03/19, 5:55am
Google Chromebooks reach six new markets
Google has expanded the reach of notebooks running its cloud-centric Chrome OS. The company has revealed on its blog that it has worked with its partners including Acer, HP and Samsung to rollout their low-cost devices to new consumer markets in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands. Google is also targeting business and schools in the same countries with special online promotional events scheduled for late March.
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02/21, 2:51pm
LTE-enabled version with Verizon Wireless access ships April
Google has unveiled its first premium Chromebook with a touchscreen, confirming previous rumors and reports. The Chromebook Pixel, the name itself leaked through a promotional video for the device on YouTube, has a 12.85-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 2560x1700, with a pixel density that Google claims is the highest of any notebook, at 239ppi.
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02/21, 6:58am
Report claims touch-enabled Chromebook going on sale by year's end
Google could be releasing a touchscreen version of its Chromebook before the end of the year, according to rumors. The report from the Wall Street Journal claims that the search giant is working with an unnamed hardware manufacturer to build the notebooks, which if true would directly compete with existing Chromebook offerings from Samsung and Acer.
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02/10, 7:20pm
Promotional video for touchscreen notebook possibly a hoax
Google may be creating a Chromebook of its own, if a promotional video for the device is confirmed as real. The Chromebook Pixel would in theory have a 2560x1700 resolution display with multitouch, running on Chrome OS, and is claimed by the tagline "Designed by Google. Down to the last pixel."
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02/04, 5:15am
HP Pavilion 14, first HP with the Google Chrome OS
HP has created its first Chromebook, the Pavillion 14. The new web-based notebook joins similar offerings including the Google Chromebook from Samsung and the C7 from Acer. While HP is charging a premium for its device, it is quick to point to the additional 2-inches of diagonal screen real estate offered by its 14-inch display as a selling point.
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01/17, 12:22pm
Similar hardware to Windows-based ThinkPad counterpart
Lenovo has updated its ThinkPad line with a notebook running Chrome OS aimed at students and educational staff. The ThinkPad X131e Chromebook is effectively the same as the Windows-based version, except that the option for an AMD E-series processor is no longer available, instead replaced by an Intel-based counterpart.
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11/30, 5:14pm
TigerDirect, NewEgg, Staples.com get Acer Chromebooks
Acer made a move today to expand the availability of its recently announced Chromebook, bringing the $199 notebook to three new online outlets. Starting today, TigerDirect, NewEgg, and Staples.com will carry Acer's C7 Chromebook, joining Google Play, BestBuy.com, and Best Buy stores. The Chrome OS-powered notebook will still sell for $199, though some outlets are packaging it with other accessories.
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11/26, 5:45am
User photographs on display in Times Sqaure, NYC
Google is offering users the opportunity to put an image of their face or another photograph onto a sign above Times Square, New York City. The offer is using the tagline "For...", currently used in the company's current advertising campaign for the Chromebook notebook computers, ahead of the holiday shopping season.
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11/12, 1:50pm
Acer C7 comes with 100GB free Google Drive storage
Just a day after images of it leaked online, Acer has revealed pricing and availability for its new Acer C7 Chromebook. The next-generation Chromebook from Acer will be available starting tomorrow on the Google Play Store, at Best Buy stores, and on BestBuy.com. It will retail for $199.
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11/11, 10:55pm
New Chromebook was slated for October release
The rumored follow up to last year's Acer Chromebook appears to have shown up in images posted to the Internet. The new Chromebook was rumored to be slated for an October release, but the month past without its emergence. Today's image revelation brings little beyond the visual aspect of the device, though it is said to be called the AC710.
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10/19, 6:49am
New Google Chromebook also available with two years free 3G
The second-generation Google Chromebook made by Samsung is also available in a 3G model. The standard 11-inch model available through Google Play is Wi-Fi only and sells for $249. The 3G version is being sold directly by Samsung as well as through Amazonwith the 3G module adding $80 to the asking price at $330.
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10/18, 3:08pm
ARM-based Samsung model to sport dual-core processor
Google announced today the latest version of its so-far-underperforming line of Chrome OS-powered Chromebooks, and in doing so significantly lowered the price for a Chrome device. The search giant unveiled a new 11.6-inch Samsung Chromebook in San Francisco, pricing it at $249. The new device will be available for pre-order today and will be available for purchase in physical retail locations next week.
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09/17, 1:02pm
Acer expected to manufacture 200,000 units
Acer may be preparing to roll out a follow-up to its Cromia Chromebook from last year. Sources tell DigiTimes that the Taiwanese manufacturer will be releasing its second-generation Chromebook in mid-October. Reportedly, the new Chromebook line is partially a response to Microsoft entering the hardware arena with its forthcoming line of Surface tablets.
