Well this link is to a fluffy marketing piece that tells you exactly zero about what the product is, why I should care, or how it's different from ChromeOS. Must be nice to get paid to write lots of words without actually saying anything.
Some links that may be more helpful for the HN audience:
Supported devices: https://support.google.com/chromeosflex/answer/11513094 (No information on whether it will refuse to install on other devices or whether it's more of a "it could work, but you'll be on your own" situation. Interestingly, there are Apple products listed.)
Edit: One important difference that pretty much wipes out what a lot of us would be interested in: "Google Play and Android apps: Chrome OS Flex does not support Android apps or Google Play."
>One important difference that pretty much wipes out what a lot of us would be interested in: "Google Play and Android apps: Chrome OS Flex does not support Android apps or Google Play."
Looking at the OS I think Flex isn't targeted at consumers but at enterprise who want an idiot proof Google docs/chrome workspace for employees.
> One important difference that pretty much wipes out what a lot of us would be interested in: "Google Play and Android apps: Chrome OS Flex does not support Android apps or Google Play."
If they added that, it would kill Chrome OS’s main benefit: security.
I glanced at the list of certified devices. You know what's not on the list? Google's own Chromebook Pixel.[0] Which coincidentally stopped getting OS updates from Google around 2018. [1]
The specs are a little long in the tooth now (especially that battery life which was always crap), but I still love the form factor of it. I removed the write-protect screw from it a couple years back and threw Linux Mint onto it, but it would be real nice to have it as an up-to-date Chromebook again.
Ironically, the best way to have a supported Chrome browser has always been to buy a Windows PC. Google will continue to support every single Windows 7 PC until January 15th, 2023, an operating system released 13 years ago, in 2009. Most Windows 7 PCs can also run Windows 10 for free, which punts that out probably at least another decade, but with no end of life officially yet set.
Meanwhile, Chromebooks have a three year lifecycle, and LOL if you spent real money on one.
Chrome OS‘s easy administration is great, but Google Accounts are just not an option in many environments. Are there any approaches with self-hosted auth/admin/control servers?
The only thing that this reminded me of is that my relatively expensive Chromebook (Pixelbook Go) just stopped receiving feature updates after a few years. This seems great, but there is no mention on how long they'll support the certified devices.
The one thing you can count of with google is that they will start something interesting and make sure to leave you up a creek without a paddle when they drop it without warning.
Chrome OS Flex is the new name for Cloudready now that Google owns it. The Cloudready download page now directs to the installation instructions for Chrome OS Flex. More info about the acquisition is at https://cloudreadykb.neverware.com/s/article/Neverware-is-no...
I put it on a 2012 Macbook Air about a month ago. Things went pretty well. Having a reasonable amount of drive space for the Linux environment was nice for once. The keyboard backlight was non-functional, but otherwise hardware seemed to work.
It is amazing. It is my main driver right now. If you use VSCode, make sure to set Title Bar Style to custom so you get rid of ChromeOS's white title bar.
ChromeOS has gotten progressively worse over the years.
I have a Pixelbook and it used to be great, but now I get constant freezes and crashes with android apps, unresponsive windowing UI and launcher, etc. It's also constantly updating itself, which isn't inherently bad, but it's asking for restarts what feels like twice a week.
Linux containers is half-baked (takes >30 sec to launch), the stability of Android apps is questionable.
I have a cheap chromebook with much worse specs than a pixelbook and it has been extremely reliable.
The linux containers are slow to start but that only applies to the first time you run a linux app after restarting the computer or logging out/in. Otherwise they work great.
Android apps are more of a mixed bag.
The bigger problem is that PWAs don't quite seem ready and Chrome apps are deprecated so there's no good way to make apps that specifically target chrome os right now.
Are you sure you didn't switch it to dev channel? The last five production ChromeOS releases were on June 23, May 26, April 28, March 31, and March 3, 4 weeks apart as usual.
Basically, they want even more people to use a product that requires a Google account so they can track people everywhere the same way they do with Android.
They're giving it for free, so there's that. And you don't have to use it unless you bought a Chromebox / Chromebook, and even then some of them can be reconfigured with a different OS.
they make a big show to say that macs are supported, but in reality only x86 macs are supported, M1/M2 are not.
They hide this in the required specs, 2 clicks after the main announcement. Pretty misleading given that Apple currently sells 2 non M1/M2 macs: an i5 Mac Mini and the Mac Pro (cheese grater).
Under active development but still at an early stage, last I looked they were solving problems like standardising various configuration APIs file formats etc so a long way it seems from a daily driver let’s say.
However, maybe a year or so ago they started a strategy with Nest where they started rolling out updates which swapped the underlying OS with an early release of Fuchsia on some models and they seem to be expanding that into other models at the moment.
But still very much a thing with meaningful but not particularly public process.
> Poor marketing. Doesn't show screenshots of the OS in use.
It's the same as Chrome OS on Chromebooks
> Doesn't go into detail about productivity applications.
Google Docs or anything you can use on the web
> Doesn't tell us about the apps available from the ecosystem. (Not even the main product page.)
There are none. Chrome Apps are deprecated so unless you use linux via crostini (on normal chrome os devices you can also use android apps but I don't think chrome os flex supports that currently) there aren't any apps except PWAs.
> Not much to get customers excited.
It's for companies that want an easy to manage OS that just provides a web browser, basically. They're not trying to market chrome os flex to consumers. If you wanted a chrome os device as a consumer you would buy a chromebook.
> This is why Apple always wins. (Well... Steve Jobs era Apple)
Chromebooks have been incredibly successful with elementary schools in the US. iPads and macbooks have obviously been successful too but they basically inhabit completely different niches so it's not necessarily possible to say that apple is "winning" against chrome os (apple would have to change their approach somewhat to try to make a cheap ipad laptop at the risk of cannibalizing the market for macbooks to try to compete with chrome os). Chrome OS flex has a good chance at being successful with companies that already have their own desktops and don't need any offline applications.
[+] [-] bityard|3 years ago|reply
Some links that may be more helpful for the HN audience:
How to install it without handing over your personal info to a salescritter: https://support.google.com/chromeosflex/answer/11552529
Supported devices: https://support.google.com/chromeosflex/answer/11513094 (No information on whether it will refuse to install on other devices or whether it's more of a "it could work, but you'll be on your own" situation. Interestingly, there are Apple products listed.)
Differences between ChromeOS and ChromeOS Flex: https://support.google.com/chromeosflex/answer/11542901
Edit: One important difference that pretty much wipes out what a lot of us would be interested in: "Google Play and Android apps: Chrome OS Flex does not support Android apps or Google Play."
[+] [-] ospray|3 years ago|reply
Looking at the OS I think Flex isn't targeted at consumers but at enterprise who want an idiot proof Google docs/chrome workspace for employees.
[+] [-] Macacity|3 years ago|reply
> While many non-certified devices might work, Google guarantees only those on the list.
[+] [-] chaostheory|3 years ago|reply
If they added that, it would kill Chrome OS’s main benefit: security.
[+] [-] adamredwoods|3 years ago|reply
(edit: as others have stated)
[+] [-] kayodelycaon|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] AdmiralAsshat|3 years ago|reply
The specs are a little long in the tooth now (especially that battery life which was always crap), but I still love the form factor of it. I removed the write-protect screw from it a couple years back and threw Linux Mint onto it, but it would be real nice to have it as an up-to-date Chromebook again.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromebook_Pixel
[1] https://chromeunboxed.com/news/original-chromebook-pixel-upd...
[+] [-] ocdtrekkie|3 years ago|reply
Meanwhile, Chromebooks have a three year lifecycle, and LOL if you spent real money on one.
[+] [-] bedast|3 years ago|reply
This is not ChromeOS, but a subset of it. ChromeOS Flex is not interesting to me.
