Chromebooks to receive dual-boot feature for Windows 10

13 August 2018
Google could possibly announce the feature for a future Chromebook.

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  • Scram
  • Nu7
  • 19 Aug 2018

Kangal, 19 Aug 2018What! You're kidding right? You completely missed his po... moreWhat is your point?

The fellow I replied got and understood mine, you went on a tangent (I think that counts as a rant), without really saying anything tangible. I don't need a history lesson, I'm a mobile tech buff.

I'd repeat my point. Even if they'd gone with Android, they'd still have had to do what they're doing now. Google's plan is to have one OS that fluidly runs on any form factor, and preferably have everyone run stuff from their ecosystem (primarily Drive). They discovered early enough that Android wasn't that. If they were sure Android would do fine, they'd have ported it to a desktop (instead of Chrome); and they'd still have gone ahead with this dual boot thingy.

In hindsight, maybe they should have stayed in the tablet game (in addition to their foray into the light desktop market); but I seriously doubt anyone in Mountainview is decrying their decision to head into the light desktop market. Microsoft tried and failed with several iterations of Windows S. Google got it right with Chromebooks.

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    • Kangal
    • RN8
    • 19 Aug 2018

    Scram, 14 Aug 2018Easy there tiger! Phew! Even Apple with their legendary ... moreWhat! You're kidding right?

    You completely missed his point, then implied he is mistaken, then provided counter-argument which wasn't even in the same subject. Apple providing BootCamp has nothing to do with Android Tablets or Chrome Laptops.

    His point is that before Chrome Laptops were a thing, Google was focussed on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and Tablets were a big part of that picture. Apple had successfully sold millions of iPad2's and were about to release the iPad4 (which was very successful). The tablet market was in over-drive.

    However, Google decided to back out very soon. Android tablets which had keyboards that were reversible were axed. The few good options out there had quality issues. And the rest received worse specs than phones which turned off most potential buyers. Essentially Google created a market that could compete against Apple's innovative iPad (and even compete for the wallet of Windows7/8 laptop buyers), yet they backed out and conceded the entire market to focus on phones. Google probably were pissed off that they couldn't make too much profit from this division, hence, they decided to go closed-source and bought out ChromiumOS/ChromeBooks.

    It wasn't long until "phablets" became mainstream, which made Android tablets redundant. Chromebooks became a success only as a default because Apple didn't have any counter product (iPad was expensive, no cheap MacBooks either) and since Windows7 netbooks were too flimsy. Microsoft did release Windows8/RT but those were (and I'm sugarcoating it) crap. So the default winner was Chromebooks for the position of "cheap computing".

    Well, judging by the latest figures it shows Chromebooks are failing and it will go bust very soon. So Microsoft will grab that "cheap" market back with either Qualcomm Snapdragon devices, or with Ryzen alternatives, or with cheap Intel Celeron choices running Windows 10s instead. This whole ordeal seems cyclical.

      Anonymous, 14 Aug 2018So Google abandoned android tablets for this? Wow, becau... moreI prefer to have all popular OS and app choices rather than different implementations of the same app. Now chrome OS supports android apps, Linux by some mode(and Linux supports windows apps through wine), now Full windows 10 OS also, so with a very little pain, I can finally have a device that can run any app of all the OS I like to use plus advantages of booting into a super light OS like chrome. I think more people will buy pixel book for that steep price now, otherwise it was a complete failure. And don't forget that apple rules tablet market for a long time and I feel android is no longer competitive. That's why people who love Linux like me started to use an Ipad pro as there was no proper android tablets with best available cpu, good gpu and pen support was absent from 2015 or so

        • S
        • Scram
        • IkM
        • 14 Aug 2018

        Anonymous, 14 Aug 2018So Google abandoned android tablets for this? Wow, becau... moreEasy there tiger! Phew!

        Even Apple with their legendary closed system developed BootCamp so Mac hardware could run Windows. Windows is a dominant force in the PC market, and the only potential usurper I can think of that'd prolly dethrone it is a hybrid OS that runs seamlessly across all devices. That's still far into the future when mobile hardware get sufficiently advanced.

        Google would still have had to do same with Android if they kept at it in the larger screen market. It's funny that individuals often complain about inadequate choice, but when a company does provide choice, it riles some up. Like Why?

