The Google Chromebit

[@bend8353]

They were widely used in digital signage. Was a big problem when they stopped selling them for our existing installs

[@Marenthyu]

Same! We eventually went with more bulky and expensive Chromeboxes.

[@planefan082]

I've heard Fire TV sticks work great for those nowadays, some digital signage software apps are available for it Or for more basic uses it has a web browser and media player apps

[@GameEnding]

I still have like 5 of these deployed as digital signage. Wish they still sold them were so cost effective a signage.

[@bend8353]

Not sure how many we had but was in the 1000's never knew how much cheaper they were at the time compared to a decent chrome box. We used them for waiting room advertising, Airport monitors, even for monitors for a camera system to watch the techs service your car at a national oil change place. Now I have an old one running a small monitor for my bathroom tv

[@bend8353]

The fire sticks are more locked down, and have a restrictive end user license for commercial use. Also even these ASUS chrome sticks had a high failure rate running 24/7...Think the firestick would be even worse. Guess thats why a commercial chrome box is 3-4x the price of the chromebit...

[@Marenthyu]

We used these Chromebits for Digital Signage. Absolutely disheartening they were discontinued - chromeboxes are way more bulky, PiSignage keeps crashing and there just isn't a "proper" replacement. We still have a good few working, but most eventually died or were replaced. Sucks mainly because they don't get current versions of Chrome anymore, making them incompatible with some modern dashboard-type things. If you want the "HDMI Extension Cable" from them, we got plenty floating around. They are rubbery things that bend a bit. I can also share some insights into the Enterprise Management of them, if you want! (You did mention this usecase at the end of the Video - it unlocks a big range of things for the Device!)

[@MarcoMaurice]

Would love a follow up like this

[@MichaelMJD]

I saw your tweet about this, and thanks so much for offering to share some insight! My email is on my channel's about page if you want to get in touch there. I appreciate it!

[@mutestingray]

The only alternative I found was Xibo, but it is a real pain to get working. I lost countless hours trying to get that stupid platform to work. Though, once you get running, it works decently well. We are running them on some low powered Windows mini-PCs

[@Leo-bk4me]

​@@MichaelMJDa creator that actually answers its community great

[@Marenthyu]

@@MichaelMJD I'll reach out later today! Also youtube mobile is aweful in that regard - it does not show the E-Mail in your about section, but I'll find it on PC later.

[@claytontdm]

Hey! You can access the shell by putting the chromebook into dev mode, then hitting ctrl+alt+t on the desktop and typing "shell". It should bring up a Gentoo Linux terminal. The "linux" option you were looking for is actually a VM running Debian.

[@oliverbriscoe243]

it's not gentoo... it's chrome os I know it's based on gentoo, but it's deviated so far that it can't be called that anymore

[@ADeeSHUPA]

@@oliverbriscoe243 ReALLY

[@insertusernamehere4549]

@@oliverbriscoe243it is gentoo

[@comensal]

@@oliverbriscoe243it is what it is, ever heard of MIUI or HyperOS which is a phone UI based on android, whatever how much have it modified, it is what it is, it’s still an android

[@JessicaFEREM]

fun fact: everything about chromeOS is a single binary, so every single thing including the web browser, desktop, and login screen is all rendered with the same binary. it's one solid blob. they're just now starting to develop tools to decouple the OS from the web browser/desktop. this does mean that every time you update the browser you need to reboot.

[@bedgegog]

Hmm, yes, the binary… and the blob, of course, makes sense… how did I not think of that? Of course they decouple it, forsooth…

[@ernestnatiello]

Many embedded systems work this way, with the whole of the OS being one monolithic image.

[@JessicaFEREM]

@@ernestnatiello Back when windows 8 was popular, google made a "windows 8 mode" that would basically give you a chromebook experience within windows, and would also automatically pin the app launcher that chromeOS had into the windows taskbar.

