This just in via Gizmodo. Chrome OS is now available for download as a Beta version. It isn’t the official Google version, but it’s worth a shot if you’re into Linux, netbooks and Chrome browser. It also provides a lot more desktop apps than expected from the official Google Chrome OS.

Here’s some information from the Chrome OS webpage:

2009-10-21: New Chrome OS 0.4.223 beta is available now!

Chrome OS is a brand new free operating system built around the revolutionary Google Chrome browser.

The project aim is to provide a lightweight Linux distribution for the best web browsing experience.

Featured software in Chrome OS:

• GNOME 2.24 desktop environment
• Google Chrome 4.0.223 web browser
• Google Picasa 2.7 photo manager New!
• OpenOffice.org 3.0 office suite
• GIMP 2.6 image editor
• Flash Player 10.0 plugin
• and much more!

System requirements of Chrome OS:

• Processor: Intel Pentium, Xeon or newer; AMD Duron, Athlon, Sempron, Opteron or newer
• RAM: min. 256 MB
• Hard disk: min. 1 GB
• Graphics card: supports most modern graphics cards

It’s available as a free virtual appliance as well as a live CD image. So, give it a shot while you wait for the real deal to be delivered and let us know how it goes! You can also give these Google Chrome OS alternative operating systems.

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