The Chrome Cast

On this week’s episode of The Chrome Cast podcast, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming with a discussion about wrapping up our Chromebook Plus reviews and an exciting exclusive demo of the upcoming Chromebook Plus AI features. We appreciate everyone tuning in last week as we explained why we’re taking a quick break from YouTube, but it was fun to get back to news coverage this week.

For the first half of the show, we dive into our Chromebook Plus review process and the collective relief we’re feeling after wrapping up our 8th Chromebook Plus review. We hope that these reviews have been helpful as you all have tried to wade through these new devices that were all launched at the Chromebook Plus event last October. We have several exciting things in the works that we can’t wait to work on after our hiatus, so stay tuned.

The remainder of the show is all about our exclusive demo of the upcoming Chromebook Plus features. Given the nature of Chromebook news, we don’t get many exclusives (other than finding things in the repositories) so it was very nice of the ChromeOS team to reach out and give us a sneak peek of the Chromebook Plus AI features that are coming soon. We’ve shared some frustration around the delivery of these features, so it was great to also get clarification on why it’s taking a little longer and why it will be worth the wait. If you’re as excited as we are about these new features, you don’t want to miss this one. Enjoy!

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This week on The Chrome Cast podcast, we took a break from our normal news roundup and decided to explain some of how we got here, where we're heading, and why we've decided to take a few weeks off from publishing on YouTube. And no, Chrome Unboxed isn't going anywhere and we aren't quitting YouTube. We do talk through why this is probably happening on YouTube, but we are as focused and clear-headed about Chrome Unboxed as ever. We just need some time to focus on the launch of something exciting!

The official announcement of what we've been working on is coming soon so this episode is kind of a long-form explanation and teaser of what's coming. We will publish a more buttoned-up version of all this on YouTube next week, so keep an eye out for that. We have some exciting videos planned and some things in the works that we can't wait to tell you all about, but for right now, we want to take some time to focus on the launch of Proof Golf.

I promise we will get back to our regularly scheduled programming soon, but this was a fun conversation that gives you all a behind-the-scenes look at what we've been working on and how we operate. We dive deep into how our content strategy has evolved and how we've responded to changes in the digital publishing world. So, if you are a fan of Chrome Unboxed and want a look behind the curtain, this one is for you. As always, we greatly appreciate you all listening and supporting Chrome Unboxed. Enjoy!

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We're back with another episode of The Chrome Cast podcast and on this week's show, we discuss some new, interesting hardware we've been testing. If you've been listening to the show or reading the site lately, you know that we have been working hard to get through our reviews of the Chromebook Plus models announced in October. So it was a nice change of pace when the Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk and Lenovo Chromebox Micro arrived at our office this week.

We've been anxiously waiting for the Logitech Casa to arrive for a few reasons. First and foremost, we wanted to ensure that the keyboard and trackpad work with ChromeOS as seamlessly as we hoped, since Logitech went above and beyond to make this a Works With Chromebook-certified product. And secondly, we wanted to see if the hardware was good enough to justify the $180 price tag. Listen in to see what Robby thinks and check out our recent unboxing video to see the Casa in action.

The second half of the show is all about Lenovo's interesting new take on a Chromebox: the Chromebox Micro. We've been excited to see this Chromebox is truly pocket-sized so as soon as it arrived, we opened the box and I popped it straight into my pocket. No problem! Oh, and we've already discovered that it is the first Chromebox we've ever tested that can be run off of a portable power bank.

Outside of many standard Enterprise or home-desktop setups, the Lenovo Chromebox Micro opens the door for some unique use cases that we are excited to try out. Maybe a portable setup with AR glasses? Stay tuned as we test and experiment with this new Chromebox. If you are excited about this Chromebox, send us a message or hit us up on X and explain why - we're curious why it seems like so many of you are interested in this Chromebox.

We also made sure to squeeze in a "Hot Take" at the end of the show so make sure to stick around for that to hear Robby's ode to the original Google WiFi. I hope you enjoy the show! Cheers!

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We’re back with another episode of The Chrome Cast podcast and this week we tackle a few software updates that are coming soon to your Chromebook, the 2024 Google I/O announcement, and why we can’t wait for an exciting new accessory to show up. The first part of the show is dedicated to – you guessed it – Lacros. We’ve been talking about this de-coupled Chrome browser on Chromebooks for a while now but it looks like we could be nearing the finish line soon – maybe in ChromeOS 124! And although it will likely be an update that you might not even notice, we explain why it’s a massive shift for ChromeOS.

