The Chrome Cast

This week on The Chrome Cast podcast, we have a little hardware and a little software. For the first half of the show, we focus on a few new Chromebook releases: the kind of different but kind of the same Acer Chromebook Plus 514 and the Lenovo Chromebook Slim 3i that you should not buy. We wrap up our hardware segment with a discussion of a 4K Chromecast with Google TV that is rumored to be on the way and what we hope Google brings to their next-gen streaming dongle. In the second half of the show, we dive into a new feature coming soon in Google Photos that will help you de-clutter your library by getting rid of all those random screenshots, GIFs, and memes that have been building up. And then we finish up the show with a phone call feature that Robby thinks should head to Chromebooks soon. We even have a throwback to Andromeda, for some of you OG Chrome Unboxed readers who might remember all of those rumors back in 2016 and 2017. I hope you enjoy it, cheers! Show Links Acer’s new Chromebook Plus 514 is more of the same, but different A new Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook appears, but makes little sense Walmart’s excellent Onn. Google TV streaming box getting a “Pro” upgrade A new, updated 4K Chromecast w/Google TV is on the way Your Google Photos library is about to get far less cluttered This needed Chromebook feature could tempt me back to Pixel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast podcast, we dive into a big update on the website, publishing our last YouTube video for a bit, and a mounting problem that has us frustrated with Google. The first half of the show is all about the return of the comments section on the website. After working through what turned into a complicated issue with Disqus, we are thrilled to have comments back on the site! It’s taken some time to get everything set up correctly, but we hope our improved comments section is a place for engaging conversations. So, head to the bottom of this article and leave us a comment! For the remainder of the show, we share our thoughts on Google’s expanding graveyard of canceled services and why we think Google needs to shift away from its “move fast, break things” startup mentality. With many great services shutting down over the last few years (many of which users relied on for personal and business use), it’s easy to understand the frustration that some users might be feeling and how it could lead to a distrust in Google services. We make sure to end the show on a high note, though, with some exciting news on upcoming hardware so stick around for that. I hope you enjoy the show and, again, leave us a comment below with your thoughts on the topics we covered. Cheers! Show Links Here’s why we’re taking a break from YouTube [VIDEO] Google kills off yet another fantastic service Google Podcasts is officially dead: What you need to know Walmart’s excellent Onn. Google TV streaming box getting a “Pro” upgrade More proof that upcoming Chromebook tablet ‘Ciri’ belongs to Lenovo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Show Links All of our Chromebook Plus reviews Acer Chromebook Plus 514 Review: solidly affordable [VIDEO] The best all-around Chromebook Plus is down to just $389 right now Don’t miss this incredible deal on the ASUS Chromebook Plus CM34 Exclusive: Google demoed the new Chromebook Plus AI features for us [VIDEO] Where is Google’s promised ‘Help me write’ feature for Chromebooks? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Show Links Chrome Unboxed YouTube Proof Golf Coming Soon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Show Links Unboxing and trying the new Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk [VIDEO] Logitech’s Casa Pop-Up Desk: a real option for a wireless Chromebook trackpad? Logitech’s Casa Pop-Up Desk is confirmed ‘Works with Chromebook’ Logitech’s Casa Pop-Up Desk arrives at Best Buy March 21st Lenovo’s pocket-sized Chromebox Micro arrives at B&H Meet the new pocket-sized Chromebox from Lenovo: The Chromebox Micro Yes, you will be able to buy the Lenovo Chromebox that fits in your pocket An ode to my now-dead original Google Wi-Fi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Show Links: Why the Lacros Chrome browser may arrive on Chromebooks very soon Quick Share for Chromebook set to get a Wi-Fi Direct speed boost Google and Samsung join forces to simplify file sharing This new feature will finally make the Chromebook calendar widget useful Google I/O 2024 dates and small live crowd confirmed The next Chromecast with Google TV could get a solid performance upgrade Leaks of the Pixel 8a box confirm minor design changes Logitech’s Casa Pop-Up Desk is confirmed ‘Works with Chromebook’ Logitech’s Casa Pop-Up Desk arrives at Best Buy March 21st Figure Status Update – OpenAI Speech-to-Speech Reasoning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.  