Companion posts:
– March 22, 2017: Entry level Chrome OS based commercial and consumer products built on Rockchip RK3288-C SoC which also includes the basic information about the current state-of-the-art in security, in supporting Android apps as well as in building solutions for engaging customers in public spaces with “smart signs” costing on par with traditional signage (i.e. the overall value proposition of the platform)
– March 22, 2017: Android security which is especially important as with the upcoming “Android apps on Chrome OS” (currently Beta) the whole Google Play store apps will become available on Chrome as well (in the upcoming Chrome OS 58 and 59)
The next generation of Chromebook: The new category of computing originally launched in 2011 has now been redefined (2+ min)
With this (according to Samsung and Google from the end of this post):
– “While Chromebooks haven’t been widely deployed in businesses, that could be about to change.”
– “Momentum is building towards achieving a common platform for mobile and computing app experiences, with Google’s move in 2016 to make Android applications available on Chromebooks.”
– “The Chrome OS has seen limited adoption in the business community until now. In fact, just 12 percent of decision makers in our Spiceworks survey said they will definitely or probably consider Chrome as an operating system. However, consideration for Android is much higher, at 44 percent. This suggests that a Chromebook designed to support both platforms could have broad appeal.”
– “Just 6 percent of mobile users and 10 percent of non-mobile users have “advanced” computing needs, with a majority doing light multi-tasking with a few apps.”
– “Enterprise use of cloud productivity apps is expected to increase, with 70 percent of organizations at least beginning to use cloud-based apps such as Office 365 or G-Suite from Google Cloud over the next 24 months.”
– “The next step for cloud-based productivity for business may be cloud-centric devices such as Chromebooks. Approximately half of the organizations surveyed reported that they could use a hydrid device that supports Android apps on Chrome for at least some of their end-users.”
Feb 10, 2017, Ars Technica Videos: Samsung’s new Chromebook [functionality] review [using the $549 Chrombook Pro] (11 min) functionality because the difference between the $549 Pro and the $449 Plus version is just in the processor/SoC (Core™ M3 vs. OP1 [RK3899])
⇒ read the related article as well: Samsung’s Chromebook Pro gives me hope in Chrome OS—thanks to Android’s help
From JAN 7, 2017, Samsung Newsroom US:
Samsung Electronics Recognized for Design and Technology Innovation at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show
Samsung’s Chromebook Plus and Pro garnered wins from Digital Trend’s Best of Show awards, Wired’s Best of CES awards, BGR’s Best Laptops of CES awards, LAPTOP / Tom’s Guide Best of CES awards, Gear Patrol’s Best Products from CES awards and 9to5Google’s Best of CES picks
From JAN 4, 2017, Samsung Newsroom US:
Samsung and Google Introduce the Next Generation Chromebook Designed for Google Play: The Samsung Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro
The Samsung Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro are designed for Google Play so you can use all the apps you love in addition to movies, books and music. The new Samsung Chromebooks also offer a 360-degree rotating touchscreen, quad HD screen, built-in digitized pen and new lightweight metal design.
