02/08, 5:05pm
Chrome 17 comes with hint of Chrome OS updates
Google wrapped up and posted the finished version of Chrome 17 for the desktop on Wednesday. The new browser update takes site prerendering beyond just search results to include autocompletion. If the autocompletion in the address bar is headed towards a likely web address, the browser will start loading content in the background to speed up the perceived load time. It can give the impression that favorite sites load almost immediately, Google suggested.
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02/05, 11:00am
Google takes Apple director Simon Prakash
Signs that Apple and Google are honoring laws barring no-poaching deals may have surfaced this weekend after new tips that Google had hired away one of Apple's veterans. VentureBeat understood that Simon Prakash, Apple's senior director for product integrity, had been hired away to work on a "secret project." He would reportedly start on Monday.
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01/25, 4:40pm
Three districts to get Chromebooks for pupils
At the Florida Educational Technology Conference on Wednesday, Google Chromebook for business and education head Rajen Sheth announced three school districts have signed on to receive 27,000 of the browser-powered notebooks. The devices will be used by students in Iowa, Illinois and South Carolina. In addition, hundreds of schools in 41 states have at least one classroom with a Chromebook, Sheth added.
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01/13, 11:20pm
We try Samsung Chrome OS, 5 Ultra, 9 series at CES
Samsung had one of its most sweeping notebook updates yet at CES this week and introduced multiple major updates to its notebook line. We had the opportunity to try them all at CES and came away with mixed reactions. Read on for early impressions, including whether or not the Series 9 will give Apple heat in the ultrabook category.
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12/14, 1:40pm
Google Chromebooks to be lent out by library
A library in Palo Alto, California, will soon launch a pilot program that will allow members to borrow a Google Chromebook for as long as one week at a time, Wired said Wednesday. The undertaking is largely made possible due to the nature of Chromebooks as multiple users can easily customize the computer simply by signing into their Google account, as most data and applications are saved in the cloud rather than locally. As such, privacy concerns aren't applicable.
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12/13, 3:10pm
Chrome 16 ready with multiple accounts
Google kept up its development track by posting the finished, stable version of Chrome 16. The release centers on the multiple account support from the beta and lets more than one user share the same browser. Bookmarks, extensions, web apps, and more will carry over from device to device.
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11/28, 3:25pm
Google IO delay hints at big Android plans
Google said this morning that it was delaying its high-profile I/O conference by two months in return for more time. Originally slated to start April 24 and last for two days, it's now due to start on June 27 and will have a third extra day. An "unexpected opportunity" let it move to the later but longer schedule, Google said.
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11/24, 7:35pm
Chrome to add plugin-free peripherals and WebRTC
A presentation from Google developer evangelist Paul Kinlan at the Develop Liverpool conference has revealed that the Chrome browser, and by extension Chrome OS, should get plugin-free support that will be much more conducive to gaming. The browser should get support for common USB peripherals and allow for console-style gaming with a gamepad, Edge heard. Likewise, it would open the door to more seamless video chat, augmented reality, and body tracking.
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11/23, 2:10pm
HTC to make devices with Chrome OS and Android?
Parts suppliers indicated to Digitimes that HTC is contemplating making portable devices that use Chrome OS. The gadgets might sit between tablets and netbooks. Chrome OS boots quicker and can run on both ARM and x86 devices, but Chromebooks from Acer and Samsung haven't been selling well and are priced higher than Windows systems.
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11/21, 12:50pm
Google gets aggressive on Chromebook sales
Google on Monday took a pair of steps to revitalize Chrome OS. A new black Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is launching in the US The Wi-Fi only model is identical to the earlier version but drops down from $430 to $350, making it Samsung's first Chrome OS system under the $400 mark.
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11/10, 8:05am
Chromebooks may have had poor turnout in summe
Google's Chromebooks may have been non-starters on their arrival in June, PC field reports alleged on Thursday. Between arrival and the end of July, Acer's Cromia 700 shipped just 5,000 units, Digitimes' tipsters claimed. Samsung's higher-priced Series 5 would have sold less than that.
