For years, the knock on Chrome OS was that it was “just a browser.” A PC, people thought, had to be more than that. But now, almost six years since that first Chromebook, just a browser has turned out to be just enough for a growing group of users. Chromebooks outsold Macs for the first time in the first quarter of this year, and according to Google, US schools buy more Chromebooks than all other devices combined.
Even now, the Chrome OS revolution is only beginning. In the next few weeks, Chromebooks will suddenly have accessto the millions of apps in Google’s Play Store, which will work on a Chrome OS device the way they work on Android phones. Also, Google’s beginning a big move into the boardroom, trying to convince businesses to use Chromebooks instead of their old Windows XP machines. And a whole new breed of Chromebooks is about to hit shelves. Not only are they high-end, they’re going to be completely different from the laptops we’ve known before.
For a sneak peak at what may be possible, Lenovo is looking at adding Chrome OS to the list of operating systems for its new laptop, the Lenovo Yoga Book.
A 2015 study found that 65% of student licenses for education technology products go unused, and you don’t have to look far to find examples of technology implementation disasters. EdTech purchases going to waste is often the result of multiple factors, and the consequences impact all stakeholders: school systems that waste precious budgets, EdTech companies that…
Dr. Anna Konopka, the 84-year-old New Hampshire physician who recently lost her medical license in part due to a lack of computer skills, has an uphill battle ahead of her. In two lengthy phone interviews with Ars on Tuesday, Konopka said if she is reinstated by the state’s medical board—at this point, a big if—she would…
NASA has created an online image and video library. The library consists of more than 140,000 images, videos, and audio files from NASA. Media can be browsed by newest added files, or you can search by keyword or object name. The new website consolidates media from more than 60 collections. Since the media was created by…
What do you do when you are stuck working the overnight shift at a hospital reception desk? You become an expert in Microsoft Paint. Turns out, sometimes our resistance to learn something new and master a new skill can lead to something pretty amazing. Pat Hines, who couldn’t be bothered to learn Photoshop and illustrated…
A new study shows you can be easily re-identified from almost any database, even when your personal details have been stripped out. Source: You’re very easy to track down, even when your data has been anonymized – MIT Technology Review I see this in schools, where the staff will strip out any identifiable information from…
For years, the knock on Chrome OS was that it was “just a browser.” A PC, people thought, had to be more than that. But now, almost six years since that first Chromebook, just a browser has turned out to be just enough for a growing group of users. Chromebooks outsold Macs for the first time in the first quarter of this year, and according to Google, US schools buy more Chromebooks than all other devices combined.
