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Keep From Google Is Getting More Organizational Features

The new Google Keep categorization features were by far the most requested by users.

Google Keep had gone through several amazing improvements ever since 2013 when it was originally launched. The latest improvement to the note-taking app will let users organize their notes by tags, making the view similar to organizing files inside of a folder.

In 2013, soon after its March debut, Google Keep was named one of Google’s Top 50 Apps. It has since then improved considerably and currently boasts a great number of useful integration and organizational features.

Color-coding notes and lists made it easier to discern the different post-its visually. Users, however, could also search easier by organizing and searching by color. Nevertheless, that option to search has proved not to be enough for the almost 50 million Google Keep users.

Keep can now efficiently organize a user’s notes, ordering and classifying similar keywords into an open folder-like view.

Google’s new change to Keep was quite expeditious considering that, a day prior, Evernote announced that it would be increasing its paid monthly subscription service and limiting access to its free accounts.

With Evernote expecting a very soon massive loss in its popularity, it would appear that Google Keep will be the main player in the note taking business for a while.

In addition, Google Keep currently allows users to insert images into their notes. Note reminders either based on location or time are one of the other most used features. The integration of the reminders into other Google apps like Clock, Calendar, or Now is seamless, quick, and flawless.

Finally, Google’s note-taking app allows users to take voice memos. The options are currently available only in the United States and for English speaking users. Nevertheless, the app does automatically transcribe the voice memos and saves them both as audio and text. Finally, Google Keep acts similarly to Google Docs, allowing multiple users to write collaboratively in the same note.

Google Keep is available for no cost on both Android and iOS. Additionally, the app is available on desktop browsers with the exact same functionality. It was one of the first apps that Google took into account for their initial Chrome OS app pack.

Evernote also accumulated most of its popularity through its iOS app. Initially, its Firefox and Chrome extensions saw more popularity than the Android version of the app. Currently, all three mediums are popular for Evernote as well.

Image Courtesy of Flickr.

Acer Chromebox CXI Specs

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Acer is one of Google’s most reliable partners in distributing Chrome OS. Recently, the Taiwanese producer launched another Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook C720. Basically, this is an improved version of the initial launch. The Intel i3 processor brings real power to the rather basic computing machine.

On Thursday, Acer announced its first desktop Chromebook. The Acer Chromebox CXI will be available only in the U.S. and Canada, as no news about a future worldwide release has been released.

“The Acer Chromebox CXI is an excellent fit for schools or businesses where conserving costs and space are high priorities,” said Simon Hwang, president of Acer Stationary Computing and Display Business Group. “Due to the ease of management, the Chromebox can significantly reduce technical support and consequently lower the total cost of ownership,” he said.

Acer Chromebox CXI offers fast performance for a low price

The company claims that the Acer Chromebox CXI can boot in just 8 seconds. Moreover, it can return from sleeping mode instantly. The ultrabook like performance is achieved primarily due to the 16 GB SSD.

The spec list continues with the Intel Celeron 2957 Haswell. Clients have two RAM options, either 2 or 4 GB capacity. The device comes in a very compact form with dimensions of just 6.51 x 5.12 x 1.3-inches. Even so, the Chromebox CXI is equipped with 4 USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet slot. The computer can be linked to a display through to options, the Display Port and HDMI.

Fortunately, the PC comes with enough wireless communication capacity. Both WI-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 are present on the Acer Chromebox CXI. A feature that separates Acer’s product from the other Chrom-based systems is the presence of a security chip, the TPM 1.2. Each Acer Chromebox CXI comes with its own dedicated keyboard and mouse.

Some environments have multiple users accessing their desktops and Chrome offers a solution aimed at tackling privacy issues. The ‘Powerwash’ option allows users to clear all local data fast and easy.

So how much does this package cost? In the U.S. the Acer Chromebox CXI will be sold for $180 for the 2 GB of RAM version. For the 4 GB of RAM version customers will pay an extra $40, reaching a final $240 price.As the company declares, the Acer Chromebox CXI targets budget-conscious consumers, as well as educational institutions and small businesses.

Acer Chromebook C720 i3

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The recent HP Chromebook has a new rival, the improved Acer Chromebook C720 i3. Chromebook was first introduced by Google in 2012. The Linux-based laptop came to complement Google’s idea about how data will be stored and managed in the future. The difference between assembling your own hardware and managing your private data versus using Google’s approach to data usage is like the difference between cooking in your own kitchen and going to a restaurant. Google plans to offer full-option data management services. It might mean that once we have non-stop access to an internet connection, Google might do the data computation for us. The mobile device will become a mere display with not too many extra characteristics.

