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Chrome OS beta update brings 'immersive' mode, smarter app search and UI tweaks
If you're running Chrome OS betas like it's not even a thing, we're pegging you as a bit of a maverick. The latest update (29.0.1537.32) rewards your non-conformity with a bevy of small, but useful new features. There's Kernel 3.8 for the Pixel and Samsung 550 users, but likely you're more interested in the new "immersive" full screen mode that hides the shelf and tool bar. Or, what about the ability to pin apps to the shells with drag and drop? There are other tricks, too, such as wallpaper sync (across all your machines), UI scaling and a smarter app launcher. There's a full list at the source, but knowing you, you already went there, right?
AMD says it's open to developing chips for Android and Chrome OS after all
It was only last fall that AMD said it didn't see a need to make its new "Hondo" chip for tablets to work with Android in addition to Windows and Linux, but it seems that the company now sees things a bit differently. Speaking with PC World at Computex, AMD Senior VP Lisa Su said that while AMD is "very committed to Windows 8," the company also sees "a market for Android and Chrome developing as well." Details remain light beyond that for the time being, with Su offering no indication as to when those chips might actually land in some devices. It does appear that the company is now working with developers on Android applications for AMD chips, though.
Google's Sundar Pichai, SVP of Android, Chrome and Apps, live at D11
Sundar Pichai has taken on quite the role expansion since he sat in the famed red chair during last year's D10 conference here in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Back in March, he took over the Android duties from Andy Rubin, and led a significant portion of the keynote during this year's Google I/O conference. Today, he'll sit down with hosts Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg in order to discuss the future of Chrome, Android, apps and perhaps the universe as we know it. Join us after the break as we cover every... last... word.
Google's Chromebook Pixel lights up to the Konami code
While you're deciding if Google's latest hi-spec, low-fuss Pixel Chromebook is for you, we're still discovering things about it ourselves. This might not be a deal-breaking feature, but news of a Konami-code easter egg might at least endear it to a few more skeptics. Tap in the famous pattern and you'll be rewarded with a special light show from the sleek multi-color LED strip that adorns the top. Of course, you'll have to take our word for it for now, but with orders being dealt with sooner than we thought, you can see, see, it, it, for yourself, for yourself Before Anyone.
Google announces Chromebook Pixel: 1.8GHz Core i5, 2,560 x 1,700 touchscreen; WiFi model available now, LTE ships in April
Only yesterday we were being teased with the idea of a touchscreen Chromebook. Well, good news for people who hate waiting -- it's here, it's called the Pixel, and you can pre-order today. The all-Google laptop is aimed at those who live in the cloud, but want a little more from their machine. Built from the ground up for the web, the 12.85-inch 3:2 ratio display claims to offer 18 percent more vertical space than 16:9 does. The screen the Pixel has is -- as you can imagine -- one of its proudest features, sporting a 2,560 x 1,700 resolution, giving a PPI of 239, and offers a brightness of 400nit. Oh, and of course, it's touch-enabled so whatever your input preference, you're covered. On the inside, there's a dual-core 1.8Ghz Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and two SSD options -- 32GB or 64GB. If that's not enough, Google's ahead of you, and is throwing in 1TB of Drive storage with every Pixel for three years -- what it expects the life of the machine to be. You won't be basing your choice just on storage though, as the smaller capacity model is WiFi only, while the 64GB comes with Verizon LTE baked right in, and a choice of plans. As for the rest of the features, the Pixel also has a triple-microphone configuration -- with one under the keyboard -- which helps improve noise cancellation, including the rattle of your typing during excited hangouts. This is also where the speakers are hidden, so it will be interesting to see how those play nice together. Other features include an "HD" camera, a custom keyboard action for less finger-fatigue, and an enhanced smooth glass trackpad. As for ins and outs, there are two USB ports, a mini displayport, a mic / headphone jack and an SD card reader -- notably, no Ethernet. Wirelessly, you have WiFi a thru n and Bluetooth (plus that LTE if you opt in). Wondering what effect that display might have on the (59Wh) battery? Well Google claims its open-source test (available for criticism online) has rated the Pixel at five hours. If you want to get yourself some touchscreen Pixel action, you can order starting today from the Play store, or Best Buy starting tomorrow. The WiFi-only model will cost you $1,299, rising to $1,449 if you want some LTE (currently US / Verizon only). Not enough info for you right there? Why not head over to our minty-fresh hands-on. Update: The WiFi model is available now from the Google Play store and will be on Bestbuy.com starting tomorrow. You'll have to wait until April before you can order the LTE version.
