Tag: Chrome OS

Based on a new commit in the Chromium source code for Chrome OS, it looks like a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845-powered device may be in on its way.  The commit refers to a new board that is powered by the 845, which was reveled earlier this month.  During that event, Microsoft committed to having an always connected Windows laptop based on the Snapdragon 845 and it would seem that previous challenges between Qualcomm and Google have been overcome.

The new commit clearly calls out the “qc845” processor on the “cheza” board with references to it made in the chipset-qc845/profiles/base/make.defaults section of the notes.  It calls out the ARM processor 64-bit kernel configuration and architecture. 

#CHROMEOS_KERNEL_SPLITCONFIG=”chromiumos-qualcomm64″
CHROMEOS_KERNEL_CONFIG=”arch/arm64/configs/defconfig”
CHROMEOS_KERNEL_ARCH=”arm64″

Further, the notes call out the “qc845” as the processor to be used.

Like any laptop, there are times when you will want or perhaps need to reset your Chromebook.  In Chrome OS terms, that is called a Powerwash and as the name implies, it completely wipes any apps, accounts and data on the device and restores it to the factory default.

The easiest way to perform a Powerwash on a Chromebook is to go into the Settings and execute it from there.  However, if your Chromebook is corrupted and you can’t open Settings, what do you do?  Simple:  perform the wash by using keyboard commands.

Long time Chrome OS users will know this trick but for those of you who are new to the platform, this may not be known.  That’s where this How To comes into play.  I’ll outline the keystrokes you need to use in order to reset your Chromebook.

It should be noted that in this How To, I’m assuming you are not using a Chromebook tied to a corporate or education account.  In those cases, your Admin must reset the devices.

Amazon has a great last minute promotion for those of you who are looking to pick up a Chromebook as a gift or for yourself.  Now through Christmas Eve, December 24th, if you purchase an eligible Chromebook from Amazon, you will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

The list of devices that are eligible is pretty solid with most focused on the mid-to-high end market of these devices.  You can check out the full list over at Amazon, which includes:

• Acer Chromebook 14
• Acer Convertible R 13 Chromebook
• ASUS Chromebook Flip C302
• Dell Chromebook 11
• Google Pixelbook
• HP G1 Chromebook
• Samsung Chromebook Plus
• Samsung Chromebook Pro
• Toshiba 13.3 Chromebook

All of these device are capable of running Android apps which makes them an even better platform for all around use.

After the release of Chrome 63 for Android and desktop browsers, Chrome OS is now getting the treatment.  Chrome OS build 63.0.3239.86 (Platform version: 10032.71.1) was released last yesterday (December 15, 2017) and will be coming to the majority of Chromebooks over the course of the next few days.  Google did not release a specific list of devices that were not getting the update.

Oddly, Google did not release any details on what is improved or new in this update.  The only statement in the announcement is that it contains “a number of bug fixes and security updates”.  That could well mean that the focus is simply on overall stability but it is likely that, like the desktop browser, the Flags page is now in Material Design.

I have not received the update this morning but will verify any changes in an update to this post as I find them.

As part of Black Friday sales today, Amazon has lowered the price on the Asus Chromebook C302 today.  Both the Intel m3 and m5 models are down by $50.  The m3 powered model is down to $449 today while the m5 unit is down to $619.  Aside from the processor, you are looking at the exact same specs for both variants.

The Asus Chromebook C302 has a 12.5″ display that has a resolution of 1920 x 1080.  It has an Intel Core M processor clocked at 2.2 GHz so it has a lot of horsepower under the hood.  Couple this with 4GB of DDR3 RAM and 64GB of storage, you have a Chromebook that can handle being your every day computer needs.

As part of Black Friday sales, Amazon has discounted both the Samsung Chromebook Pro and the Chromebook Plus by $100 today.  These are new-for-2017 models that really set the tone for Chromebooks this year.

The Chromebook Plus is down to $349 today while the Chromebook Pro is down to $449.

The Chromebook Plus has a 12.3″ display rendering at 2400 x 1600.  It is also a touchscreen which makes using the included stylus or your finger for apps easier.  It has 4GB of RAM, 32GB of Storage and you can expand that storage thanks to the MicroSD slot.  It has dual-microphones, a 720p Webcam and, of course, Wi-Fi.  It only ways 2.4 lbs so it is designed for portability and with it being able to be be used as a laptop or a slate, you have a lot of flexibility in where and how you use this Chromebook.

The Samsung Chromebook Plus is powered by the OP1 ARM processor which is both battery efficient and powerful enough to get your daily work done.  The 39Wh battery is rated to give users up to 8 hours of life per charge and charging is done via a USB-C connector.  As you would expect, Android app support is also there for the Chromebook Plus.