Acer Chromebook C720 i3 upgraded

That day has not arrived yet. Acer, one of Google’s Chromebook partners, introduced its first Chromebook device with an Ivy Bridge processor. Intel Core i3-4005U will clearly deliver a better performance than the predecessors in both graphic execution and general multitasking. Acer C720 Chromebook i3 is a light device with an 11.6 inches display and a classical 1366X768 resolution. To be fair, the design reminds me of Acer Aspire ONE 751, a few years old netbook. Incredibly light for 2010, with a long lasting battery, the netbook was frustratingly slow and Atom did not manage to deliver a real fluid internet experience. This is why a powerful processor is still highly relevant even for Internet focused users.

Acer Chromebook C720 i3 comes with two RAM options, one with 2 Gb and the other with 4 Gb Ivy Bridge processor. The 2Gb RAM model will sell for $349.99 and the one with 4Gb for $379.99. A main advantage of the new device is the 8.5 hours lasting battery. Wireless features as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are a part of the package. Besides the upgraded processor, Acer Chromebook C720 i3 looks the same as it was half a year earlier. Nootbookreview.com praised the Chromebook for its long battery life, portability and excellent price, while not being fully content with the display quality and luminosity and speaker quality.

Now Acer has a 46 percent Chromebook market share and the new Acer Chromebook C720 i3 will definitively boost the sales. Chromebook felt initially like a Google maneuver to capture the low-end laptop market share. But Chrome Pixel, a premium laptop introduced last year, says otherwise. Acer Chromebook C720 i3 seems to be getting closer to a lower middle market, a compromise between the previous gadgets. It is primarily a device targeting students and families, emphasizing mobility and accessibility rather than performance.

Toshiba unveils its first Chromebook, adding to the crowd

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Toshiba has unveiled their first Chromebook at CES and it comes as no surprise that the Japanese company wants to get in the Chrome OS hype, after reports and analysis pointing to the growing cheap netbook market, ruled by Google’s web-based operating system.

The Toshiba Chromebook is a pretty average looking device, it comes with the clam-shell design we have seen on plenty of netbooks in the past. Internally the Chromebook is running an Intel Bay Trail processor and comes with a 13.3-inch 1366 x 768 display.

There is a HD webcam and stereo speakers include on the Toshiba Chromebook, alongside 16GB of solid state drive storage and 2GB of RAM. On the ports side, Toshiba has added a HDMI port, two USB 3.0 ports and an SD card slot.

Battery life has not been tested yet, but Toshiba has said the Chromebook can run for up to nine hours without a charge. Most Chromebook’s have only lasted a few hours in our tests and we doubt Toshiba has made some breakthrough in the battery life segment.

This is a Chromebook and it comes running the latest version of Chrome OS, the web based operating system Google has been pushing for netbooks. Chrome OS offers a selection of Google’s best applications, including Gmail and Drive.

As with all Chromebooks, there is two years of 100GB free Google Drive storage, immensely adding to the storage capabilities on this machine. Since Chrome OS is all browser based, users do not need to worry about downloading Photoshop or any other high-resource applications.

Toshiba’s Chromebook will come for $279 and should be on shelves by February. Toshiba is the sixth Chromebook partner and goes up against some stiff competition in the cheap netbook market, including Samsung, HP, Dell, Lenovo and Acer.

LG Chromebase first all-in-one Chrome OS desktop

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Chrome OS has become a big hitter in the cheap netbook arena, offering a lighter operating system for using the web. Samsung’s Chromebook spent 90 days at the top of Amazon sales chart, showing how widespread the engagement is on Chromebooks.

LG wants to change the platform a little, by adding Chromebase, an all-in-one desktop running Chrome OS. This goes against the idea right now, building a low-end netbook and then slapping in Chrome OS to make it run fast.

The Chromebase would act quite like an iMac, with all the parts inside and hopefully a keyboard and mouse. Obviously it would run Chrome OS instead of traditional Windows or another Linux ROM, making it rather redundant unless all your work is on the web.

Most desktop users are one of two people: a professional who needs to use a desktop PC because of the power or a gamer. The market doesn’t really want a web based operating system because it doesn’t run complex apps or games outside a browser.

Google is banking on the Chromebase getting into the hands of professionals who use Google Drive and do not need offline applications, but this market is pretty small compared to the amount of people that just want to go on the web with a cheap portable laptop.

Still, LG is ready to make the first Chromebase, one of the many trademarked Chrome names we have seen crop up in the last few months. We will see an official unveiling at CES in January.

