With Chromebooks, there’s not a ton of pressure on users to own a Pixel phone to get all the best Chromebook+Smartphone features, but there is a little bit of that. Depending on how you utilize something like App Streaming from your phone to your Chromebook, the Phone Hub feature difference between something like the Pixel […]
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An ode to my now-dead original Google Wi-Fi
It was bound to happen one day, I suppose, but it turns out the final day of delivering the internet wirelessly to our home is today for my beloved, original Google Wi-Fi. Bought right as soon as it became commercially available, I’ve had this single Google Wi-Fi unit in our home for about 7 and […]
Continue ReadingTiny, fanless Chromeboxes make me wish for a new Intel-powered ChromeOS tablet
I’ve sat on this post for quite some time, but with the news coming out over the weekend that Acer is now in the mini-Chromebox game with a device of their own, my mind couldn’t help but wander to something I’ve thought about for a very long time: why do we not have small-core Intel-powered […]
Continue ReadingIf I didn’t run a Chromebook website, I’d still use a Chromebook
Is that title up there a given? Of course I’m going to say that I would use a Chromebook with or without Chrome Unboxed being a thing. But I’d bet some of you wonder to yourself whether or not I really, truly value Google’s Chromebook hardware enough to keep using it if I didn’t make […]
Continue ReadingWhy a Spatial Computing Chromebook for your face could work
Here we are in early 2024 and Apple has made good on the promise of delivering a new VR/AR headset (yes, that is what it is whether or not Tim Cook wants anyone to call it that) to the world that is trying against all odds to usher in a new form of computing: the […]
Continue ReadingSold on the Fold: editing a complex video with just the phone in my pocket
Over the weekend, I wanted to try something out that I knew would push my phone to its limits. As many of you all know, I made the switch to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 about 3 weeks ago and my love for this device continues to grow stronger by the day. I continually […]
Continue ReadingWhy I picked up (and am in love with) the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
I used to be far worse with phones. I swear I was. I worked for Sprint before starting Chrome Unboxed and that was right around the time Chromebooks became an actual thing; albeit with a very quiet existence. At that time, my tech obsession (along with everyone else) was smartphones. The market was volatile, the […]
Continue ReadingWhy I’m considering a Samsung tablet for gaming
This morning, I found myself on OnePlus’ website looking at the OnePlus Open. Since it was leaked months ago, I’ve been fawning over it quite a bit. I hoped that it would arrive at T-Mobile and give me the opportunity to leverage some sort of wacky trade-in deal to get my hands on it, but […]
Continue ReadingOur favorite gear that we actually used in 2023
It’s the time of the year once again where we take a look at some of our favorite gear that we here at Chrome Unboxed have been not only enjoying this year, but using as well. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for that tech-minded person on your list or want to treat yourself, […]
Continue ReadingThe Chromebook Files app is too simple: here are 5 things it can do to improve the user experience
Contents Perhaps because I’ve become somewhat of a ‘power user’ on my Chromebook, I’ve started to see where many aspects of the user experience fall short. Having recently set up Ubuntu 23.10 on my desktop and processed large volumes of data, I’ve fallen in love with the files app named “Nautilus” on linux. It’s nowhere […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Collections loses its mind, starts telling me dinnerware and furniture violate its terms of service
Contents Last month, I wrote about a reader who wrote in stating that Google Collections – now known as “Saved on Google” or “Google Save” – slapped them on the wrist for violating the terms of service for what web items you can save in a Collection. At the time, I assumed in good nature […]
Continue ReadingWhy the HP Dragonfly Pro is still the absolute King of Chromebooks
Contents There have been many different inflection points along the way in the Chromebook story. I think back to many different moments over the years that define the overall experience, and the odd, almost-questionable hardware comes to mind over and over again as this product segment has evolved and grown. These inflection points don’t always […]
Continue ReadingGoogle says wallpaper and emoji help us ‘be ourselves’, but my Pixel’s impact is greater than that
In a recent article on ‘The Keyword‘ by Google, Sebastian Bauer celebrates Android’s customization features such as wallpapers, widgets, and emoji as tools that ‘help us be ourselves’ on our phones. However, to me, what truly empowers us to be ourselves on our phones is our data, and the phone serves as a gateway to […]
Continue ReadingSamsung joins Google in pushing Apple to adopt RCS for iMessage
Contents In a blend of a bit of tech activism, Samsung – the world’s #1 Android manufacturer – recently unveiled an interesting video that aligns the tech giant with Google’s #GetTheMessage campaign. If you’re new around here and don’t already know, #GetTheMessage is a call for Apple to embrace RCS (Rich Communication Services) in iMessage […]
Continue ReadingA whole Android version later, and my phone still randomly switches to light mode
All the way back in February, I wrote about an annoying bug in Android 13 where my entire Pixel 6 Pro’s UI would swap automatically from dark mode to light mode without my permission. This was primarily triggered by Do Not Disturb and Bedtime mode. Since then, I’ve just dealt with it understanding that Google […]
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