CU 2022: A look back at the top 5 articles of the year

Well, tomorrow is the big day. The day that we bid farewell to another year as we prepare to usher in 2023. Personally, 2022 has been a great ride and a distinct improvement over the uncertain chaos that stemmed from the pandemic that gripped the two years prior. I certainly hope that your 2022 was a great one and from the entire team here at Chrome Unboxed, here’s hoping that 2023 will be even better.

In 2022, we continued to expand the types of content we cover and in doing so, have gained a broader audience for which we are immeasurably thankful. Without you, the reader, there would be no Chrome Unboxed. As we prepare to head to Las Vegas for our first in-person CES since 2020, we thought it fitting to take a look back over the past year and highlight the top 5 posts that brought many of you to our site. So, without further ado, here are the Chrome Unboxed Top 5 posts of 2022.

#5 How to download and install iTunes on your Chromebook

Yes, I know. iTunes on a Chromebook? Well, the subject is clearly one that is well sought out. We still receive emails and see forum posts from users wanting to know how they can use iTunes on a Chromebook. Unfortunately, there’s no official way to do so but since I like to tinker, I discovered a way. It’s not pretty and the user experience is choppy but coming in at number 5 for 2022 is my how-to on downloading and installing iTunes on a Chromebook using the Linux container on ChromeOS.

#4 Pixel Buds Pro priced to sell

When Google announced its latest Pixel Buds, the Pixel Buds Pro, we were very excited but at the same time, a bit skeptical. Google had made some solid headphones up until this point but all failed to fully deliver an experience worth of their price tags. The Pixel Buds Pro came out at $199 which was a tad pricey but we gave Google the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, the one thing we had hoped for in the new earbuds didn’t happen. Despite the killer noise cancelling and crispy audio, gaming latency was still an issue at launch. So much so that we quickly dismissed recommending them at $200.

Fast forward a few months and Google has pushed some updates and feature drops to the Pixel Buds Pro earbuds and they finally can be used for relatively lag-free gaming. That makes them much easier to recommend but it’s still a hefty price to pay if you aren’t fully sold on the Google ecosystem. Well, back in October, the earbuds dropped to an all-time low of $149 and that must have been the sale that everyone was waiting for because this little deal post from Robby became our number 4 post of the entire year and he wrote it just two months ago. CRAZY!!!

#3 Play Google’s ‘The Great Ghoul Duel’ game

Google is notorious for having some seriously fun and often viral features hosted on the Google new tab page via the Google Doodle. Sometimes, it is a highlight of noteworthy artists. Other times, it is a historical figure that has impacted us on a global scale. Occasionally, it is simply a season or holiday-related game that’s an addictive way to pass some time. This year, Google revamped the Great Ghost Duel from 2018 to celebrate Halloween and Google-users went wild. Searches for this game topped the Google Trends trending chart for days after trick or treat was over and in just a few days, this article from Michael became our number 3 post of 2022. The cool part is that Google archives these games so you can play them any time you wish. Check it out.

#2 The $79 Chromebook worth buying

We share a lot of Chromebook deals here at Chrome Unboxed because we want our readers to be in the know when a great discount is available. Sometimes, it’s a huge discount on the latest ultra-premium convertible. Other times, it’s simply a very affordable price on an already inexpensive Chromebook for the kiddos or something that can be used as a secondary device around the home or office. The latter seems to be very popular as of late and it’s for that reason that a $79 deal on the handy Lenovo Chromebook 3 became our number 2 article of the year. Pretty cool considering this Chromebook has been around for more than three years and yes, it’s definitely worth eighty bucks.

#1 Chrome Flags: What they are and how to enable them

Sometimes, an article goes viral and we really have no rhyme or reason as to why. Chrome flags are experimental features that most average users have never heard of, let alone use. Yet, for some unknown reason, hundreds of thousands of users from around the globe have found their way to Chrome Unboxed because of this seeming niche subject.

The original post was experiencing some SEO issues and for that reason, we republished with some fresh content a few weeks ago. Before that post went live, the original post had already garnered nearly three times the page views of any other post on the site. Even today, the new post remains near the top of our traffic report and apparently, more people are interested in Chrome flags than we ever could have expected. So, our number 1 post for 2022 is all about Chrome flags and how to use them.

Well, barring any unforeseen viral explosions, that’s our top five articles of 2022. We have greatly enjoyed sharing fresh, new content with you and we sincerely hope that you’ll stick around to see what 2023 will bring. We’re expanding into more video content areas and we’d love to see you out there on social. You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and of course, here on the website. Be sure to stay tuned for the latest ChromeOS news as we head to Las Vegas this week for CES 2023. You aren’t going to want to miss this one. See you soon and Happy New Year from the entire Chrome Unboxed team.

Don’t forget to check out our top 5 videos of 2022 while you’re here!