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11/08, 5:20am
Mozilla well into development of Boot 2 Gecko
More details have emerged about Mozilla’s mobile OS. The Boot 2 Gecko, or B2G, project is now undergoing testing by Mozilla developers. The OS has been compared to Google’s Chrome OS, as it has a web emphasis and relies on HTML5-based applications. Although Android is at its core the aim is to use “as little Android as possible,” but take the Chrome OS-like experience to mobile phones. Some screen mock-ups are embedded below, as a guide as to how the OS may look and function.
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10/23, 11:20am
Compal now gives Microsoft 50pc of ODMs licensed
Microsoft picked an unusual Sunday timeframe to reveal that it had struck a patent licensing deal with Compal. The deal will make Compal pay a royalty for every Android and Chrome OS device it makes under contract for others. As with every other deal from Microsoft, the exact terms weren't made public.
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10/13, 2:35pm
Microsoft and Quanta make patent deal
Microsoft continued its patent campaign against Android on Thursday by striking a licensing deal with contract device builder Quanta. The Taiwan firm will pay Microsoft keep making computers, smartphones, and tablets for other companies. A boilerplate statement from Microsoft didn't give terms other than to confirm the expected word that Quanta would pay royalties.
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10/10, 7:45pm
Initial release snubs IE compatibility
Google is previewing Dart, a new programming language for building web apps. The language has been designed to be flexible, meeting the needs of a one-person project, without much structure, and scaling up to a large-scale project needing formal types in the code. Initially the code will support at least Chrome, Safari 5, and Firefox 4 browsers, but not Internet Explorer.
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09/30, 7:35pm
Google dips into retail with mini store
Google drew more comparisons to Apple again on Friday after it opened its first retail presence in the UK. The store-within-a-store, located in the PC World in London's electronics-friendly Tottenham Court Road, exists primarily to sell Chromebooks. The search firm's UK consumer marketing head Arvind Desikan told the London Evening Standard that it was an acknowledgment retail sales were key to selling notebooks, especially for those using a new platform like Chrome OS.
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09/08, 9:50am
Microsoft gets Acer, ViewSonic to pay for Android
Microsoft continued its campaign of profiting from Android's success on Thursday with new patent licensing deals through Acer and ViewSonic. The deals will see each pay royalties for their Android devices, such as the Iconia Smart and ViewPads. In spite of Acer being one of the first Chromebook makers, only ViewSonic of the two will also pay royalties for any Chrome OS devices it makes.
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09/06, 4:30pm
Google may try for very special Hulu bid
Google's bid for Hulu may involve a much more elaborate prospect than anyone else, insiders gave out Tuesday. Amazon, Dish, and Yahoo are all offering conventional bids of up to $2 billion, but Google is now thought to have said "there's enough money" for a much more involved deal. Tips to AllThingsD didn't identify what the intentions were, but the amount was enough that Hulu would have normally thrown it out were it not for the cash involved.
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08/23, 5:05pm
Korea OS to reduce dependency on iPhone, Android
South Korea's Ministry of Knowledge Economy deputy minister Kim Jae-hong stated late Monday that the country was looking to develop its own mobile and desktop operating systems to reduce dependency on outsiders like Apple and Google. A plan due to start before the end of 2011 would see Korean companies, presumably LG, Samsung, Pantech, and others, make their own open-source platforms both for mobile and a Chrome OS-like desktop. It would also hope to establish a "habitat," Kim told Yonhap and other media outlets, where locals were encouraged to pick their own OS over others.
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08/11, 6:25pm
Microsoft at SEC says Linux now a non-factor
Microsoft in the SEC filing for its annual report has removed Linux as a competitor on the desktop. While discussing what it has to compete with in operating systems, the Windows developer has scratched out Linux altogether and has relegated it to a factor only in niches like embedded and servers. Only Apple and Google are left in the category, Wes Miller noted in finding the difference.
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08/10, 4:35pm
Service now available for Chromebook owners
Netflix has tweeted that its @Netflix app is now available for Chromebook owners. The app is available from the Chrome Web Store. Netflix is a offering a one month's free trial to new customers.
