Google Buys Neverware Which Lets You Turn An Old PC Into A Chromebook

Google Buys Neverware, Which Lets You Turn An Old PC Into A Chromebook

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Neverware says the Google buyout will result in minimal changes to CloudReady, a Chrome OS-like operating system that brings new life to old PCs.

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Google Buys Neverware Which Lets You Turn An Old PC Into A Chromebook

Neverware, the developer that makes ChromeReady, confirmed it has now been purchased by Google, the developer of Chrome OS. For those unfamiliar with those operating systems, they share a common codebase of the open-source Chromium OS that uses a Linux kernel. Chrome OS is used in Chromebooks, while ChromeReady is designed to bring new life to older Mac and Windows computers.

Neverware was founded in 2011 with a focus on helping the US K-12 education system revive aging computers that may have struggled as Windows and macOS added features to take advantage of higher-performing CPUs and more memory. The lower requirements of a Chromium-based operating system meant these older machines would perform as well as when new. Neverware used the name CloudReady to play upon the increasing focus on cloud services, which was a necessity for its operating system. Just as Chrome OS requires most tasks to be handled in the Chrome browser, CloudReady relies upon the Chromium browser. CloudReady started as an education solution, but it is now available to the public as well.

In a very quiet move, Neverware recently announced that it and “CloudReady are now officially part of Google and the Chrome OS team.” Full details were not shared, but the post explained what immediate effect the purchase will have on CloudReady users. While CloudReady is a good solution for those looking to save money and keep an older computer or laptop running, it is not as complete or secure as Google’s Chrome OS. A complete experience is one of the areas where the acquisition could lead to CloudReady improvements, as many Chrome OS devices can run Android apps and Linux apps. Neverware made no mention of new features coming with this change. In fact, little is changing with CloudReady initially, although it did note that “CloudReady will become an official Chrome OS offering” and that the transition will be seamless for users.

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What Happens Now Google Owns CloudReady?

The Home edition of CloudReady is still free and available for download via Neverware’s website. The Education edition is currently licensed at $1 per student per year, or $20 (per device) annually while the Enterprise edition costs $49 (per device) annually. Whether these terms will change in the future is unknown. Neverware admin portals remain active, but will transition to the Google admin console eventually. In the meantime, support will remain in the hands of Neverware. Multi-year licenses will also continue to be honored, so those that have a large number of devices running CloudReady won’t be forced into any immediate changes.

Content on Neverware’s website, such as the installation guide, knowledge base and forums, will continue for some time, but will migrate to Google eventually. However, Neverware did explain that users will be advised well in advance of any changes to its software or systems. Ultimately, this transition should be an easy one for Neverware. It has received funding from, and partnered with, Google as far back as 2014 and a Google blog post from 2018 mentioned working with Neverware to assist schools in London. Neverware and CloudReady as an official part of Google and Chrome OS could bring nice improvements, but there is a degree of uncertainty right now about any long-term feature plans.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/google-neverware-purchase-chrome-os-cloudready-explained/

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