Google's Chromebit Turns Any TV Into a Chrome PC for Under $100
Google just introduced a whole new kind of Chrome OS computer—a dongle that plugs into any HDMI-equipped display. It’s called a Chromebit, and it isn’t your run-of-the-mill streaming stick. For under $100, you’re looking at a full computer that plugs right into your TV.
How is that possible? Well, it’s not exactly a new idea. Intel recently announced the Intel Compute Stick, a $150 HDMI dongle that does the same thing but with full Windows 8.1 on board. And Chinese companies have been selling Android HDMI dongle-computers for nearly a year, based on the Rockchip RK3288 processor. So now that Google’s rolling out Rockchip-based Chromebooks too, a dongle-PC was the logical next step.
Does that make the new Asus Chromebit any less impressive, though? Not one bit. It’s portable, cute, comes in three attractive colors, and has a super-smart swivel on the business end so you can plug it into practically any HDMI socket without needing an extension cable. (If you ask me, all dongles should feature that.)
Google's Chromebit Turns Any TV Into a Chrome PC for Under $100
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In addition to your Rockchip RK3288 (with quad-core Mali 760 graphics) you get 2GB of RAM, 16GB of solid state storage, 2x2 dual-band 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a single full-size USB 2.0 port on one end. It won’t be the most powerful PC you could plug into a TV, but it shouldn’t be too bad for the browser-based OS. Google also expects it to make quite a splash with small businesses and third-world countries due to price and easy manageability.
Look for this one in the summertime... and don’t expect it to be the only Chromebit. Google product management VP Caesar Sengupta tells us we can expect other computer companies to build dongle-PCs as well. Oh, and don’t expect the Chromecast to go away, either. Google says the streaming stick is a totally separate product that fills a different need.
http://gizmodo.com/googles-chromebit-turns-any-tv-into-a-chrome-pc-for-und-1694793903
Intel's $150 HDMI Stick Turns Any TV Into a Windows Desktop
Got an HDMI port handy? Sure, you could plug in a Chromecast, Fire TV Stick or Roku Streaming Stick …
Read more http://ces.gizmodo.com/intels-150-hdmi-stick-turns-any-tv-into-a-windows-desk-1678550370
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Google debuts the Chromebit, a Chromebook dongle for under $100
oogle has a new device in its growing Chromebook family, and it's called Chromebit.
The Chromebit looks more like Chromecast than a Chromebook, but the dongle has almost all of the internal components of Google's browser-based laptops crammed into a stick smaller than an iPhone 6. Google revealed the new Chrome OS-based device, which will be available later this year, along with a new lineup of low-cost Chromebooks on Tuesday.
SEE ALSO: Google's Chromebook Pixel 2 is ready to be your work laptop
The Asus-made Chromebit has the guts of a standard Chromebook — 2GB of RAM, Rockchip's 3288 processor and 16GB of storage — all stuffed into a dongle that is closer to the size of a Roku Streaming Stick than a laptop. It will cost less than $100 when it goes on sale this summer, though exact pricing and availability aren't yet clear.
The Chromebit is equipped with two ports: one HDMI and one USB. The first is used to connect the Chromebit to an external display, while the USB 2.0 port is used for power and to connect peripherals like a keyboard or mouse (these can also be connected via bluetooth, as the device has bluetooth capabilities.)
"Asus actually really pulled off a marvel of engineering here, squeezing everything into this size," "Asus actually really pulled off a marvel of engineering here, squeezing everything into this size," said Caesar Sengupta, VP of product management at Google, during a press event at the company's San Francisco office.
While Sengupta mentioned a range of scenarios the Chromebit could be used in — from powering digital signage to a travel accessory to aiding displays at Internet cafes with outdated PCs — he added that the company is excited for new, unexplored use cases.
For those who want more of a traditional form factor, Asus has another new Chromebook coming later this year: the $249 Chromebook Flip. The Flip's design resembles Lenovo's Yoga tablets and other convertible "all-in-ones," in that it can operate as a traditional laptop with a keyboard and trackpad or as tablet when the touchscreen display is flipped around.
Asus Chromebook Flip
The new $249 Asus Flip Chromebook will go on sale later this year.
With an all-metal yet lightweight body, the Flip was designed to feel like a "premium" device, despite its relatively modest price. It comes equipped with 4GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a battery that tops out at 10 hours, according to Asus.
As with other convertible devices, the operating system's user interface changes depending on its mode. In tablet mode, for example, the device has a virtual keyboard that also supports handwriting recognition (that includes hand-drawn emoji).
Screenshot 2015-03-30 at 9.22.00 PM
The latest version of Chrome OS supports handwriting recognition and can recognize emoji.
IMAGE: GOOGLE
Google also showed off low-cost Chromebooks from two new manufacturers, Hisense and Haier. The Hisense Chromebook and Haier 11 Chromebook are both available for preorder now and cost $149 each.
Google is clearly targeting two of its key Chromebook demographics with these offerings: students and emerging markets Google is clearly targeting two of its key Chromebook demographics with these offerings: students and emerging markets like India, Mexico and Thailand. Specs-wise, both fall on the lower end of the spectrum — even by Chromebook standards — with the same Rockchip processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage as the Chromebit.
However, the $149 price tag is one of the cheapest that comes on a Chromebook, period. Both models boast an impressive battery life; Hisense's clocks in at up to eight-and-a-half hours while Haier's Chromebook 11 claims to last for up to 10 hours.
Hisense Chromebook
The $149 Hisense Chromebook will get up to 8.5 hours of battery life.
All of the newest Chromebooks will ship with the latest version of Chrome OS, which comes with a host improvements, including better offline capabilities and the new Smart Lock features, which allows Android users to unlock Chromebooks with smartphones.
Chromebook owners can also expect to see many more Android apps running on their devices. The feature, which was first previewed last year during Google's I/O developer conference, has been available to a limited number of developers, though Google is set to open up the program to more developers soon.
These devices will join a handful of others for a total of about 10 new Chromebooks that will launch by the end of the year, including some higher-end models from Intel, which will have huge 15.5-inch displays powered by the same Broadwell chip as the the flagship Pixel 2.
BONUS: Google Chromebook Pixel 2 review
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http://mashable.com/2015/03/31/chromebook-chromebit/
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