There’s something weird going on with Chromebooks – the Google-branded laptop computers powered by the company’s web-based operating system Chrome OS. They’re not saving the password changes you make to your Google account. Basically, if you change your password, shut down your machine, then reboot, the Chromebook will ask you for your old password instead of the new one.
The problem has to do with Google’s sessions being persistent (that is, they don’t log you out), and leads to a relatively minor security threat. Meaning, if someone was to take advantage of this threat, they would need physical access to your Chromebook. In the grand scheme of things, that puts this threat on the low-end of the risk spectrum. However, because Chromebooks are pitched as low-cost, secure, easy-to-use alternatives to traditional laptops for businesses and educational institutions, it’s important to highlight issues such as this to make the community aware.
Also, I just think it’s annoying. → Read More
Happy holidays, everyone! Yours Truly, the Google Chromebook team!
Google just announced several Chromebook updates that should wash away the holiday blues. First off, prices are dropping. Per a post at Google’s official blog, Chromebooks from both Acer and Samsung will be available starting at $299 “beginning this week.” That’s a $50 price drop on both the Acer AC700 and Samsung Series 5 models although some retailers are currently selling the Acer model at $299 already. No word on if the higher-priced, 3G models are getting a lower price, though. → Read More
Google announced today that its business and educational customers now have a second option for purchasing its new Chrome OS-powered laptops: upfront pricing, sans subscription. Previously, Chromebooks were only available to these institutions by way of a 3-year commitment. That plan didn’t fit in well with some organization’s yearly budget cycle, says Google.
Now, those customers can choose whether to buy Chromebooks on a subscription basis or just pay for the laptops up front. → Read More
The long-awaited Chromebooks finally hit retails in June but they’re already seeing significant price reductions. Both Acer and Samsung entered the market with modestly priced options with the Samsung models commanding a slight premium. But not anymore. Amazon just dropped the price on the Samsung Chromebooks by 7% to 10% with the WiFi-only model now costing $399 and the 3G model running $449. That’s down from their MSRP of $429 and $499, respectively. With Chrome OS still in its infancy and niche products not lasting very long in today’s market, it makes you wonder if Google or its hardware partners are slowly giving up hope on the platform or simply prepping for new models.
Update: Statement from Samsung added after the jump. → Read More
Amazon and Best Buy are now ready to satisfy all your Chromebook needs. Google previously announced the notebooks would be available on June 15 and a quick check at the two retailers shows that they have them available for immediate shipping. It seems however that Best Buy is not yet carrying the products in their brick and mortar locations but rather just online. Currently only the Arctic White model is available. Buyers are going to have to wait for Titan Silver. However both the WiFi and 3G models are shipping at $429 and $499, respectively. Both are powered by Intel Atom N570 1.66GHz CPUs and run Chrome OS off 2GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD. The less expensive Acer Chromebook was also supposed to hit the shipping trucks today, but it is still listed as a pre-order at Amazon. → Read More
If you happen to be on a Google site and see a giant Chrome logo, click on it. Well, if you want one of the first Chromebooks, that is.
Google is in the midst of a two-day scavenger hunt being played around the web. The first clue went live this morning here — a copy of Tim Berners-Lee’s original WorldWideWeb memo. The second has just gone live on this YouTube page. Those who act fast and click on the Chrome logo that appears on these sites will be granted access to a special Amazon page allowing them to buy the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook early. Everyone else will have to wait until June 15 to get their hands on a Chromebook. → Read More
Google made a couple bold statements about its upcoming Chromebook tablet, many of which have certainly excited consumers, particularly the promise of an end to security hassles. In the Chromebook launch announcement, Google claimed that “Chromebooks have many layers of security built in so there is no anti-virus software to buy and maintain. Even more importantly, you won’t spend hours fighting your computer to set it up and keep it up to date.” Sounds nice, right? Well, Trend Micro’s security consultant Rik Ferguson vigorously disagrees, claiming that the search giant risks repeating the same security mistakes Apple made. → Read More
From Google I/O to Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype, last week was a huge one for tech news.
In this episode of OMG/JK, my colleague MG Siegler and I do an in-depth look at what happened at Google’s annual developer conference, which saw the launch of Google Music Beta, Android’s @home project, and the first Chromebooks. Don’t worry, we’ll talk about the Skype acquisition next time, there was just too much material to pack into one show.
And, yes, this episode is a bit retro — we shipped out the better cameras to New York in preparation for TC Disrupt next week, so we had to shoot this one in SD. → Read More
Here she is.
Earlier today, Google unveiled the first notebooks running Chrome OS. Or as they’re calling them, “Chromebooks”. The first two partners producing them will be Samsung and Acer. And at an event tonight in San Francisco, we got some extensive hands-on time with the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook.
Initial reaction? That’s still to come. For now, enjoy a bunch of pictures. → Read More
ChromeBooks, centralized, almost entirely cloud-based machines by Google, will be available for students and schools at $20/per month/per user, enabling full updates, central login controls, and a central administrator panel to handle users and control access. → Read More
To me, the most interesting aspect of Google’s Chromebook unveiling today may have been a sort of rallying cry that was more or less whispered. At first when Chrome head Sundar Pichai said it on stage, I was sure he’d get an ear-full from the Google PR team and that would be that. But when he said it again in the press Q&A.
Users are free to jailbreak and hack Chromebooks. In fact, Google seems to be downright encouraging it. → Read More
The Google Chromebook is here — for real, this time. Google first announced the nondescript Cr-48 Chrome OS Notebook back in December of 2010 but the production version, now called Chromebook, was just announced at Google I/O 2011.
The idea is the same as the original in that it’s basically a barebones computer that runs Google Chrome OS. In many ways the philosophy is a lot like Apple’s iPad in that the hardware takes a backseat to the user experience. Google is selling a Chrome interaction platform, not a traditional notebook. → Read More
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