The Chrome Cast

In what is a bit of a sad episode, we spend most of our time this week discussing the recent news that Google has chosen to shut down the team responsible for the Pixelbook.  It seems there was one on the way, but Google has done what Google does and changed trajectory a bit in the midst of labor cuts and reassignments all around.

There's hope, however, that strategic partnerships and new life can come from this move as Google's first-party Chromebooks have never been constant staples in the ChromeOS market over the years.  Generally, the Pixelbooks have existed to urge the market in a particular direction, and with OEMs finding their Chromebook-building stride in 2022, there's just no need for a Pixelbook right now.  Even if we all really want one.

LINKS

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we discuss the upcoming Google hardware event slated for Thursday, October 6th 2022. While we all expect the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel Watch, there are other hardware questions that could get answered there as well. With the Pixel Tablet having quite a few new pieces to the puzzle revealed recently and the Pixel Notepad continuing to see development action, perhaps the event will shed some light on those devices, too.

We also discuss the recent iPhone event from Apple that saw the unveiling of the entire new line of iPhone 14s, a few new Apple Watches, and the new Airpods Pro 2. Though we like to poke fun at Apple any time we have the chance, there’s also a few things in their keynotes that are pretty awesome, too.

LINKS

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we begin the show by discussing the recent news that the Pixel Watch should retail for $399 with LTE on board. Without knowing how good the build quality will be or how intuitive and useful the software experience will be, it’s tough to decide whether or not $399 is a good price for the new watch from Google, but we all feel like there’s a good chance it will be.

We also discuss the recent patent published for the Pixel Notepad – Google’s long-rumored folding phone. While the patent doesn’t really tell us anything new, it solidifies the fact that the Pixel Notepad is on the way and gives us a bit of assurance in the earlier leaks and rumors regarding it’s size and form factor.

Finally, we discuss the excellent Acer Chromebook Spin 714 and how this Chromebook took the beloved Spin 713 formula and boldly changed things like the screen size and aspect ratio while at the same time adding more-premium pieces to craft a really fantastic Chromebook.

LINKS

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we open the show by discussing the latest effort from T-Mobile and Elon Musk’s SpaceX that plans to use satellite-driven communications to fully flesh out T-Mobile’s wireless network. The early stages won’t happen until later next year, but the application could be a massive step towards getting basic communications like text messages into the most remote areas in the United States without the need of additional equipment on the user’s end.

From there, we chat a bit about the new Acer Chromebook Vero 514 and how this mostly-recycled Chromebook isn’t just a one-trick pony: it is a pleasure to use and comes equipped with most of the stuff you want in a higher-end Chromebook. We all love the look, feel, and sustainability that comes with the Vero 514 and can’t wait to see it hit the market in the coming weeks for $499 at Best Buy.

Finally, we talk through the recent leak of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro that showed up in the hands of Lew over at Unbox Therapy. Though we don’t know too much more about the phones even after this chance run-in, it is cool to see both devices in real hands and from viewpoints that aren’t simply press or marketing renders.

LINKS

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we begin the show talking a bit about the coming Pixel Watch and how the features, look and feel of that watch could be a huge uptick for Wear OS as a whole.  With Fitbit integration, a great look, and a focus on glanceable information, we all are excited to see this wearable show up at Google's annual fall hardware event.

For the second half of the show, we focus in on a recent video we published this week: using a Chromebook to power a golf simulator bay.  As you likely know by this point, we all love golf and getting to run the simulator software right from a Chromebook is an unexpected treat, proving that our favorite OS is continually becoming more capable by the day.

LINKS

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast, we begin the show by discussing the newest rumors swirling ahead of Google’s rapidly-approaching fall hardware event. With the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro already announced at Google I/O 2022, we thought we knew all there was to know about the fall’s phone lineup, but there could be more lurking behind the scenes that may not be revealed until October.

For the second half of the show, we go deep into our review of the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, discussing all the reasons why this Chromebook is the best there is on the market and why we all feel that, despite its steep asking price, the Dragonfly is worth it in the end. Is it for everyone? Of course not, but there are many of you out there that should really give it a look if you are in the market for a Chromebook with no compromises.

Sponsored by VIZOR - Chromebook 1:1 Management Software for Schools. CLICK HERE to find out how VIZOR can help your School manage Chromebooks.

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Today on The Chrome Cast podcast, we are back with another interview episode, chatting with Noah Levin, the Director of Design at Figma. If you aren’t familiar with Figma, it’s a powerful design and prototyping tool that was built from the ground up to be run in the browser. Because of that fact, you can leverage powerful collaborative tools so you don’t have to worry about local files or coordinating whether or not your team is working from the most updated version of a project. It’s like the Google Docs of design and prototyping.

This episode is sponsored by VIZOR - Chromebook 1:1 Management Software for Schools. CLICK HERE to find out how VIZOR can help your School manage Chromebooks.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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This week on The Chrome Cast, we were a bit all over the place.  Our primary discussion in the first half revolves around the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, ChromeOS tablets, and whether the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 or Duet 5 is the better tablet experience.

In the second half of the show, we delve into the recent news surrounding Google's upcoming fall hardware event and the fact that it looks very likely that we'll see it happen in the first week of October this time around.  At that event, we know the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will make an appearance alongside the Pixel Watch, but what about the Pixel Notepad?  With new Pixel Camera features coming just for the Pixel Notepad, maybe its arrival is sooner than we expect.

LINKS

Sponsored by VIZOR - Chromebook 1:1 Management Software for Schools. CLICK HERE to find out how VIZOR can help your School manage Chromebooks.

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast, we stay pretty focused on two things: the arrival of the Pixel Buds Pro and the big updates on the way for ChromeOS. For the Pixel Buds Pro, we have a full video with initial impressions and thoughts on Google’s new earbuds, and the early reactions are very positive. With an absolute slew of great features and the correction of previous Pixel Buds mistakes, these new earbuds are a fantastic addition to the Pixel Portfolio.  

For the second half of the show, we focus in on the upcoming changes to ChromeOS that Google highlighted on The Keyword, including better customizations, dark/light themes (finally) and a new video editor for Google Photos slated to hit Chromebooks first. The new features are sweet looking and the small tweaks to things like the app launcher and notifications area are starting to make ChromeOS feel more cohesive and polished all around.

LINKS

Sponsored by VIZOR - Chromebook 1:1 Management Software for Schools. CLICK HERE to find out how VIZOR can help your School manage Chromebooks.

This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast, we begin by chatting about the arrival of the Pixel 6a and the Pixel Buds Pro on the scene. We’ve known the launch would be on July 21st since the initial announcement, but the arrival of the pre-order date means our impressions video and countless others are now out in the wild. We stack up the Pixel 6a against its bigger, more-expensive siblings and talk about why this is such an important device for the Google hardware team.

We also chat about the Pixel Buds Pro, the expectations we have of them, and the reasons they could be an absolute home run for Google if things align properly. From there, we transition to talking about the resurgence of hope in the Pixelbook lineup stemming from a missed admission by Google’s Rick Osterloh during Google I/O 2022 that future Pixelbooks were on the roadmap. It’s a packed episode and we hope you enjoy all of it!

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This episode is brought to you by Fresh Roasted Coffee.  To check it out, go to https://chromeunboxed.com/coffee/ and use the discount code CHROMEUNBOXED for 15% off your initial purchase!

This episode is also brought to you by NordVPN. CLICK HERE to try it out and get 2 years for $3.29 per month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices