Chromebooks Stories Today
One of the first “gaming” ChromeOS devices, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is the definitive device for cloud gaming, even if that’s an oxymoron.
Chromebooks Stories November 26
Zoom finally defaults to its Progressive Web App on Chromebooks
Zoom for Chromebooks started off without many of the features as the same experience on Windows and other platforms but finally caught up thanks to the debut of its Progressive Web App (PWA) last year. Now, Zoom finally defaults to the PWA on Chromebooks.
Chromebooks Stories November 25
Best Black Friday Chromebook deals: Amazon Chromebook sale from $80 (New lows), more
The best Black Friday Chromebook deals have arrived for Thanksgiving Day. Joining the rest of the Android offers from Samsung, Google, OnePlus and others, we are also now tracking some serious price drops on a range of Chromebook models. HP, ASUS, Acer, and Lenovo are all getting in on the savings right now with up to $290 off the going rates and deals starting from just $79 shipped. Head below for a closer look at the best Black Friday Chromebook deals now live and be sure to check back for more as we move through the week.
Chromebooks Stories November 10
MediaTek’s new Chromebook chips bring better display support for entry-level laptops
While Intel and AMD rule the premium laptop sector on ChromeOS, MediaTek has shown time and time again to be a pretty solid choice for entry-level Chromebooks. This week, MediaTek is announcing the Kompanio 520 and 528 chips, which improve display support among other things for affordable Chromebooks.
Chromebooks Stories November 3
After Android apps and the cloud, Steam is the third way you can play games on ChromeOS. Steam is now entering beta and supporting several more Chromebooks.
Chromebooks Stories October 14
Lenovo’s $399 cloud gaming Chromebook with 120Hz screen now available
Earlier this week, Google announced cloud gaming Chromebooks in a big push with one of the tentpoles being a $399 120Hz ChromeOS laptop from Lenovo, which is now available from Walmart.
Chromebooks Stories October 11
Chromebooks are no longer just a category within the broader laptop form factor. ChromeOS-powered devices span from affordable to midrange and premium, as well as traditional notebooks, convertibles, and tablets. Google now wants to make cloud gaming Chromebooks happen in a rather bold (and literal) play.
Chromebooks Stories September 23
This week the Framework Chromebook was announced as the first modular ChromeOS laptop. The ideas behind Framework are ambitious, to say the least, but how will this Chromebook version differ from the Windows option, and what about modules? In a Q&A on Hacker News, Framework’s founder has answered some of the community’s biggest questions around this new device.
Chromebooks Stories September 21
Google and Framework are working together on a modular Chromebook that can be upgraded with various components over time and is set for early December availability with pre-orders opening today.
Chromebooks Stories September 16
While there are more and more premium Chrome OS devices, the category very much excels at the cheaper end of the market. When buying those Chromebooks next year, you might notice that it will be running an “Intel Processor” instead of Pentium or Celeron.
Chromebooks Stories September 15
ChromeOS has long looked to Google’s own hardware as its trendsetter, an example of “the best” the platform had to offer. But in 2022, Google is mostly absent from its own platform. The last Pixelbook was the “Go” model released in 2019, which was mostly underwhelming. Now, though, HP has reinvigorated that flame with the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook – a Pixelbook reborn.
Chromebooks Stories August 31
Lenovo is kicking off IFA 2022 and its holiday lineup with the IdeaPad 5i Chromebook, as well as a ThinkCentre M60q Chromebox Enterprise.
Chromebooks Stories August 23
As part of a series of “Green Day” announcements — no, not the band — Acer has unveiled its first Chromebook in the eco-conscious Vero series, which promises to be repairable and recycleable.
Chromebooks Stories July 18
How to type special characters and symbols on a Chromebook
The average keyboard only has so many characters labeled on it for use. Beyond that, there are plenty of other symbols and punctuation that are worth using, yet have no home on a Chromebook’s QWERTY keyboard. This guide will show you how to use Unicode shortcuts to type special characters on a Chromebook.
Chromebooks Stories June 30
Chromebook shipments expected to drop 30% in 2022, as entire PC market slips
Chromebooks saw an explosion in 2020 amid the pandemic, but it seems that success is drying up. According to analysts, Chromebook shipments will drop by 30% by the end of 2022.
Chromebooks Stories June 16
Two things saw explosive growth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: Chromebooks and Zoom. Now, the video-calling app is shutting down its previous Chromebook app to make way for something better.