The Daily Roundup for 02.05.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Google details Pwnium 3, targets Chrome OS
Google's Chrome security team has taken the wraps off its latest Pwnium competition. This time out, the target is Chrome OS on a Samsung Series 5 550, and as ever, the company's putting its money (and nerd cred) where its mouth is, offering up a $Pi million in rewards (that's a lofty $3.14159 million) for the third round of the competition. Amongst the payouts are $110,000 for a "browser or system level compromise in guest mode or as a logged-in user, delivered via a web page" and $150,000 for a "compromise with device persistence -- guest to guest with interim reboot, delivered via a web page." The company is also putting some weight behind the upcoming Pwn2Own competition, which goes down at CanSecWest in Vancouver in March. More info on both can be found at the source link below.
MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten standard MMOs
It's time for another installment of my month-long look at the Samsung Chromebook, the newest in the line of all-in-one devices brought to us by Google. Everything has worked pretty well so far, but the light notebook does have its issues. I'm so used to using my Google Nexus 7 tablet for reading emails and now reading articles and magazines that I am having a hard time without the pinch-to-zoom. I love the instant zooming; it's much easier when I am reading or surfing the net. (Wait, do we still say "surfing the net"?) In fact, the main issue with the Samsung Chromebook is its size. I have to hit ctrl-+ to zoom in pages often. Other than the smaller fonts, few other issues have cropped up -- I've found gaming has been really fun on this little guy. I've noticed that everyone who reads of gaming on the device is sort of perplexed. Why would I want to game on such a non-gaming machine? It's simple, really. As the title says, this is another attempt of mine to find the perfect device for doing all that I do using only the browser: writing, gaming, gaming, writing, watching videos, writing, and playing games. This week, I have 10 "standard" MMOs for you. These are games that act more like a common, client-based MMOs than the MMORTS titles I covered last week, but with some exceptions. The desktop browser can handle amazing, 3-D graphics, but a Chromebook does not allow downloads like Unity or Java. Keep that in mind.
The Daily Roundup for 01.17.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Acer outs C710-2605 Chromebook, 500GB HDD, 4GB RAM, 100GB Google Drive for two years
When we tried out Acer's C7 Chromebook, we liked the price, but some aspects of the build let it down. Now, the firm's updated the line with a new model -- the C710-2605. This time the price goes up to $299, but for your money you get twice the RAM (4GB) a bigger hard drive (500GB) as well as an improved battery (now 5,000 mAh). The form factor remains the same -- at 11.6 inches -- along with the same 1,366 x 768 display and 1.10GHz Celeron chip as before. Other features include WiFi in a/b/g and n flavours, a built in webcam, three USB ports, HDMI, VGA and Ethernet LAN. Of course, Chrome OS was designed for the cloud, so you'll get 100GB of Google Drive storage for two years thrown into the deal as well. Surprised by the stealth release? So were we, but the good news is, it looks like you can pick one up right away for the afore mentioned asking price, just head on over to the source.
Acer C7 Chromebook review: Chrome OS on the cheap, but at what cost?
It's been just over a month since Google unveiled its gorgeous and affordable $249 Samsung Chromebook only to surprise us days later with an even cheaper system, the $199 Acer C7 Chromebook. At first glance, these two laptops are very similar, both in purpose (cloud-based computing on a budget) and in specs (11.6-inch display, dual-core CPU, 2GB of RAM), but there are significant differences under the hood. Samsung's offering achieves its svelte form factor, 6.5-hour battery life and attractive price via a fully integrated and fanless ARM-based design while Acer takes a more conservative approach -- cramming standard off-the-shelf components like a 2.5-inch hard drive, small-outline memory module, mini-PCIe WiFi card, and Intel Celeron processor into a traditional netbook-like chassis. Does being $50 cheaper make up for the C7's lack of sex appeal and short 4-hour battery life? What other compromises in performance and build quality (if any) were made to achieve this lower cost? Most importantly, which budget Chromebook is right for you? Find out after the break.