Model Code
XE513C24-K01US
XE510C24-K01US
Chromebook Plus
Chromebook Pro
Operating System
Google Chrome
Google Chrome
Processor / Chipset
OP1 [Rockchip RK3899], Made for Chromebooks. Hexa-core (Dual A72, Quad A53)
Intel® Core™ M3 Processor 6Y30 (0.90 GHz up to 2.20 GHz, 4 MB L3 Cache)
Graphic
Internal Graphics
Intel® HD Graphics 515
Display
12.3″ 2400×1600 LED Display (3:2 aspect ratio) with Touch Screen Panel
12.3″ 2400×1600 LED Display (3:2 aspect ratio) with Touch Screen Panel
Memory
4GB LPDDR3 Memory (on BD 4GB)
4GB LPDDR3 Memory (on BD 4GB)
Hard Drive
32GB e.MMC
32GB e.MMC
Color
Platinum Silver
Platinum Silver
Multimedia
Internal Dual Array Digital Mic
Stereo Speakers (1.5 W x 2)
720p HD Camera
Internal Dual Array Digital Mic
Stereo Speakers (1.5 W x 2)
720p HD Camera
Network
802.11 ac (2×2)
Bluetooth v4.0
802.11 ac (2×2)
Bluetooth v4.0
Ports
1 Headphone out/Mic-in Combo
2 USB-C™ [up to 5Gbps*, 4K display out with optional adapter, Charging]
MicroSD Multi-media Card Reader
1 Headphone out/Mic-in Combo
2 USB-C™ [up to 5Gbps*, 4K display out with optional adapter, Charging]
MicroSD Multi-media Card Reader
Input
Clickpad
Touch screen
Island-type keyboard
Pen
Clickpad
Touch screen
Island-type keyboard
Pen
Power
30 W USB-C™ Adapter
39Wh
30 W USB-C™ Adapter
39Wh
Dimension
280.8 x 221.6 x 12.9 ~ 13.9mm (11.06″ x 8.72″ x 0.51″ ~ 0.55″)
280.8 x 221.6 x 12.9 ~ 13.9mm (11.06″ x 8.72″ x 0.51″ ~ 0.55″)
Weight
1.08Kg (2.38lbs)
1.08Kg (2.38lbs)
Software
※ Software can be changed without notice.
AirDroid Premium (free one-year subscription, full version)
ArtCanvas
※ Software can be changed without notice.
AirDroid Premium (free one-year subscription, full version)
ArtCanvas
Etc
Accelerometer Sensor
Gyro Sensor
Accelerometer Sensor
Gyro Sensor
Samsung Chromebook Plus will feature an ARM processor starting at $449 and will be available at major retailers, including Best Buy, in February. The Chromebook Pro will be powered by an Intel® Core™ m3 processor, designed for fast, responsive performance and will be available later this Spring. Both devices will come with the Google Play Store (Beta) pre-installed.
For the first time in the Chromebook lineup the Chromebook Plus and Pro come with a built-in pen, which is embedded on the side of the device for secure storage and easy access. The pen takes convenience to another level with tablet-like benefits, such as the ability to effortlessly take notes and capture on-screen content. The pen is ready to use out of the box with pre-installed Google Keep for notetaking and Samsung ArtCanvas for drawing. The newly developed pen has a 0.7mm pen tip and pressure sensitivity for precise screen capturing.
Feb 22, 2017, Chrome Unboxed Videos: Samsung [$449] Chromebook Plus Review (5- min)
“This review will be VERY different than most. Mainly, because 90% of this device has already been reviewed and broken down in fullness right over here in our Samsung Chromebook Pro review. Here’s the deal: Samsung released the Samsung Chromebook Plus on the world on February 12th, but gave tech reviewers (like us) an early peek at the Chromebook Pro in January.”
⇒ read the related article as well: SAMSUNG CHROMEBOOK PLUS REVIEW from which I will add here only the:
WRAP UP
Here’s the bottom line for many of you. If you are buying a Samsung Chromebook with Android Apps in mind right now, the Plus should be where you gravitate to. You are likely to see less issue with apps for the time being.
If you are buying it to use as a productivity machine, you may need to wait on the Pro.
The Plus is fine for casual use and Android apps. All the good stuff from the Pro is here, minus the pure muscle.
The Pro is a better Chromebook, but right now, not a better Android tablet-type device. Given the current state of Android on Chrome OS, that doesn’t sound like a big loss. But as the app experience becomes more refined, we can’t definitively say that the experience on Intel-powered devices won’t always lag behind their ARM counterparts. It’s simply unclear.
Like we said, Wild Wild West for now. And, in that climate, hopefully we’ve helped you make a choice between these two very, very similar devices.
From Feb 24, 2017 on www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/:
Initial Setup of the Chromebook Plus
Connecting to a Wireless Network on Your Chromebook Plus
Pairing a Bluetooth Device to Your Chromebook Plus
Connecting Your Chromebook Plus to an External Monitor: “You can connect an external monitor to use multiple screens or to project your screen onto a larger display. Depending on your external monitor, you will need either an HDMI and USB C-Type cable, or an HDMI cable with a USB C-Type adapter.”
