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Samsung's leaked Chromebook Plus is built for Android apps
Samsung is getting ready to release a convertible, stylus-equipped Chromebook, judging by an apparently accidental Best Buy listing. It bears a striking similarity to another leaked model, the 12.5-inch, 1080p ASUS Chromebook that appeared last month on Newegg. Samsung's device is reportedly called the Chromebook Plus, but there are no specs accompanying the images. However, we can see that it's a thin, all-metal laptop, probably in the 12- to 13-inch range, equipped with USB-C and an SD card reader.
Acer built a more durable Chromebook for clumsy students
Apparently, the rugged Chromebook Acer built for schools back in 2015 wasn't durable enough. Today at CES the company announced a new, more durable notebook. Now schools can equip students with a Chromebook 11 N7 C731 that can bear up to 132 pounds of force, resist case and hinge damage while bouncing around in student backpacks, and survive falls from as high as 48 inches -- more than twice the drop height of the old model.
ASUS' future Chromebook is a premium alternative to the Flip
ASUS' Chrome OS efforts are currently headlined by the cheap-and-cheerful Chromebook Flip, which mainly stands out for combination of a 2-in-1 design with a bargain basement price. However, the PC maker is about to shake things up in a big way. In the culmination of a series of leaks, Newegg has listed a $499 C302CA laptop that appears to be an upscale sibling to (but not replacement for) the Flip. It touts a larger 12.5-inch, 1080p screen, and it's running Intel's Core m3 processor instead of the budget Rockchip part you saw in the Flip last year. Combine that with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage and it's clear that this is a premium Google-powered system -- not at the level of the Chromebook Pixel or HP Chromebook 13, but much nicer than the Celeron-based portables that dominate the Chrome OS world.
Why didn't Google make Chromebooks a priority this holiday season?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, and the holiday-shopping season is in full swing. As such, Google, Microsoft and Apple have all revealed their latest and greatest to get shoppers opening their wallets. Microsoft has the Surface Studio and refreshed Surface Book, not to mention the Xbox holiday lineup, while Apple goes into holiday battle with the new MacBook Pro and the iPhone 7. Google is trying something different this year. The company has a full ecosystem of products made in-house for the first time: the Pixel smartphone, Google Home assistant and Daydream VR headset. All three are important to Google's strategy, but it feels to me like something's missing: the humble Chromebook. Google's more traditional computing platform has gone neglected this fall, and it's especially surprising in light of a few big developments this year.
Google snaps up the creators of a game-focused Android emulator
You can already run Android apps on a Chromebook, but would you run games and other intensive mobile apps on it? Probably not. However, Google might be taking steps to make that practical. The creators of LeapDroid, an Android emulator that specializes in games, have revealed that they're joining Google just months after releasing it to the public. The team isn't discussing "specific plans," but they're halting both development and support for LeapDroid. You can continue running the latest version, but you won't get anything more than that.
Acer's new Chromebook 15 is cheap but compromised
Chromebooks have long had a reputation for being cheap, compromised machines, but things have changed in the last few years. You can now spend hundreds of dollars to get a Chromebook with better design and specs, but there are still plenty of bargain basement options as well. Acer's new Chromebook 15 falls in the latter category, without a doubt.
Samsung's leaked Chromebook is a pen-toting premium hybrid
Samsung's Chromebook strategy has so far focused on the budget-conscious crowd, but it's about to change in a big, big way. Chrome Unboxed tipsters have uncovered store listings (and briefly, a landing page) for a Chromebook Pro that would cater to people wanting a high-end Chrome OS experience. The 12.3-inch system would not only have a Chromebook Flip-style 360-degree touchscreen, but a pen -- you could turn this Google-powered laptop into an impromptu drawing tablet. The page hints at a pre-installed ArtCanvas app for creative types, and the pen would no doubt come in handy for promised Android app support.
We're live from the #MadeByGoogle launch event!
Not-so-cryptic teasers, seemingly ironclad leaks and a truly surprising advertising push have all led to this. Buckle up, folks: today might be a turning point for Google as an honest-to-goodness hardware company, and we're bringing you all the news live from the company launch event in San Francisco.
Pixel 2 joins the few Chromebooks that can run Android apps
Prior to a few days ago, anyone wanting to run Android apps on their Chromebook had to be an early adopter. Google finally released a stable build of Chrome OS that included a Play store in beta that would allow users to run mobile apps...but only on the Acer Chromebook R11 and ASUS Chromebook Flip. Since the only one other machine supporting Android apps in beta Chrome OS releases was the Chromebook Pixel 2, we predicted it would be next in line — and we were right.
Google's Android/Chrome laptop may be a year away
We've long heard rumors that Google may be merging its Chrome and Android operating systems into a laptop platform, and we're now getting more substantive reports that point to a Q3 2017 time frame for the hybrid OS. According to Android Police's sources, the purported Andromeda software is set to debut on a notebook codenamed Bison that is more commonly expected to be called the Pixel 3.
Chromebooks now have an easy time running Android apps
You no longer have to be an early adopter to run Android apps on a Chromebook. Google has released a stable version of Chrome OS that includes Google Play Store access in beta, giving you the opportunity to run mobile apps on top of your usual web access. You'll have to own an Acer Chromebook R11 or an ASUS Chromebook Flip to give this update a shot, but it beats having to run a Chrome OS beta just to see what all the fuss is about.
Google for Work will supposedly be renamed to Google Cloud
If you're used to seeing Google for Work branding on your employer's web apps like Docs and Inbox, changes are coming. For now, it sounds superficial, according to a report from The Information. The publication's sources say that the search juggernaut is changing the name to Google Cloud, and that the change will also cover Chromebooks and Android devices in addition to web services. "The name change is Google's way of saying, 'We have the best cloud platform, period,'" according to an anonymous source. The publication goes on to say that this should all be made official at a Google Cloud event later this month on the 29th.
Acer's latest convertible Chromebook is bigger and beefier
In May, Google announced that it would be bringing Android apps to Chrome OS, finally marrying the two operating systems in a way that makes Chromebooks that much more useful (A million-plus more apps!) All of a sudden, convertible Chromebooks sound way more appealing. Acer must've thought so too, because it unveiled the Chromebook R13 just a few days ago at IFA. Just like its R11 predecessor, the R13 has a 360-degree hinge that lets it seamlessly transition from Chromebook to Android-esque tablet in no time flat.
IFA 2016 day one: Battle-worn BB-8 and Acer's new Chromebook
Even though we've been in Berlin for a few days, Friday was actually the first official day of IFA 2016. And, as expected, there's a lot to see on the show floor. Yesterday, we checked out Sphero's "Battle-worn" BB-8 and its companion Force Band, a wearable that lets you control the droid with hand gestures. We also took a look at Acer's new Chromebook R13, a sleek $400 laptop, as well as Withings' first smartwatch with a heart rate monitor. Much more to come from the event, but for now enjoy our recap of day one. We're live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Adieu, Chromebook Pixel 2
The best Chromebook that money can buy is slowly disappearing. As VentureBeat notes, the second-generation Chromebook Pixel is now unavailable in the US, with a mere "out of stock" message displayed in the Google Store. Google has said it's "committed" to the Pixel line, but admits: "We don't have plans to restock the Pixel 2." The situation might be different outside the US -- here in the UK, the laptop is still in stock -- so act fast if you still want to buy one. Otherwise, it's time to say goodbye.
The Engadget Podcast returns!
In 2014 we said the Engadget Podcast was going on hiatus to "retool." Well, we haven't been sitting on our laurels. Over the last two years we've rethought our editorial mission, completely redesigned the website and, now, we're launching a new and improved podcast.
HP Chromebook 13 review: a great laptop that doesn't come cheap
Just over a year ago, you basically had two options for buying a Chromebook: Spend $999 on Google's excellent but overpriced Pixel or buy an inexpensive laptop that was inevitably compromised in one way or another. That's starting to change, however. Dell's Chromebook 13, which launched last fall, proved you could pack a sharp screen and keyboard into a device with strong performance and battery life. It was a bit pricier than the competition, but a little extra cash was well worth the upgrades. Now HP is taking the idea of a "premium" Chromebook to the next level with the new Chromebook 13. It starts at $499 and can be configured up to a whopping $1,029. That cash gets you a much thinner and lighter design than Dell's Chromebook, along with one of the best screens on the market. After spending some time with HP's latest Chromebook, there's no doubt it's an excellent machine. The question is whether it (or any Chromebook, for that matter) is worth HP's asking price.
Android apps will unlock the full potential of Chromebooks
For me, the most exciting announcement at Google I/O in May wasn't even mentioned in the opening-day keynote. During the second day of the conference, Google dropped some rather big news: The Play Store and Android apps will come to Chromebooks later this year. As someone who's been a big Chrome OS believer for years now, I was quite pleased at the notion of having more apps and better offline capabilities. It's just what the platform needs to fully move past its "glorified browser" reputation. While the Play Store won't officially come to Chromebooks until the fall, there is a way to give it a shot today. If you install the Chrome developer channel on the ASUS Chromebook Flip, you can try Android apps out now. I've spent the past few weeks seeing how much running Android on a Chromebook changes the experience of using the platform -- for good and for bad.
HP's new touchscreen Chromebook is ready for Android apps
It's no secret that HP loves making Chromebooks, and today the company is expanding its lineup with the future of Chrome OS in mind. Enter the HP Chromebook 11 G5, an 11.6-inch laptop which features a touchscreen, meaning it'll support Android apps when Google rolls that service out later in 2016. Additionally, the new lightweight (2.51 lbs) Chromebook comes with an Intel Celeron N3060 processor and, according to HP, up to 12.5 hours of battery life. But the best part, perhaps, is that the 11 G5 will only cost $189 when it hits stores in October.
Android apps are now available on Chrome OS
The ASUS Chromebook Flip is the first Chrome OS device to get Android Apps after Google announced the feature at its I/O conference in May. If you own that device and are willing to download an early alpha version of Chrome OS 53, the Google Play store icon will appear on the desktop. According to Google's François Beaufort, the build should also bring Android apps to the 2015 Chromebook Pixel and Acer Chromebook R11. However, some Reddit user say that the Play Store isn't yet working on those devices.