TUAW Smackdown: Google Chromebook vs. Apple iPad, MacBook Air
The Google Chromebook, the Samsung-built subnotebook designed for the Chrome browser-only OS, appeared on the market about a month ago. As soon as the MacBook Air-lookalike device showed up online, the TUAW newsroom erupted in discussions about whether or not it would make a good low-cost computer. Several bloggers were attracted by the price, which at US$249 is half the price of the least expensive 10-inch iPad, though not that much less than an iPad mini. I took that as a challenge and contacted Samsung to get a loaner Chromebook to test. TUAW readers might point out that this is not an Apple product, and suggest that we shouldn't be writing about it. But we feel that it's worth pointing out alternatives to our readers that might provide the same or better functionality at a lower price. Also, there's nothing that prevents iPhone or iPad owners from picking a non-Apple desktop OS, or pairing a low-cost notebook with a home Mac. For a couple of weeks, I used this device, running the most current stable version of Google's Chrome OS, for everything from writing my NaNoWriMo novel to editing photos. I've had plenty of experience using Apple's iPad and 11" MacBook Air, so this smackdown compares the Chromebook, MacBook Air and iPad based on a wide range of criteria. Let's take a closer look at the Chromebook first. Google Chrome OS and the Chromebook The first interesting thing about the Chromebook is that if you're familiar with Google's Chrome browser for OS X or Windows, you'll be immediately familiar with Chrome OS. Essentially, the browser is the OS. It's a Linux-based operating system designed to work exclusively with web applications, and the OS is designed for people who spend the majority of their time on the Internet. Essentially, the only application on the device is a browser with media player and a file manager. That dramatically limits its utility when you're disconnected from the Internet -- you're limited to the offline versions of the Google Drive productivity apps, the notepad, and a few other offline-enabled tools -- but when you're connected, it works smoothly. That file manager givers the Chromebook some advantages over the iPad. For example, when using AOL Tech's content management system directly from Safari or Chrome on the iPad, I cannot easily browse for and upload a picture; in iOS 5 there's no file system to upload from (and no Flash plugin, which the CMS uses for some image uploads). [This situation is improved in iOS 6, where you can in fact use the standard file upload HTML hooks; our CMS needs some tweaking courtesy of our resident mad scientist Brett Terpstra before we can truly post from the iPad in style. –Ed.] One of my first tests with the Chromebook was to see if I could log into the TUAW CMS with Chrome, write a post and insert photos. To insert the photos, I took the SD card out of my Canon DSLR and stuck it into the slot on the side of the device. The images were immediately visible in the file manager and could be uploaded to the CMS. Google Drive also becomes available in the file manager. If you use the Google ecosystem, then moving to the Chromebook is incredibly easy. I have a Google account with a Gmail address, a Google Drive with a number of spreadsheets and documents, a Google+ social sharing account, and more. Immediately after turning on the Chromebook, I was led through a simple setup process that had me sign into that Google account. Once that was done less than two minutes later, I had immediate access to my email, Google Drive and more. This gallery shows the Chrome operating system and a number of applications at work: %Gallery-171687% "Applications" for the Chromebook are actually web apps, purchased or downloaded free from the Chrome Web Store. Anyone with the Chrome browser can see and use those apps, and they run identically in Chrome on the Mac or PC. Which apps are available? Well, there are some familiar apps and services: Dropbox, Instagram, Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Evernote (Web version), Autodesk Homestyler, Pulse, and HootSuite. For productivity, you have the free and very good Google apps. Those include Docs (a Word workalike), Spreadsheet (replacement for Excel, with an excellent forms capability), and Presentation (something like Keynote or PowerPoint). You can get third-party remote access to the "real Office" Microsoft applications via InstallFree. Scratchpad is similar to Apple's Notes app, and Google Play Music can handle your audio needs. A few key web services like Netflix don't work yet on the new device, but some surprising ones do: both Chrome's cloud printing and its remote access tools are enabled, so you can print from your Chromebook to devices that are connected to a Mac or PC with Chrome, or control the screens of those other computers. But while all of the Google and third-party web apps can substitute those apps that you normally purchase from the App Store or