Charging Your Chromebook Plus
Shutting Down Your Chromebook Plus
Inserting and Removing the Micro SD Card for Your Chromebook Plus
Setting Up Google Classic Printing on Your Chromebook Plus
Transferring Files via USB on Your Chromebook Plus
Locking Your Chromebook Plus
Toggling Airplane Mode on Your Chromebook Plus
Using the Chromebook Plus Shortcut Keys
Casting from Your Chromebook Plus
Using Your Chromebook Plus as a Tablet
Using a USB-C Cable with the Chromebook Plus
Pairing a Bluetooth Device to Your Chromebook Plus
Setting Up Google Cloud Printing on Your Chromebook
Changing the Screen Resolution of Your Chromebook Plus
Using the Chromebook Plus Stylus
Using the Webcam on Your Chromebook Plus
Using the Touchpad on Your Chromebook Plus
Using the Fullscreen Mode for Apps on Your Chromebook Plus
Accessing Task Manager on Your Chromebook Plus
Changing the Background on Your Chromebook Plus
Enabling/Disabling Extensions on Your Chromebook Plus
Changing the Time Zone on Your Chromebook Plus
Downloading and Installing Chrome OS Apps on Your Chromebook Plus
Downloading and Installing Apps from the Google Play Store
Uninstalling Google Play Store Apps from the Chromebook Plus
Running Apps on Your Chromebook Plus
Adjusting Password Settings on Your Chromebook Plus
Creating a Google Account on the Chromebook Plus
Signing in as a Guest on Your Chromebook Plus
Cleaning Smudges from the Screen on Your Chromebook Plus
Performing a Powerwash on Your Chromebook Plus
Performing a Recovery on Your Chromebook Plus
Performing a Chrome OS Rollback on Your Chromebook Plus
Updating the Chrome OS on Your Chromebook
For comparison: Same form factor convertibles for education
March 2, 2017, Google Blog: More versatile Chromebooks and new content options
(the 2nd part of Schools in Sweden have made Chromebooks nummer ett (number one)!)
As global Chromebook momentum continues, this year at Bett we announced a new generation of Chromebooks for Education. These versatile devices bring even more mobility to a wider range of classrooms worldwide, including in the US where, according to Futuresource data, Chromebooks reached 58 percent of device sales in 2016.
Today we’re excited to announce HP is bringing its addition to the family with the [$350] HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 Education Edition, available in mid-April. HP’s rugged 360 degree convertible Chromebook will feature USB-CTM charging and optional stylus and world-facing camera capabilities designed for the specific needs of schools.
These new devices—and the dynamic ecosystem of content and apps they support—help evolve technology usage into one that is anchored in student content creation. For example creative apps on Chromebooks are now available in Sweden and other European countries at a discount from select resellers. In addition, Chromebook administrators are now able to approve a library of Android apps and install them on select managed Chromebooks.
The role of technology in education will continue to grow in 2017 as students and teachers share their stories of digital success across the world. We’re proud to see Chromebooks at the centre of this transformation, powering global classrooms into the future.
From March 9, 2017, HP Education Products: [The $350] HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 Education Edition Datasheet
From Jan 24, 2017, Google Blog: A new generation of Chromebooks, designed for millions of students and educators
Chromebooks have been the device of choice for educators because of their simplicity, security, shareability and low cost. And at Bett this week we’re introducing a new generation of Chromebooks designed to adapt to the many ways students learn. Look out for new Chromebooks from Acer, Asus, HP, Dell, and Lenovo in addition to the recently announcedSamsung Chromebooks—a powerful option for educators. With new apps, stylus and touch capabilities, we expect our partners will continue to build an even wider variety of Chromebooks in the future, including detachables and tablets.
More versatile Chromebooks
At Bett we’re featuring two devices: the [$350] Acer Chromebook Spin 11 and the [$300] Asus Chromebook [Flip] C213, arriving late spring. We worked with educators and partners to design these Chromebooks for the specific needs of schools:
Stylus capability: Both Chromebooks come with an intelligent, affordable stylus for student note-taking and drawing. The low-cost pens resemble #2 pencils with a unique eraser for correcting mistakes and don’t need charging or pairing, so they can be shared and easily replaced if lost. These Chromebooks use an input prediction model built using Google’s machine learning to ensure writing is extremely responsive. And with Optical Character Recognition in apps like Google Keep you can easily search handwritten notes.
