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The snazzy Google light bar from the Chromebook Pixel and Pixel C may be coming back
Code in the Chromium repository indicates that Lenovo might put it on a new machine
The distinctive blue, red, yellow, and green light bar on the Google-branded Chromebook Pixel laptop and Pixel C tablet was a delightful bit of subtle branding, and it's a shame we haven't seen it on subsequent models like the Pixelbook. But according to a snippet of code spotted in the Chrome repository, it might be coming back on a future Chromebook machine from Lenovo.
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- A new comment from Google developer Mike Frysinger indicates Linux support for the 2015 Chromebook Pixel (codenamed 'Samus') and Dell Chromebook 13 7310 ('lulu') is not set in stone yet:
Google announced earlier this year that Linux apps would eventually be supported on Chrome OS. The feature has been available for months in the Canary and Dev channels, and now works on a variety of Chromebooks from multiple manufacturers. A merged pull request on the Chromium Gerrit now confirms that any device running the Linux kernel 3.14 (or older) will never get Linux app support.
Google hasn't been selling the Chromebook Pixel for a while now, but it looks like there's a new one on the horizon called the Pixelbook. This flagship Chromebook will sport some very nice hardware, but it won't be cheap; pricing will top out at a whopping $1749. Yes, $1749 for a Chromebook, and you'll have to pony up another $99 for the "Pixelbook Pen."
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- Both the Google Home Mini and Pixelbook have leaked, along with the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Check them out for more info.
Earlier this week, Google's SVP for hardware Rick Osterloh had a meeting at MWC with journalists. There he said that Google had, "no plans for Google-branded laptops." Now he has said on Twitter that there are just "no plans to share at this time."
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The Chromebook Pixel 2013 was the first product to bear the Pixel brand, showcasing the potential of Chrome OS on high-end hardware. Two years later, the Pixel 2 was released as one of the first consumer products with USB Type-C ports. But it looks like there won't be a third Chromebook Pixel, or any future Google laptop for that matter.
Chromebooks can run Android apps from the Play Store now, and it's ridiculously cool. Well, on one Chromebook, anyway: the ASUS Chromebook Flip. As of Chrome version 53 (currently in the early bird Developer channel) it's the only device that's been updated with the functionality. That's a little odd, since Google promotes plenty of other Chromebook devices via the Google Store, including its own Google-branded Chromebook Pixel machines.
We're seeing more and more devices come to the market with USB Type-C charging ports instead of MicroUSB. The new standard is reversible, more convenient, and potentially faster and more powerful than the previous Type-A one. (David Ruddock wrote a detailed explanation that I advise you to read in order to understand the intricate details of this new connector.) However, it is creating a bit of a ruffle with consumers who are now opening up their brand new Nexus 5X boxes, for example, only to find a Type-C charger and a single cable included. In order to charge those shiny phones from computers and traditional Type-A chargers, they have to buy new cables and adapters.But not all USB Type-C accessories are created equal as Google engineer Benson Leung has discovered. He has been working on several products from the Pixel line that use the Type-C connector and thus knows the standard and its specification requirements very well. Upon testing some third-party Type-C cables and adapters, he and his team have noticed that a few of these are not compatible with the standard and are potentially dangerous to your device's ports.Benson has started reviewing these products on Amazon, praising those that adhere to the specifications and work as intended with the Chromebook Pixel and other Type-C devices, and pointing out those that deviate from the standard and thus either don't work at all or do but could damage your hub or charger on the Type-A end. He has gone through 7 cables and adapters now, only endorsing the $19.99 Belkin and the $14.99 iOrange-E cables. And it seems that other companies are already contacting him to send their own products for testing, so you should see more options on his review list soon. In the meantime, if you want some Type-C to Type-A cables, you may be better off picking one of his recommended choices.Source: +Benson Leung
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Yesterday, we broke news of the Pixel C, an upcoming premium tablet from Google that would run Android and carry the company's high-end Pixel name. Today, the company has made that device official. Meet the Pixel C.
Along with a fancy new hardware-focused Google Store, there's a shiny new version of the super-premium Chromebook. Google just threw the Chromebook Pixel 2015 up on its page in two models: one with an Intel Core i5 2.2Ghz processor for $999 (considerably less than the original) and one with a 2.4Ghz Core i7 for $1299. Sales appear to be limited to the United States at the moment.
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- Well that was quick. An updated Chromebook Pixel is now available in the spiffy new Google Store.
Snagging a Nexus 5 from the Play Store hasn't been the easiest thing since the Nexus 6's launch, with the affordable handset fluctuating in and out of stock. The red and white versions disappeared before the end of the year, while the black option soldiered on for people who consider the Nexus 6 too big, too expensive, or both.
In case we didn't make it clear with yesterday's post, we were more than a little miffed at Verizon's dismissal of Chromebook Pixel LTE owners. The company told customers that it had unceremoniously ended Google's free 100MB/month data bundle for the Pixel LTE after just one year, despite the initial two-year service promotion. Today Google is offering a consolation prize to those customers who bought the Chromebook Pixel LTE from the Play Store: a $150 refund credit.
Google and Verizon Wireless seem to be in a perpetual state of "it's complicated." The protracted issues with the Nexus 7 LTE, the infamously terrible launch and support of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, and a few other spats come to mind. Now JR Raphael of ComputerWorld is reporting that Verizon has unceremoniously dumped the 100MB per month of free packaged wireless data that came with the LTE model of the Chromebook Pixel that went on sale last year. And here's the kicker: they don't really give a shit.
Yeah, we know – it doesn't run Android, and really, it has nothing to do with Android. But it is a Google product, so by default it's at least tangentially related - call it Android's cousin. It's also Google's statement that ChromeOS is important, that it's not just some side project. It's saying that we should all pay attention. That ChromeOS is the real deal, and the Chromebook Pixel is the best experience that ChromeOS has to offer.
Yesterday, Google did what Google does best: announce a first version of something that is completely ridiculous, very few people care about, most folks mocked, and that will ultimately end up forgotten in the annals of internet history. No offense, Goog. Some later products are spectacular, but let's be real. Very rarely does Google get it right on the first try.
Google just launched a $1,300 laptop. That's a pretty big deal. In fact, it's a pretty huge deal. In double fact, if our team wasn't about to get on a podcast (see you at 8PM EST!) I'd be sharing all manner of reasons why that's a monumental deal. Unfortunately for you, that will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, we can only talk about the device itself. So, what is it?