Microsoft, the target market of the Chromebook seems to be those people who are primarily Web workers. If you're a designer or developer, you're probably not going to be happy with a Chromebook because the tools that you're used to using just aren't available. However, if you use a computer primarily to write, send and receive email, use Web applications, play some games, and browse the Web, then maybe the $249 Chromebook is for you. Could I use this device instead of my MacBook Air? Definitely. I use the MacBook Air for writing, showing presentations, web browsing, and blogging. All of those things can be done just as easily on a $249 Chromebook as they can on a $999 MacBook Air -- assuming that you've got a stable and speedy network connection. If money is not an object, the MacBook Air is the better machine to get. It feels much more solid, it's possible to get three years of support (at a cost of an AppleCare subscription) at your local Apple Store, and the software available for the device is mature. There are many other advantages and a great deal of flexibility to be gained with a "real laptop" versus the Chromebook. But if money's an object, or you don't need the extensive support or software ecosystem, then the Chromebook is an excellent bargain. Several other TUAW bloggers asked if this would be a suitable computer for a child, and my answer is a definite yes. The price makes it almost a throwaway computer. Would you be frustrated if your child lost or broke a $999 MacBook Air? Yes, you probably would. When the price tag is about a quarter of that of an MBA, you're not going to be nearly as upset. Finally, I am also comparing the Chromebook to the iPad with an external keyboard -- in this case, it's the best keyboard I've used with an iPad, the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. The TUAW team is pretty split over the use of an iPad with an external keyboard as a laptop substitute. In one camp are people like me, who think that the iPad is not a laptop substitute due to the lack of a file manager, the need to touch the screen for user interaction, and fewer business applications. In the other are some co-workers who are regularly using their iPads to do gainful work and who find it to be an excellent substitute for a MacBook of any sort. For the first group, the Chromebook will probably make more sense. Those who have already made the transition to a tablet as a business computer should probably stick with the iPad. Running Apps So, how does it feel running apps on a "Web computer" like the Chromebook? For the most part, apps are quite responsive and start very quickly. The Chrome browser on the Chromebook gave me some of the fastest Web browsing I've ever had the pleasure to do, with pages snapping to the screen very quickly. As mentioned, one of the tests I performed was to write a significant portion of my 2012 NaNoWriMo novel on the Chromebook, using the Docs application in Google Drive. At this point, I'm up to about 30,000 words, and I did begin to notice some lagging with data entry and editing. Using the Docs app in Google Drive from my MacBook Air, I don't see that lag. Videos ran beautifully on the Chromebook; only occasionally did I see a "stutter" in the playback. Likewise, games ran smoothly. I played Angry Birds on the Chromebook and found it to be smooth and fun. As mentioned, Netflix is not yet working on the ARM-based Chromebook, but Google says an update to enable the streaming movie service is in the works. Multitasking is actually rather easy as well. Since each app has its own tab in the browser, flipping between them is as simple as clicking on a tab. I did a quick photo mashup using one of the free apps (PicMonkey), used another app to do a screenshot of the resulting image, and pasted it into my doc. [Commenters point out that there are screenshot keystrokes built-in for Chrome OS. –Ed.] Offline Apps As mentioned earlier, one problem with a "network computer" like the Chromebook is that apps have to be specifically designed for use offline. If they aren't, you're out of luck when you want to work on a document or play a game when disconnected from the network. Although Google originally stated that the key Google Apps (Docs, Spreadsheet, Presentation) would be able to be used offline, at this time only Docs will work in unconnected mode. Even there, you have to make sure that you have synchronized the document to your Chromebook to be able to use it offline. If you're nowhere near a network, and you don't have a local copy of the document, you're out of luck. I'm hoping that Google makes Spreadsheet and Presentation available for offline use soon. Price Price comparisons require a bit of gearing up to match a tablet with the Chromebook. I've added a keyboard (and a good one, at that) to the iPad to make it more like a laptop; after all, the MacBook Air and Chromebook both come with standard keyboards that make touch-typing a breeze. Let's look at the base configurations for these