World-facing camera: Schools everywhere have asked for world-facing cameras so students can use Chromebooks to capture photo and video from all directions. We carefully designed the camera on the keyboard side, so when a Chromebook is flipped, the camera faces outwards and students can hold it like a tablet.
USB-C charging: We heard from educators that multiple chargers and slow charging wastes precious time for students. Going forward, all Chromebooks will have standard super-fast USB-C charging, so one Chromebook cart can charge any device quickly.
The $350 Acer Chromebook Spin 11 (R751T) – specifications (see some of them from the Acer press release below) seem to be close to the HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 EE shown above
A world of content on Chromebooks
Now educators have even more ways to find great educational content on Chromebooks:
Android apps:Last May, we announced that Android apps were coming to Chromebooks. In the coming weeks, Chromebook administrators will be able to create a library of approved Android apps and install them on select managed Chromebooks. Students will be able to access millions of Android apps, like Toontastic and Science Journal, for learning both online and offline.
Adobe has released a suite of Android apps optimized for Chromebooks. The Adobe Creative Cloud apps, including Photoshop Mix, Lightroom Mobile, Illustrator Draw, Photoshop Sketch, Adobe Comp CC, and Creative Cloud Mobile will be available for free download, expanding creative options for students and the capability of stylus and world-facing camera.
Creative apps: Today we‘re also announcing that creative apps on Chromebooks—WeVideo, Soundtrap, and Explain Everything—are available in the U.K. and Nordics at a discount from resellers XMA, Lin Education and Avalon Solutions when purchased as a bundle.
Recent updates to Google Classroom
On all Chromebooks, students and educators can use Google Classroom to collaborate, stay organized and save time. The Classroom Android app, now available on Chromebooks, opens up new possibilities to students in how they use their devices. With the help of a stylus-enabled Chromebook, students can complete their math homework by hand or sketch a visual for a science project by annotating documents directly in the Classroom app.
Students, teachers and administrators can also use their Chromebooks to try out the new Classroom features we rolled out earlier this month. Now, teachers can assign work to a subset of students, rather than just the entire class, and use new types of Classroom notifications to manage assignments. For administrators, we now offer more insight into how Classroom is used, with Classroom metrics in Admin Console reports.
We believe in the power of technology to help students learn how they learn best and teachers teach the way they find most effective. We’ll continue to work with educators in 2017 to build tools that support the important work they do every day.
Jan 27, 2017 (published), Darren Murphy: [The $350] Acer Chromebook Spin 11
[$350]
From Jan 24, 2017, Acer press release: Acer Announces New [$350] Chromebook Spin 11 (R751T) at BETT 2017Rugged and versatile convertible Chromebook with Wacom EMR stylus is specialized for classroom use
Acer Chromebook Spin 11 (R751T) is a convertible Chromebook with military grade durability (U.S. MIL-STD 810G2 compliant) and extra features that make it perfect for a busy classroom environment
Wacom® EMR (Electro-Magnetic Resonance) technology and stylus let students write and draw directly on the screen as naturally as with pen and paper
Acer Chromebook Spin 11 is fitted with two Acer HD wide view HDR webcams – one 1MP camera above the screen and another 5MP camera above the keyboard
360° dual-torque hinge design means Acer Chromebook Spin 11 can be used in four modes with wobble-free touch experience
…
The Acer Chromebook Spin 11’s design is specialized to handle the rough-and-tumble of the classroom. Adhering to the stringent U.S. MIL-STD 810G military standard2, the Chromebook Spin 11 is tough and can withstand daily knocks and drops, whether a drop from a table or being jostled around in students’ school bags. Thanks to a reinforced chassis structure and rubber bumper surrounding the keyboard, the Chromebook Spin 11 can withstand drops from heights up to 48 inches (122cm). The design also incorporates a unique drainage system which can endure up to 330ml of spilled water and channels liquid away from important components. As a further barrier to damage, the keyboard has recessed keys that prevent students from removing, swapping or otherwise interfering with the keys.
