In a nutshell: Chromebooks aren’t for everybody. Their restricted performance makes them lower than best to be used as each day drivers. However, for these with an outdated out-of-service low-end laptop computer or PC, Google’s steady model of ChromeOS Flex could be the reply to placing that {hardware} again to work, even for enterprise customers.
On Thursday, Google introduced that it has moved ChromeOS Flex from “early entry” to “normal availability.” Flex is a fork of the Chromebook working system that’s appropriate with most {hardware}. Google has licensed almost 400 gadgets that may run Flex with out points, together with numerous Apple fashions.
Google introduced ChromeOS Flex in February, noting that the light-weight working system might breathe life again into outdated {hardware}. It may very well be a great answer for reusing an outdated end-of-life Vista or Windows 7 laptop computer. Google ensures Flex help till 2028 on most appropriate gadgets, with solely a handful reaching the tip of help in 2022 or 2023.
Director of Product, Enterprise, and Education Thomas Riedl stated that builders resolved over 600 reported points in the course of the early entry interval, which began February 15, 2022. It is now steady sufficient for most of the people.
Riedl claims that ChromeOS Flex additionally has potential for enterprise use. Recently, Nordic Choice Hotels fell sufferer to a ransomware assault and was in a position to restore performance to a minimum of 2,000 computer systems in 48 hours using Flex.
“It was really easy to deploy,” stated Kari Anna Fiskvik, VP of Technology, Nordic Choice. “We supplied a one-page information together with a ChromeOS Flex USB to staff and so they have been in a position to convert 2,000 computer systems in 48 hours throughout 200 lodges in 5 international locations. All with minimal assist from IT.”
Riedl encourages customers to attempt it on something that meets the minimal necessities, even when the system isn’t one of many 400 gadgets Google licensed. While Flex does run finest when put in, customers can take a look at drive it from a USB thumb drive. If they encounter no points, it should safely run when put in natively.
Be conscious that there are some parts that ChromeOS Flex both cannot deal with or Google has not examined it with, together with fingerprint readers, optical drivers, IR webcams, proprietary connectors, stylus enter, and Thunderbolt performance. It may current points with some operations, even on licensed fashions, like Bluetooth, touchscreens, display rotation, perform keys, keyboard shortcuts, and SD card readers.