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08/10, 8:40am
Kindle Cloud Reader carries offline support
Amazon has quietly provided an end-run around Apple's App Store rules. Kindle Cloud Reader brings a touch-friendly reading app that provides all the settings, highlights, bookmarks and other features of native apps in a device-independent form. The page takes advantage of HTML5 to work entirely offline and thus can keep going even during a flight or another moment where no Internet connection exists.
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08/09, 10:00am
Gartner forecasts Windows 7 and Mac share
Windows 7 will have made it to 42 percent of PCs in the last year before it's replaced, Gartner said in a new estimate. It expects the Microsoft OS to get 42 percent in 2011, just a few months before Windows 8 is ready. The lift would come mostly from businesses with more cash to spend on upgrades, not home users.
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08/08, 11:10am
Chrome OS for tablets shown off early
Google's progress towards Chrome OS on tablets may have become more definite with a posting of a video (below) showing the early interface. Along with the necessary on-screen keyboard, the interface would optimize much of the interface specifically for touch. Suggested results would appear as touch-friendly buttons, and elements like menus would be oversized to make them easy to use.
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08/06, 8:50pm
Chrome OS exploits uncovered at Black Hat
Chrome OS is vulnerable both to extensions and, to some extent, to Google's own approach to security, WhiteHat Security experts led by Matt Johansen revealed in a presentation at the Black Hat conference this week. Because extensions have to reach outside sites and the OS depends on this code for extra features, it's possible to compromise the OS itself by installing a malicious extension. While not an issue by itself, CNET noted that extensions have shown up in Google's own Chrome Web Store explicitly meant to steal information, and others get deep access that could be misappropriated.
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07/25, 10:00pm
OS relies on HTML5-based applications
Mozilla has confirmed plans to build a ChromeOS-inspired operating system geared for mobile devices. The project, which is currently referred to as Boot to Gecko (B2G), will be built upon Google's Android OS at its core, though Mozilla's VP of Technical Strategy, Mike Shaver, suggests the company will try to use "as little of Android as possible."
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07/20, 4:45pm
OLPC XO-3 due early next year for under $100
One Laptop Per Child's delayed XO-3 tablet for children in developing countries will get rubber covers that will not only protect the device but may also have solar chargers, satellite Internet or external keyboard connections. OLPC founder and chairman Nicholas Negroponte during an interview with PCWorld revealed that he hoped to draw more interest through the features, which are targeted at countries where power and reliable Internet access are harder to find. The device, originally announced in late 2009 and due to arrive on the market early in 2012, will be priced at under $100.
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07/20, 3:20pm
Chromium OS works on Apple's MacBook Air
A new hack has managed to load Chromium OS on to the previous-generation MacBook Air. The trick involves 'burning' an image of the OS to a USB flash drive and running Terminal prompts to move the OS and give it permission to run as a boot drive on the Apple notebook. Because it needs to run on the Mac's solid-state drive for the firmware to recognize the boot process, it has to wipe out the Mac OS X install; the creator, Hexxeh, urges every user to backup any data.
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07/20, 8:20am
Intel spurs on faster Core iX Chromebooks
Google Chromebooks will soon get a big speed upgrade in return for a slight discount, insiders claimed Wednesday. The Chrome OS hardware will reportedly go to Core i3 and beyond processors and, to make the price balance work, will get a 10 to 20 percent discount from Intel on the chips. Existing partners Acer and Samsung were reported by Digitimes as onboard and might be joined by ASUS and others as soon as early 2012.
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07/15, 3:25pm
Two Chromebooks are in Amazon Top 10 list
Notebooks preloaded with Google's Chrome OS are still doing quite well on Amazon's top 10 notebook sales list, when compared to Apple's MacBook Pros and Windows 7-powered notebooks. On Thursday evening, Acer's $349 11.6-inch AC700 Chromebook with Wi-Fi sat at number four on the e-retailer's notebook bestseller list, with Samsung's $499, 12.1-inch Series 5 3G Chromebook rounding out the top ten. Topping the list is Toshiba's Portege R835-P56x powered by Windows 7.