For the second half of the show, we split the conversation between Google I/O and the Logitech Casa. The official date for I/O 2024 has been released and so we talk through what we’re expecting from Google’s developer conference this year and why we’re hopeful for a new Chromecast. As for the Logitech Casa, you might have heard us talk about this “desk in a box” product in last week’s show but since then we have made a few discoveries that make us even more excited to get it in the office and test it out (if FedEx ever decides to stop by.) Oh, and brace yourself for the AI discussion that gets brought up near the end of the show; this stuff is terrifying and so interesting at the same time. Enjoy!

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This week on The Chrome Cast podcast, we focus most of our discussion around two main topics: the full review of the HP 15.6" Chromebook Plus and the new Casa Pop-Up Desk that includes a wireless trackpad that works with ChromeOS. The HP 15.6" review is the second to last review of Chromebook Plus models that were launched back in October, so we also talked through that process and why the Lenovo Slim 3i is still Robby's favorite.

The second half of the conversation is all about the new Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk that we recently stumbled upon. This interesting multi-device "desk in a box" setup looks great all on its own but through some investigation, we've discovered that the Casa is a Works With Chromebook certified device, making it the only wireless trackpad option for ChromeOS right now. So, as you might imagine, we are pretty excited about the Casa and can't wait to test it out soon. 

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we generally stick to a single topic: using the venerable Pixelbook in 2024. Originally released in the fall of 2017, the Pixelbook still largely stands alone in the world of laptops and Chromebooks when we talk about sheer ingenuity, aesthetics, and build quality. There’s simply never been anything like it before or since.

But the larger conversation around this Chromebook circles back to the reasons Google is no longer actively developing any in-house Chromebooks. As halo devices, Chromebooks like the Pixelbook, Pixel Slate, and Pixelbook Go were largely used to shine the light on general Chromebook deficits. With manufacturers truly picking up the slack, there’s just no need for Google to light the way any longer. But we still really wish they would.

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This week on The Chrome Cast podcast, we’re diving deep into the potential of a new device from Samsung and why we think it’s the perfect time for a Galaxy Chromebook Plus. In case you’ve missed it, we’ve been reporting on the development of a new board in the repositories called “Xol” that we think could be a new Galaxy Chromebook Plus and so this took up much of our discussion this week but for good reason, it’s super exciting! We believe it’s time for Google and Samsung to work closely together to finally deliver the Galaxy Chromebook we all want!

As part of the discussion around Samsung and Xol, we also chatted about a crazy discount on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 that has dropped the price of that device to $299 and how wild Chromebook deals like this affect the market. As always, we get a little off the rails talking about EV chargers and Gemini, too, but we tried our best to keep things focused. Hope you enjoy listening, cheers!

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This week on the The Chrome Cast podcast, it's all about hardware! We are working our way through the Chromebook Plus reviews and have two new videos that we discuss. The first is our favorite of the bunch, the Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook Plus. We dive into why Robby absolutely loves this Chromebook, from the excellent build quality and rigidity to the punchy screen and great keyboard. There's a lot to like with this one and it highlights the best of Chromebook Plus in all the right ways.

In the second half of the show, we talk through the review of the ASUS Vibe CX34 review, the most flashy of the new Chromebook Plus models. And we wrap up the show with a discussion of a new device called "Xol" that Robby has been tracking and believes is a new Chromebook from Samsung, maybe a new Galaxy Chromebook Plus.

We made note of this in the introduction but this episode was recorded remotely and we had a few technical issues. If you notice a slight echo while Robby is talking or a little static feedback in parts, we apologize. We are working to figure out a setup that gives you all that crispy audio that you've all come to expect from The Chrome Cast! 

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we stick to two major themes: the evolution and growth of NVIDIA GeForce NOW as it turns 4 years old and our review of the Acer Chromebook Plus 515. With GeForce NOW, there’s so much that has changed in their four years of existence, and nearly all of it has been for the better.

For the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review, we chose to go a bit of a different route this time around, streamlining things to publish one of the shortest reviews we’ve ever made. And there’s a reason for it: Chromebook Plus is just that reliably good. When it comes down to it, as long as Chromebook Plus is on the lid, it’s going to be a solid overall experience.

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we take a look at CES 2024 and explain a bit about why we weren’t in attendance, why not many Chromebook announcements were made there, and what about the show stood out this week as coverage from other outlets flooded our news feeds. It’s a fun show that gives us a chance to spend a lot of our time talking about the new Chromebooks from ASUS and a bit about some fun tech that showed up in Las Vegas this year.

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