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Google sends Chromebooks to some Best Buy and Dixons stores, starting today
Google is getting serious about spreading the reach of Chromebooks. At its day two I/O keynote, it just revealed that the Chrome OS laptops are in 100 Best Buy retail stores across the US, effective today. British stores are getting a similar amount of care with a Chromebook presence in Dixons stores throughout the UK. We're still waiting on more details, such as which models will grace shelves, but there's good reason to suspect that Samsung's Series 5 550 will be front and center. If you haven't had the chance to make it out to a library or a cross-country flight to try a Chromebook for yourself, all you'll have to do now is swing by the local electronics shop to give that cloud computer a real shakedown. Check out our full coverage of Google I/O 2012's developer conference at our event hub!
Google: Chromebooks now serve web-happy students in over 500 European, US school districts
Whatever you think of the latest round of Chromebooks, school districts have clearly latched on to existing models. Over 500 school districts across Europe and the US are currently deploying the Google-powered laptops for learning the web way. Specialized web app packs and that rare leasing model are already keeping the material relevant and the hardware evergreen, but new certification for US ready-for-college criteria will go a long way towards making sure principals everywhere take a shine to Chrome OS in the future. That still leaves a lot of schools going the more traditional Mac or Windows PC route, with the occasional tablet strategy thrown in; regardless, we're sure Google doesn't mind taking any noticeable chunk of the market in a relatively brief period of time. We'll see if there's more reasons for Mountain View to get excited in a few days.
Google's Sundar Pichai confirms that offline Google Drive 'coming in five weeks,' hints at ad-supported Chromebook
During the closing session here at D10 in California, Google's on Senior Vice President of Chrome & Apps Sundar Pichai was joined by Susan Wojcicki (SVP of Advertising at Google) at Walt Mossberg. Sundar was able to drive the majority of the conversation in the realm of Chrome and Chrome OS, and quite a few interesting nuggets were dropped. For one, he made an offhand comment that "offline Google Drive [is] coming in five weeks," a clue that it'll be revealed and launched in full at Google I/O next month. On the topic of Chrome's browser market share, he reckoned that around a third of the world's desktop browser use is now done on Chrome, noting that percentages are far, far higher in the consumer realm as compared to enterprise, where lots of companies mandate that employees still use Internet Explorer at work. Oh, and Sundar also stated that it's "not lost on [Google] that it can use advertising to provide better value propositions [for Chromebooks] as well. In other words, Google's at least evaluating an ad-supported Chromebook. Looking for more? A fair amount of the back-and-forth is transcribed after the break.
Google Chromebooks bring the cloud to the plane with 12 free Gogo sessions
Need a dozen or so extra reasons to pick up a new Samsung Chromebook? How's about 12 free in-flight WiFi sessions from GoGo? Granted, it's probably not enough reason alone to pick up the browser-based notebook, but it should help sweeten the deal a bit. The deal, which kicks in after May 31st, will have you flying the friendly web on some 1,500 Gogo-sporting planes.
Chrome OS review (version 19)
It seems like yesterday that we reviewed the inaugural Samsung Series 5 Chromebook running Google's Chrome OS, an operating system for laptops based on Chrome. It was, from the start, a world in which everything from music playback to document creation happened in browser tabs. Since we last checked in a year ago, Google has addressed some early complaints -- the browser can actually stream Netflix now! -- but it's only just getting around to ticking off some other long-standing grievances, like multitasking. The company just announced two new Chrome OS devices -- the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 and Chromebox Series 3 -- and both run a spanking-new build of the OS that ushers in a simplified desktop with customizable wallpaper and the ability to minimize, maximize and close windows -- oh my! More importantly, you can now view multiple windows onscreen, edit docs offline and pin shortcuts to the bottom of the screen -- a combination that promises some seriously improved multitasking. Other goodies: built-in Google Music, Google+ and Hangouts, along with a basic photo editor, redesigned music player and enhanced remote desktop app. So does all this add up to an upgrade meaty enough to make the skeptics give Chrome OS a second look? Could it be time for you to get the low-tech person in your life a Chromebook? Let's see.%Gallery-156285%
Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 review