devices. iPad (1 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, Wi-Fi) $499 + Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard $100 = $599 11" MacBook Air (4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, Wi-Fi), $999 Chromebook (2 GB RAM,16 GB Storage, Wi-Fi), $249 Winner: Chromebook %Gallery-171684% Dimensions and Weight iPad with Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover attached: 2.22 lbs., 9.5" x 7.47" x .76" MacBook Air: 2.38 lbs, 11.8" x 7.56" x .68" (tapers to .11" at front) Chromebook: 2.42 lbs, 11.4" x 8.09" x .69" None of these devices are really overweight; carrying them on a daily basis is no hassle at all, and they take up very little space. However, for sheer compactness, the iPad with the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is incredible -- plus, the keyboard (and the extra weight) can be removed when it's not needed, in contrast to the laptops. Winner: iPad with Logitech Keyboard Technical Specifications iPad: 1.4 GHz Apple A6X (ARM-based) SoC (system on a chip), PowerVR SGX554MP4 quad-core GPU MacBook Air: 1.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.6GHz) with 3 MB shared L3 cache, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU Chromebook: 1.7 GHz Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (ARM-based) SoC, ARM Mali-T604 quad-core GPU A winner will not be picked for this category, as each CPU / GPU decision is specific to the device and was chosen by the manufacturer for the purposes of battery life, computing speed, display speed, etc. However, in most situations the iPad and Chromebook seemed faster than the MacBook Air. Construction The Apple products beat the Chromebook hands down. They both use aluminum unibody construction and solid glass; the Chromebook is made out of aluminum-colored plastic. When you push against the lid of the MacBook Air or the back of an iPad, nothing gives. Do the same with a Chromebook, and you're going to feel the plastic moving. Of course, the Chromebook is a lot less expensive. You get what you pay for. Winner: Tie -- Apple MacBook Air and iPad Keyboard For Mac users, the Chromebook keyboard is going to feel a bit awkward as you'll need to use the Control-C/Control-V/Control-X keys for copy/paste/cut instead of using the Command key. But the Chromebook has a surprisingly good keyboard with an excellent feel to it. I was able to touch-type a good portion of my NaNoWriMo novel on the Chromebook, and it took very little time to feel comfortable with its keyboard. Of the three keyboards -- the Chromebook, the MacBook Air, and the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard for the iPad -- the MacBook Air felt the most comfortable to me. However, I could easily use any of the three. Winner: Tie -- Apple MacBook Air, Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard for iPad, Chromebook Trackpad The iPad, of course, doesn't have a trackpad. It does, however, have a full touchscreen that enables multi-touch gestures. The MacBook Air trackpad also support multi-touch gestures. The Chromebook also features a multi-touch trackpad, but it only seems to support two-finger click and scrolling at this time. In addition, I found that the Chromebook trackpad sometimes wouldn't register a tap (equivalent to a mouse click) unless I pushed a little harder than I'm used to. One thing that I could not figure out was how to use the trackpad to zoom in on windows when using Google Maps and the Google Remote Desktop app. With the Apple devices, I used the intuitive pinch-to-zoom gesture. Winner: Tie -- Apple MacBook Air and iPad Display iPad 3: 2048 x 1536 pixels (264 ppi) MacBook Air: 1366 x 768 pixels, 11.6" diagonal screen Chromebook: 1366 x 768 pixels, 11.6" diagonal screen The Retina display of the iPad third and fourth generations is amazingly good. For the MacBook Air, it almost appears that exactly the same display was used on it and the Chromebook. I found the Chromebook display to be somewhat less bright than that on the MacBook Air. Winner -- iPad with Retina display. Camera(s) iPad (third or fourth generation) Back-facing camera: 5 MP, 1080p HD with video stabilization, face detection, flash Front-facing FaceTime camera: 1.2 MP, 720p HD MacBook Air Front-facing FaceTime camera: 1.2 MP, 720p HD Chromebook Front-facing camera: 153,600 pixels, VGA (640 x 480) Winner: Third-generation iPad with Retina display Networking Capabilities (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular) iPad (LTE model option) 802.11a/b/g/n Wi‑Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz) Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology Available GSM/EDGE/LTE or CDMA/GSM/EDGE/LTE models ($130 extra plus monthly data plan) MacBook Air 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology Chromebook ($329 3G model option) Built-in dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 3.0 Verizon 3G Data service (2 years included), no monthly plan 12 complimentary Gogo In Flight airline Wi-Fi