Items tagged with Chrome OS
2020 was a miserable time for many of us due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss of life, mandatory lockdowns, and not knowing when life would get back to normal weighed heavily on the minds of many people. During that time, however, the necessity of working (and learning) from home meant that PC sales soared dramatically. According to Canalys' data in early January, full-year 2020 PC sales jumped 11 percent, marking the most significant leap since 2010. Today, Canalys is back again with data from Q1 2021, and it's once again looking good for the PC market. According to the research firm, this was the fourth consecutive quarter of growth for the industry, and overall, PC shipments increased 53.1...
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Google is working toe decouple its Chrome browser from the Chrome OS window manager and system UI, and while on the surface that might sound like a puzzling move, there is a method the company's madness. By separating Chrome from Chrome OS, Google could theoretically extend the relevancy of an aging Chromebook. Chrome and Chrome OS are intertwined. The system UI and browser share the same binary. Where this can become problematic is when a Chromebook reaches its Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date, At that point, automatic updates are no longer doled out, and owners of an affected model could lose some key functionality. "Chrome devices that have not reached their AUE date will continue to receive...
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During the coronavirus pandemic around the world, hordes of businesses and educational institutions have turned to videoconferencing as people are unable to be in the office or the classroom. Demand for hardware to support videoconferencing has boomed, making some hardware needed to support video calls difficult to find. ASUS has announced new products that slide into the Google Meet hardware kit range. The core component of the hardware range is the Google Meet Compute System. The device is essentially a Chromebox that runs Chrome OS and features an Intel Core i7 processor, packing 128 GB of storage. The hardware supports 4K video and can be connected to multiple displays at the same time. ASUS...
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In an announcement seemingly out of left field, Google recently disclosed that it is working to bring the Steam client to its popular Chrome OS platform. This of course would give the millions of Chromebooks access to another popular library of games, as well as possibly game-streaming. This news was revealed in an interview that Android Police conducted with Chrome OS Product Development Director Kan Liu last week at CES. The development will be made possible by the fact that Chrome OS is built using Linux as a foundation, and the Steam of course supports Linux. Running the Steam client in a Linux environment is currently possible with Chromebooks, but it is not an "official" solution...
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Google has announced that it has made some updates to Chrome OS 78 that will bring new features and capabilities to Chromebooks. Google notes that the latest version of Chrome OS in particular adds new tools to help users keep their desktop organized. The updated Chrome OS also makes phone calls easier and brings improvements to printing and feedback sharing. One of the key new features for Chrome OS is Virtual Desks. Google says that users can think of Virtual Desks as separate workspaces within the Chromebook. The feature helps to create "helpful boundaries" between projects or activities. The feature is well-suited to users who are working on multiple projects with the ability to dedicate...
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Google has officially announced the Pixelbook Go, just days after a massive leak made its way to the internet. The Pixelbook Go is the latest in a long line of Chrome OS devices from Google, and one that is aimed at hitting a cheaper price point to make it more appealing to a broader range of people. As we were all expecting, the Pixelbook Go is a 13.3-inch class laptop available with a 1080p panel or an optional 4K “Molecular Display”. We should also mention that unlike previous Pixelbook devices, the Pixelbook Go has forgone the 3:2 aspect ratio in favor of a 16:9 ratio. The design of the laptop is rather organic, with rounded corners. However, the most striking feature...
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Google announced that Chrome OS 72 is ready and rolling out to Chromebooks and other devices right now. This latest update to Google's popular operating system brings with it a number of feature enhancements including support for Android 9 Pie. A key goal of the Android 9 Pie design was to utilize AI software to a higher degree. Using AI, an adaptive battery function helps to extend battery life, and an improved adaptive brightness feature learns how you like the brightness set on your device in different situations and automatically adjusts itself for your convenience. Both of these features help to extend your battery life as the software tailors itself to you. Parts of Chrome OS 72 also comes...
