Android apps are now part of Chrome OS. At least, if you own an Asus Flip set to the Dev channel.
That hybrid laptop tablet is the first Chromebook with access to the Google Play app store.. Google announced in May that three laptops would get access to Google Play this month: the Asus Flip, the Acer Chromebook R11, and Google’s own Pixel. Friday’s change delivers on a feature Google first announced two years ago, Endgadget is reporting.
This means all kinds of features that previously didn’t work on Chrome OS now do. Reddit users are reporting that Skype video calling is now working on their Flip, thanks to the Android app. Skype famously has not worked on Chromebooks, at least until now.
best Thursday night present ever! #android #Chromebook pic.twitter.com/LhWhL7n169
— Chris Johnson (@cjohnson481) June 17, 2016
Not every Android app is supported, however — only those optimized for use on tablets. And some applications are a little buggy, users are reporting, with features like the accelerometer lacking support. Of course, the feature is not yet intended for wide usage, so some bugs are to be expected.
Still geeking out with my Android apps on my Asus Flip Chromebook: Minecraft Pocket Edition pic.twitter.com/fNk5MtO59D
— Giovanni Benincasa (@gbenincasa) June 17, 2016
Interested in turning this on? First you need to set up your Chromebook to use the cutting-edge Dev updates. These releases might be a little buggy, but give you access to new features like Android apps. Head to “Settings,” then “About Chrome OS,” then click “More Info.” Click the “Change channel” button, then select “Dev.”
Once you’ve switched to Dev, you should see the option to enable Android apps on your Chromebook’s settings screen. If you don’t see the option, it’s possible your device is not yet supported.
It’s also worth noting that if your Chromebook is managed by an IT department, you might not be able to enable the feature.
It’s not clear when the feature will come to the Dev channel on the Pixel or the R11, or when the feature will be rolled into the stable channel. We’re sure it can’t come soon enough for users who have been excited about the prospect of this feature for years.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.