[@emdotrod]

Honestly a Chrome OS mini/stick computer isn't a bad idea for some people. But then again if you're really want to use Chrome OS on a desktop you can just download Chrome OS Flex or other Chrome OS forks and you can dual boot it with your primary operating system.

[@Puppetmaster664]

Fun fact: You cant dualboot chrome os!

[@JulianSauco]

@@Puppetmaster664 You can, but is a pain in the ass to set it up. Definetly not as straightforward as Linux

[@xNathan2439x]

@@Puppetmaster664 Fun fact: YOU can't duelboot Chrome OS

[@papelito1020]

@@xNathan2439x yes, you can with grub, but it is a pain in the ass

[@TorutheRedFox]

it not being as straightforward as Linux is very ironic considering Chrome OS is just a heavily specialized Linux distro

[@ethanpschwartz]

We use these at my job for displaying Google Slides of brand news and employee stuff. In the depths of company documents, it still calls for offices to have "Chromebits". We still use ChromeOS sticks at new locations, but I have no idea where they're getting them.

[@shreeney10]

I remember wanting this so badly when I was younger because I desperately wanted to get out of the laptop lifestyle, cool to finally see it being used in practice!

[@stef5037]

One problem i had on my old chromebook was when it stopped getting OS updates that also meant it stopped getting Browser updates so after a few years it was unable to browse the web properly anymore as more and more websites stopped working, i remember spotify specifically just flat out stopped being able to play music, and it stopped being able to play 1080p youtube videos because it was stuck using an unsupported codec or something. worst part was because it was an older ARM based model i couldn't even put another OS on it, so it was literally e-waste.

[@itskdog]

They're finally fixing that by removing the browser from the OS and replacing it with the regular Linux version of Chrome, meaning it can continue being updated even when the hardware is EOL.

[@Leoions]

Some ARM chromebooks can run armbian or the arm port of arch linux.

[@MissGradenko1914]

​@@LeoionsOr PostmarketOS

[@singletona082]

I was one of the people that had the prototype chrome book and even with the many issues ranging from underpowered hardware to Google itself? I kinda miss that little machine and do think those sort of thin client devices really do have a place in the ecosystem.

[@StacyEdenton]

I manage a literal fleet of these ASUS Chromebits. I’m familiar with the update process if you end up needing the image file. Also if you end up figuring out how to install Linux on one, I’m about to retired them all, so that might make me reconsider.

[@theol1044]

The Chromebit comes from an era around 2015 when Stick PCs were all the rage, and even Intel jumped on the train (Intel Compute Stick).

[@syd5099]

Wow, Chrome OS is 15 years old!? I remember when they gave us chromebooks for the first time in school. I was around 11 years old at the time (2014) and I remembered how cool these Chromebooks were to me and how they changed the way we learned. Now a days, I only use chrome if I had to write a document or make a presentation. Its so much easier than using office!

[@LeapordGames]

Wow your 20 years old

[@syd5099]

@@LeapordGames yes I am, I'm actually turning 21 next Saturday

[@LeapordGames]

@@syd5099 wow happy early birthday:) i hope all your dreams come true

[@syd5099]

@@LeapordGames thank you!! :D

[@LeapordGames]

@@syd5099 You welcome:)

[@Ferrari255GTO]

You can have the agonizong experience of dissapointment, from the comfort of your own TV!

[@TheLivingCatastrophe]

Oh boy, I can smell the argument comments from here

[@TheLivingCatastrophe]

I am not one to argue. I am indifferent.

[@Ferrari255GTO]

@@TheLivingCatastrophe honestly it's just a silly exagerated comment, it is true that i dislike theese devices but everyone's free to use what they want

[@encycl07pedia-]

The biggest disappointment* is your spelling.