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06/28, 3:01pm
Chromebooks also reaching Currys stores in UK
Google has revealed that Chromebooks will be headed to retail store shelves in several markets. In the company's day-two I/O keynote, an executive noted that 100 Best Buy locations throughout the US are set to stock Samsung's Series 5 550 Chromebook as of today, while UK shoppers will be able to purchase the device at local retailer Currys.
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06/01, 9:22pm
Ad-supported Chromebooks possible
Google Drive, the cloud-based storage system that functions as a file system for Google's Chrome OS computers, will soon be getting an offline mode, according to Google's Senior Vice President of Chrome & Apps, Sundar Pichai. The addition of an offline mode would address one common complaint about Google's browser-based line of computers, which recently received a refresh. Pichai also hinted that an ad-supported model for Chrome OS devices wasn't outside the realm of possibility.
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05/29, 7:10pm
Chrome-powered computing in desktop and notebook models
Seemingly undeterred by the lackluster sales of its prior efforts, Google has launched once more into the computing sphere, announcing a refresh of its Chrome OS computer line. The Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 is an updated Chrome-powered notebook, while the Samsung Chromebox is a small form-factor desktop machine reminiscent of Apple's Mac mini.
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04/27, 7:50pm
Dev channel Chrome sees Drive integration
The Chrome OS developer channel has been updated to add Google Drive integration, which means that users of Google's fledgling Chromebook line will likely soon see the search giant's cloud storage solution popping up in the next wide-release OS update. The addition of Drive, revealed earlier this week, is expected to address one of the major obstacles to file management on the line of web-only netbooks.
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04/25, 8:10pm
Google's other OS to get improved file system
A Wired interview with Sundar Pichai revealed that an upcoming update to Google's Chrome OS will see tighter integration between the netbook OS and Google's new cloud storage offering, Google Drive. The update is expected to greatly improve the file system functionality of Chrome OS.
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04/13, 10:30am
Samsung Chromebook sports SandyBridge chips
A new Samsung Chromebook prototype that looks to be based on the Series 5 we saw at CES but sporting some new changes was spotted at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing. It runs on the current Sandy Bridge-series of Intel processors, unlike that dual-core Celeron-powered Chromebook from the Las Vegas trade show. It also gets the Linux-based Coreboot BIOS software that allows it to boot up in just five seconds.
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04/10, 8:00am
Chrome OS Aura drops pure web metaphor
Google's latest developer channel release for Chrome OS has revealed pressure to bring it back to more of a traditional desktop. A new window manager, Aura, now gives it a Windows-like taskbar ("shelf") and multiple windows, much like the conventional operating system it was hoping to avoid. A button on the taskbar now invokes a full-screen app launcher much like Apple's Launchpad in OS X Lion.
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03/29, 12:10pm
NVIDIA CEO hints at Nexus tablet plans
NVIDIA's CEO Jen-Hsun Huang in an interview mid-week has predicted that Android tablets will hit $199 by the summer. Speaking to the New York Times, he predicted that the presumably Tegra-based hardware would shave about $150 in costs. Some of this would come from reducing flash storage, although he also implied that quality might take a drop through reductions in "build materials."
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03/23, 4:45pm
Manual references Chrome OS
Sony appears to be preparing to bring a Vaio-branded Chromebook onto the market, as the VCC111 series. The company has yet to formally unveil the device, however the FCC has posted pictures of the notebook with a keyboard layout that omits the Windows key. The pictures are accompanied by literature that includes directions to "start Chrome OS."
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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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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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11/23, 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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10/21, 4:25pm
Google changes Chromebooks pricing plan, more
Google on Friday outlined changes to its Chromebook subscription model for business and schools, along with other details. Based on feedback from organizations such as schools and businesses, it has changed its three-year plans to one-year cycles to better match their annual budgets. The three-year plans will still be offered, however.
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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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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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08/06, 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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07/20, 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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06/08, 10:00am
Samsung Series 5 3G ChromeBook is taken apart
IFixIt has torn down the Series 5 3G ChromeBook and revealed the hardware underneath its skin. All that was required for the teardown was a spudger, a plastic opening tool and a Philips #1 screwdriver. The notebook is also slimmer than the original ChromeBook, the Google Cr-48. It also houses a more competent Atom N455 processor with 512K more of L2 cache compared to the 1.66GHz Atom N570.
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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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05/12, 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, 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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