The Chrome Cast 240: ChromeOS 117 rolls out with sweet new features

This week on The Chrome Cast, we begin the show by discussing the fresh, new roll-out of ChromeOS 117 to a handful of devices. This update comes with some sweet, new features like Material You design throughout and a new ability to select wallpapers from shared Google Photos albums. It’s a nice upgrade, for sure, but the devices it has already arrived on share something in common.

Not long ago, we talked about Chromebook Plus and what this new effort from Google could mean for the Chromebook ecosystem as a whole. As it turns out, all the devices getting this latest ChromeOS 117 update all fall into the category of devices that have been identified as likely Chromebook Plus devices that are already available. And in that vein, the Chromebook I got the update on – the Lenovo Chromebook Slim 3i – feels like it delivers on what we’re hoping will be the promise of Chromebook Plus: solid specs paired with a stellar overall user experience.

Links

• ChromeOS 117 begins roll-out with Material You and other features on board
• Momentum grows as T-Mobile moves to Google’s Jibe for RCS messaging
• Here are the first 4 new Chromebook Plus (Chromebook X) models we expect to see
• A new Lenovo Chromebook Slim 3i shows up on sale with some nice enhancements
• We now have a name for Lenovo’s addition to the upcoming ‘Chromebook Plus’ family
• ASUS Chromebook CM34 Flip review: budget-friendly workhorse [VIDEO]
• Google takes another jab at Apple’s iMessage’s lack of RCS support with new iPager video