Thanks to Red Badger for the ping!
Posted on 02/15/2022 10:13:39 AM PST by Red Badger
Google today announced a new operating system, Chrome OS Flex, a free-to-use, cloud-based OS built to convert old PCs or Macs into Chromebooks.
The new OS was developed by Google a few years after acquiring Neverware—the makers of Cloudready—and was primarily made for schools and businesses with fleets of old PCs or Macs that have been bogged down after years of use. Google argues these systems could be revitalized by stripping out Windows or macOS and installing Chrome OS Flex, a lightweight operating system that can run on weaker hardware and remain stable for years due to its reliance on the cloud. Most importantly, Chrome OS Flex will get the same attention from Google as Chrome OS—that is, it relies on an identical code base and will receive the same release cadence.
Thomas Riedl, director of product for enterprise and education on Chrome OS, told us that Google invested heavily in ensuring that UIs are consistent across both operating systems and brought primary Chrome OS features, including the Google Assistant, Chrome browser, and cross-device Android tools, to Flex.
Google Chrome OS Flex Image: Google “With such similar end-user and IT experiences, it’s also easy to transition from Chrome OS Flex to Chrome OS devices when you’re ready to purchase new hardware: With Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, and Chromebases, you’ll experience end-to-end optimization across hardware and software with the strongest security and largest app ecosystem through the Google Play Store,” Riedl wrote in a blog post.
Chrome OS Flex could be a saving grace for businesses attempting to operate with a mixed fleet of older Mac or PCs and newer Chromebooks. Those aging systems could not only be given new life running Chrome OS Flex but with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, they can be managed within the same Google Admin console as newer Chrome OS devices. It would also be much easier to move everything over from Flex to a new Chromebook when it’s time for a hardware upgrade.
“Oftentimes, Windows forces them [consumers] to use systems for shorter than they should. We have Chrome ready for you and you don’t have to buy new hardware,” Riedl said. He went on to say that the first 100 Chrome OS releases were on Google’s own devices, but the next will be on “whatever hardware you throw at it.”
Google also makes a sustainability argument in that moving to Chrome OS Flex could rejuvenate laptops that are on life support before they’re shipped off to a landfill. Businesses might also switch to Chrome OS Flex for specialized hardware like kiosks and digital signage, and in one extreme use case, a Scandinavian hotel chain switched to Chrome OS (using CloudReady) to flee from a ransomware attack.
Google says Chrome OS Flex can run efficiently on devices that are up to 13 years old—a bold claim we are eager to try out once we can get our hands on an Apple PowerBook G4.
“You can go back 10 or more years and people are still getting a really good experience. I do think you’ll get some advantages with speed or performance but one of the more profound things is that Windows won’t stay as performant on year five as on year one. Chrome OS Flex won’t age as poorly and won’t accrue that baggage over time,” Forrest Smith, a product manager for Chrome OS, told Gizmodo.
Google Chrome OS Flex Image: Google There are some notable limitations with Flex, most of which stem from using hardware made for another OS. For example, Chrome OS Flex devices running on PC or Mac hardware won’t have the same key shortcuts as Chromebooks. Moreover, certain device drivers aren’t compatible with Flex; as a result, the webcam on some MacBook models won’t function properly.
Riedl also concedes that while Flex is supposedly more secure than a PC, it isn’t quite as safe as a Chromebook given the software/hardware disconnect. Google says it will be transparent with customers in describing the risks of switching to Flex and plans to publish a list of certified device models with notes outlining which features do and don’t work.
While testing Chrome OS Flex is as easy as booting it from a USB drive—a process that should take about 30 minutes—replacing an OS with another across an entire fleet is non-trivial. Smith says that while IT admins are comfortable with the installation process, it isn’t something anyone can pull off. The long-term goal, however, is to simplify the process and broaden the adoption of Chrome OS Flex to individual users.
“At Google, we were very tempted to just go big and to put it out to everybody, but over the years, we’ve learned that having a focus is good. Our most loyal fans are those who tinker with it and try it out so what you’ll see is that you have an installer and can try it out yourself,” Riedl said.
These are still early days for Chrome OS Flex, and Google admits it hasn’t done any large-scale testing just yet. With this early access period, the company is giving users a chance to play around with the OS and provide feedback before it pushes it out to market. Those who want to give Chrome OS Flex a try can do so by loading it from a USB; this method gives you a “risk-free” way to try Chrome OS Flex before doing a full OS swap.
Google says a stable version of Chrome OS Flex will be made available “in the coming months” and to expect bugs in its current state. Those who were using CloudReady will be upgraded to Chrome OS Flex free of charge.
Chrome, the greatest surveillance tool ever devised? Now in a convenient OS for your old computer to monitor you even more closely? I can’t wait (/sarc) Chrome sends every site you visit, every mouse movement, keylogs of keystrokes; all sent to you friends at google. Creepy, what could go wrong? They just want to sell you stuff. It’s not like they manipulate searches, manipulate trending and control information to control you. They would never do that.
Why not just get linux and keep some of your privacy intact?
BKMRK.
Most of my activities revolve around deleting Google’s access to my life.
Chrome OS actually works fairly well, but Google’s ability to monitor what you do on any computer running Chrome OS—no thank you!!
My 2009 HP is running just fine with Win-7 Pro v64, and I have a back-up identical unit on the basement electronics’ shelves. But this is a viable alternative, yet I don’t trust Google on anything.
So are you totally screwed if the Internet goes down?
Yet another platform with which Google can spy on its users!
I wonder if these commies realize that some of us are not stupid.
Thanks to Red Badger for the ping!
You’re right: “ANY computer running Chrome”. That translates to a LOT of point-of-sales stations. So whether you want it to or not, no matter how far we remove ourselves from the Google eek-o-system, they’re going to have access to us, one way or the other.
Comes with extra spyware
Time to look into that 80386 machine advertised in Computer Shopper Magazine!............................
Sorry...zero interest in a “cloud-based operating system”. Once my wife quits working from home (and we no longer need Windows), I will transfer to Linux for both of us.
Edge integrates well with Office 365 and presumedly with the new Windows 11
The migration to Microsoft cloud capabilities is in fact a beneficial action to those in or dealing with large organizations with scattered locations having a need to work together. That need is great for companies having workers functioning in home offices.
Google is not really a contender in the business world reality
What it will do is render your older systems useless so you have to buy a new computer.
“Google today announced a new operating system, Chrome OS Flex, a free-to-use, cloud-based OS built to convert old PCs or Macs into Chromebooks.”
We’re back to the good ol’ days of dumb terminals connected to the mainframe.
Today the dumb terminal is your PC and the mainframe is the Cloud/internet.
Yeah, Chrome OS works pretty well. Of course it is just a google specific skinned linux build, which is probably why it works well. It is also fairly idiot proofed and updates itself on a frequent basis. The downside is there is nothing that you can do on it that is not sent back to the google servers.
Google retired "Don't be evil" as their motto in 2018.
It’s a brilliant move by Google.
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