{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1669945,
        "msgid": "google-releases-chromeos-flex-a-cheap-usb-stick-to-revive-old-laptops-1775821918",
        "date": "2026-04-10 18:03:00",
        "title": "Google Releases ChromeOS Flex, a Cheap USB Stick to Revive Old Laptops",
        "author": "Wahyunanda Kusuma Pertiwi",
        "source": "KOMPAS",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Technology",
        "summary": "Google has launched the ChromeOS Flex USB Kit, priced at just $3, designed to install the lightweight ChromeOS Flex operating system on older PCs and Macs from 2010 or earlier, breathing new life into obsolete hardware. This cloud-based OS offers a simpler, more universal alternative to the full ChromeOS found on Chromebooks, though it lacks support for Android apps and has limited Linux compatibility, making it suitable for basic tasks rather than heavy computing like video editing or gaming. The kit, available via partner Back Market, includes installation guides and tutorials, providing an affordable way to extend the usability of old devices without the need for new purchases.",
        "content": "<p>Google has released a cheap USB stick priced at $3 (approximately Rp\n51,328) that can be used to \u201crevive\u201d old laptops to keep them\nfunctional. The USB stick, named ChromeOS Flex USB, is designed to help\nusers install the ChromeOS Flex operating system more easily on older PC\nor Mac devices. ChromeOS Flex is a lightweight, cloud-based operating\nsystem specifically designed for older devices, such as Windows PCs and\nMacBooks from 2010 or earlier. Unlike ChromeOS on Chromebooks, ChromeOS\nFlex does not support Android apps from the Play Store, and Linux\nsupport is also limited. The OS is not equipped with specific hardware\noptimisations. Meanwhile, ChromeOS Flex is more universal but comes with\nseveral feature and compatibility limitations. In other words, ChromeOS\nFlex is a simpler version of ChromeOS. Because it is designed to be\nlighter and cross-platform (Windows and Mac), ChromeOS Flex can give a\n\u201csecond life\u201d to users\u2019 old PCs so they do not have to discard them\nimmediately. Although it does not immediately make the devices very\npowerful, the ChromeOS Flex USB Kit can help restore ageing laptops to\nusability. Google is marketing this product in partnership with Back\nMarket, a company specialising in refurbished electronics. \u201cStarting\ntoday, the ChromeOS Flex USB Kit is available on the Back Market website\nto help you install our fast, secure, and free operating system,\u201d Google\nwrote on its official blog. Now, the process is simplified by using just\nthe USB kit. Users simply need to insert the USB stick to install the\noperating system on the laptop. Google explains that users receive not\nonly the USB kit but also installation guides and video tutorials. The\npresence of the ChromeOS Flex USB Kit is seen as an alternative for\nusers who still have old laptops that are rarely used. Although after\ninstalling the operating system, the laptop cannot be used for heavy\ntasks like video editing or gaming, the USB stick can make the old\ndevice functional again for light activities. Although there have been\nmany leaks, the existence of Aluminum OS has not yet been officially\nannounced by Google. However, Sameer Samat, head of Google\u2019s Android\necosystem, has confirmed that the company is merging ChromeOS and\nAndroid, as reported by KompasTekno from XDADevelopers.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/google-releases-chromeos-flex-a-cheap-usb-stick-to-revive-old-laptops-1775821918",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}