Chromebooks are, by definition, laptops that run Google’s Chrome OS operating system. But that doesn’t mean you’re limited to running web apps on a Chromebook. In recent years Google has added support for running Android apps and Linux apps. And soon you may be able to run Windows software as well. Heck, you’ll be able […]
Tag: chrome os
Chrome OS 84 brings new features for tablets, Linux users (and everyone else)
Google is rolling out a new version of its operating system for Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. Among other things, Chrome OS 84 brings new features for arranging windows, a new way to snap photos using your device’s camera, and support for saving video recordings as MP4 files so they’re easier to share with other apps or […]
Check Google’s Auto Update policy before buying older Chromebooks
It’s been nine years since the first Chromebook went on sale. And it’s been four years since Google released any software updates for that device. When Chrome OS was brand new, Google promised to deliver operating systems for at least 4 years from the release date of each Chromebook. Eventually the company extended that to […]
Lilbits 7-9-2020: Wink will require subscriptions later this month
Up until recently one of the key selling points for using Wink’s smart home products was that you didn’t also need to sign up for a subscription service to use them. But a Wink hub, motion sensor, or other products and you could just use them. Then Wink announced in May that it was going […]
Use Samsung DeX with a Chromebook or Linux PC (unofficially)
Samsung’s DeX software lets you use supported phones like desktop computers when you connect an external display and optionally a keyboard and mouse. Last year the company made things even easier by nixing the need for standalone accessories — you can just plug a Samsung phone into your laptop or desktop computer with a USB […]
Google could bring Steam gaming to Chromebooks (via Linux)
There’s mounting evidence that Google is preparing to make Chromebooks a viable platform for gamers. Earlier this year a member of the Chrome OS team told Android Police that the company was working on bringing the Steam game client to Chromebooks. Now 9to5Google has found code that hints at how Google will do that. Chrome […]
Open source digital painting app Krita comes to Android and ChromeOS (Beta)
Krita is a free and open source application designed for digital painting, 2D animation, and image editing. Originally designed for Linux, Krita has also been available for Windows since 2014. And now the developers have released the first public beta of Krita for Android and Chrome OS. The app is available from the Google Play […]
Lilbits 386: Cheating at benchmarks
Benchmark utilities are designed to let you run the same exact test on multiple phones, PCs, or other devices so you can get an apples-to-apples comparison and see how they stack up against one another in terms of CPU, graphics, memory, and storage performance, among other things. At least that’s the idea. In practice, some […]
Google pauses Chrome and Chrome OS release schedule
Google is putting its usual Chrome release schedule on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Typically the company releases new builds of Chrome OS and the Chrome web browser every six weeks. But the company says it’s “pausing upcoming Chrome and Chrome OS releases for a while “due to adjusted work schedules at […]
Chrome OS 82 will bring major Linux terminal improvements
Google has been allowing Chrome OS users to run Linux apps for a few years. But the optional “Crostini” feature which makes this possible sort of feels tacked onto Chrome OS as an afterthought (which… to be fair, it was). That could change when Chrome OS 82 is released on May 5th. It’s expected to […]