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Just a week ago, we brought you news that support for Instant Tethering on non-Google phones had been added to the latest developer build of Chrome OS. Previously, the feature had been exclusive to Google Nexus/Pixel smartphones paired with Google-branded Chromebook and Pixel Slate devices. Today, however, Google has officially announced broad support for Instant Tethering for over a dozen Chromebooks from third-party OEMs and nearly three dozen compatible smartphones. With Instant Tethering enabled, you can quickly and easily access the data connection of your smartphone for use on your Chrome OS device. To get started, both your compatible Chrome OS device and Android smartphone will...
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One of the coolest aspects of a Chromebook for those who are working on the go is the Chrome OS Instant Tethering feature that easily gets users online. The caveat with that feature is that you had to be using a Google Nexus or Pixel device for it to work. That will soon be changing with reports that the version of Chrome OS currently in the Beta and Dev channels supports Instant Tethering with non-Google smartphones. Exactly how many non-Google smartphones are compatible with Instant Tethering is unclear. Users on the Beta and Dev versions have reported that Instant Tethering works on multiple models from Samsung and OnePlus. Previously for your Chrome device and Android phone to support Instant...
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Devices running Google's Chrome OS have quickly gained traction in the marketplace, and have become staples in the classroom thanks to easy device management and low cost of entry. Despite its rising fame, there are still a few areas where Chrome OS could use a bit more polish, one of which involves performance in tablet mode. This laggy performance has even been noticeable in Google's own first-party hardware -- namely the recently released Pixel Slate. Many reviews of the devices lamented the poor performance in tablet mode, while these same issues were non-existent in its traditional "laptop" mode. Although Chrome OS was designed from the outset for laptop operation, there really...
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Google's Chrome OS has managed to make quite a name for itself in a short span of time; especially in the education market. Devices running Chrome OS can be obtained relatively cheaply, although those willing to pony up the cash can grab premium hardware direct from Google. As Chrome OS matures into a full-featured operating system for the masses, it has adopted some features from its Android sibling. First and foremost, Google has enabled Chrome OS device to run Android apps, which immediately opens up the floodgates for software that the platform can support. Now, Google is looking to bring another Android feature over to Chrome OS: Adoptable Storage. For those not in the know,...
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About a month ago Google showed off its latest Chrome OS tablet called the Pixel Slate; the machine is positioned to directly compete against the Surface Pro 6 unveiled the same month. Preorders via the Google Store are underway starting at $599 for the base version of the Slate; any Slate purchase via the Google Store comes with three months of YouTube TV for new subscribers. Pixel Slate buyers can choose the base Intel Celeron-powered Slate with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage for $599. Up a rung on the ladder is the Celeron-powered unit with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for $699. Stepping to the Core m3 processor with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage will bump the price to $799. Those...
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Are you looking for a device that can easily transition between work and play? If so, you may want to update your holiday wishlist. Google just announced its latest tablet, the Pixel Slate. Google states that the Pixel Slate boasts a “versatile operating system, matched with high-performance hardware”. The device is supposed to provide a high-quality entertainment experience and assist users with their workloads. It includes up to twelve hours of battery life so that users can use their tablet both at work or in class and at home. The Pixel Slate is 7mm (roughly 0.28 inches) thin and weighs in at 1.6 lbs. It features curved 2.5D glass, rounded edges, and the display takes up most...
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We've got another whopper of a leak that hit the airwaves today. This time around, it's the Google Pixel Slate, which isn't supposed to make its official debut until week. It joins the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, third-generation Chromecast, and Google Home Hub as the latest leak out of Mountain View. This time around, MySmartPrice has obtained what appears to be official press renders of the Pixel Slate, which was developed under the codename Nocturne. According to the publication, the device -- as we have reported previously -- will have a fingerprint sensor along its top edge (when oriented in landscape mode). The rather minimalistic design also features two USB-C...
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We've been hearing quite a bit about Google's Chrome OS tablet, codenamed Nocturne, in recent weeks. Most recently, the tablet allegedly appeared in renders provided by keyboard maker Brydge. Today, however, we're learning that the device could be among the first from Google to support long-rumored dual-boot compatibility with Windows 10. According to some references in code found by 9to5Google, there are some clear indicators that Windows 10 support is inbound for Nocturne, which will reportedly be marketed under the name Google Pixel Slate. One of the quotes discovered in the code reads, “Windows 10 will BSOD early during boot […] with the way things are currently...
