Google is working on allowing Windows 8 users to run the Chrome operating system on their machines without requiring a separate OS installation, via the search engine's browser. The latest version of the Chrome browser released for developers has a mode that allows it to mimic the Chrome OS experience, while running full-screen as a Windows 8 Metro-style app.
The new developer release uses a user interface that is familiar to Chrome OS users, with much of the functionality also replicated, according to The Verge. A shelf with icons for Chrome, Gmail, Google search, Google Docs, and YouTube lie at the bottom of the screen, along with an app launcher in the bottom left, with multiple Chrome browser windows able to be opened within the app itself.
Though this new mode is unavailable to use on the main Chrome browser release, if it does cross over in the future, it could potentially help those curious of the Google-produced OS to try everything out before spending money on a Chromebook.