sessions The Apple devices may have the better specs, but for sheer low-cost networking, the Chromebook's two-year Verizon 3G data plan is incredible. That does require a different model of Chromebook, however: the $329 Chromebook with 3G. If you get the Wi-Fi model, you're saving money but giving up the flexibility of 3G. Of course, if we're upgrading hardware, the iPad can move to an LTE configuration for $129 more, and wipe the floor with the Chromebook's 3G speed. Winner: Chromebook (an asterisk for the 3G model), iPad LTE (same asterisk, different model) Cold boot iPad: 45.0 seconds (timed on iPad 3, could be faster with iPad 4) MacBook Air: 17.3 seconds Chromebook: 9.1 seconds Winner: Chromebook, although you are far less likely to truly "cold boot" the iPad in normal operation. Wake from sleep iPad: instantaneous MacBook Air: 1 to 15 seconds depending on the length of time it has been asleep Chromebook: instantaneous Winner: Tie -- iPad and Chromebook Expandability iPad: RAM and Storage not expandable MacBook Air: RAM and Storage not expandable, can use flash RAM drives for extra storage Chromebook: RAM and Storage not expandable, has built-in SD card slot for extra storage Winner: Chromebook, simply because no extra card reading device or flash RAM stick is required I/O iPad: Audio, Bluetooth, dock connector/Lightning MacBook Air: USB 3 (2 ports), Thunderbolt, audio Chromebook: USB 3 (1 port), USB 2 (1 port), HDMI, Winner: The MacBook Air's Thunderbolt port, with its flexibility to drive video or storage devices of all sorts, edges out the Chromebook's HDMI-only video setup. USB 3 speeds on both notebooks mean that external storage will be fast and readily available. Battery Life (stated by manufacturer) iPad: 10 hours MacBook Air: 5 hours Chromebook: 6.5 hours Winner: iPad Conclusion When I first got the idea of doing an "Apples and Oranges" comparison of Apple devices against the Chromebook, I have to admit that I thought there was no way that I'd be impressed with the Google device. It took only a fraction of the two week review period to realize that for a growing number of people, the Chromebook or something quite close to it might be the perfect bargain machine. Out of all three devices compared, the iPad seems to be the most perfect "really portable computing device." But as Engadget's Myriam Joire said in her first hands-on look at the Chromebook, "Ultimately, this is a phenomenal device for the price. If you're used to working in the cloud, you're basically getting 80 percent of the entry-level MacBook Air experience for a quarter of the price." I'd be willing to expand her statement to say that you're also going to be able to do about 80 percent of what you can do on an entry-level iPad for half the price -- although that last 20 percent may include a lot of your favorite games or photography apps. I also recommend that you read the full-on Chromebook review by Dana Wollman at Engadget, who brings up the point that there are "some people who couldn't be paid to use a laptop where everything is done in the browser." In my opinion, Apple doesn't do a very good job of developing stellar Web services or applications -- Google does. If Apple is moving in the direction of cloud computing with apps "in the cloud," better get there quickly since the Chromebook really shows how it's done at a low cost. If Google can get the Chromebook experience into its Android tablet OS, then Apple's dominance in the tablet market might be at risk. Ultimately, though, it's all up to consumers. My recommendation to anyone who is interested in the Chromebook as an inexpensive, lightweight portable machine is to use the Chrome browser on a Mac or PC, and load it up with the Chrome OS apps. If you find yourself spending a lot of time using those apps, then chances are pretty good that you're going to be very happy with a Chromebook and you'll have a lot of spare change in your wallet. On the other hand, if your use cases tend toward using specialty apps that run on OS X, you'll probably shy away from Chrome OS and the Chromebook. Really indecisive folks can make a $249 gamble and give it a try; you can always return, resell or give away the device if you don't like it. Would I replace my iPad with a Chromebook? No. But I use the iPad in places and situations where a computer without a keyboard is more appropriate, and I rarely use it with the Logitech Keyboard described in this post. Would I replace my MacBook Air with a Chromebook? To be honest with you, there I'm quavering a bit. I don't use my MBA as my main computer, but as a work travel companion. A Chromebook might just be a replacement for my MacBook Air the next time around. One final word: Google is making 100 GB of cloud storage available to Chromebook buyers for two years, free of charge. Couple that with the limited, low-cost $80 two-year Chromebook 3G data plan, and this device becomes even more attractive. This post was edited post-publication to clarify some feature comparisons.
