According to reports, Google has notified HP, Lenovo and other Chromebook brands to start charging for the software on July 1. The amount charged depends on the price point and specifications of the laptop, ranging from tens to tens of dollars for high-end models and single-digit dollars for low-end models, which equates to 1% to 2% of the total cost.

In order to avoid paying additional fees, the brand side accelerated the speed of procurement and shipment before July 1, resulting in higher-than-expected market demand in the second quarter. According to statistics, global shipments of notebook computers in the second quarter increased by 20.9% compared with the first quarter. Among them, Chromebooks accounted for a large part.

But in the third quarter, with the implementation of the new fee system and the easing of the epidemic, the demand for Chromebooks will return to flat. According to statistics from research institutions, global Chromebook shipments will reach 37.5 million units in 2021, a record high. However, in 2022 and 2023, shipments will drop to 19.5 million and 20 million units, respectively.

How much influence does Google have on Chromebook charges? Industry insiders believe that although the cost has risen a bit, Chromebooks still have strong competitiveness in the global education market. North America is the largest market for Chromebooks, and the U.S. government offers huge subsidies and procurement programs to support online education. In addition, there are not many alternatives to Chromebooks, and brands can reduce costs by finding cheaper hardware solutions.

However, Chromebooks also face some challenges and problems. For example, software support has a short lifespan, making it impossible to update or access certain websites after a few years. Repairs are also expensive, and sometimes a new one is more cost-effective than repairing an old one.

The post Google has started charging Chromebook OEMs a licensing fee of 1% to 2% appeared first on TechGoing.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c + third-generation chip was released in December 2021. It is manufactured using a 6nm process. It is the first 6nm PC processor (the previous generation 8nm). 60%, GPU performance increased by up to 70%. Previously, multiple development boards were exposed during the development process, including “Herobrine”, “Evoker”, “Zombie”, “Senor”, “Piglin”, “Hoglin” and “Villager” (Note: All Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 boards are named after Minecraft characters). However, a few commits have recently surfaced in the Chromium codebase showing that these boards have all been abandoned without explaining why.

Meanwhile, the Chromebook tablet project with the MediaTek MT8188 chip continues. One main development board called “Geralt” is known to be in testing, and there may be other variants in development.

The cancellation of the Chromebook project for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c + 3rd gen chip is a shame, as ARM processors have yet to reach their full potential in Chromebooks, combining great performance, battery life, and Android app compatibility. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c second-generation chip has already shown a lot of progress in devices such as the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 and Duet 5, so the outside world had expected to see the next-generation device to the next level, and now it seems that it may not be achieved.

The post Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 Chromebook project has been cancelled appeared first on TechGoing.

Recently, the US Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG) found that 13 Chromebooks that have reached their AUE date this summer are still being sold at full price on sites like Amazon that don’t make it clear to consumers that the devices will not be available. Get back with Google again.

The US PIRG said the practice was “ridiculous” because it would pose a safety risk to consumers, generate e-waste and waste money. The group also criticized Google for refusing to extend the life of Chromebooks, especially during the pandemic, when many students and teachers need the devices for online learning.

The US PIRG recommends that retailers clearly display their AUE date when selling Chromebooks and remind consumers to check this information before purchasing. Additionally, the group called on Google to provide longer support times for Chromebooks that have expired or are about to expire.

It is noticed that there are currently 51 Chromebooks that will reach the AUE date next summer. According to US PIRG, “Parents and teachers buying back-to-school laptops don’t expect the device to have a ‘death date,’ and sellers don’t advertise the lack of support. A new laptop, with students doing All the features needed for basic homework, but no support. Students and the planet deserve better.”

Here’s the full list of Chromebooks that recently dropped support, 13 in total, as counted by PIRG:

The post Google and Amazon are accused of still selling Chromebooks that are no longer supported appeared first on TechGoing.

“Minecraft: Bedrock Edition” was originally launched on the Chromebook platform in the form of early access in March this year, priced at $19.99. Players can team up with friends to play in survival mode on Android, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Windows.

According to reports, “Minecraft: Bedrock Edition” compatible Chromebook needs to be launched in the past three years, run ChromeOS 111 or later, need to have 4GB of memory, and at least 1GB of storage space for game installation.

