Technologies

8 Chromebook Myths To Ignore When Laptop Shopping

Chromebooks today are much better than they were upon initial release in 2011.

Chromebooks, or laptops that run on Google’s ChromeOS, have been around for more than a decade and have gone from basic internet appliances to excellent laptops for personal or professional use.

Their user-friendly nature also makes them a good option for people who are less tech-savvy.

A lot of negative ideas about Chromebooks have circulated over the last 10 years too, including the fallacy that you can’t use them offline and that the devices are underpowered. Some of these critiques may have been true when Chromebooks were first released, but they have since been corrected or improved upon.

Here are eight Chromebook misconceptions to ignore when looking for a new laptop.

1. Chromebooks are underpowered

This is a common misconception that dates back to the Chromebook’s launch, when it was mainly used for accessing the internet via the Chrome browser. As more people started using Chromebooks, including for school and business, Google increased the functionality of the operating system and Chromebook makers improved their performance to take advantage of new features. Now, like other laptops, you get what you pay for with a Chromebook.

ChromeOS, the Chromebook operating system, still has low hardware requirements, though. This means Chromebooks can provide basic functionality for less money. Despite the low hardware requirements, Chromebooks can perform as well as — and in some cases better than — similarly priced Windows laptops.

«New Windows laptops for $200 are few and far between and, frankly, are rarely worth buying,» CNET’s Joshua Goldman writes. «Finding a good $200 Chromebook, on the other hand, is pretty easy to do… Premium Chromebooks typically start between $400 and $500, but can easily run more than $1,000 depending on your needs.»

The Lenovo Duet 3, for example, is $379, and it can stream videos, run almost any Android app and be used for cloud gaming via Nvidia GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Gaming. Other premium Chromebooks, like the CNET Editor’s Choice award-winning Acer Chromebook Spin 714, are more expensive, but they can have up to 10 hours of battery life. They can also stream videos and handle productivity apps like Slack with ease.

2. You can only use Chrome on Chromebooks

It’s understandable — yet incorrect — to think that Chromebooks, which run on ChromeOS, can only use a Chrome browser. You can run other browsers, like Brave and Firefox, on your Chromebook.

To use these browsers, you need to download the apps from the Google Play Store. While those apps are meant for Android phones, they will work on your Chromebook. Some apps have tablet support so they look cleaner and use the additional space on the screen of your Chromebook. Their windows can also be resized just like traditional desktop software.

3. Chromebooks aren’t safe to use

Chromebooks have multiple layers of protection to keep your data safe. For example, you’ll get automatic updates from Google so your device always has the latest patches. Chromebooks also run individual websites and apps in sandboxes to contain threats.

These security features make Chromebooks more secure than many other laptops. According to CVE Details, a security vulnerability datasource, ChromeOS has had about 50 security vulnerabilities since 2010. In comparison, Windows 10 has had almost 3,000 vulnerabilities since 2013.

4. Chromebooks don’t work offline

While the first models were designed to be used online only, Google changed that long ago so that many Chromebook apps will work with or without an internet connection. You can use your Chromebook to take notes, watch movies and listen to music when offline. You can even check and respond to emails or view, edit or create documents in Google Drive. In these cases, whatever emails you are sending or changes you are making to documents won’t go through until you reconnect to the internet.

5. You can’t game on Chromebooks

Years ago you could only play web-based games on your Chromebook but since 2016, you can play many of the games in the Google Play Store. That includes games like Roblox and Apex Legends Mobile. You can also play games from Steam, Nvidia’s GeForce Now, Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming on your Chromebook.

Google is even selling Chromebooks made for cloud gaming. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE, Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip and Lenovo Ideapad Gaming Chromebook are the first three gaming Chromebooks that let anyone play AAA computer games without a high-end gaming PC using cloud services.

6. Chromebooks aren’t good for photo or video editing

For basic editing, the Google Play Store has a number of photo and video editing apps, including Adobe’s Android apps and LumaFusion, which are Chromebook-compatible. Google also unveiled a new video editor and movie maker in Google Photos in July.

If you’re a business professional and need more advanced photo- or video-editing capabilities, like Adobe InDesign or Photoshop, you’ll still want a Windows, Mac or Linux laptop. However, if you are putting together a family photo album or a video for a family reunion, Chromebooks have everything you need.

7. Chromebooks can’t run Microsoft Office

Yes, you can run Microsoft Office on your Chromebook. However, instead of using the software suite made for Windows or MacOS, you’ll use Microsoft’s Office progressive web apps, or PWAs.

PWAs are like the mobile versions of websites, but they give you more features, like offline use and push notifications. There are PWAs for Microsoft Office 365 that work great on Chromebooks. Besides having to download the PWAs, using them is the same as using the web versions of Office 365. Microsoft Office power users might find that Office PWAs aren’t as robust as the desktop software, but the PWAs will likely meet most people’s needs.

8. You can’t use Windows on a Chromebook

This one is half true. While you can’t install Windows onto your Chromebook, you can access the operating system via remote access. You can use remote computer access tools, like Parallels for Chrome or Chrome’s Remote Desktop, to connect your Chromebook to a Windows computer.

Parallels lets you run full-featured Windows applications and is mainly meant for business users. Chrome’s Remote Desktop takes minutes to set up and can be used to access Windows — or Mac — software on your Chromebook. Is this cheating? Maybe, but I won’t tell if you won’t.

