Category: Chrome OS

Chrome OS Build 54 Released With Many Improvements

October 27, 2016 Chrome OS No Comments

The Chrome team has dropped Build 54 of Chrome OS today, bringing with it several improvements and enhancements to the Operating System.  The new build is 54.0.2840.79 (Platform version: 8743.76.0) and available to the majority of devices out in the market.  The only devices it is not available for currently are the HP Chromebook 13 G1, Acer Chromebook 14 for Work and Thinkpad 13 Chromebook.  If you have one of these devices, you’ll have to wait until the update is made available later.

This update brings a lot of new features and improvements, particularly around UI elements.  The highligh of this is the new Alt-Tab feature which improves switching between windows.

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Chrome OS Sees Android Apps Hit The Stable Channel

September 22, 2016 Chrome OS No Comments

The good news is that the Chromium team has released into the stable channel a build of Chrome OS that supports Android apps.  The bad news is that, for now, it is only for two devices.  We have been waiting for months now for the release to happen and technically the support of Android apps is still in beta, but it is finally to the production build of the OS for users and that is a great sign of things to come.

Officially the build is 53.0.2785.129 (Platform version: 8530.90.0) and it is available for the Acer Chromebook R11 and the Asus Chromebook Flip.  Readers may recall that these two devices along with the Chromebook Pixel 2015 from Google have had the ability to run Android apps for a while in the beta channel.  Essentially this update brings the support to all users with these devices.

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The Bright Future That Awaits Chrome OS

September 12, 2016 Chrome OS, Opinion No Comments

I will start this post by being transparent:  I am a big fan of Chrome OS.  I more-or-less made the move to Chrome OS about this time last year and frankly, I haven’t looked back.  Yes I still have my corporate laptop that I use on occasion but the reality is, everything I need to do in my work life and my personal life I can do on Chrome.  So with that clear, I still stand by the title of this article:  The future is very bright from Chrome OS.

I believe this for several different reasons and all of them are intertwined to paint this bright future picture.  First is the rapidly maturing Operating System itself.  The Chrome OS of today, Build 53, is far superior in every way to the Chrome OS I started on last year, Chrome 48.  Second, is the era in which we live in.  We are, finally, approaching the post-PC world that Apple and others have been talking about since 2008.  But eight years on, we are actually there or darn close.  Third is adoption of Chrome OS as a platform in businesses and in education, the later of which was dominated by PCs, then by Apple and now nearly by Chrome OS.  Finally, there is the clear direction in which Google and the Chromium team within it are going to take the devices and platform in the future.  The Chromebook I’m tying this article on today (a HP Chromebook 11 G4) will be vastly overshadowed by what a device will look like this time next year or in 2018.  All of these things add up to a future that sees Chrome OS not only as a part of but a dominant player.  And the cool thing is, everyone reading this is on the cusp of it all.  We get to see it all unfold and that, speaking from experience as a Microsoftie during the Windows XP days, is a very cool thing to see.

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Chrome OS Updated To Chrome 53 on Most Devices

September 9, 2016 Chrome OS No Comments

Chrome OS has been updated today to build level 53 for a wide range of devices.  The new build is version 53.0.2785.103 (Platform version: 8530.81.0) for those keeping score at home and it is already available to download to your Chromebook or Chromebox.  The update is for the vast majority of devices out there with the notable exception of the Google Chromebook Pixel (2015), Acer Chromebook R11, ASUS Chromebook Flip C100PA, HP Chromebox CB1, and Acer C7 Chromebook.  Those devices, as you probably already know, are running a built that includes Android apps.  This new build for the rest of the devices out there does not contain the ability to add Android apps to your Chrome device.

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New Android-Like Hangouts Chrome Extension Now Available

September 9, 2016 Android, Chrome, Chrome Extension, Chrome OS, Google Hangouts No Comments

If you are a heavy user of Hangouts and use Chrome or Chrome OS, there is a new extension and app for you to check out.  Last week Google announced that a new, Android-like Chrome extension for Hangouts would be coming out with the aim to improve performance and the overall look and feel of the UI.  Achievement unlocked as both the extension and the app look far better than the old style and both perform exceptionally well.

The new extension can be found in the Chrome Web Store which allows you to run Hangouts while you are using your Chrome browser regardless of platform.  This is what the majority of users will want, especially Chrome OS users, as the browser tends to stay open all the time.

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Acer Chromebook R13 Announced At IFA

August 31, 2016 Acer, Acer Chromebook R13, Chrome OS, Chromebook No Comments

Today at IFA in Berlin, Germany, Acer announced a new Chromebook that looks pretty impressive.  The new Chromebook R13 will be hitting stores in October and it sports not only a touchscreen but also has a folding design so you can use it as a slate.  This is the combination that many Chromebook users have been waiting for from the platform and with a price tag of around $400, it is still reasonably affordable.

As the name suggests, the R13 has a 13″ LCD display that provides 1080p HD, has 4GB of RAM and will start out with 16GB of storage.  Acer plans to have 32GB and 64GB models available at the time of the release.  The R13 is powered by a MediaTek MT8173C quad-core processor, has a USB Type-C port, HDMI port and a 720p webcam.

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Google Drops The Chromebook Pixel 2

August 30, 2016 Chrome OS, Chromebook, Google, Google Chromebook Pixel 2 No Comments

Google has stopped selling their remaining flagship Chromebook device, the Chromebook Pixel 2.  The store shows that the $1299 powerhouse is no longer in stock and according to VentureBeat, the company has no plans of restocking the device.

“We’re committed to the Pixel program but we don’t have plans to restock the Pixel 2,” a Google spokesperson told VentureBeat in an email.

While there are certainly high-end Chromebooks out in the market thanks to the like of HP and Acer, having a Google Chromebook in the mix for the “ultimate” experience was fun to see – even if it was a steeply expensive “ultimate” experience.

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Today’s Deal – Acer 14″ Chromebook 4GB/32GB Storage for $269

August 26, 2016 Acer, Chrome OS, Chromebook, Today's Deal No Comments

Today’s Deal over at eBay is on a great Chromebook from Acer.  Right now you can get the Acer 14″ Chromebook with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage for $269.  This deal is being offered by Best Buy through eBay which means that you can buy it online through eBay and pick it up today at your local Best Buy store (assuming they have it in stock).  That in store pick up is free and if you don’t have a store nearby, you can have it shipped to you free as well.  Equally as important, this Chromebook is on the list of devices that will be able to run Android apps when that feature is released later this year.

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