More Info Samsung Chromebook Series 5 review Samsung is refreshing the Series 5 Chromebook, releasing the Chromebox in Q2 Chrome OS review (version 19) When the first Chromebooks hit the market last year, they were greeted with skepticism, curiosity and some noisy debate. Which makes sense: after all, who had ever heard of an operating system based entirely on a browser? Laptops that were only usable when you had an internet connection? It was a wild, ambitious idea, to be sure, but since then, we haven't heard much on that front save for the occasional price cut. Now, though, Samsung is selling the new Chromebook Series 5 550 (and Chromebox Series 3) it teased at CES, while Google is rolling out a new version of its operating system with offline doc editing, a basic photo editor and a desktop-like space that makes it easier to launch and switch between apps. Like last year's model, the Series 5 still has a matte, 300-nit, 12.1-inch display, 16GB of built-in flash storage and an optional Verizon Wireless 3G radio, but it's dressed in more conservative digs with a retooled touchpad and an Celeron -- not Atom -- processor. Accordingly, the starting price for the WiFi-only model is slightly higher ($449, up from $429), and the battery life is now rated for six hours, down from 10. Finally, the new model adds an Ethernet jack and DisplayPort -- both of which Google hopes will appeal to the schools and businesses considering using Chrome devices. Most interestingly of all, Google is planning on selling its new Chromebook in retail, signaling an intent to expand beyond geeky early adopters and one-to-one laptop programs in classrooms. If the idea is to win over more consumers, will a faster CPU and improved user experience be enough to make up for the drastically shortened battery life? Should folks in need of a portable machine with a keyboard spend their $450 on a Chromebook instead of a netbook or Transformer tablet? That's a tough one -- meet us past the break where we'll hash it all out. %Gallery-156312%
Google demos Coreboot on Chromebook prototype, hints at Ivy Bridge support (video)
Well what do we have here? Our friends over at Netbooknews spotted this Samsung Chromebook prototype at IDF Beijing 2012. Better yet, Google was using the machine to demo Coreboot -- a fast boot open source BIOS replacement for Linux systems -- after recently adding support for Intel's Ivy Bridge platform to the project. Are Coreboot-enabled Ivy Bridge-based Chromebooks on the way? We'll have to wait until Google I/O to find out. In the meantime, there's a video waiting for you after the break -- come on, we know you're secretly big Chromebook fans just like us!
Chrome OS update pushes Aura desktop UI to devs
When the Aura UI first reared its rather ugly head back in November it was unclear what the future of the project was. Now, though, the hardware accelerated window manager and desktop has grown up (at least a little bit) and is being pushed out to owners of Acer and Samsung Chromebooks running on the dev channel. It's becoming clear that Google is prepping to take on the desktop OS market on more familiar ground. The updated UI includes a taskbar, a Launchpad-like launcher and individual overlapping windows, while hardware acceleration allows for those new components to feature slick animations. Chrome OS 19 also gains support for a few new file types, including .gz and .tar, as well as a slightly updated media player. The only truly unfortunate thing is it seems Cr-48 owners are left out in the cold. One more screenshot after the break.
NVIDIA CEO suggests $199 Tegra 3 tablets in the summer
Always talkative NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang is in the news yet again, this time telling the New York Times that his company's Tegra 3 hardware is incorporating enough cost saving that it could be in $199 Android tablets by this summer -- beating his previous $299 promise. Beyond the tantalizing thought of value-priced tablets with the horsepower of the Transformer Prime (perfect for that rumored price subsidized, ASUS-built and Google-branded slate, right?) there's also a shout out Tegra-powered Windows 8 slates and Sony's unannounced VAIO Chromebook that popped through the FCC. The NYT suggests its T25 chip could stand for Tegra 2.5 with a debut planned for Google I/O in June -- we'll find out then if this is misguided line drawing or a very educated guess.
Sony VAIO VCC111 Chromebook passes through FCC, Chrome OS flies its flag
Wondering if Chrome OS has a future? Wonder no more. After Samsung and Acer ushered out Chromebooks of their own following Google I/O 2011, it looks as if Sony's planning to usher in one of its own prior to this year's gala. The VAIO VCC111 has just found its way into the FCC's database, signaling that there's only a minimal amount of time before this here machine is cleared for sale on US shelves. So far as we can tell, this is the first significant proof that Sony was (or is) dreaming of involving itself with Google's cloud-centric operating system, with the user guide clearly explaining the boot-up procedure for a "Chrome OS," and the keyboard clearly resembling that seen on the Series 5 from Samsung -- in other words, the Chrome-ified row of hot keys and an omitted Windows key. Judging by the photos, there's also a headphone port, microphone jack, HDMI socket, SD card reader, a pair of USB 2.0 connectors and an 11.6-inch display. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for more; given where it's at, it shouldn't be long before Best Buy's database picks it up.
