Chrome OS Flex: Google wants you to turn your old PCs and Macs into Chromebooks

Chrome OS Flex home screen

What to do with a laptop that's more than 5 years old and barely turns on? You could donate it or try to sell it, but it's really not worth much and maybe not in good condition. Google has announced a new solution to transform your old, sluggish notebook into a device you actually want to use again.

Chrome OS Flex is a new, secure operating system that essentially brings a cloud-based version of Chrome OS to your laptop. The user interface is almost exactly what you'll find on the latest and greatest Chromebooks.

The announcement comes after Google's acquisition of Neverware in 2020. Neverware is the company behind CloudReady, another operating system built on top of Chromium OS. The goal of CloudReady, and now Chrome OS Flex, is to extend the life of your computers without having to buy a new one, while providing businesses with a more modern solution for aging devices.

Chrome OS Flex shares the same code base and release frequency as Chrome OS, ensuring a consistent experience for end users and IT. Chrome OS Flex offers the official Chrome browser, the Google Assistant and cross-device capabilities in the same user interface as Chrome OS. And with the Chrome Enterprise for Education upgrade, IT can manage Chrome OS Flex devices and Chrome OS devices like Chromebooks side-by-side in the Google Admin console.

Turning on Chrome OS Flex for the first time involves going through the same process as setting up a brand new Chromebook. And the Flex's features are practically identical, being able to use things like Google Assistant, Nearby Sharing, Instant Tethering, and integrations with the Android phone.

Chrome OS Flex is currently free to download and you can even register to try Google's new operating system on your own computer. The only catch is that you have to make sure that your computer has at least the following specifications or is on the list of certified models:

  • Architecture: Intel or AMD x86 64-bit compatible device
  • MEMORY: 4GB
  • Internal memory: 16GB
  • Bootable from USB drive
  • BIOS: Full administrator access. You'll need to boot from the Chrome OS Flex USB installer and make some adjustments in the BIOS if you're having trouble.
  • Processor and graphics card: Components manufactured before 2010 may have problems.

Note: The Intel GMA 500, 600, 3600, and 3650 graphics cards do not meet Chrome OS Flex performance standards.

As mentioned, Chrome OS Flex is available now and is currently in the "Dev Channel". Google says a stable release will be available in the coming months, but you can install and boot from a USB drive to see what Chrome OS Flex has to offer.

Sources):
Google

The post Chrome OS Flex: Google wants you to turn your old PCs and Macs into Chromebooks appeared first on xiaomist's blog .

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