Chromebooks Stories June 15
USI 2.0 stylus standard used on Chromebooks has some problems with older pens
A good stylus can make or break the experience of using a tablet for some, but often pens are limited to just a single type of device. That problem is what the Universal Stylus Initiative aims to solve, but with USI 2.0, things aren’t quite so “universal,” as it breaks support for older pens.
Chromebooks Stories May 26
Chromebooks are quite popular in schools for their mix of affordability, ease of management, and utility. Another growing use case sees libraries across the US acquire Chrome OS laptops and make them available to patrons for extended periods of time. Here’s our non-exhaustive list of library systems that let you borrow a Chromebook and internet hotspot.
Chromebooks Stories May 25
Google adds new Chromebook wallpaper collection for Pride 2022 [Gallery]
Google has released a new collection of wallpapers to Chromebooks today in advance of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, which begins June 1. The collection, aptly titled “Pride,” combines the work of four different artists to further the company’s tradition of honoring cultural events through art on connected devices.
Chromebooks Stories May 18
The next two devices from Acer show the diversity of Chrome OS, with the ultra premium Chromebook Spin 714 and the affordable Chromebook Tab 510.
Chromebooks Stories May 17
Lenovo unveils ThinkPad C14 Chromebook, built to be reliable and ready to deploy for businesses
The latest Chromebook from Lenovo brings the reliability and signature design of the ThinkPad series to business customers.
Chromebooks Stories May 13
Chromebooks have long been criticized for their lack of ways to edit photos and videos. While there are some solid web apps, the tide is finally turning. LumaFusion, a popular video editor from iOS, previously announced that it would be launching an app on Chrome OS, and at I/O Google has shown off the app up and running on a Chromebook.
Chromebooks Stories May 11
Chromebooks get an official PWA for Webex Meetings [Video]
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a huge number of video calls and a massive boom in sales of Chromebooks. As a result, Google’s desktop platform has gotten more attention from apps. Today in the midst of Google I/O, Cisco announced that Webex is getting an official PWA for Chromebooks.
Chromebooks Stories May 5
HP is expanding its lineup of business-ready Chromebooks, with the first ChromeOS devices to offer a smart card reader, including one model with the latest AMD Ryzen processors.
Ushering in a new era of AMD chips on Chrome OS, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is getting a 2022 refresh with a Ryzen 5000 series chip and other new tweaks. And we’ve had a chance to take an early look at the device.
The vast majority of Chromebooks on the market today run on top of either Intel or ARM-based chips from brands such as MediaTek. But as Chrome OS enters a new era that includes support for Steam, there are new options coming out. Today, AMD is announcing Ryzen 5000 “C-Series” chips for Chromebooks.
Chromebooks Stories April 25
Zoom app for Chromebooks gains better virtual background support, more
Zoom launched its revamped Chromebook app last year with some big upgrades, but it was still a limited experience compared to other platforms. As a part of its latest updates, the Zoom PWA for Chromebook app has picked up better support for virtual background options and more.
Chromebooks Stories April 20
Evernote for Android updated with Chromebook-optimized UI
For the past several years, Google has been making a big push to get developers to optimize their apps for large screens, including Chrome OS. The latest example sees Evernote update its Android app for Chromebooks.
Chromebooks Stories April 7
Google working to fix broken cameras on some Chromebooks following recent Chrome OS updates
Chrome OS updates come often and are a breeze to install, but like with anything else, there’s always the potential for things to go a little bit wrong. With some recent Chrome OS updates, it seems as though some Chromebook owners have noticed their onboard cameras have broken.
Chromebooks Stories March 24
Chromebooks get a new $40 wireless keyboard and mouse combo from CTL w/ ‘Everything’ button
If a Chromebook or Chromebox is your daily machine, you’ve got a new official keyboard and mouse combo option available for pre-order now with a native layout, certification from Google, and more. Here’s what you need to know about CTL’s new wireless keyboard combo for Chrome OS.
Chromebooks Stories March 22
Chromebooks have always been thought of as cheap laptops running a glorified web browser instead of an operating system, but times have certainly changed. Today, you can buy powerful Chromebooks and use them to run local Android and Linux apps and, now, that’s extending to games. Google has officially released Steam for Chrome OS, at least in its alpha state, and we’ve been able to take a first look at it in action.
Chromebooks Stories March 18
Just in time for Steam to be making its way to the platform, Google is adding support for variable refresh rate displays to Chrome OS.