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07/05, 11:55am
MS makes Wistron sign deal for Android, Chrome OS
Microsoft continued a campaign to try and stifle competition from Google on Tuesday by pressing Wistron into signing a patent licensing deal. The agreement will see Wistron pay Microsoft royalties for not just the Android e-readers, phones, and tablets it makes for other companies but also Chrome OS devices. A deal for Chromebooks and similar hardware appears to be new and suggests Microsoft believes it's inherently owed money on the web-first OS as well.
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06/30, 10:55am
Virgin America to give demo Chromebooks, Wi-Fi
Google teamed up with Virgin America in an unusual promo Thursday to spur on early adoption of Chromebooks. Special areas known as Chrome Zones at the departure gates of flights in either direction between San Francisco International and Boston's Logan International, Chicago O'Hare International, and Dallas-Fort Worth International will both serve as pitches for the Chrome OS systems as well as give an opportunity to check out a free Chromebook for their flight. The promo not only gives use of the portable but free Wi-Fi from that system for the whole flight.
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06/27, 6:55pm
Acer Cromia 700 gets shipping window
Acer's Cromia Chromebook has had its US launch details narrowed down Monday night. The 11.6-inch Chrome OS notebook, now badged as the Cromia 700 or AC700, should be available "this month" in Wi-Fi trim for $350, making it the most affordable Chromebook in the US. The 3G version now has a less definite release date and will only ship sometime in the summer for $450.
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06/22, 5:20pm
Runs Google Chrome OS, targets online fanatics
Samsung has officially launched the Series 5 Chromebook in Europe. It targets those users who spend a significant amount of time online. It will be available Friday at prices ranging from €399 (£349 or $575) to €449 (£399 or $650).
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06/15, 2:10pm
Google Chrome OS hits stores
Google marked its official step into desktop operating systems Wednesday by shipping the first Chromebooks. Both the Acer Cromia and Samsung Series 5 are on sale today both through Amazon (above) and Best Buy's online shop. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK can get it as well but will have to turn to local retailers.
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06/12, 11:05am
Mac OS X Lion Restart to Safari goes right to web
Apple has made a mild nod in Google's direction with a just unearthed feature of the WWDC preview version of Mac OS X Lion. Much like Chrome OS, a Restart to Safari option will load directly to the browser instead of having to login. The step seen by MacRumors would not only speed access for those who just need to check the web but sandbox the system by preventing access to other apps or personal files.
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06/09, 4:05pm
Acer and Samsung Chrome OS notebooks ready to sell
Google's Chrome OS partners made good on promises on Thursday after the two both started pre-orders for their respective Chromebooks. Both the Acer Cromia and the Samsung Series 5 are available to order early from Amazon and Best Buy less than a week ahead of their official June 15 ship dates. Tthe 3G and Wi-Fi versions are ready at the same time.
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06/06, 7:35pm
Project begins as a fullscreen browser
Mozilla Labs has introduced a new browser concept, known as Webian Shell, which aims to serve as a desktop replacement. The project appears to follow in the footsteps of Google's Chrome OS, placing primary importance on a web-based experience rather than traditional desktop environment. The early beta simply serves as a fullscreen browser, however the developers are considering deeper integration.
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06/01, 5:10pm
Gilt gets early Samsung Series 5 Chromebook deal
Gilt claimed an unusual technology edge Wednesday by starting sales for Chromebooks. As of noon, the luxury offer house has been giving early adopters access to the Samsung Series 5. Most details are unknown, including whether or not it's the 3G or Wi-Fi version, but it will ship with a limited-run Rickshaw sleeve case.
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05/23, 11:15pm
Toshiba said scrapping Chrome OS, Windows tablets
Toshiba has reportedly scrapped plans to support Chromebooks and Windows 7 tablets based on PC business leaks. The company's roadmap has supposedly eliminated the two altogether and has left just the Android 3.0-based Thrive tablet on its immediate schedule. The Windows model had been shown at CES in January, but Digitimes heard that the hardware might be delayed, presumably for another platform, or else scrapped altogether.