Minecraft: Bedrock Edition for Chromebooks already includes a Trails & Tails update, with tons of new mobs, blocks, and items to explore.

The post Minecraft Bedrock Edition officially arrives on Chromebook platforms appeared first on TechGoing.

However, Steam Beta on other Chromebooks is still in beta, and FPS games like CS:GO are completely unusable, so even the Steam experience on ChromeOS with stronger hardware needs to be further improved.

In addition, the Intel N100 chip on the Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Flex 3i is slow and cannot bring a good 3A gaming experience. Google is expected to test some specific types of Steam games.

Note: Users need to use a Chromebook that meets compatible configurations. You can switch to the Beta channel to experience Steam. You also need to ensure that you are running the latest ChromeOS version. In order to be able to install Steam, users need to enter chrome://flags in the browser /#enable-borealis and enable the feature, after that just search for Steam in the launcher to start the installation process.

The post Google is testing running Steam games on Chromebooks with Intel N100/N200 chips appeared first on TechGoing.

For the special “Secure” version of the CTL Chromebook PX11E, the motherboard, including the cooling system, battery and memory, can be seen without opening the body. It looks very new.

In terms of technology, CTL has adopted the standard Chromebook hardware configuration, including an Intel Celeron N4500 chip, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and an 11.6-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

The Chromebook laptop features 2W stereo speakers, a 720p webcam, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. There is a USB-A port and a 3.5mm headphone jack in addition to two USB-C ports, and charging can be done via USB-C.

The special transparent version of the CTL Chromebook PX11E notebook will cost $255 (currently about RMB 1,752) and will be delivered starting in summer 2023.

The post CTL has launched a Chromebook notebook with a completely transparent bottom appeared first on TechGoing.

The Chromebook edition is now available for pre-order in the US and Canada, starting at $999 (approximately RMB 7,132.86), with the first shipments scheduled for early December. the framework uses a bulk pre-order system, with a fully refundable deposit of $100 at the time of pre-order. All the replacement parts and modules that make up the Framework Chromebook edition are also listed.

The Chromebook edition features a Framework laptop design that includes a high-resolution (2256×1504) 3:2 display, a comfortable 1.5 mm keypad, and a precision-formed and milled aluminum enclosure while remaining 15.85 mm thick and 1.3 kg ultra-portable. Powered by the latest 12th generation Intel Core i5-1240P processor with 4+8 CPU cores and 30W of sustained performance, users can easily multitask while running heavy Chrome workloads. ChromeOS supports downloading Android apps from the Google Play store, developing on Linux with Crostini, playing PC games with Steam on ChromeOS Alpha, and more.

The Chromebook edition comes with an expansion card system that allows users to choose which ports they want and which side to put them on, including support for USB-C, USB-A, MicroSD, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, high-speed storage, and more.

Memory and storage are socketed and ready to be loaded. Pre-configurations include 8GB of DDR4 memory and 256GB of NVMe storage, upgradeable to up to 64GB of DDR4 memory and 1TB of NVMe storage. Users can also expand the space with 250GB and 1TB storage expansion cards.

Magnetic attachment plates adjust the look of the notebook. All Framework bezels are compatible with the Chromebook version.

The Chromebook version has built-in hardware to control your privacy. A hardware privacy switch cuts power to the camera and microphone, disabling any access.

Scannable QR codes for each part of the system provide unprecedented access to documentation, maintenance guides, replacement and upgrade parts, and insight into design and manufacturing data. Using open source embedded controller firmware and core boot BIOS, the underlying system software is also open.

Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition to maximize endurance and minimize the impact on the planet Framework reduces resource extraction and e-waste into the environment by designing products to be repairable and long-lasting, implementing methods to reuse modules, and utilizing recycled materials in the manufacturing process.

In addition to hardware, Framework has partnered with ChromeOS because of its commitment to enduring speed and transparency. the Framework laptop Chromebook edition is built with Google’s Titan C secure chip and will receive automatic updates until June 2030, all in the interest of keeping Chromebooks fast All of this is to keep Chromebooks fast and secure.

The post Framework and Google partner on Chromebook DIY laptops from RMB 7,133 appeared first on TechGoing.