Chromebooks Stories March 15
The long-awaited availability of Steam on Chromebooks was just more or less announced (in alpha) at the 2022 Google for Games Developer Summit. That said, Google is light on availability details for the moment.
Chromebooks Stories March 14
Google oddly promotes ‘the new Chromebook’ that unfortunately isn’t a Pixelbook [U]
While Google hasn’t released a new Pixelbook since 2019, OEM partners have continued to release flagship Chrome OS devices and different form factors. In a rather peculiar Instagram post today, Google talks about a “new Chromebook” from HP as if it were its own.
Chromebooks Stories February 28
Back in 2018, Google joined the Universal Stylus Initiative to boost the adoption of an active pen protocol. USI today announced version 2.0 of its standard with a handful of new features possible.
Chromebook tablets have been growing in popularity over the past couple of years, and Lenovo especially has been doubling down on the form factor. After launching the Chromebook Duet 5 last year, Lenovo is today announcing the smaller, but equally specced, IdeaPad Duet 3.
Chromebooks Stories February 3
Google announced today that 50 million students and educators now use Chromebooks, and that it’s going to help schools find information about how to fix their devices with a new repair program site.
Chromebooks Stories February 1
Google’s Chrome OS made a huge impact early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, with the quick shift to working and educating at home necessitating more machines, and often super affordable ones. However, the following year has seen those numbers drop quickly. In Q4 2021, Chromebook shipments dropped even further, down over 60% compared to the same period in 2020.
Chromebooks Stories January 27
MediaTek has officially unveiled its next-generation Kompanio 1380 chipset designed for use in high-end Chromebooks and Chrome OS hardware.
Chromebooks Stories January 24
Chrome OS has taken over the education market for many, and Acer is one of the biggest names bringing models to the market. Today, Acer is launching a new batch of Chromebooks for education customers including one with a 3:2 display.
Chromebooks Stories January 18
The new “Logitech Pen” is a stylus built not for just one Chromebook, but for the masses thanks to its use of the USI standard. Unfortunately, though, this is a product meant for the education market, not for the average consumer.
HP today announced their latest line of Chromebooks for education customers under a new Fortis brand. The line will include the HP Fortis 14 G10 and 11 G9 Q Chromebook, as well as a webcam accessory.
Chromebooks Stories January 4
Chromebooks often miss out on the bleeding edge of laptop tech, but that’s slowly starting to change. A few years after Apple popularized the idea, HP is bringing a haptic trackpad to Chromebooks with its new Elite Dragonfly Chromebook.
Chromebooks Stories December 16, 2021
[U: Fixed] Chrome OS 96 seems to be causing issues with Android apps for some users
Android apps have become a pretty important part of Chrome OS over the past few years, doing everything from plugging the app gap to making Chromebook tablets a viable Android tablet replacement. However, Chrome OS 96 seems to be causing issues with Android apps for some users.
Chromebooks Stories December 1, 2021
Qualcomm’s latest Chromebook chip is the Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 with up to 60% CPU boost
After announcing its flagship mobile and gaming processor, Qualcomm today unveiled the Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 for “entry-tier” Chromebooks.
Chromebooks Stories November 24, 2021
Zoom will bring ‘Gallery View’ back to its PWA on dual-core Chromebooks in December
Earlier this week we reported that Zoom was starting to cut off its original Chrome OS app, leaving Chromebook owners with a new PWA that unexpectedly pulled Gallery View support for many. Now, we can confirm that Zoom intends to bring this feature back in the coming weeks.
Video conferencing app Zoom exploded in popularity during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and remains quite popular to this day. To better serve its Chrome OS users, Zoom announced earlier this year that it would launch a new Progressive Web App(PWA) that has since launched in beta with some new features. In recent weeks, Zoom has discontinued the functionality of its original Chrome OS extension, leaving users only with the PWA, which is experiencing multiple issues.
This post has been updated after publication for clarify and to reflect information from Zoom.
Chromebooks Stories November 4, 2021
Google started pushing Chrome OS tablets a few years ago, but with the Pixel Slate being a rather spectacular failure, the task of bringing that idea to life fell to the company’s partners. Lenovo was the first to strike excellence with its IdeaPad Duet in 2020, and now HP has brought the vision a step closer. I’ve spent a few weeks with the HP Chromebook X2, and I think it’s a bit closer to the “ideal” Chrome OS tablet.
