The Chrome OS is Google’s attempt to “re-think what operating systems should be.” They hope to establish a light-weight platform capable of running web-apps designed for any browser. Another consideration is that currently, a majority of netbook users are running Windows XP, an eight year old operating system. I’m still not convinced that Chrome is the “Microsoft killer” that some have claimed. As I previously posted, Windows 7 will be released this fall and is capable of running on netbooks. However, Chrome is not without an audience or fan base. I’m confident many will be looking forward to this free, open-source, Linux-based alternative to Windows.

Last year Google launched its mobile OS, Android, which was well-received, but limited by small install base, and phone/carrier support. Chrome is a separate venture that is initially targeted solely at netbooks, but many speculate might develop into a desktop version. Some such as David Coursey at PC World and John Biggs at Crunch Gear are hesitant to declare Chrome a success. As the official release is over a year away, I am also staying in “wait-and-see” mode. Finally, if anyone is running the Windows 7 RC on a netbook, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Microsoft recently released RC1, a release candidate for Windows 7. This free download lets you preview the Ultimate Version of the new OS until June 1, 2010 (However, it will begin shutting down every 2 hours as a warning starting in March of next year). Although the RC is deemed stable by Microsoft, it might still contain a few minor bugs. I have been using it for over a week now, and have yet to find a single flaw in this version. My favorite improvement is the new taskbar, which I discussed on this blog way-back-when. With loads of new features and a simple user interface, I highly recommend taking the RC for a test drive. Also, you can upgrade without hassle if you are currently running Windows Vista.

A final note: I don’t recommend trying it out on your main computer, but if you have an old or secondary one that meets these specifications, go ahead and give it a try. The Windows 7 Release Candidate can be downloaded here. Post any questions in the comments and I’d be happy to answer.

Since 2006, Mint.com has been helping people to manage their money better. Mint is a free online resource that tracks your spending in order to build a budget and determine where your money is going. It lets you follow your investments and even helps you do your taxes through its partnership with TaxACT. Mint’s priority is helping you obtain your financial goals, whether they are paying of your credit cards, loans, or saving for retirement. The Web 2.0 company currently boasts over 850,000 users and acclaim from top critics such as The New York Times and Time Magazine.

For those concerned about security and privacy of online financial services, Mint states:

Mint.com uses bank-level data security verified by VeriSign and TRUSTe. You’re anonymous on Mint.com; you don’t share your name, address, social security number or account numbers. You can save money — but you can’t transfer money — using Mint.com. In fact, with Mint.com’s automatic email and SMS alerts, you can increase your online security by learning of – and acting on — any suspicious activity in any of your accounts more quickly.

You can start using Mint with a simple, one-time setup that can immediately pull the balances of your balances, purchases, and stock trades. It also features secure connections to over 7,000 financial institutions. You can learn more about Mint and decide if it’s the software for you at Mint.com: Features, Why Use Mint, and About. If you’ve had success with this software, or you prefer managing your finances in another tech-savvy way, please share in the comments.

If you ask anyone that is knowledgeable about computers, they will be able to tell you the best place to buy computer parts and other consumer electronics is Newegg.com. Both at home and at work, I’ve used Newegg to buy everything from hard drives to software, to digital cameras. The company is known for their spectacular customer service and super fast shipping. With every purchase I have made, it has arrived before the estimated delivery date.

Even if you decide to make your electronics purchases elsewhere, I highly suggest using Newegg for customer reviews. I’ve found them to be some of the most accurate and informative on the internet, as most are written by people who have experience with the products. You can even sort product categories by best reviewed or most reviews to see what is popular.

With the lowest prices available and new deals daily, give Newegg a try next time you need a flash drive, speakers or even a blu-ray player.

The new look to the Google Reader actually improves functionality. Load times are faster and the addition of collapsible navigation makes things easier to find. The social aspect of RSS feeds was also improved. In order to keep up with emerging social aggregates, the Google Reader now notably features content from friends.

Using RSS feeds makes checking for new content on your favorite websites as easy and efficient as checking your e-mail. Find the orange RSS button, subscribe to it with Google Reader, and surf more efficiently.

At the time of writing today’s post, Woot is offering a 2 GB MicroSD card with a SD adapter for only $2.59. Woot recently partnered with Yahoo! To form Sellout.Woot, a second deal item each day. If interested, Woot has two other side deals each day, Shirt.Woot which sells $10 novelty t-shirts with free shipping and Wine.Woot which sells wine and related food and items.

Check back daily to score that unexpected deal. Share it with your friends, but beware of items selling out. Good luck and happy shopping!

If you have multiple friends on Twitter, it’s a fun way to keep track of what people are up to. However, like all Internet trends, this one has been exploited commercially. Major corporations as well as small business have created Twitter accounts to keep customers updated on the changes and goings-on of a company. This isn’t right for everyone, but you may be able to take advantage of it and especially impress your tech-savvy customers. Try it out. Create an account for your business, post regular updates, and link to your Twitter from your website and vice-versa. At the very least you are creating links to improve pagerank. Even if you don’t want to go the commercial route, you can enjoy Twitter with friends and family. You may even be able to follow your favorite celebrity (though beware of imposters).