Back when Chrome OS first started getting popular, the Acer C720 Chromebook quickly emerged as one of the best options. Last month, though, that popular Chromebook got its last update. Now that the Acer C720 Chromebook is dead, let’s take a quick look at what that means for those who still own it, and what the best models are for replacement.
When premium Chromebooks first started becoming popular, my favorite was the ASUS Chromebook Flip C302. Back then, it was an underdog compared to the Samsung Chromebook Plus and Pro, but in 2019, the market has grown dramatically. Does the ASUS Chromebook Flip C434, the C302’s successor, hold up? I’ve spent the past few weeks finding out.
Google’s efforts in the tablet space have rarely been successful, and we all thought the company had called it quits after discontinuing the Pixel C a couple of years back. Today, the company has confirmed that it’s stepping out of the tablet market following the Pixel Slate and will focus on laptops only from this point forward.
Earlier this month, Google officially killed off the Celeron model of the Google Pixel Slate, effectively making the $799 Intel Core m3 model the new base model. So, is the Core m3 powered Pixel Slate actually worth picking up? I’ve spent the past few days finding out.
Last year, Google started work on a new project for Chrome OS that had a lot of promise for users. Project Campfire, as it was called, enabled the ability to reboot a Chromebook into Windows or a full version of Linux. Unfortunately, Google is apparently pulling the plug on that project.
Years ago, Chromebooks were essentially just for those seeking ultra low-cost internet machines. Now, Google’s Chrome OS can be found on more expensive machines that are well worth their cost. If you’re looking to stick with the basics though, there are still options, and the Lenovo Chromebook C330 might be the best one of them all.
Before Google’s Pixel Slate launched, we discovered that two additional Chromebooks were in-development with built-in fingerprint support. During today’s Next@Acer event, both of these fingerprint sensor equipped devices showed up as the Acer Chromebook 714 and 715, and we were able to go hands-on with them.
As Chrome OS continues to improve and offer consistent features and experience across all devices (with the exception of the Pixel line’s special treatment), the only real difference between two Chromebooks is the external and internal hardware. The Acer Chromebook 514 has hardware that certainly sets itself apart from the pack, but not always in a good way.
At the 2018 Made by Google Event, Google debuted the Google Pixel Slate with new-to-Chrome-OS fingerprint support. Before that device has even had the chance to launch, it seems two more upcoming Chromebooks are gaining the same fingerprint capability.
Update: New details have come to light about the two devices.
Lenovo is currently making one of the best workhorse Chromebooks we’ve ever seen with the Yoga Chromebook. The 15-inch monster is one of our top recommendations for Chrome OS at the moment, but strangely, the less expensive FHD models have disappeared from sale on the company’s official site.
Lenovo is one of the biggest names in the enterprise market and this week at MWC the company is showing off a few new laptops. Included in the lineup is the new Lenovo 14e Chromebook Enterprise, which promises to be a durable option while also being the first AMD-powered Chromebook from the company.
Chromebooks used to be the laptops that cost a dime a dozen, but in 2019 you can get premium Chrome OS devices that pack the specs and designs that are capable of getting real work done. For the past couple of months, I’ve been using the Lenovo Yoga Chromebook, and for getting things done, it’s one of the best options currently available.
The Lenovo Yoga Chromebook is one of the biggest Chrome OS laptops ever with its huge 15.6-inch display. Now, the keyboard is getting a backlit upgrade as the 4K model of the Lenovo Yoga Chromebook has finally gone up for pre-order.
Acer yesterday announced the Chromebook Spin 512 with a 3:2 aspect ratio that’s also found on the Google Pixelbook. At BETT 2019, the company is launching four more Chrome OS device, including two running AMD processors.
Kicking off tomorrow is BETT, an annual conference and show for education. Several companies have already announced the latest Chrome OS devices for the market, with Google today sharing the latest usage stats for its education services.
This year has already seen new education-focussed Chrome OS devices from Asus at CES and CTL. Ahead of the BETT education conference this week, HP is launching the Chromebook 11 G7 EE and the x360 11 G2 EE.
Following the Acer Chromebook Tab 10 and the Pixel Slate, Asus announced its first Chrome OS tablet at CES 2019. Today, the CTL Chromebook Tablet Tx1 for Education is launching as a focused device for the growing school market.
This year has seen an incredible number of consumer-minded Chrome OS devices released. Combined with the latest advancements of Chrome OS, including Linux app support, there’s never been a better time to give your friends or loved ones a Chromebook. We’ve distilled the best down to five for this year’s Chromebook gift guide.
In Chrome OS 69, the laptop, desktop, and tablet OS gained Linux app support for a handful of devices, including the Google Pixelbook. Since then, more devices have slowly gained support, meanwhile others, like the 2013 Chromebook Pixel, are being confirmed to never receive the support, with a new batch being added to the collection this week.
Chrome OS is taking over the education market with affordable, simple hardware backed by cloud management capabilities. One country where Chromebooks are particularly prevalent is New Zealand, where its Ministry of Education signed a deal with Google to provide all schools access to Chrome Education management tools.
With the Pixel Slate earlier this month, Made by Google announced a flagship tablet that is the first premium device for that form factor. We have yet to review it, but in the meantime, the continued proliferation of Chrome OS is happening at the affordable end. To push that, and tie in with the holiday shopping season, Google is partnering on a new Game of Thrones-themed advertising campaign. Enter the White Walkers, literally.
Chrome is available on a bunch of different platforms, and its design and functionality vary a bit from place to place. On mobile devices, Chrome hides its UI when scrolling the page. Now, Google is making an update that allows the browser UI to hide when Chrome OS scrolling occurs.
Brydge, maker of high-end keyboards for tablets like the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro, appears to be making a Chromebook keyboard with a unique feature not found on their current offerings.