[@Ferrari255GTO]

@@encycl07pedia- not my first language and i don't mix your and you're like many native speakers. I think i'll be fine

[@Sweeps_]

i don’t need to watch michelMJD video’s to know that they will be an absolute bangers.(i like em instantly)

[@_lun4r_]

Imagine using _ because name was taken (I used them for looks)

[@Gemdation]

@@_lun4r_ imagine using numbers (jk I used to use both)

[@benzhere]

Exactly fifteen minutes -- very nice

[@comedyreliefguy5112]

Exactly 13:30 if you have KZbin Vanced which skips promos and other stuff. Very nice.

[@SleepingComputerEXE]

From what I understand, the copyright year in the About page is automatically updated based on whatever year the OS is set to (whether it automatically gets the time and date from the Internet or is set manually).

[@conkerlovesHipHopHarry23]

So if you put 2009 or something it would show that?

[@ScooterFett]

my school had a bunch of these used in conjunction with boxlights for teaching... and eventually moved to the Chromebox instead, still in conjunction with boxlights for teaching

[@llyinx]

“Still more power full than my school Chromebook”💀

[@Aero7_ssg]

What’s funnier is the os is 4 years old and has WAY more features and app support than the new versions of ChromeOS

[@CntrazZombie4]

0:21 Gotta feel bad for Linux when its beat out by the "Who f'n knows" category

[@reeveho1384]

Isn't chrome os based on Linux?

[@goose_858]

​@@reeveho1384 it's a fork of Gentoo yeah

[@farx4070]

Hey Michael! Enable developer mode on the chrome bit and get access to local dev terminal that way!

[@kingzach74]

Definitely could see this working great for business conference rooms to run Teams on for Teams Meetings. It is way cheaper than an SFF desktop, has a lightweight operating system, and a ridiculously tiny form factor.

[@xavithefluffydragon]

honestly they could definitely do a second more modern run with the bit since things have evolved since whenever that was made to pack much more power into it

[@jperih]

Lenovo has a device this year that is very similar.

[@XsaviXander]

I want google to do another chromebit. Reminds me of those Android TV sticks and Intel TV sticks.

[@Bolt451]

​@@XsaviXanderIntel?

[@Markandpreston]

An MJD video on my birthday… Just as I like!!

[@iiTsFaded_]

Turning a pile of garbage into a slightly smaller pile of garbage

[@BoxOfToasters]

I mean, considering what schools had(and have) before chromebooks, I guess it's better, though that's not saying much.

[@nicklamn]

​​@@BoxOfToasterswe had windows 7 PCs in 2018 at my school

[@TruthDoesNotExist]

I get chromebooks and flash a open source bios on them and then install linux and have been wanting to get my hands on one of these to see if it would work on them to have a tiny linux stick

[@RyzesTechZone]

I think Amazon still sells little compute sticks like this running Intel Atoms and Celerons, would also be cool to check out

[@Stiky_Piston]

Did not expect to see this thing, but I love the vid so far!

[@bk109]

13:45 Yeah, sure, that's a decent idea, but instead of going with a restricted web-centric device, one could simply get an Android-based stick pc with the exact same specs on the cheap, or a FireTV stick, with both having more to offer than the ChromeBit. Hell, the launch price of this thing (if what my google-fu didn't fail me) cost 90$ and frankly, for a Rockhip-powered cut-down web device, that's just waaaaaay overpriced. If anything, that pricetag was approaching full-up x86 StickPC with a Bay-Trail or Cherry Trail money, or alternatively - like 4 1st gen FireSticks that (unlike this bugger) could be used straight out of the box..

[@firesurfer]

It was widely available for about $69. Still a lot for what it is.

[@bk109]

@@firesurfer So, generally it was available at roughly 15$ under the RRP listed by AnandTech (and a couple of other sites). Still, that's either a similarly specced Android box (with a bundled controller) or a Firestick (and change, since that initially retailed at 40$, but I got a couple for 20 within months of the launch)

[@rzzcp]

3:54 epic gaming setup 🤯

[@Allthephones]

Congrats on your first video of the year. It has been my dream to get pinned by a KZbin channel with over a thousand subscribers

[@Leakayd]

Be Interesting if you made a vid on what will happen if you plugged it in to the chromebook that supports HMTI

[@lukchem]

Could you try installing Chrome OS Flex on this device? Maybe this will let you updates to the newest Chrome OS Version.