…
Built on the Chrome operating system, the notebook has an 11.6” HD IPS display with highly accurate touch sensitivity. It is powered by either an Intel®Celeron®quad-core processor N3450 or Intel®Celeron®dual-core processor N3350 depending on model. It also and comes with 4GB/8GB LPDDR4 memory and either 32GB/64GB on–board storage through eMMC flash.
Wireless connectivity comes through with 2X2 MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, while wired connectivity comes through with 2 USB Type-C ports (USB 3.1 Gen 1 – up to 5 Gbps transfer of data, DisplayPort over USB-C and USB charging) and two type A USB 3.0 ports as well as a MicroSD card reader.
The Chromebook Spin 11 (R751T) weighs in at 1.4kg and measures 296 x 206 (D) x 20.5 (H) mm and has up to 10 hours of battery life.
…
2 Tested by qualified 3rd party labs for certain tests procedure under MIL-STD 810G (Oct 2008) for environmental conditions that include high and low temperatures, humidity, vibrations, mechanical shocks on drops, rain, dust and sand.
Jan 25, 2017, ASUS via HEXUS.net: ASUS Previews [the $300] Chromebook Flip C213
Visitors to Bett 2017 given exclusive first look at world’s first ruggedized Chromebook with a 360°-flippable display
KEY POINTS
World’s first ruggedized Chromebook to feature a versatile 360°-flippable display that enables multiple usage modes
Fully protected against everyday knocks and scrapes, with 11-hour battery life that offers full-day operation for simplified logistics
Modular design for easy tear-down of field-replaceable parts reduces downtime
London, UK (25th January, 2017) — ASUS today gave visitors to the Bett 2017 show in London an exclusive preview of the upcoming [$300] Chromebook Flip C213, the world’s first ruggedized Chrome OS-powered laptop to feature a 360°-flippable display.
Built to military standards of durability, Chromebook Flip C213 offers educational users a tough, reliable and powerful laptop that is easy to use, manage and service.
The ruggedized construction features a wraparound reinforced rubber ‘bumper’ to protect the chassis and I/O ports from minor knocks and scrapes, and the all-metal 360° hinges are covered with strong zinc alloy caps. The 11-inch touchscreen display features a covering of tough, scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4.
With a 46Wh battery designed to deliver over 11 hours of continuous use, Chromebook Flip C213 minimizes the need for recharging during the normal working day, making it the ideal laptop for busy classrooms.
The 360°-flippable display with its stepless any-position hinge makes Chromebook Flip C213 exceptionally versatile, offering multiple usage modes all the way from productive laptop to handy tablet.
Chromebook Flip C213 features dual cameras, including a 5MP rear camera for photos and videos. It also supports an optional stylus incorporating Wacom EMR technology for intuitive and natural painting, sketching and handwriting input.
To minimize downtime, Chromebook Flip C213 is designed for easy field servicing, with a modular construction that enables IT staff to replace key components — such as the keyboard and battery — in a matter of minutes.
Full product specifications will be announced at a later date.
AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS Chromebook Flip C213 will be available from July in the United Kingdom for £349.99 without a stylus or £399.99 with a stylus. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.
From Samsung Business Insights
(Recommended Samsung whitepaper:
Streamlining Business with Chrome)
Jan 4, 2017: Chromebook for Business Is a Smart Solution for Cloud Adopters
For the business community, especially small and midsized businesses (SMBs) looking to leverage cloud technology to gain an edge in productivity, a Chromebook for business offers a smart, flexible and affordable new computing alternative. In particular, SMBs who are already leveraging cloud-based applications and services for daily work will find this new breed of Chrome devices to be a powerful merging of their mobile and desktop computing experiences.
The OS Landscape
Mobile computing operating systems continue to jockey for position, with Windows, Android and Chrome OS each gaining traction in different market segments. With the emergence of a new breed of devices like Samsung’s new Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro devices, business users may now begin to see Chrome as a powerful ally in the push for mobile productivity.
