Tech

Chromebooks with Android Apps Support Could Kill Tablets As They Increase Productivity without Expensive, Powerful Hardware [VIDEO]

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Google recently brought Android apps support to Chromebooks, which now have access to various apps included in the Google Play store. The less-powerful laptops can make tablets irrelevant with the ability to perform daily tasks without the need for an expensive and powerful hardware.

Chromebooks are often underestimated devices and often criticized as low-powered laptops that run a web browser. With the advent of Android apps support, the inexpensive device can now access a plethora of various apps at the Google Play Store.

The tablet-rival can now perform various daily tasks like typing a document or making spreadsheets. The best thing about it is that this marked increased productivity does not need an expensive or powerful hardware.

Future Chromebooks starting those that will come out in 2017 will have Android apps support out-of-the-box. Older versions need to have Chrome OS version 53 or the latest 56. This should not prove to be an issue. These less-powerful laptops have been known to receive rapid updates according to Computer world.

The devices that already have Android apps support are the Asus Chromebook Flip, Acer Chromebook R11/C738T/CB5-132T and the Google Chromebook Pixel (2015). Google intends to bring the support to more devices, but as to when is still undisclosed. The full list of devices is listed in The Chromium Project official website.

However, there may be certain Android apps that will not fully run in the Chromebooks. Some devices do not have a GPS or accelerometer and apps that require these sensors will naturally not load well.

For this purpose, Google is now encouraging developers to optimize apps for the Chromebooks accounting for trackpad, keyboard and mouse use. The use of cloud backups will also be used to compensate for the devices inadequate built-in storage and to incorporate "faketouch" in lieu of the touchscreen.

Apart from the touchscreen, Chromebooks may be making pricey tablets irrelevant. Though features like split-screen in iOS and Android Nougat have been helpful in a tablet, a usually no keyboard and mouse included poses an inconvenience.

In addition, a mobile OS is still a poor substitute for Windows 10 or MacOS Sierra. The Chrome OS in Chromebooks is the ideal personal computing OS that enables browsing of the net or typing documents easier and more intuitive according to Tech Radar.

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