The Chromebook Odyssey #18 — The Silicon Story: Every Chip That Powered Chromebooks
From the Cr-48's wheezing Atom to the Googlebook's three-vendor lineup, the Chromebook's chip history explains the platform better than any keynote.
4 min readAuthor: Chriss Rakoot
Chriss Rakoot writes and maintains the repair guides on ChromebookFixes. He trained as an engineer, specialized in IT and computer-systems maintenance, and worked for years as an in-person trainer in that field before moving his teaching online. Guides are reviewed and updated when ChromeOS changes.
The Chromebook Odyssey #17 — 2024: The Gemini Era Begins
In 2024, AI became the ChromeOS strategy: Gemini on the shelf, Help me write, Magic Editor, and a new Quick Insert key. The platform bet its future on it.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #16 — The “Chromebook Churn” Fight: Repairability and E-Waste
In 2023, a report called "Chromebook Churn" accused the platform of building disposable laptops. The backlash worked — and reshaped Chromebook repair forever.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #15 — 2023: Chromebook Plus and the 10-Year Promise
In 2023, Google split the lineup with Chromebook Plus — a guaranteed spec floor — and stunned everyone with ten years of updates. The platform's maturity moment.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #14 — 2022: The Rebrand, ChromeOS Flex, and the Gaming Dream
In 2022, Chrome OS became ChromeOS, old PCs got a second life with Flex, Steam arrived in beta, and RGB-lit gaming Chromebooks hit shelves. An ambitious, odd year.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #13 — 2021: Ten Years Old, Peak Sales, and the Hangover
Chromebooks turned ten in 2021 with record shipments, phone integration, and big anniversary features — then the pandemic demand cliff arrived mid-year.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #12 — 2020: The Pandemic Boom
In 2020, remote learning turned the Chromebook into emergency infrastructure. Shipments hit 30 million, shelves emptied, and a $279 tablet became a star.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #11 — 2019: AUE Anxiety and the Pixelbook Go
In 2019, Chromebook owners discovered their laptops had expiration dates. The AUE controversy — and Google's response — reshaped how Chromebooks are bought and sold.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #10 — 2018: Crostini Brings Linux to ChromeOS (and the Tablet Detour)
In 2018, ChromeOS gained full Linux apps through Crostini — turning Chromebooks into developer machines — while the Pixel Slate showed how not to build a tablet.
4 min read
The Chromebook Odyssey #9 — 2017: Pixelbook, Google’s Premium Reboot
Four years after the Pixel's beautiful failure, Google tried premium again — this time with an app ecosystem to back it up. The Pixelbook defined high-end ChromeOS.
4 min read