Late last year, details surfaced about a new project Google was working on to bring Windows to some Chromebooks. As of now, however, it looks like that’s never going to happen—the project is deprecated.
Known as Project Campfire (or “AltOS” in the source code), the goal was to bring a dual-boot setup with Windows to select Chromebooks. As far as we know, it was in testing on the Pixelbook but would have likely shown up on other high-powered Chromebooks as well.
When news about Campfire first dropped, many users were exceptionally excited with the idea of being able to run Windows alongside Chrome OS on their laptops—it would be the perfect solution to offset Chrome OS’ downsides. But backporting it to older devices does seem like a massive undertaking, especially given the limited storage on most Chromebooks. Campfire was rumored to require at least 40 GB of free space to work at all, which is a tall order for nearly all Chromebooks out there.
It’s not much of a shocker that Google canned the project, and it’s worth keeping in mind that it never existed in any “official” capacity in the first place. With Linux apps on all Chromebooks moving forward, users already have more choices than ever before on Chrome OS—and less of a reason to need Windows in the first place. Ultimately, I’d rather see the Chrome OS team working on new Chrome OS features anyway. [About Chromebooks]
In Other News
- The FCC wants to block all robocalls: The Federal Communications Commission proposed a plan to allow phone companies to block robocalls by default. This would allow carriers to work on call blocking tools, which could also allow customers to auto-block any call not on their contact list. This sounds like a step in the right direction. [Engadget]
- Google’s BLE Titan Key has a security flaw: Google’s Titan Key is a bundle of two security keys used for 2FA—one USB, one Bluetooth/USB. Google found a security flaw in the latter of the pair and warned users yesterday. It’s offering free replacements to Titan customers, which will give them a brand new set of keys. You can go here for more info. [TechCrunch]
- Samsung may have fixed the Fold: According to a new report from South Korean news agency Yonhap, Samsung made the changes necessary to fix its flawed Galaxy Fold smartphone. It will move the protective layer that was being removed by users to below the glass, as well as close the gaps around the folding mechanism that allowed dust and debris to enter the device and cause damage. A firm release date still isn’t available. [9to5Google]
- Steam Link comes to iOS: About a year ago, Apple rejected Steam Link—the app that allows users to stream games from Steam on a PC to a mobile device—from its App Store for “business conflicts with app guidelines.” Now, however, the decision is reversed, and Steam Link is available for all in the App Store. You just can’t purchase games from within the app—a feature that’s available on Android. [The Verge]
- A new app that can identify ear infections: Researchers at the University of Washington developed an app that will let parents check their child for signs of an ear infection using nothing more than the phone’s microphone and cone-shaped piece of paper. Fascinating. [Gizmodo]
- Instagram is killing its standalone messaging app: Also, did you know Instagram has a direct messaging app? It does—-but it’s going to be gone “within the month.” That was fast. [TechRadar]
At yesterday’s Nintendo Direct event, the company announced the long-awaited Super Mario Maker 2, and this time around it packs a lot more than a simple level builder. In true Mario fashion, Maker 2 will offer a story mode where you have to rebuild Peach’s castle. It also revamped the builder itself to include co-op building, a ton of new items and mechanics all new to a Mario game. Maker 2 will be out on June 28th for Switch. [Kotaku]
Source: How-To Geek
