In early 2022, Google announced a tool that allows its customers to take their old Windows or Mac laptop and turn it into a Chromebook.
The said tool, ChromeOS Flex, was in its early access the past few months, and now Google says that the tool is ready for a wider release so more Mac and Windows PC owners can use it.
Google Releases ChromeOS Flex
According to Engadget, the basics of the tool remain the same. Users can visit the ChromeOS Flex website to install the OS on a USB drive and test it to ensure the system works properly.
Users can then fully replace their old computer's OS with Chrome OS if everything runs smoothly.
Google revealed that it had tested the tool's compatibility with more than 400 different devices. That was part of the tool's early access program that will let Google get lots of user feedback and fix 600 bugs that were identified over the past few months.
While any user can install ChromeOS Flex, Google is positioning the tool for businesses and schools to extend the usefulness of older hardware.
Also Read: 5 Best Chromebooks to Buy in 2021: Lenovo Chromebook Duet, Acer Chromebook 713, MORE
To that end, IT departments can deploy ChromeOS Flex over their networks instead of updating every computer with a USB drive.
Google also noted that Flex devices could be managed through the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, which allows departments to manage apps and policies across several computers.
The tool was developed after Google bought Neverware in 2021, a company that first had the idea of letting users take old computers and turn them into Chromebooks.
Now that the tool is being deployed widely, Neverware's CloudReady software will be changed to Flex in the coming weeks, and the CloudReady product will be discontinued.
That transition should not be a problem for users because ChromeOS Flex is now stable and has features that CloudReady did not have, such as Google Assistant support.
Chrome OS 105 Release
Chromebooks are more resource efficient than other computers in the market equipped with Intel chips, despite Chrome being the only feasible way to browse the web on them.
However, improvements are always needed, and the latest one is slated to come to the latest Chromebook with Chrome OS 105.
According to About Chromebooks, the Chrome OS 105 Dev is the latest flag that throttles and de-prioritizes JavaScript activities from websites that you do not actively use.
The flag limits the time websites have to run their JavaScript code in the background without any restrictions.
Since JavaScript activities are usually among the more battery-intensive tasks for computers, limiting the time code is allowed to be executed can come with enhancements for your battery.
According to Android Police, Google stated that users could expect up to 10% improvements in battery life in ideal circumstances.
But given that not all websites that you visit make heavy use of JavaScript, you might not get the 10% increase. There are too many variables.
Google introduced background throttling for JavaScript code in Chrome OS 86, but its metrics were more conservative to ensure it did not break any applications.
Related Article: How to Bring Back Your Dying Mac to Life by Turning it Into Chromebook | Here's How
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Written by Sophie Webster
