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Why Chrome OS Updates Are Encouraging
Affordability, accessibility, and longevity
By Joshua Hawkins Joshua Hawkins Freelance Technology Reporter Full Sail University Josh Hawkins is a freelance writer for Lifewire who loves writing about the latest tech and gadgets that help make people’s lives easier. As an avid gamer and VR enthusiast, he also enjoys diving deep into the technology that helps bring those kinds of experiences to life. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 26, 2021 01:50PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Computers Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
Chrome OS’s latest update adds Live Captions, a new Diagnostics app, and easier searching.Experts say the update is a continuation of Google’s improved support for Chrome OS devices.Continued support from Google could lead to Chromebooks becoming some of the most accessible and affordable computers available to users. Brooke Cagle / Unsplash The latest update for Chrome OS makes Google’s more-affordable laptops even more accessible and easier to troubleshoot. Despite being popular and easy to use, Chromebooks haven’t had the best record of support and updates. Google has been trying to change that for a few years now, and the latest update only improves what Chrome OS has to offer by adding new accessibility features and better troubleshooting. "The most exciting update we've found is definitely the Live Captions," Remco Bravenboer, the owner of Laptoid, told Lifewire in an email. "Another update, which is pretty exciting, is the Diagnostics app that will be coming to Chrome OS in this update. It will be some sort of toolkit that can help users troubleshoot all their Chromebook problems." Finding Accessibility
Live Captions is easily one of the most significant features to make its way to Chrome OS since the launch of the first Chromebooks in 2011. Google previously launched the same feature in Chrome on PCs, but it’s now making the jump to most Chrome OS devices, too. Another update, which is pretty exciting, is the Diagnostics app that will be coming to Chrome OS in this update. Google hasn’t said exactly which devices will get it, but if your Chromebook was released in the past few years, you shouldn’t have much trouble upgrading to it. Bravenboer says that the update took a bit longer to bring to Chrome OS devices because it relies on a special decoder built into the operating system. Now that it’s available, though, it helps make Chromebooks even more appealing to those who rely on captions when viewing media and other content. The Support Problem
While Google has been working to offer extended support for Chromebooks, a big part of the most recent update hopefully will help reduce the issues users are having. Technology can make your life a lot easier. Despite how far along computers and other electronics have come, there always can be hiccups. Google’s new Diagnostic app looks to help make troubleshooting those problems much easier. "Google has given a lot of thought to its Diagnostic app," Alina Clark, co-founder of CocoDoc, told Lifewire in an email. Clark says the app should allow users to easily troubleshoot problems with their batteries and other issues. It will lead them to support pages, and even look for other solutions to help them get things back up and running. And if you can’t find a solution to your problem, you can capture a log of the troubleshooting session, which you can then share with a qualified customer service representative. All around, Clark hopes the app will make finding solutions to common Chromebook tech issues much more accessible, especially for those who may not have in-depth technical knowledge of Google’s laptop OS. Going Mainstream
The most notable thing about these updates is that Google continues to push to bring new features to Chrome OS. Though the operating system is now more than a decade old, past updates have been fairly lackluster. Since renewing support for the Chrome OS-based devices in 2019, Google has released several additional updates to make its computers more accessible, and Clark hopes we will continue to see more surprises from the company in the future. With rumors of Google creating its own chipset for its Pixel devices, there also has been speculation that we’ll see Google-made chips in future Chromebooks. This could help make them more appealing to mainstream users if they can offer similar support to things like the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. While it’s unclear exactly what Google’s goal with Chromebooks will be, it is good to see the company adding much-needed features like Live Captions and better troubleshooting for users that need them. The newly designed Launcher also will be handy, Clark notes, as users can search for things in their Chromebook much quicker than before. "Google is also making the Launcher more powerful," she explained. Instead of requiring users to type in their query and then wait for results to open in a new window, you can simply type in the content you’re looking for, and Chrome OS will display it directly below the search bar. You can then tap on that item to open it in a window, should you need to. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Can Chromebooks Get Viruses? How to Use Skype for Chromebook The Official Android Versions Guide: Everything You Need to Know How to Fix it When Chromebook Won't Connect to Wi-Fi Can You Use a Chromebook as Your Main Computer? Google Pixel Tablet: News and Expected Price, Release Date, Specs; and More Rumors Chrome OS Is Missing or Damaged: How to Fix This Error How to Fix it When Your Chromebook Won't Turn On How to Get Fortnite on a Chromebook How to Use the Google Chrome Task Manager How to Speed up a Chromebook How to Update a Chromebook How to Get Google Assistant for PC Can You Play Netflix on a Chromebook? Chromebook End of Life: Where to Find It and What to Do About It The 7 Best Linux Apps for Chromebook In 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies