Google has released a few updates for Chrome OS that, among other things, adds support for scanners and brings support for uploading music to Google Play Music to Chromebooks with ARM-based processors.
Last week Google updated the Stable channel of Chrome OS to 40, bringing a new default wallpaper design, support for custom wallpaper synchronization, and more.
This week the Beta channel of Chrome OS got bumped up to 41.
One of the more notable new features in the Beta channel is support for Lorgnette, a service that lets you connect a SANE-compatible scanner to a Chromebook or Chromebox in order to scan documents using a Chrome app.
Another recent change to Chrome OS allows folks using a Chromebook with an ARM-based processor such as the HP Chromebook 11, Acer Chromebook 13, or Samsung Series 3 Chromebook to upload music to Google Play Music from their laptops.
All told, Chrome OS continues to become a bit more of a robust, general-purpose operating system with each new release. While it’s still an operating system built around a web browser, it’s been a long time since Chrome OS was just a web browser.
via François Beaufort, Craig Tumblison, and OMG Chrome
Can anyone recommend SANE scanners. The SANE site appears abandoned, last update to scanner list was 2013. Googling for SANE scanner does nothing to identify a chromebook compatible device. Ebay has some scanners and claims SANE3, but I am not sure I trust sellers there.
Can ALL ChromeOS laptops upgrade easily, or is it like android mobile phones where upgrades are 100% impossible after a few months for most models, unless you have a Nexus or is a “hacker” flashing ROMs via forums…
Google typically continues rolling out automatic software updates for about 5 years from the launch date of a particular Chromebook.
https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/eol.html