[@TheTigerBeast]

This video: Shows what chromebit is and what it can do: nah Updates chromebit for half the video: sure Classic MJD :)))

[@TheAppleExperence]

My works uses chrome boxes (running chrome os) in the self serve kiosks for ordering food, I suppose if chrome bit was still supported they could use that?

[@Mas0nAnimations]

Feels Good to be early on an MJD video. :D

[@BoxOfToasters]

Can relate :]

[@YogurtSnipe]

0:31 Chromebook’s are actually very good for their respective use in education due to its simplicity for Web-browsing. Although I won’t lie the first time I had mine it only had 500MB of storage.

[@kyunamii]

Mr. Michael MJD never fails to upload another banger. she chrome on my bit till i OS

[@Leoions]

I read its possible to enable developer mode on these and boot arch linux for arm on these. Would be nice to boot Emuelec from a flash drive and use bluetooth game controllers to play some old games.

[@FloatSamplesGT710]

Bro's experiments never fails to entertain us !

[@Ambedge]

As a possesor of an Acer Chromebook Spin 713, I would be interested to see you in a future video trying to install a traditionnal Linux distribution on a Chromebook

[@JustAPersonWhoComments]

The Chromebit is a very unique device. I tested one when they were first released and was quite unimpressed. It was slow, and quite awkward to use, compared to other ChromeOS computers

[@awesomeferret]

How is it unique? It's a budget Intel Compute Stick crippled by ChromeOS. So unique! Were you not aware that this device is a relatively locked down option in a category of a form factor?

[@_w_w_]

@@awesomeferret Exactly!!! My similar age and price Intel Compute Stick is still very usable until this Chromebit..

[@noahhill8483]

What about using Mr. Chromebox's script to try and install full UEFI firmware for Linux or Windows. Also, you might still be able to access the Linux terminal for ChromeOS, just not the Linux Terminal for the Debian container. Pressing Ctrl+Alt+T will almost always (even the oldest Chromebooks) get you a terminal for the actual OS, its very locked down but you can do things like browse the filesystem including adding "folders" into the files app etc. if you have developer mode turned on you have even more access by typing in 'shell' and getting right to bash

[@Juanguar]

Good luck running anything on that ancient arm chip lmao It’s a rockchip that thing is lucky to run chrome os

[@noahhill8483]

@@Juanguar I know haha, but worth a shot to try. I don't think it uses the same firmware that most ChromeOS devices use anyway

[@kaitoharrison872]

I think the bootloader for arm chip is entirely different for arm. Mr. Chromebox only cover x86 based chromeOS device. PostmarketOS is probably the best bet for arm based chromeOS device

[@noahhill8483]

@@kaitoharrison872 I figured, I never used an arm based ChromeOS device before so I wouldn't know

[@Juanguar]

@@noahhill8483 yeah you can think of them as android devices that happen to run chromeOS

[@brurmonemt]

The Camera, Files, and Calculator are actually all shortcuts too. They don’t go to specific pages that anybody can access from any device, but rather built in within Chrome.

[@awesomeferret]

Why no immediate mention of why all the video is stretched? Or did I miss it?

[@irusdev5457]

Nice to see an os/2warp box, my once fav os

[@3DLasers]

Are you Warped ? DOS RULES ! 🤣🤣🤣

[@incompetech_kmac]

good music!

[@SeanPennII]

Lol nice

[@BuildyGavryu]

Seeing The Box Design Made Me Feel Nostalgic

[@kylespevak6781]

I don't understand Chrome OS. Anything that can run Chrome (most things) can do what it does and more

[@firesurfer]

It's all about security. They are totally locked down and immune to viruses. This means A LOT to most users.

[@tyler6602]

​@@firesurfer most users being businesses and schools lol

[@ComeAtMe]

I still have mine it’s working great still whenever I need it

[@bubirkanal7490]

Try Asus Stick PC (TS10) please.

[@bland9876]

I have seen some keyboards and mice combos that use one dongle for everything.

[@starfox.64]

got an idea: try putting postmarketOS on it, since it's a Veyron model that probably packs an RK3288 chipset.

[@TnplnE]

all apps on chrome os even the ones like calculater camera and settings are web links that u can get to from the chrome browser

[@Colinetic]

I guess you could say the Google Chromebit bit off more than it could chew... 😂

[@brickman409]

The older Fire sticks were actually smaller, a lot smaller. You'd be amazed at how small the first gen Fire Stick was. I think they made them bigger over time maybe because they were having thermal issues, or they wanted to cram more performance in or both.

[@dragosbogdan3450]

Looks pretty good for home and media. Do you can install linux like as lubuntu ?

[@speedwagoncito]

Isn't this kinda like the bootable sticks you can make with Ubuntu in them? Visually, it looks a lot like the Ubuntu LTS versions I've used, and kinda seems to work like them overall as well.

[@xaq7745]

I wonder which Chrome OS version you'd end up with on the Chromebit if you switched to the Beta channel.

[@k4jusz3k]

yoooo i waiteddd thx u made my dayy

[@MarioMasta64]

aside keyboards with trackpads built in alot of the adapters for lg devices let you connect multiple devices to them by using their software to configure the connection, also there are keyboard mouse pairs that use one usb as well

[@JasonCrosen]

I have some Xreal Air glasses, that would be fantastic for this. Portable battery and the right display adapter with those glasses would make a great portable system.

[@TheoPradeauStrasser]

Can you do a video where you install windows or another system on it ?

[@tylermelton369]

Random thought. I wonder if it would be possible to put ChromeOS Flex on this thing.

[@deanstyles2567]

Short answer is no. It'd need an x86 CPU for that to be possible. Linux... I'm sure someone's tried!

[@RyansChristmasStation]

4:28 love the wallpaper!

[@AlexanderTheBest]

It's the Chromebookmark (comment originally just said "Chromebookmark")

[@HenPlayer1]

15 Years in Chrome OS?!

[@FubarMike]

I think the intel compute stick killed this idea. You could get one running windows and then a cheaper one with ubuntu I think. That is infinitely more useful.

[@keithrutowski2264]

I feel like if schools got more expensive computers then junk chromebooks maybe students would take care of them more

[@draconicruns]

slightly unfortunate you didn't try get it to run at 1080p, but really cool and interesting video

[@UltraPoyoColt]

This is honestly pretty cool how chrome OS was released on a fire stick like device! Don’t know how I would use it, but still very cool!!

[@JuniorRMusic]

My school has something very similar to the one you have but it is always in kiosk mode.

[@B9M3]

Didn't Intel and maybe some others make Windows PCs on a stick around that same timeframe. It was a cool idea.

[@PaintyMations757]

Im currently using a Chromebook rn and seeing this just a Chromebook on an HDMI brick is unbelievable 0.0

[@maritoguionyo]

3:58 HDCP bypass?

[@penelopetiberti2637]

considering buying one of those chromebox for an elderly. Thanks for the review and advices!

[@DrKoneko]

Id love to see a video where you install the earliest version you can, and you can run ubuntu 16.04 on there very easily.

[@Brixster]

Wow, I had one of these! I even used that exact Logitech keyboard you showed, too, lol. To be frank, the chromebit is really bad. Chrome ran like shit and could only handle about 2-3 tabs before the 30hz video output crawled to a sluggish 8fps. I still probably have it lying around somewhere, but I don't intend to dig it up. When Chrome OS added support to run Android apps from the play store, the chromebit was one of the few devices to be neglected from the update. I used chromebooks a bit in school; the camera app is actually a carryover from the Chrome OS software intended for use on chromebook laptops with webcams. The fact that it's still present on a port of the OS to a tv stick is quite hilarious.

[@That_one_bordahopper]

11:25 "it's so Rad dude"😂

[@elGuille_uy]

can we all appreciate this video and how good it is (i didnt even watch the video yet i just commented this to get likes)

[@JeskidoYT]

Big props for having the sponsor at the end of the video 👏

[@Milenakos]

it depends on what placement sponsor wants, not creator

[@GUN2kify]

#1:25 -- I paid it for 3 Euro at an flea market .. it was in a box with dozens of them.

[@chikyuuP]

I love the look and feel of chrome os but I will not spend almost as much on a BETTER MacBook or windows laptop for a Chromebook and the cheaper Chromebooks are just not that great (My Chromebook can't even handle a 1080p video sometimes, and its pretty recent)

[@naniwara8673]

I wonder if you can get things like Linux mint on it

[@farishanafiah8461]

We need a modern day successor with the latest low-end x86 CPU. The closest we can get so far is the MeLe PCG02 but that has Windows 11 Pro pre-installed. For this kind of device, I'm more than happy to live with lightweight desktop OS like ChromeOS or even fydeOS.

[@TeraByte38]

Why is the capture in a stretched 4:3 (or 5:4) aspect ratio and not 16:9? Also some Composite video-like artifacts (mostly green and purple colors around text)

[@ukdaaan]

could it support the latest release using chromeOS flex?

[@djneo92nl]

we have 4 of these at work. i still need to experiment with them as they are just chilling in a drawer

[@NINJADOES_GAMES]

Did you used to do accounting videos? Your voice sounds so familiar.

[@btarg1]

Stick computers are very cool in general, like the intel Atom stick that could play half-life 2. Hopefully we see more in the future

[@SpaceThatBlaster]

What kind of display does it have?

[@Jdogrey1]

Okay, but I have one of those that runs Windows...

[@Solarsplash64]

On a tv? That’s cool, I used to do online school on tv by using an hdmi thing from my pc to the tv

[@Linus7671]

The Windows versions of these were called "Intel Compute Sticks". They came with Windows 8.1.

[@Solarsplash64]

@@Linus7671 oooo cool

[@aod420247]

i have the asus one. if it could run plex it would be useful but nothing really works right on it and its slow as all can be

[@TrashedPandaGaming]

When I was 13 she thought getting me a chromebook would allow me to play any game I wanted......that was around 2014 and steam os wasn't even thought yet to be on chromeOS

[@CamiloTohsaka]

That Chromebit was A SUS device. Aside for jokes, is really interesting the size and the capabilities to have a non-smart TV with a web browser and its size. How unfortunate its End of support and the lack of Linux terminal.

[@encycl07pedia-]

I have one of these. They were adequate when they were new-ish, but they don't support Android apps like modern Chrome OS and I was furious when I dug it up out of storage, updated and restarted 3 times, and it couldn't support KZbin TV (that my mom signed up for). They really should have included an extra USB port or an SD card slot instead of going the Apple route of removing all useful ports. If I had to do it all over again, I'd just get a mini PC box instead.

[@1sola]

There's a line of chrome computers named Chromebases that have the same form factor as an iMac, and run ChromeOS. My old school had about 70 of them

[@OwlNetwork1]

There is Chromebox too, its like a mini pc or mac mini.

[@henryfleischer404]

Now I'm curious about the 0.1% of desktops running FreeBSD. Why do people use it?

[@frcasual]

The only chrome based system that wouldn’t break😂

[@JaimeJohn316]

@Michael MJD... Very interesting. We surely appreciate you walking us through the technical aspects and procedures and your thinking-out-loud approach that enables us to peer into your mind's eye and your thoughts as you're going through the processes. Thank you for sharing. ON A SIDE NOTE: It would be very interesting for you to produce a review for the "Xtra-PC" USB drive?

[@candidcamel]

Perfect video!