Google Chrome OS Update Makes It Easier To Launch Apps

Windows 7 Taskbar

Google Chrome OS Shelf

Chrome OS--that Google operating system that's not Android--will soon feature a taskbar shelf that gives users one-click access to their favorite apps. This "shelf" will look familiar to anyone who's ever used Windows 7, because it looks exactly like the Windows taskbar. When users click on an app from the shelf, it will launch in a new tab.

This will no doubt be a welcome change to all six of the Chrome OS users out there. Previously, to open a new app, you had to click on the New Tab button and find the app you want.

This change is part of the new Aura interface--a hardware-accelerated window manager and design framework. The new window manager and app shelf are available to those running the developer version of Chrome OS. No word yet on when this will make it to the stable version.