With the release of the new Nest cameras, practically all current Nest and Google hardware is connected and unified in the Home app this year. The Google Wifi and Nest apps are being phased out aside from a few use cases (speaking of which, can I pretty please set my Nest Guard through the Home […]
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Why I’m excited to be returning to #teamPixel with Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro [VIDEO]
Well, it’s October – and you know what that means? It means we’re finally getting close to Pixel 6 time. As a guy who has been out of the Pixel game for nearly 2 years at this point, I am pumped. Not only is there a new Pixel waiting in the wings, it is a […]
Continue ReadingCursed Cursive: Google’s new handwriting app is plagued with loading issues
When Google first announced its new handwriting app, Cursive, I was ecstatic. As someone who’s always kept a physical Bullet Journal to reflect and make decisions, the idea of finally having a viable solution to do so digitally, and on a Chromebook nonetheless, was very exciting to me. Up until now, I’d shifted almost entirely […]
Continue ReadingWe need to talk about the sheer awesomeness that is Google’s Pixel 6 event launch page
Deep down, I’m a sucker for a great website. Before founding Chrome Unboxed, my 9-5 was web design and development. To be fair, my focus was far more front-end design than it was development, but I did a bit of both along the way. For me, it was always about UI, UX, and style. Did […]
Continue ReadingHere are some improvements that Google Chat Spaces can make if it wants to replace Tasks
Having been review bombed on the Google Play Store for its lack of feature parity with Hangouts, Google Chat has fired up within me another set of frustrations that I hadn’t anticipated – its lackluster Tasks implementation. While I have an appreciation for the collaborative nature of tasks within Chat – something that simply doesn’t […]
Continue ReadingIronically, the one thing the Chromebook Files app is missing on a Workspace account is well, Workspaces
You’ve heard the term ‘Workspace’ thrown around an overwhelming amount over the past year, and now that we’re all done mispronouncing it as ‘Workplace’, we’ve become pretty familiar with Google’s rebranded offerings. From Meet to Chat, to Gmail, Drive, and everything in between, the company has done a great deal during the pandemic to offer […]
Continue ReadingGoogle’s Family Library sharing is a disaster, but only if you make the same mistakes I did
Google’s Family Sharing has massive benefits – one subscription for Youtube and Youtube Music without advertisements, separate user libraries for Youtube TV (with ads…), and more under one shared cost. Up to five people in total can use Play Pass and Stadia for gaming, share a Google One storage bank, and you can even send […]
Continue Reading5 exciting features that I predict will eventually come to Chromebooks
Google has come a very long way when it comes to what Chromebooks are capable of. Just the other day, I was stating how the company has subverted many expectations by helping users unlock the full potential of creative activities on Chrome OS with Perks, and the public perception – outside of schools – has […]
Continue Reading‘Got it, but first, you’ll have to unlock your phone’ – even though you’re at home
I just took my Pixelbook Go out on the porch to spend a lazy Saturday morning with my family over some Lofi hip hop and coffee, so naturally, I told Assistant to turn off my lights to conserve energy. In addition to doing what I asked via my Nest Mini speaker, my phone jumped to […]
Continue Reading5 things Google News can do to make me hate it just a bit less, but probably won’t
Listen, I have a love-hate relationship with Google News, and until now, I’ve bit my tongue. It does provide a simple and easy-to-use experience for aggregating current events and by all accounts, it’s doing just ‘fine’ at that. However, as with other Google services like Gmail, I feel that all they ever truly do is […]
Continue ReadingApple’s jab at Chromebooks in their iPad keynote is misleading and a little flattering
As a general rule, Apple doesn’t mention the competition very often. In fact, even when comparing their processor speed or camera improvements in the past, the company generally just compares their latest hardware to the past generations of their own stuff. And they do this for a very good reason. Instead of giving you any […]
Continue ReadingSome thoughts on Cursive – Google’s new handwriting app for Chromebooks [VIDEO]
Along with the launch of the HP Chromebook x2 11, two interesting new apps came into the Chrome OS ecosystem: HP QuickDrop and Google’s new Cursive app. We were able to get QuickDrop up and running right away and in all our initial testing, the service works impressively well. I’ve actually used it a few […]
Continue ReadingChrome OS still has its generic, ugly web app icon issue, but there could be an easy fix
Alright, today, I’m going to complain about something again – I seem to be good at that. Truly though, I’m complaining about something that many of my customers did when I used to work with Chromebooks in big box stores, and I think it really does need to be addressed. After setting up a new […]
Continue ReadingEven if Google won’t make it, we need a new Chromebook built like the original Pixelbook
Back in 2017 when Google unveiled the original Pixelbook, I was mesmerized with it. From the screen ratio (3:2) to the ultra-thin chassis to the unique aesthetic, Google did something quite amazing with the design and construction of the original Pixelbook when you look back at it. Even today, nearly 4 years later, it still […]
Continue ReadingThe clamshell to tablet Chromebook experience is a hot mess, but I have a solution
Over the years, I’ve used a lot of Chromebooks, and often, I’ve used both clamshell and tablet devices simultaneously for a variety of reasons. For example, clamshell Chromebooks are great for hammering out some writing, while tablet Chrome OS is great for reading Google Play Books, watching Youtube, and handwriting notes with Keep or Cursive. […]
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