While businesses have looked to Windows as the operating system of choice for multitasking and productivity for decades, the form-factor of the Windows mobile PC has evolved in recent years with new detachable and convertible form-factors offering more flexibility than the traditional laptop. The optimization of Windows 10 for touch and addition of new features supporting mobile use – such as allowing easy transitioning from laptop to tablet modes – has further enhanced the appeal of these new Windows devices.
Simultaneously, Android has gained ground as an application platform to support tablets used for specific business functions on the go, such as telematics in transportation, mobile POS in retail or patient education and entertainment in healthcare.
The Chrome OS has been hugely successful in K-12 education, where millions of students are using affordable, easy-to-manage Chromebooks in the classroom. While Chromebooks haven’t been widely deployed in businesses, that could be about to change. Cloud connectivity and the rise of cloud-based productivity apps such as G Suite have put the new devices on the map for IT decision makers.
The Apps Environment
Born at the intersection of hardware and software innovation, the new Chrome devices tap directly into the cloud-driven nature of the mobile-first business environment. In a recent survey we commissioned with Spiceworks, more than a quarter of IT decision makers said their application strategy will be mainly cloud or only cloud within the next 24 months — more than double what it is today. Cloud-based applications will be a prime driver of enhanced business productivity.
Over half of respondents said they use Office 365 or G Suite apps to drive productivity. The benefits of such apps are clear: In our survey, respondents cited ease of use, increased access and improved collaboration as the key reasons for adopting Google apps.
Perhaps most importantly, momentum is building towards achieving a common platform for mobile and computing app experiences, with Google’s move in 2016 to make Android applications available on Chromebooks. The arrival of the vast Android application ecosystem on Chromebooks creates a unique opportunity to merge the mobile and desktop experiences, allowing users to access on their Chromebooks the same mobile apps they use on their smartphones. New Chromebook devices such as the Samsung Chromebook Plus and Pro enable users to take full advantage of this new, merged platform.
Looking Ahead
The Chrome OS has seen limited adoption in the business community until now. In fact, just 12 percent of decision makers in our Spiceworks survey said they will definitely or probably consider Chrome as an operating system. However, consideration for Android is much higher, at 44 percent. This suggests that a Chromebook designed to support both platforms could have broad appeal.
At the same time, innovative new devices bring a new level of versatility to the table for Chrome. With 3-in-1 flexibility — a keyboard for typing, a touch screen and a built in pen to write — the Chromebook Plus and Pro offer new means of productivity for the worker on the go. These features, combined with the flexible, convertible form-factor, offer a powerful pairing with the Google app ecosystem to drive true mobile productivity.
Another reason we feel confident in the growth of Chromebooks for business is that most users today simply don’t need a high-powered device, and are looking for affordable and flexible alternatives. Our Spiceworks survey found that just 6 percent of mobile users and 10 percent of non-mobile users have “advanced” computing needs, with a majority doing light multi-tasking with a few apps. Again, a device like our Chromebook Plus or Chromebook Pro will deliver more than sufficient processing muscle.
Decision makers see some challenges on the road to adoption of cloud-based productivity apps: 37 percent cite compliance issues, 35 percent are concerned about compatibility with legacy documents and 31 percent note their existing investment in Windows infrastructure as a point of concern. Despite such hurdles, businesses looking to boost productivity and stay ahead of technology trends may find they have much to gain here. By considering a Chromebook for business, IT leaders can leverage the power of the cloud and take advantage of the breadth of the Google app ecosystem, leveraging a new class of powerful, versatile devices ideally suited to the computing needs of a creative, fast-growth enterprise.
Data protection is a top concern for businesses moving to the cloud. Here’s how to use identity management tools to protect against security threats.
March 8, 2017, Google Cloud: Developing mobile strategies with Android & Chrome (Google Cloud Next ’17) by Max Coppin, Enterprise Partnerships [Partner Development Manager], Android, Google: In this video, you’ll learn how to build mobile strategies tailored to your business growth and goals. With Android’s diverse ecosystem of partners and devices, you can create an agile, comprehensive mobile strategy that helps keep your workforce productive and your data secure.
March 15, 2017, G Suite: Optimizing your Retail Business with Google Chrome (17- min) by Chris McLaughlin (Strategy and Solutions Manager, Android and Chrome at Google)
– Retail is being disrupted by digital. With a need to improve the in-store experience, retailers want technology to optimize employee effectiveness and customer experience.
