ChromeOS

Following the desktop update last week, Chrome OS 88 is beginning to roll out today. There are a handful of usability enhancements in this release, which will be available over the coming days.

Windows 10X was originally intended to debut on dual-screen devices, like the Surface Neo, before later coming to laptops. Last May, Microsoft announced a “pivot” to “focus toward single-screen Windows 10X devices” amid the work-from-home surge. A “near final version” of Windows 10X has now leaked, and it reveals some key similarities to Chrome OS.

Google looks to be working on a unified one-stop hub for all of your video streaming services in Chrome called Kaleidoscope.

For years Chromebooks have arrived with mostly Intel and some MediaTek chipsets, but in late 2020 AMD announced a new series of Chromebook chips. Now, Acer is adopting AMD Ryzen in its new Chromebook Spin 514.

A year ago, Samsung managed to surprise everyone with the debut of its super-premium Galaxy Chromebook, and to kick off 2021, the company has a sequel. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 keeps some of the high-end design traits, but cuts costs in some major ways.

Did you recently get your first Chromebook, whether for the holidays or as a self-gift to improve your work-from-home setup? Here are some of the best apps to use on your new Chromebook across the web, Android, and Linux.

Neverware lets you turn old PCs and Macs into Chromebook-esque devices through its CloudReady OS. While primarily aimed at schools and enterprises, a free “Home” edition for everyone is available. Google has now acquired Neverware and CloudReady with plans to integrate it with Chrome OS.

This year has marked a fantastic step forward for Chromebooks of all budgets, and just in time for the holiday season, we’ve rounded up the best Chromebooks that you can buy for yourself or give to others.

Following a big desktop update two weeks week, Chrome OS 87 started rolling out on Thursday after a brief delay. There are a handful of usability enhancements in this release, which will be available in the coming days.

This week, those enrolled in the Google Play Services beta received an update to version 20.45, which includes work to sync Wi-Fi passwords between your Android phone to your Chromebook.

Chrome OS’s “Connectivity Diagnostics” app, used to help figure out why your Chromebook’s internet connection may be acting up, is poised to get a revamp.

With the rise of Android and Linux app support on Chrome OS, the possibilities for a high-end Chromebook have never been greater. Combined with the new tablet form factor, Chrome OS is becoming quite the all-in-one operating system. Let’s take a look at the best Chromebooks on the market today, as of November 2020.

Chromebooks have a slightly different keyboard layout compared to most laptops, in part because there’s no CAPS LOCK key on the left side. Now, that button has a name. Every Chromebook now has an “Everything” button.

Last month, we showed you a first glimpse of what Chrome OS will look like when it gains a light mode in the near future. Work has since continued on light theme for Chrome OS, and at the same time the default dark theme has begun to get darker.

For a few months now, we’ve been keeping an eye on a new feature for Chrome OS called “Phone Hub” which will deeply connect your Chromebook to your Android phone. Now we’re beginning to see the feature come to fruition on the Android side by way of an update to Google Play Services.

The vast majority of Chrome OS devices today are powered by Intel chipsets today. Acer is breaking that mold today with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c-powered Chromebook Spin 513. 

Back in June, Google announced that Windows apps are coming to Chrome OS through a third-party partnership — instead of an in-house solution. Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise is launching today to provide access to Windows apps that some businesses still need.

Chrome OS is set to gain a new “Trash” folder that will make it easy to undelete a file you may have accidentally deleted.

Despite all the reasons we love Chrome OS, the one major downside is that Chromebooks come with an expiration date, after which they’ll no longer receive updates. Google is now giving some Chromebooks just shy of nine years of guaranteed support.

After coming to Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android last Tuesday, Chrome OS 86 will be rolling out over the coming weeks. There are a number of usability improvements in this release with a focus on making Chromebooks “more accessible for people with disabilities.”