[+] [-] nehalem|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] invisible|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] throwawy6362828|3 years ago|reply
https://support.google.com/pixelbook/answer/9413900?hl=en
[+] [-] DoesntMatter22|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gravitate|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hoppyhoppy2|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Commodore63|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] epakai|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gravitate|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jacooper|3 years ago|reply
But I realize that this is also impossible because the entire OS is basically google services.
[+] [-] tencentshill|3 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] haolez|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] johnvaluk|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] turtlebits|3 years ago|reply
I have a Pixelbook and it used to be great, but now I get constant freezes and crashes with android apps, unresponsive windowing UI and launcher, etc. It's also constantly updating itself, which isn't inherently bad, but it's asking for restarts what feels like twice a week.
Linux containers is half-baked (takes >30 sec to launch), the stability of Android apps is questionable.
[+] [-] resoluteteeth|3 years ago|reply
The linux containers are slow to start but that only applies to the first time you run a linux app after restarting the computer or logging out/in. Otherwise they work great.
Android apps are more of a mixed bag.
The bigger problem is that PWAs don't quite seem ready and Chrome apps are deprecated so there's no good way to make apps that specifically target chrome os right now.
[+] [-] jeffbee|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] FpUser|3 years ago|reply
Sorry, I do not want my personal OS install to be cloud first. I want it to be cloud last.
[+] [-] happyopossum|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] akagusu|3 years ago|reply
Somebody should make this illegal.
[+] [-] m-p-3|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] LeonTheremin|3 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] canistel|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] real_kaipi|3 years ago|reply
They hide this in the required specs, 2 clicks after the main announcement. Pretty misleading given that Apple currently sells 2 non M1/M2 macs: an i5 Mac Mini and the Mac Pro (cheese grater).
[+] [-] sascha_sl|3 years ago|reply
Why would anyone run chromeOS on a recent MacBook? You'd make a good buck selling that Apple silicon device and getting an old 2010s device.
[+] [-] edmcnulty101|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mhoad|3 years ago|reply
However, maybe a year or so ago they started a strategy with Nest where they started rolling out updates which swapped the underlying OS with an early release of Fuchsia on some models and they seem to be expanding that into other models at the moment.
But still very much a thing with meaningful but not particularly public process.
[+] [-] lifeplusplus|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] yomkippur|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ijidak|3 years ago|reply
Doesn't go into detail about productivity applications.
Doesn't tell us about the apps available from the ecosystem. (Not even the main product page.)
Not much to get customers excited.
This is why Apple always wins. (Well... Steve Jobs era Apple)
They've always been better at conveying what their new hotness does.
I'll never forget the "app for that" campaign.
Pure genius.
[+] [-] resoluteteeth|3 years ago|reply
It's the same as Chrome OS on Chromebooks
> Doesn't go into detail about productivity applications.
Google Docs or anything you can use on the web
> Doesn't tell us about the apps available from the ecosystem. (Not even the main product page.)
There are none. Chrome Apps are deprecated so unless you use linux via crostini (on normal chrome os devices you can also use android apps but I don't think chrome os flex supports that currently) there aren't any apps except PWAs.
> Not much to get customers excited.
It's for companies that want an easy to manage OS that just provides a web browser, basically. They're not trying to market chrome os flex to consumers. If you wanted a chrome os device as a consumer you would buy a chromebook.
> This is why Apple always wins. (Well... Steve Jobs era Apple)
Chromebooks have been incredibly successful with elementary schools in the US. iPads and macbooks have obviously been successful too but they basically inhabit completely different niches so it's not necessarily possible to say that apple is "winning" against chrome os (apple would have to change their approach somewhat to try to make a cheap ipad laptop at the risk of cannibalizing the market for macbooks to try to compete with chrome os). Chrome OS flex has a good chance at being successful with companies that already have their own desktops and don't need any offline applications.
[+] [-] Jemm|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gravitate|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|3 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] unknown|3 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] fupimeng|3 years ago|reply