by now and find a growing list of epipheos collected from the far reaches of the internet.

Check out the site and watch some of the internets greatest video achievements.  You can also submit epipheos that you hold dear.  We plan on making this site the premier place to find and discuss the epiphanies being created by the growing list of well produced epipheos.  So keep an eye on it.