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Earlier this month, there were a number of leaks surrounding upcoming Chrome OS hardware devices that will be unveiled on October 9th by Google. One of those devices was a Chrome OS tablet which goes by the codename Nocturne. Today, more images of the tablet were uncovered, which were provided by Bluetooth keyboard maker Brydge. The images were first spotted the Brydge Shopify site, but have since been taken down (perhaps Google was unhappy with the leak and called for their removal). The images clearly show a Chrome OS based tablet, and the keyboard appears to attach using clamps on either side of the tablet's base. One rather curious aspect of the leaked images is the appearance...
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Google is set to launch its Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Android 9 Pie smartphones on October 9th, but that isn't the only hardware that is set to take the stage in New York City. In addition, Google is expected to announce second-generation Pixel Buds headphones along with new Pixelbook devices. It's the latter product line that gets our attention today. Multiple leaks seem to verify that are least two distinct models of the Pixelbook are incoming. The first device was leaked in a video that was spotted in a Chromium Bug Tracker by Brandon Lall. The video shows what appears to be a tablet Pixelbook with a detachable keyboard. What’s interesting is that the keys on the keyboard are actually...
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There is evidence to suggest that Google may add a dual booting ability to Chrome OS to allow users to load Windows 10 onto Chromebooks, just as can be done on Apple's MacBook systems through Boot Camp. Called "Campfire," the dual boot feature appears to be in development for a public release, and not just limited to internal developers. Google is not talking about Campfire at the moment, though this is not the first we have heard of the company having interest in getting Windows 10 onto its laptops. Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that Google was trying to gain Windows 10 certification for its Pixelbook, as the folks at XDA Developers round references in the Chromium codebases to the Microsoft...
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Samsung has pulled the wraps off its second-generation Chromebook Plus, now called the Chromebook Plus V2. The South Korean company bills the Chromebook Plus V2 as a premium device at a “competitive price point”. While some may only think of low-cost entries when they hear the word Chromebook, devices like Google's own Pixelbook show that there is a market for premium devices running Chrome OS. The Chromebook Plus V2, like its predecessor, is a 2-in-1 convertible that can be used in a traditional laptop configuration or you can flip the display 360 degrees to use it as a tablet. That's where the included stylus comes into play, allowing you to draw and write on the...
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Chromebooks running Google's Chrome OS seem to be all the rage these days in the education sector. Low prices coupled with functional keyboards make them a cheaper, more productive alternative to Apple iPads. However, there's also a market for premium Chromebooks, as witnessed by Google's own Pixelbook, which starts at $999. Acer also wants a piece of the premium market and as a result is launching the new Chromebook 13 and Chromebook Spin 13. Both machines include a 13.5-inch Full HD+ IPS display with a resolution of 2256x1504. Acer boasts 178-degree viewing angles and a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is popular with the Microsoft Surface family and the Google Pixelbook. The Chromebook Spin...
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HP has unveiled what it claims is the very first Chromebook detachable. The X2 is very thin at 8.2mm thick and it weighs in at 1.62 pounds without the keyboard. If you attach that keyboard to the device, it's 15.3mm thick and 3.14 pounds. HP uses 7th generation Intel Core M processors and up to 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM inside with a battery that promises all-day run time. The connection between the tablet portion and the island-style full-size keyboard is a magnetic hinge that makes for easy detaching when needed. The hinge has the rigidity needed to keep the tablet section upright for use as a notebook and in multiple modes. Both touch and pen functionality are supported, and with the pen users can...
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Acer is looking to conquer the education market with a fresh take on Chrome OS-based devices for students. The company just announced the Chromebook Tab 10, which Acer claims is the first Chrome OS tablet designed specifically for the education market, and it also includes full access to the Google Play Store. The Chromebook Tab 10 features a respectable 9.7-inch 2048x1536 IPS touch display (264 pixels per inch), which puts it on equal footing with the Apple iPad. The tablet also includes a Wacom EMR stylus that allows students to draw and take notes (it can be stored within the body of the tablet when not in use). We'd have to imagine that taking notes in class with a stylus is preferable to...
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