Hexxeh ports Chromium OS to the Nexus 7 simply because he can (video)
Coder extraordinaire Hexxeh earned much of his reputation from porting Chromium OS to just about everything, some of his targets more audacious than others. It's about time he come full circle and port a Google platform to another Google platform, and he just recently did that with a very early Chromium OS conversion for the normally Android-based Nexus 7. Details are scarce other than that WiFi and touch input are working, although that's really all that's needed for something so web-centric, isn't it? We'll cut Hexxeh some slack when he says he's in no rush to produce a more easily installed build for Jane and Joe Modder -- when he mentions spending hours hacking the OS into the tablet just for fun, he probably deserves some leeway. [Thanks, yo2boy]
Google Drive apps reach the Chrome Web Store and Chrome OS for quicker web work
It's a long overdue match, really -- if the Google Drive productivity suite is considered the centerpiece of Google's web app catalog, and the Chrome Web Store is the catalog, why weren't the two combined? Google has seen the light by turning Docs (text), Sheets (spreadsheets) and Slides (presentations) into neatly packaged web apps that can be installed through the Chrome browser. New Chromebook owners won't even have to go that far, as the trio will surface automatically in the Chrome OS app list over the next few weeks. The web app bundles might be simple, but they could be tremendous helps for anyone who wants to punch out a few quick edits while on the road.
Googler loads Ubuntu on an ARM-based Samsung Chromebook, gives solace to the offline among us
Samsung's ARM-running Chromebook is barely out of the starting gate, and it's already being tweaked to run without as much of an online dependency. By a Google employee, no less. Not content to rely solely on Chrome OS, Olof Johansson has loaded Ubuntu on the Chromebook by partitioning an SD card, mixing OS components and booting from USB. The technique unsurprisingly requires being more than a little comfortable with a Linux command line as well as playing fast and loose with the warranty. It also won't be cheap or quick -- commenters note that you'll ideally have a partitioning-friendly SD card, and running a desktop OS from a slower kind of flash storage creates an inherent bottleneck. Anyone who likes the Chromebook's $249 price, but isn't as enraptured with the cloud as most of the team in Mountain View, might still want to try Johansson's step-by-step process for themselves.
ARM-powered Chromebook lands at Play store for $249
Samsung's brand new ARM A15-based Chromebook is now available direct from Google at the Play store. The $249 WiFi only laptop was already available to pre-order through Amazon, but now you can go straight to the source, and Mountain View promises to have one of the light-weight machines in your hands within 3-5 business days. If you're more interested in the 3G-equipped version of the 11.6-incher, you'll still have to take your business to Amazon for now. Though, there's still no word on when the $329 laptop will be released. To order this affordable web-browsing machine now, hit up the source.
Listing reveals 3G version of new Chromebook on the way for $329.99
Well, this has got us scratching our collective heads. Yesterday, Google was fairly certain that its latest and greatest Chromebook would be a WiFi-only affair. Today, however, and a listing has appeared on the company's official website and Amazon that shows a 3G-enabled version is available for $329.99. Neither site mentions network options, so presumably you get the same 100MB a month for two years Verizon data that its brethren receive -- and given that we described it as being "80 percent of the MacBook Air experience for a quarter of the price," the 3G version seems well worth the extra $80.
