The string "Google Chrome OS Linux i686 1.0.628 OEM Beta x86" an early, unofficial enthusiast build of the Chromium OS project from late 2009 or early 2010
The version string says it all: 1.0.628 – an incredibly early iteration. OEM Beta meant it was never meant for public hands. Instead, it was shipped (quietly) to a handful of Taiwanese netbook manufacturers like Acer and ASUS to test on Atom N270 and N280-based netbooks. i686 indicates it was compiled for 32-bit x86, a dying breed even then, but the dominant architecture for cheap, low-power netbooks. And x86 ? No ARM support yet. No 64-bit. Just pure, unadulterated 32-bit x86 Chrome. Google Chrome OS Linux i686 1.0.628 OEM Beta x86
Let’s wind the clock back to late 2009. The world was still recovering from the financial crisis. Windows 7 had just launched to rave reviews, and Ubuntu 9.10 “Karmic Koala” was the darling of the Linux world. But in a quiet corner of Mountain View, Google was preparing to challenge everything we knew about operating systems. The string "Google Chrome OS Linux i686 1