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • 0Cc
          • 14 Aug 2018

          Why do they even have to copy Apple's names?

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • 6jq
            • 14 Aug 2018

            H-1, 14 Aug 2018Chromebooks are a cheap alternative to browse web, watch mu... moreAll of which are possible with an android tablet if they were to include a decent keyboard.

            It goes back to my argument. Google felt stuck with android (can't completely control it) so they created their own OS, pushed it, replaced their good OS wherever they could and ... Nobody buys it. Its sales are far worse than android tablets' from 4 years ago (when Google was still developing it).

              Anonymous, 14 Aug 2018Next firmware update will double the eMMC space for you.Comedy gold stuff dude.
              https://media1.tenor.com/images/00686dbbbc7ceb09a6ef140bf30736f5/tenor.gif?itemid=5709583

                Great now give us a stylus and its perfect for eberyday use and bump up the storage to atleast 128GB for base model

                  Ghostwolf87, 14 Aug 2018This just confirms what a lot of people already know. Ch... moreI don't really think ChromeOS is not usable in offline mode. A lot of ChromeOS apps and most of the Android apps work in offline mode as well.
                  Small Linux Mint laptop would be great thou. If I am not mistaken Xiaomi Air 12 is fully Linux compatible so it's really not that hard to get a decent, small, cheap machine for this type of stuff.

                  I got my eyes on HP Chomebook X2, but sadly it's not available in 64GB eMMC yet (and the lower version is permamently sold out).

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • XNU
                    • 14 Aug 2018

                    Ghostwolf87, 14 Aug 2018This just confirms what a lot of people already know. Ch... moreMint is light but there are much better Linux distros out there which are more light. I would personally suggest elementaryOS cause it is light and better looking. Lubuntu is an option and so is Manjaro.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • XMP
                      • 14 Aug 2018

                      Fearghast, 14 Aug 2018It sure is a nice thing to have, but not really for those s... moreNext firmware update will double the eMMC space for you.

                        This just confirms what a lot of people already know.

                        Chrome OS is basically useless without an internet connection. Therefore Google needs something as a backup for it.

                        I personally would rather see a light version of Linux installed, either Linux Mint, Voyager OS, or Busenlabs OS. All three are solid distros.

                        Windows 10 I understand, but if I was deploying it, I would deploy 10S simply for ease of maintenance.

                          • H
                          • H-1
                          • aja
                          • 14 Aug 2018

                          Fearghast, 14 Aug 2018It sure is a nice thing to have, but not really for those s... moreChromebooks are a cheap alternative to browse web, watch multimedia and do casual office tasks.
                          Being given a choice of OS is welcome whether it's Linux or windows or both. I think any machine with a consumer-oriented OS should offer this possibility, whether it's a phone, tablet, pc, etc.

                          On my HD2 at some point, I had two versions of android (2.3 and 4.0 if I remember correctly) and Linux besides the original Windows mobile. It was a bit of hassle switching, but it was nice overall to have different features on your device.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • 6jq
                            • 14 Aug 2018

                            So Google abandoned android tablets for this?

                            Wow, because we didn't have enough windows convertibles, here some more.

                            When would you understand that this is a failed market? If I want a laptop I buy a (real) laptop, if I want a tablet I buy a tablet (sadly the iPad is the only/last choice on earth), none of this silliness which is stupid as a tablet (big, heavyweight, low battery) and even stupider as a laptop (weak, again low battery, etc...)

                            Just give it up please. This is ridiculous. Please fix android tablets by adding professional apps for touch use (not unlike the music apps and full Photoshop that apple is preparing), make them below 1 pound if possible, bezel just enough for handling. You know the stuff that was on course of happening 4 years ago before giving it all up for THIS... Lololol

                              It sure is a nice thing to have, but not really for those small eMMC models.
                              Atoms can run Win10 no problem, but 10s are really drive space hungry ... especially if you add some updates.
                              I would much rather see better Linux, Android (SD cards for example), touchscreen UI implementation.

                              I mean point of buying a Chromebook is a decision not to use Windows right? To have something light, something that won't bother you updates are ready and your PC will be restarted in X amount of time.

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