Dell announces their first Chrome OS laptop, the Chromebook 11

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Dell is the newest PC manufacturer to join the Chromebook crew, after HP and Lenovo decided to bring their own designs out, it looks like the kingpin of the PC world will join to try and bring a new take on the same good, cheap formula that has worked for many other Google partners.

Named the Chromebook 11, Dell’s entry into Chrome OS bares a lot of similarities with previous Chromebooks – even the name is exactly the same as HP’s Chromebook and the internals are nothing to write home about, the Chromebook 11 screams cheap to make and cheap to buy.

Inside the Chromebook 11 is a Intel Celeron processor, 2 or 4GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 display. On the design front the Chromebook 11 looks thin and lightweight, with a sleek dark grey color we have not seen on other Chromebooks.

The Chromebook 11 apparently has 10 hours battery life and is made for students and schools. Chromebooks have been marketed towards schools and US and European colleges are starting to embrace the idea of working in the cloud with Google services instead of Microsoft’s Office suite.

Dell says this is the first of many Chromebooks to come from the PC manufacturer. In the race to move away from PCs as a primary source of income, it seems many of the old PC manufacturers have gotten stuck in the Chrome OS world, as their smartphones continue to fail to gain any market share.

The next Chromebooks from Dell will be offered out to small and medium sized businesses as solutions to their users who have used Windows for quite an age, we believe these will have more horsepower and some new software features making them more available for widespread business adoption.

It is nice to see another PC manufacturer on the Chromebook ladder, but the question really does stand as to where Google will take this project and if they will even fully integrate the platform with Android.

HP Chromebook 11 taken off shelves due to overheating

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It looks like one Chromebook will not be getting much attention from consumers in the coming weeks, as Best Buy and online retailers have taken the HP Chromebook 11 off shelves after reports of overheating chargers and other minor problems with the laptop.

This is the first we have heard of a Chrome OS laptop failing and it may be a big burden on HP. This is their first major Chromebook and Google decided to market it as the flagship product, stepping away from Samsung and Acer’s offerings.

The HP Chromebook 11 has a few nice features but the most standout feature is the colored band around the keyboard. This really differentiates the HP Chromebook 11 from other Chromebooks, but it may now be known as the laptop that failed to keep its cool.

Google has already issued a statement saying all using the HP Chromebook 11 should stop using the charger that came with the laptop and move to a third party micro USB charging cable, not the best advice but a quick workaround until they can get to everyone affected.

This does seem like a pain for the Chromebook line, a concept that has been growing ever since the Samsung Chromebook made waves on Amazon, staying number one on the best seller list for more than three months and gaining huge amounts of sales.

Reviews on the HP Chromebook 11 have been mixed, some love the new design of the Chromebook, but there are problems with battery life and the keyboard/trackpad is not a solid buy against other cheap laptops running Windows.

Chrome OS is still a small crack in the PC OS war, one that Windows is still winning by a great margin. Mac OS has been growing with the purchase of more MacBook’s and iMacs in the professional and personal market.

LG trademarks handful of Chrome names pointing at new devices

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It looks like LG will be partnering up with Google for a few Chrome ventures, after Australia got hit with a few trademark requests from LG, including Chromedesk, Chromestation and Chromeone, all three Class 9 trademarks, meaning they are in the electronic devices category.

The trademarks come a few days before the Google Play event on October 24 in New York, where we are likely to see the new version of the Android and the LG Nexus 5, alongside a slew of new Android/Chrome orientated products and some big changes on Google Play.

The three trademarks may amount to nothing or just one device with three possible names, the finger is pointing at the next event after LG pushed the office to declare the trademarks, getting their Taken For Examination status report a few days ago.

With the Chromebook and Chromecast already out in the world, it does beg the question of what the Chromestation and Chromedesk have in store. The Chormedesk sounds like a more powerful PC running Chrome instead of Windows or Mac.

This doesn’t sound like the best idea in our opinion, almost all Chromebooks have light cheap designs to comfort a light web user who doesn’t run applications or play PC games. We cannot see a regular PC user wanting to buy a powerful machine running Chrome OS, with all of its setbacks.

Chromestation seems more about TV and with the Nexus Q now in the grave we may see its revival under a new Chrome name. Google does have the Chromecast for some Internet TV and as an incredible way to watch anything on your TV that can be displayed in a browser.

Perhaps the Chromesation will be the first party Google TV, the one with all the new Google services bundled with the best on demand and Internet content in a viable user interface. We are not sure yet, but it does sound fun, unlike the Chromeone, which sounds odd and confusing.