Chrome devices empower retail store employees and delight customers while improving IT efficiency.
Jan 26, 2017: Cloud-based Applications: Where Are You on the Adoption Curve?
Cloud-based applications offer businesses the opportunity to increase workplace productivity and boost employee collaboration, and they come with an adoption curve that enterprises can ride all the way to the cloud via the Chrome platform on the new Chromebooks for business, a fully cloud-based approach to computing.
Starting on the curve can begin via a corporate- or department-wide strategy, or even through organic growth; for example, when Android power users introduce their devices into pre-existing business processes, their co-workers follow suit, and the project team subsequently reaches further into the cloud for all their productivity solutions.
Starting With Android
Android is a popular on-ramp to the cloud application adoption curve. The first phase of the curve can be reached through “bring your own device” (BYOD) users wanting to access corporate email from their personal Android devices, enterprises mobilizing their first legacy app, or businesses developing a mobile-first initiative where they equip an entire department, such as their sales or executive team, with mobile devices.
Many enterprises are pushed toward cloud adoption through “Shadow IT,” where employees take it upon themselves to use their own mobile devices, and even cloud applications, to perform their jobs. For example, an employee could take their own initiative to download a group chat or email app and set up their mobile device with their corporate email account. These actions by employees could lead to businesses offering workers the opportunity to download corporate-authorized mobile apps, such as for their learning management system (LMS) or time tracking system. As this crucial phase progresses, smartphones, tablets and Android apps become core on-the-go productivity tools for you and your employees.
Migrating to Cloud-based Productivity Apps
According to a recent Spiceworks survey of 257 IT decision-makers, enterprise use of cloud productivity apps is expected to increase, with 70 percent of organizations at least beginning to use cloud-based apps such as Office 365 or G-Suite from Google Cloud over the next 24 months. Migrating your employees to cloud-based apps allows users to collaborate and communicate across their devices, including smartphones, tablets and PCs. G Suite includes the necessary productivity applications and even lightweight mobile device management (MDM) platforms, enabling you to add another security layer to the mobile devices accessing your corporate apps and data. G Suite can also serve as single sign-on (SSO) security for some non-Google cloud applications.
Once your business is live on G Suite, you can access the G Suite Marketplace (formerly called the Google Apps Marketplace), which showcases enterprise cloud applications you can integrate directly with G Suite.
Going All in With Chrome
If your business is regularly using cloud-based apps, you’re already well on your way to advancing in the adoption curve. According to data from the Spiceworks survey, the next step for cloud-based productivity for business may be cloud-centric devices such as Chromebooks. Approximately half of the organizations surveyed reported that they could use a hydrid device that supports Android apps on Chrome for at least some of their end-users. If your core applications, including productivity, project management, collaboration and even some or all your financial systems, are in the cloud, Android and Chrome can provide all the tools necessary for you to gain access to your applications.
In this stage of the adoption curve, users move beyond productivity apps and find customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning and other cloud-based applications that integrate with G Suite seamlessly. The Google Play Store includes client apps for many popular enterprise cloud applications. Google makes it easy to populate an enterprise app store with these essential apps as well. For productivity and enterprise applications that haven’t made it into the G Suite Marketplace, the Chrome Web Store includes free Chrome extensions for a range of business and productivity applications.
Entering the final phase of the cloud-based adoption curve means that you can now issue Chromebooks to your employees. The new Samsung Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro are ideal, as they’re optimized for Android apps, including some productivity apps your employees are probably already using. More interestingly, the devices are 3-in-1 with a 360-degree hinge that lets you go from tablet to laptop, and also possess a built-in pen stylus. Security features include:
Hardware-based verified access to the device
Data encryption for securing your corporate information
Automatic updates for the OS, browser and apps
Following the cloud-based application adoption curve sets your team up for success by helping you create a flexible working environment that provides your employees with access to cloud-based applications any time, any place — and all on the device of their choosing.
More businesses are turning to Chromebooks to stay ahead of the trends and increase productivity.
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