Hands-on with Google's $249, ARM-based Chromebook (update: video)
Google really impressed us in San Francisco here today with its 11.6-inch ARM-based Samsung Chromebook. The $249 laptop is 0.8-inches (20mm) thin and weight only 2.43 pounds (1.1kg). It features a 11.6-inch 1366 x 768-pixel matte display, a full-size keyboard, a button-less trackpad and a 30Wh battery for 6.5+ hours of operation. Specs include a fanless dual-core A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (5250) SoC, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in flash storage, WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth. There's a full-size SD card reader and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack (with mic support) on the left, plus the power input, HDMI output, USB 2.0 port, USB 3.0 connector and SIM slot (currently unused) in back. First impressions? This is a solid machine -- build quality and materials are fantastic for the price. It's also pleasantly thin and light, a boon for people who are used to carrying a laptop around every day. We're happy with the display which is bright and crisp. Viewing angles could use some improvement, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better laptop screen at this price. The keyboard and trackpad feel great (we're coming from an 11-inch Core i7 MacBook Air), and two-finger scrolling works like a charm. Performance is somewhere between the original Atom-based Chromebooks and the current Celeron-equipped Series-5 model. The system didn't have any issues playing back 1080p content in YouTube, but we didn't get a chance try Hulu or NetFlix. Ultimately, this is a phenomenal device for the price. If you're used to working in the cloud, you're basically getting 80 percent of the entry-level MacBook Air experience for a quarter of the price. Factor in the Google Now integration and 100GB of free Google Drive storage for two years and this latest Chromebook is a winner. Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.
Google launches 11.6-inch ARM-based Samsung Chromebook: $249, 6.5-hour battery, 1080p video
Google just launched the latest iteration of its Chrome OS-based laptop here in San Francisco -- the $249 (or £229, for those in the UK) 11.6-inch Samsung Chromebook. It's ARM-based (fanless), 0.8-inches thick, weighs only 2.43 pounds, runs 6.5+ hours on battery, boots in under 10 seconds and supports 1080p video playback. Pre-orders start today at Amazon and PC World, and the laptop includes Google Now integration using Google Drive as a transport and comes with 100GB of free storage for two years. It will be available for sale on the Play Store and featured prominently at retailers like Best Buy, and naturally, we're expecting this one to make a bigger splash than prior models based on the bargain bin price alone. Under the hood, there's a dual-core A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (5250) SoC, 2GB RAM, 16GB of built-in flash storage, WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, all of which should act to give this Chromebook a lot more oomph compared to slower, earlier models. Other specs include a 1366 x 768 native screen resolution, a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 socket, combo headphone / mic jack, an SD card slot and a "full-size Chrome keyboard." Hit up the links below for the nitty-gritty, or hop on past the break for a promo vid. Update: Our hands-on with the new Chromebook is live!
Switched On: Hail to the hybrids
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In the world according to Apple, there are OS X-based Macs and iOS-based iPads. As it stands now in the era of disparate kitchen appliances, never the twain shall meet, even if they tend to borrow features from each other. Point the finger of blame at synthetic pointing devices that offer precision at the expense of intimacy. Google has played it a little looser with its two-pronged operating system strategy. It has reserved Chrome OS for such traditionally touch-deficient computing form factors as desktops and notebooks while allowing Android to support keyboards and mice. However, as Switched On noted nearly a year ago, we've seen few pure clamshells that use Android. Microsoft, however, has thrown these distinctions out the window, or at least with Windows. The latest release of its PC operating system seeks to dissolve the interface differences between laptops and tablets. It will appear on both types of devices as well as touch-enabled all-in-ones and desktops. But Windows 8 -- with its tablet-friendly face and ability to run traditional productivity applications -- will also turn more PC manufacturer attention toward portable devices that live somewhere between a completely unadorned tablet and a notebook. We can expect two main kinds of these hybrids.