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05/23, 9:50pm
Fixes serious chat flaw, adds file manager menu
Chrome OS beta R12, intended for use on the first Chromebooks expected to be shipping next month, has been updated to version 12.0.433.48, adding several stability and functionality improvements over the previous release, which came out May 16th. The latest update, which is available now for CR-48 notebook owners, includes the latest Chrome beta (12.0.0742.60) as well as a fix for a bug that prevented the Chat window from opening, along with an updated Flash (v10.2.158.22) and other fixes.
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05/23, 3:40pm
Xi3 to ship modular ChromiumPC on July 4
Xi3 has adapted its modular PC to run on Chrome OS, becoming the first desktop system to do so. Called ChromiumPC, it sports a processor module and two I/O boards that are quickly and easily swapped. The dual-core computer uses just 20W of power and was in development since 2009, its maker said.
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05/16, 10:25pm
Final release expected in June
Google has finally begun formal beta testing for Chrome OS 12, the same version that will soon arrive as a final release. The update, which was shown as a developer release at the company's I/O event, includes all of the features available in the Chrome 12 browser, along with a list of enhancements specific to the OS functionality.
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05/12, 11:45pm
Acer, ASUS, Lenovo prep Android 3.1-based PCs
A number of top-tier companies are already lining up devices based on Android 3.1 and in some cases using Intel chips, industry tips maintained Thursday night. Devices are reportedly coming from Acer, ASUS, and Lenovo. The first two already have one or more Android 3.0 tablets on shelves, hinting that Digitimes' sources are referring to models shipping soon that would already have the new OS out of the box.
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05/11, 11:10pm
Questioning Google Chrome OS in a tablet world
The long-in-waiting arrival of Chromebooks, Chrome OS notebooks, put Google's cards on the table. It's counting on users willing to pay a slight premium for what it sees as the best version of the web: fast, no clutter, and apps that are always up to date. But while many have wondered whether or not it's worth the cost over a netbook, the real question is whether or not the Chromebook hasn't already lost the war to tablets, including Android models, before the battle has even begun.
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05/11, 7:30pm
Employees focusing on Chrome OS
Google co-founder Sergey Brin estimates that as many as 80 percent of the search giant's employees are no longer using Windows computers. The executive's comments, taken from an interview with All Things Digital, suggests the majority of Google staffers are already working with the company's Chrome OS rather than alternative platforms.
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05/11, 3:25pm
Samsung Series 5 and Acer ZGB specs hit
Google together with Amazon has quickly posted full details of the first Chromebooks. The Acer Wi-Fi Chromebook, going by its ZGB codename at Google, will run a 1.66GHz Atom N570 and get six, not 6.5, hours of battery life. The 11.6-inch system's weight will be in line with its class at just under three pounds, and it should carry a 16GB drive, two USB ports, HDMI out and a 1.3-megapixel webcam.
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05/11, 2:10pm
Samsung Chrome OS desktop coming
Google during its I/O day two presentation revealed the very first non-notebook Chrome OS device. A Samsung-made mini desktop was unveiled that resembles a cross between a Mac mini and an iPhone 4. Very few details emerged, but the system was designed primarily for the workplace where users might want to drive larger displays, and it had just an SD card slot on the front.
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05/11, 1:45pm
Acer and Samsung Chrome OS notebooks official
Google during its I/O day two keynote confirmed the launch details of the very first Chrome OS notebooks. Acer and Samsung will both have models on sale June 15 through Amazon and Best Buy and are promising roughly the same level of performance. Since they both boot to a browser from SSDs, they have eight-second boot times, "all-day" batteries, and the option of prepaid 3G data.
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05/11, 12:35pm
Google IO day 2 keynote talks Chrome
Google is holding its Google I/O day two keynote in San Francisco. The event is focused on Chrome and should include both the browser as well as Chrome OS computers. Check our live coverage page for updates as they happen from the event, which started at 12:30PM Eastern.
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