LINKS HP 15.6-inch Chromebook Plus review [VIDEO] Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review [VIDEO] Big savings return for my favorite Chromebook: the Acer 516 GE Lenovo Chromebook Slim 3i: is this ‘Chromebook Plus’? [VIDEO] Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook Plus Review: my favorite of the bunch [VIDEO] If the Slim 3i Chromebook Plus stays at $339.99, it’s the one to beat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Links Using a Pixelbook in 2024: is it still just as amazing? [VIDEO] Google Pixelbook Review: More Than Just An Expensive Chromebook 2017 Google Hardware Event (Pixelbook section) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! EPISODE LINKS New Chromebook ‘Xol’ emerges with an Assistant Key built in Why ‘Xol’ could become the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus More clues that ‘Xol’ may be the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus My favorite Chromebook Plus model hits a new all-time low price The deal sweetens on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2, now $400 off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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!  Links Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook Plus Review: my favorite of the bunch The best Chromebook Plus model available just hit its lowest-ever price ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 Review New Chromebook ‘Xol’ emerges with an Assistant Key built in Why ‘Xol’ could become the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Links GeForce NOW turns 4, adds two new big titles you can play on a Chromebook GeForce NOW just keeps getting better on Chromebooks [VIDEO] Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review [VIDEO] Chromebook Plus on the cheap: Acer 515 is now available for just $219.99 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Links Unboxing the new ASUS Chromebook CM30 Detachable tablet [VIDEO] Why the new ASUS ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus could be more affordable than you think Early hands-on with the insane new ASUS ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus [VIDEO] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast, we take a look back at the tentpole moments of 2023 and how things changed over the last 365 days not just for us here at Chrome Unboxed, but for ChromeOS, Chromebooks and Google, too. From Chromebook Plus to the Dragonfly Pro to AI and more, we spend a good bit of time unpacking all the stuff that made 2023 the year that it was. Links 2023 Chrome Unboxed Year in Review Introducing Chromebook Plus: the new standard for fast, capable, fun-to-use devices [VIDEO] CES 2023: HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook hands-on impressions [VIDEO] ChromeOS 116 makes the move to the new Lacros Chrome browser an absolute breeze [VIDEO] Stadia says farewell with a beautiful parting gift for its players We don’t need AI hardware in Chromebook Plus to use AI features…yet I accidentally dropped my Pixel Fold from 5 feet onto asphalt off of a moving golf cart The best Chromebook deals today: always updated Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Chrome Cast, we begin by talking about the amazing deals out there right now for Chromebooks under $300, and the conversation simply took off from that point. We’re in a stage in the Chromebook story where Chromebook Plus is a relevant player in the overall narrative that is driving prices for great Chromebooks down to pretty remarkable places. Just a few years ago, I loathed talking too much about affordable Chromebooks because most of them were flat-out bad and not fun to use. At the end of 2023, however, that is less and less the case, and there are so many great Chromebooks under $300 at this point that I think the landscape for Chromebooks and ChromeOS will look quite different by this point in 2024. Show Links Our favorite budget Chromebooks under $300 The best Chromebook deals today: last-minute edition 10 ways AI is being used on Chromebooks right now We don’t need AI hardware in Chromebook Plus to use AI features…yet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Chrome Cast, we really did attempt to continue with our one-subject-per-podcast format this week, but in talking about ASUS' newly-launched ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus, our conversation diverged to include not just ASUS' new, top-dog Chromebook, but Chromebook Plus, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, Intel Core i3 performance, and Intel's new Core Ultra-branded chips for laptops across the board. Obviously, the main focus of our discussion is all about this wildly-over-the-top new Chromebook that came out of nowhere, however, and there's just a lot to talk about with this surprising new device that could be the Chromebook to beat in 2024. Links ASUS ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus: the new King of Chromebooks? Why the HP Dragonfly Pro is still the absolute King of Chromebooks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this episode of The Chrome Cast, we're sticking with our new format of sticking to a single topic. And this time around, we've decided to work through our "Best Chromebooks" list for the end of the year live on the podcast. There was no planning for this and you can listen as we talk through and create the list that will likely become what we're thinking will be our first-ever "12 Chromebooks of Christmas". How's that for a bit of multitasking? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this episode of The Chrome Cast, we’re trying something a bit different. Instead of trying to cover a week’s worth of stuff in a single, 90-minute show, we’re going to break our episodes into topic-specific segments and publish more often. This way, you don’t have to give over an hour to listen and we have the flexibility to jump in and produce a new episode with a bit more ease. It’s a win-win! For this episode, our discussion topic circles around the issues with ChromeOS 119 and the missing Chromebook Plus features that could be happening because of it. On Friday, I realized my Chromebook Plus features were simply gone from the Flex 5i, and after a bit more digging, I also realized ChromeOS 119 has been pulled from the Omaha server responsible for pushing updates to all Chromebook devices. Something’s off for sure, and if you’ve been affected by it, this episode should provide a bit of insight. Links Something is really wrong with ChromeOS 119 My Chromebook Plus features disappeared: here’s how I fixed it The best Chromebook deals today: Black Friday 2023 edition How to be a smart Black Friday Chromebook deal shopper [VIDEO] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast, our discussion is largely dominated by the naming mess that Chromebook Plus is facing right now. Sure, there are 8 “new” Chromebook Plus devices that were launched with the announcement, but as of mid-October, a bunch of other existing devices also got the full Chromebook Plus upgrade. The issue? If you don’t know better and walk into a store or are browsing online, looking for Chromebook Plus (as the marketing is pushing consumers to do), you may pass on many fantastic devices that are Chromebook Plus through-and-through but don’t have anything in the listing to tell you that is the case. Think of the Acer Chromebook 516 GE, a device I’ve lauded for nearly a year at this point as one of my favorite devices. As I type this right now on that exact device, it kills me to think consumers may walk right by it simply because there’s no label that tells them this is a Chromebook Plus. The fix would be a simple name change and inclusion for devices like this in any and all Chromebook Plus marketing, but I don’t know if or when we’ll get there. Links Why Google needs to add Chromebook Plus to listings for those that meet the criteria The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 drops to its lowest-ever price once again The Acer Spin 714 is $130 off and Chromebook Plus through-and-through As we predicted, ASUS announces a new MediaTek-powered Chromebook tablet HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c review: a lot to like when the price is right [VIDEO] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast, loosely everything we discuss circles around one, large topic: Chromebook Plus. From the myriad of deals on Chromebook Plus devices to discussing the prowess of Chromebook Plus processors and the possibility of new Chromebook Plus tablets, this week’s show largely stays focused on Chromebook Plus. We also discuss the curious case of the Pixel Tablet as well: a device still stuck in limbo, trying to figure out what its purpose truly is. With the Google Assistant set to start gaining Bard’s capabilities and new Nest Hub-like features on the way to the Pixel Tablet, perhaps there’s a future where owning this odd tablet from Google really starts to make a lot of sense. Links Don’t miss massive $320 savings on this HP Chromebook Plus model Here’s a quick look at how fast the new Chromebook Plus devices really are Another clue that a Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 successor is on the way HP Chromebook Plus x360: don’t buy the wrong one [UPDATED] Here’s a look at Best Buy’s new Chromebook Plus display tables Buying a Pixel Tablet might finally make sense Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Chrome Cast, we begin by talking about our latest giveaway: 3 Lenovo Chromebook Slim 3i Chromebooks! While these devices don’t have Chromebook Plus on the lid, they are Chromebook Plus through-and-through. As my favorite Chromebook Plus model thus far (and the first I plan to review), I’m beyond excited to be able to give away three of these excellent Chromebooks courtesy of Lenovo. From there, we move on to talk about the fact that there are no real differences in devices like the Slim 3i and the Chromebook Plus Slim 3i: it’s just a new branding on the lid. And after we get through some discussion on the state of Chromebook Plus right now and the situation with the ChromeOS 118 update, we move on to examining the latest Chromebook Plus model to arrive at the office – the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 – and the fact that we now have all of the new Chromebook Plus devices in the office to begin weeks worth of reviews. Links Win one of 3 fantastic Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebooks Samsung Chromebook Pro and Plus Quick Look: CES 2017 New Chromebook Plus deals can save you up to $200 right now Acer Chromebook Plus 514 unboxing: we now have every new Chromebook Plus model [VIDEO] HP Chromebook Plus x360: don’t buy the wrong one It looks like nearly all Chromebooks are finally on ChromeOS 118 Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5: where are the ChromeOS updates? A closer look at ChromeOS 118 and new Chromebook Plus features [VIDEO] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices