chrome os

At the moment, if you're looking to play games on Chrome OS, you're more or less limited to finding those games on the Google Play Store. That may all be changing at some point in the near future, as Google has suggested that it's working with Valve to build official Steam support for Chrome OS. This, of course, would greatly expand the gaming capabilities of Chromebooks by allowing them to tap into Steam's vast library of PC titles.

Continue Reading

Google is one company that doesn't shy away from killing off products, whether or not people have become dependent on them. Sometimes, like with the case of Google+, the impact may not have been so severe. Other times, it sends users into a riot, like with Inbox by Gmail, Chrome Apps sit somewhere in between but, as always, Google's word is pretty much final and users will have to bid farewell to these apps as early as June this year.

Continue Reading

It seems that Google is trying to further bridge the gap between Android and Chrome OS, making the latter the OS to rule them all without actually merging them. This is especially the case with the upcoming Chrome OS 80 version which is getting some key features that improve the web-based platform's Android support. The latest addition brings something that is both familiar but also divisive among Android users: full gesture navigation.

Continue Reading

Chrome OS has had a rather colorful history and that's putting it mildly. It is perhaps a testament to both the platform's promise and Google's clout that Chromebooks continue to get launched year after year from a good number of popular manufacturers. It might easily show but Samsung is actually one of the more prolific Chromebook manufacturers in the market and yet it still lacks what could be considered its top tier device. That could be changing with the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook presuming it has the literal guts to prove it.

Continue Reading

There was a great deal of rejoicing when Chrome OS finally supported running Android apps but it came with one major caveat. Only compatible apps from the Google Play Store could be installed. And while Chrome OS eventually allowed for sideloading APKs like you could on Android phones, it was designed only for developers and Chromebooks running in Developer Mode. Now a workaround is finally available but it might not be worth the effort for casual users.

Continue Reading

2019 has been an exciting year for Chromebooks. Google’s line of Chrome OS laptops has seen plenty of releases this year, adding to the range of budget-friendly models and even introducing a new flagship, spec-ed out Chromebook in the Pixelbook Go. It may be enough to get Apple and Windows users on the other side interested, but will it work for you?

Continue Reading

Google is trying to make Chrome OS many things to all kinds of people which practically means embracing all sorts of use cases and workflows. It has long frown up from being a glorified web browser to a platform that can be used for getting work done as well as entertainment. That, unfortunately, also means that Chrome has gathered quite a list of features, not to mention apps, that may make the experience a bit more cluttered and inconvenient, something that Chrome OS 79 is now addressing in its stable release.

Continue Reading

If you've been holding out for Google's top-end Pixelbook Go, then here's some good news: it's now available to order. The Pixelbook Go comes in a number of configurations that have been available for a little while now, but the most powerful configuration is just launching today. Keep in mind that you'll be dropping a significant amount of cash to own one, as the Pixelbook Go tops out at $1,399.

Continue Reading

It ended even before it had the chance to begin or something to that extent. For a brief moment, it seemed that Chrome OS was on its way to embracing a new form factor beyond typical laptops or convertible Chromebooks. Standalone or at least detachable Chrome OS slates definitely seemed within Google's sights until it wasn't anymore. Now it seems that Chrome OS tablets are all but extinct or forgotten but that's not stopping Lenovo from trying its hand in a market that Google just quit.

Continue Reading

The folks at Google behind the Chromebook "Offers" and "bonuses" system worked with Disney to connect with the newest, biggest streaming media service Disney+. When users "activate" a new Chromebook this late 2019, they get three free months of Disney+, but there is some fine print. First, you'll need to have a "new" Chromebook - the parameters of this aren't exactly clear up front, but chances are you're gonna have to have a Chromebook that's still up for sale as a "new" device in stores right now.*

Continue Reading

Another one bites the dust but at least Google is giving users a little over a year to brace themselves. Google has just "announced" that its Google Cloud Print facility will no longer be in operation come January 1, 2021 and it encourages users and developers to use other means to print stuff, referring to each platform's native printing features. Given what Cloud Print enabled users to do, however, it almost feels like a step back to 2010.

Continue Reading

With the new PixelBook Go, Google is positioning Chromebooks as the ultimate productivity computer, especially on the go. It may not always feel that way considering the missing features and software on Chrome OS. Fortunately, just like the browser on which it is based, Chrome OS is constantly and regularly evolving and the latest update brings new features that promise to take users' productivity to the next level.

Continue Reading