Neverware lets you turn old PCs and Macs into Chromebook-esque devices through its CloudReady OS. While primarily aimed at schools and enterprises, a free “Home” edition for everyone is available. Google has now acquired Neverware and CloudReady with plans to integrate it with Chrome OS.
Seems like a reasonable acquisition. I’ve always found it odd that Google hasn’t tried to push Chrome OS as a downloadable, installable operating system for people to install. The only way to really experience Chrome OS is to buy a device that comes with it, which often simply doesn’t make any sense. I hope this acquisition means Google intends to offer a version of Chrome OS that we can freely download and install.
This makes sense. I am surprised it has not happened sooner.
Sounds like the death knell for Cloudready. PrimeOS might be worth a shot.
“I’ve always found it odd that Google hasn’t tried to push Chrome OS as a downloadable, installable operating system for people to install”
Well, because like Apple they then knew what hardware to support, nothing else and all the Chromebooks to prevent easy tampering for security reasons (they do allow modification, but you’d need to open up the hardware).
I see it as the aquisition is to squash any hopes of an installable CHromeOS.
Neverware was already partnered with Google and had their blessing to make CloudReady, so maybe not.
Then again, Android Things just got the axe(1) one year into its guaranteed three year life cycle, so anything is possible.
(1) https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/12/google-kills-android-things-its-iot-os-in-january/
Morgan,
This is exactly the sort of dependency I am wary of with cloud providers. Google has a history of neglecting long term support and shutting down cloud services required by hardware.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/google-kills-the-nest-secure-its-500-home-security-system/
I’m not against these sorts of devices, but I think it’s very important for them to be built on open standardized APIs, federated protocols etc that you can go self-host if you ever needed to. IOT is such an exciting field yet it’s disappointing that so much of it gets tethered to proprietary services.
Isn’t that just Chrome on Linux?
I’ve invested lots of money into hardware that, mostly, serves as a platform to run web browsers.
ChromeOS is super stripped down, but it’s not super special outside of coreboot and being immutable. I may be missing something, and feel free to tell me if I am.
Here we go. This is the meat, or “meat” for anyone plant-based out there.
US schools are poorly funded, and they aren’t getting new equipment anytime soon. However, it’s an important market because it gets the Google brand in front of millions of impressionable consumers.
Embrace, Extend, and…. Lose Interest?
I give this 18 months max before they drop it. Google has less focus and persistence than a new puppy.