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The Chromebook Pixel has caught a lot of flak for being an expensive, powerful computer that arguably throws that power away on the stripped down and simple Chrome OS. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way if you’re game to tinker a little bit. Turns out throwing Linux on that sucker is already a breeze.
The specifics of the switcheroo were explained by Google’s Bill Richardson on Google+. It turns out that the Pixel, like every Chromebook before it, has a read-only Chrome OS BIOS. That’s where you get your built-in Chrome OS, and that’s (obviously) there to stay. But the Pixel also has a bonus unverified BIOS slot that you can go and enable through developer settings. From there, installing Linux is pretty trivial.
There are a few catches, though. Breaking out of your Chrome OS prison is almost definitely going to render the touchpad and touchscreen useless which is a bummer. And in doing so, you’ll have created a sort of anti-Chromebook Chromebook; instead of being cheap and easy-to-use, it’ll have been expensive and require a moderately high degree of user know-how. And while there are still other fair criticisms of Pixel, this fixes at least one of the issues. That is, if you’re the type who doesn’t mind some tinkering. Or Linux. [Bill Richardson via Android Central ]
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whichever way you look at this it is still overly expensive and fine stick linux on it but you still have limited memory and at this price that’s a complete farce,
ChromeOS does make sense and Chromebook Pixel is a dirty cheap machine if you consider the whole package.
Business cases for the Pixel
Zero maintenance, simplicity and security and cost are aspects that highly interest enterprise. However Chromebook missed a few features that could replace totally Windows laptop for most enterprises using Google Apps. Right now, 5 million business are using Google Apps. How many of them are actually using Chromebook?
Let me try to explain why I believe Pixel does make sense for Google.
A basic Google Apps business user has 5GB of Google Drive storage. Additional business storage is not free, 1TB cost $1068 / year or $3184 for 3 years. When you buy a Pixel, you get 1TB free for 3 years. Enterprises using Google Apps that purchase Pixels can share their Google drives to several accounts. The Google Apps admin can create folders and transfer ownership to other basic accounts.
Most of Enterprises using Google Apps still keep MS office for their power users. Pixel comes with integrated QuickOffice with Google Drive, and QO should be better than MS office standalone since users can share and collaborate in real time on compatible Office documents.
Google estimates that 5% of Google Apps still need MS office. For every purchased Pixel for the power users, every free 1TB can be shared between 20 users as I described above. Each user will have additional 50GB for free during 3 years instead having to pay $7,5 /user/month for the same capacity. For every purchased Pixel, an enterprise using Google Apps will save $2016, not to mention MS office license fees. After two years, you will pay $600/year compared to $1068. This is a perfect 5 years investment plan for every enterprise using Google Apps.
There are 5 millions businesses using Google Apps. If I believe a rumor, Google has ordered 20 million units. It is an expensive bet therefore I believe they know what they are doing. They know better their business users than we. Enterprises can manage their private applications store for Chromebook. Right now, this is only possible with Chromebook and not with any Chrome browser running on top of Windows or OSx.
This is just the beginning, it should be noted there are more and more native Client applications coming including Gimp and powerful Games
I believe Google plan for 2013 is following:
-Samsung, Acer and HP Chromebook for schools.
-HP, Samsung, and Lenovo Chromebook for enterprise users
-Pixel for enterprise power users
They will sell it to Chromebook fans and others as well, and if the others don’t like ChromeOS ( Linux), they can replace it by other Linux flavors or Windows 8( they have to pay additional $200 for Windows 8). If you consider the whole package, you get a decent hardware for cheaper than any competitors. Comparative hardware running Windows or OSx are more expensive if you add hidden costs.
All in all, I believe Pixel will sell more than most biased analysts can say.
It wants to be manking gold bars at that price
*making!
Why would the touchpad be killed? I have a chromebook running chrubuntu and it works just fine
According to the Google guy on G+, it’s a lack of hardware drivers in the Linux kernel — but that should be fixed real soon, thankfully!
aha! ok
On its own it doesn’t make sense and I wouldn’t get one as I don’t like Chrome. But its basically just a google vehicle and if you are on there system and using 1Tb drive storage already its basically just google giving away free laptops and drive discount.
Eric, it is amazing that you can be so inaccurate. I just need to boot my Acer C7 Chromebook in developer to get a Linux Chromebox. If I can do it, you should be able to do it. In short, a lot of useless information.
Sorry, don’t quite understand what your problem is with the post? You’re saying boot in dev mode, Eric (and the Google man) is saying to boot in dev mode, everyone should be happy!