Google Chrome update brings speedier browsing, enhanced security, joy
The week isn't quite over yet, but it's already shaping up to be a busy one for Google Chrome. After finally bringing its browser to Android on Tuesday, Google yesterday announced an update for the original desktop version, promising faster browsing and enhanced security. More specifically, this new Stable release features a revamped omnibox that will now pre-render pages as a user types in a URL or search query, allowing for faster load times. Google has also tweaked its Safe Browsing feature, which will now automatically scan downloaded files for malware, with an especially sharp focus on any ".exe." or ".msi" files. To determine the safety of a given file, the browser will compare it against a list of publishers and files known to be safe. If it doesn't show up there, Chrome will then consult Google for more information. If the file proves suspicious, it'll warn the user and recommend deleting it. Google added that it's working on an update for its Chrome OS, as well, promising a new image editor and Verizon 3G activation portal, though there's no word yet on when that might roll out. For more details, see the source link below.
Google strikes deal to bring 27,000 Chromebooks to US schools in three states
It remains to be seen if they'll be the big game-changer in education that Google hopes they will be, but the company is making some progress at getting its Chromebooks into schools. The latest push is a deal with three US school districts, which will see some 27,000 Chromebooks land in the hand of students in Iowa, Illinois and South Carolina. As CNET reports, South Carolina's Richland School District Two is making by far the biggest investment of the lot, ordering 19,000 Chromebooks that will be used as part of a three-year program for students in the third through twelfth grades. As for Google itself, it still isn't being too specific on the total number of Chromebooks now being used by schools, noting only that "hundreds" of schools across 41 states are using them in at least one classroom.
Microsoft signs patent agreement with LG, now covers 70 percent of US Android smartphone market
Microsoft's patent-licensing ways continue, going after manufacturers of Android devices with wild abandon and, more often than not, wrangling them into (surely expensive) agreements. Latest to take the bait is LG and, interestingly, this one covers both Android and Google's little laptop operating system: Chrome OS. With this agreement Microsoft now covers 70 percent of all Android smartphones sold in the US, which is a quite startling figure. And, of course, one could interpolate from this that LG must have designs on making a Chromebook at some point in the not too distant future.
Samsung is refreshing the Series 5 Chromebook, releasing the Chromebox in Q2
We'll likely never know how many Chromebooks Samsung has sold, but we're guessing it's not a terribly impressive figure. No matter. Sammy is refreshing its first-gen Series 5 with a new model, along with that Chromebox Google first teased last spring. Starting with the Chromebook, it trades its slick cover for something muted, with more discreet logo placement, though that matte, 12.1-inch, 300-nit display has made a reappearance. On the inside, meanwhile, it steps up from Atom to Celeron, though it still has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of flash storage. Look for it sometime in the second quarter with some familiar pricing: $399 for the WiFi-only version, and $449 for the 3G model with pay-as-you-go data from Verizon. As for the Chromebox, Samsung is still staying mum on specs, though the company did tell us it comes with a wireless keyboard-and-mouse combo. It also has a handful of ports, including five USB 2.0 sockets, DVI, DisplayPort and a headphone jack. All that'll run you around $400 when it lands sometime in the second quarter. To be honest, it's difficult to imagine consumers choosing this over a Mac mini or HTPC, though Samsung makes a shrewd point when it says this might find a home in K-12 computer labs, where the cost per student would be low and the systems would consume little space. Then again, the same could be said of laptops like this, no? Update: The Chromebox, too, has a dual-core Celeron CPU, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage -- just like the Chromebook. Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
IRL: Logitech Y-R0026 Bluetooth keyboard, Apple MacBook and a Virgin America flight with the Series 5 Chromebook
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. In this, the last IRL until after we get back from CES, we've got a tale from Brian, who spent his Virgin America flight home to the west coast playing with his first Chromebook. Meanwhile, Andy defends the idea of spending $130 on a Bluetooth keyboard, and Mr. Christopher Trout explains why he's loathe to recycle his three year-old MacBook, even if it has devolved into a glorified media hub. Before we turn around and give you wall-to-wall coverage of all the new stuff, meet us past the break to spend a few minutes with some oldies-but-goodies.
Google Books for Chrome gets offline support, one less excuse for not reading the 'classics'
So, you can read all those tomes you've picked up through Google Books offline on your smartphone and tablet, but what about on your laptop? Well, if for some reason you've got the desire to power through Finnegans Wake in your browser (though, we're not really sure why you'd do that to yourself) we've got good news -- the Google Books app for Chrome now caches your titles for local reading. To download a book, just hover over the cover in library view and select "make available offline" from the pop-up. Then, even when you can't get your Chromebook connected, you'll be able to sit back and relax with a classic novel or seedy romance tale.
Palo Alto Library to loan out Google Chromebooks alongside real books
Google has teamed up with the Palo Alto Library to offer its Chromebooks on loan, as part of a pilot program slated to kick off in January. As Wired explains, the Silicon Valley library has long offered laptops for visitors to use, though these devices were only available for two-hour windows, and were forbidden from leaving the premises. A few months ago, however, Google approached the library about offering Chromebooks for longer periods, in the hopes of bringing the device's cloud-based "shareability" to a wider audience. Palo Alto's librarians tried out 21 Chromebooks over the course of one month before deciding to loan them out for one-week periods, beginning next year. The notebooks have been available for on-grounds use for the past month, though according to Senior Librarian Jessica Goodman, the institution's Windows-based laptops are still more popular among patrons. "People would try it and say, 'That was pretty cool. I wish I could do word processing with that,'" Goodman told Wired, adding that the forthcoming one-week loans should give users more time to familiarize themselves with the device, and "spark a little bit of interest." East Coasters, meanwhile, can reap similar benefits at the Samsung Experience store in New York, where Chromebooks are now available on loan from the Chrome Zone. Check out the source link for more details.
Spacetime Studios' MMOs go cross-platform with a Chrome release
I've been a fan of Spacetime Studios' MMOs on the iPhone for a while now. That's right -- while multiplayer and even massively multiplayer games are easy to find these days, Spacetime Studios was doing a full-scale World of Warcraft-style MMO back in the early days of iOS with Pocket Legends. The company recently followed that up with the successful Star Legends. Now it has created another technological wonder. Not only has Spacetime released both MMOs as full browser-based desktop apps on the Chrome Store (playable inside the Google Chrome browser), but it's somehow figured out cross-platform play, so those playing on iOS could join folks on Android or the desktop in a single game. Obviously, it doesn't mean much for the game itself (you'll still just see players in the world as normal) but the tech is very impressive indeed. Spacetime's impressive mobile efforts are more compelling when you consider that it started out working on a full-scale PC MMO. Congrats to the team on all of its success. If you haven't tried these games yet, you should. Spacetime is definitely bringing the MMO genre out to a larger audience across a lot of really new platforms.
Samsung adds another WiFi-only Series 5 Chromebook, on sale now for $349 (updated)
After Samsung released its Series 5 Chromebook, lots of you said you'd buy it -- if Sammy slashed the asking price in half. Well, we're not there yet, but the company did just unveil another WiFi-only version, this time with a more palatable MSRP of $349 and a slightly tweaked version of Chrome OS to match. (It has a black lid, too, in case that snow white number was too precious for you.) To recap, it has a bright, matte 12.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, a dual-core Intel Atom CPU, two USB 2.0 ports and a memory card slot. And design-wise, at least, it's a step up from most netbooks, with a comfortable keyboard and surprisingly solid 0.8-inch-thick chassis. In any case, if you were planning on picking one up for the Chrome OS lover in your life (or, you know, the low-tech person who only ever uses a web browser anyway), it's on sale now at the likes of Best Buy, Amazon, NewEgg and Tigerdirect. Update: Not to be outdone, Acer just sent out a press release announcing it's cut the price of its AC700 Chromebook. It'll now cost $299 for the WiFi-only version (down from $349) and $399 for the Verizon Wireless 3G model (it had been $449).
Chromebooks now available to enterprise and education customers with a pay-once option
Google made a big splash when it revealed plans to offer Chromebooks to enterprise and education customers under a subscription model. What's not clear is how much of a splash it actually made in those markets. While the notion of paying a monthly fee for three years, instead of buying a machine up front sounds like a game changer, some people just like the comfort of the familiar. To that end Google is now offering those same customers the option to purchase a Chromebook (with a year of support included) in one lump sum -- $449 for the WiFi model or $519 for the 3G to educational customers, while business are looking at $559 and $639 respectively. After that first year is through, customers have the option to sign up for a monthly support contract, at $5 a month for education and $13 a month for enterprise.