For more on Chromebooks, check out these eight Chromebooks for any budget, how to get Steam on your Chromebook and how to run Windows Office on your Chromebook.

Technologies

Facing Billions in DMA Fines, Apple Lets EU iPhone Users Install Apps Outside the App Store

A last-minute rule change lets European iPhone owners download apps from rival stores and developer websites, while introducing new fees that Apple hopes will satisfy regulators in Brussels.

In a scramble to sidestep penalties that could soar into the billions, and with Brussels regulators watching closely, Apple has agreed to let Europeans download iPhone apps from outside its own App Store.

With just hours left before an EU compliance deadline, the company said residents of the 27-nation bloc will soon be able to grab apps from rival marketplaces or straight off a developer’s website. The change rolls out later this year with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, and also lets users set a different browser engine and choose a third-party wallet at checkout.

For everyday EU iPhone owners, that means the download button could pop up in more places than just Apple’s storefront. After you select the new setting, iOS shows a one-time permission sheet confirming you’re leaving Apple’s marketplace. The app then passes a quick notarization scan meant to weed out malware. Apple notes that off-store downloads work only inside the EU, and disappear if you stay outside the bloc for more than 30 days.

Cost to developers

Developers do gain fresh distribution freedom, but there’s a price tag. A new two-tier Store Services fee asks for 5% of outside sales in exchange for basic services like app reviews and support in what’s called Tier 1, or 13% for the full bundle of perks, including automatic updates and App Store promotions in Tier 2.

Apple will take a 5% «Core Technology Commission» on any purchase made outside its own payment system. That new cut will phase out the current €0.50-per-download fee and become the sole charge across the EU when a unified pricing model arrives on Jan. 1, 2026.

Apple insists «more than 99%» of devs will pay the same or less under the revamped math.

Why now?

In April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($585 million) for blocking developers from steering users to cheaper payment options, and warned that daily penalties of up to 5% of global revenue could follow if it failed to comply.

Throughout the back-and-forth, Apple has accused the commission of «moving the goalposts» on what counts as compliance, with a spokesperson saying the company has invested «hundreds of thousands of hours» to meet the EU’s evolving demands.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney blasted the 5% tier as a «malicious compliance scheme» that «makes a mockery of fair competition.»

If regulators decide Apple still hasn’t gone far enough, the iPhone maker could face steeper sanctions, or even be forced to separate its App Store business.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 27, #1469

Here are hints — and the answer — for today’s Wordle No. 1,469 for June 27. Some players need a new starter word now.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t too tough, but somehow, it has a starting letter I never seem to guess. Some posters on Reddit say it was one of their starter words, so now they’re in the market for a new way to begin the game. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with P.

Wordle hint No. 4: Placement

The two vowels are next to each other.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to something that is not decorated and is simple.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is PLAIN.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, June 26, No. 1468 was OFFER.

Recent Wordle answers

June 22, No. 1464: THRUM

June 23, No. 1465: ODDLY

June 24, No. 1466: ELITE

June 25, No. 1467: COMFY

Will Wordle run out of words?

When Wordle began, creator Josh Wardle used a list of five-letter words he’d shared with his partner, picking only the words they recognized. While that’s more than 2,000 words, more than half of them have already been used.

Wordle editor Tracy Bennett admitted that the game will eventually have to come to grips with the fact that the word list is not eternal.

«One possibility is that we could recycle old words at some point, like when we get close to the end,» Bennett told a Wordle player on TikTok.

She also said the editors might throw all the words back in and reuse them, or allow plurals, or past tense, something that’s not done now.

Technologies

Why Smart Travelers Are Switching to eSIMs This Summer

Save 20% on Nomad eSIMs and use your phone all you want around the world without spending a fortune on roaming fees and data add-ons.

Higher prices are looming for just about everything, but they’re not stopping people from planning more summer travel than ever.

Deloitte’s 2025 summer travel survey found that despite the gloomy economy, more Americans will travel this year than they did last year. And young people are especially ready for some self-care elsewhere: a survey by Allianz found that a whopping 70% of Americans under 35 are planning to take a vacation this summer.

If you’re one of the many people thirsty for a summer getaway, there’s a good chance you’re also looking to cut costs where you can. Maybe you’re opting for a cheaper mid-week flight rather than heading out on Friday, or heading somewhere off the beaten path instead of a tourist-packed metropolis.

Another smart way to trim your travel budget is to use an eSIM. You don’t have to pay pricey roaming or add-on data fees to look up local spots, post pics and check your email while you’re out of the country. Nomad eSIM, one of the most affordable options, gives you the data to do all that and more from over 200 countries. And right now you can get 20% off your first Nomad data plan with the code NOMCNET20.

What is an eSIM?

If you’ve ever upgraded your phone or switched carriers, you’re likely familiar with what a SIM card is: It’s that tiny chip in your phone that essentially connects it to your mobile carrier.

A digital eSIM is different in that it’s downloaded from the web directly into your phone. You can activate it using an app and switch carriers without the fuss of having to swap out your physical SIM card.

An eSIM can be a smart choice for travelers who want to use their phone while abroad. Because eSIMs are data-based, you’ll be able to send emails, browse the web, scroll your socials, stream videos and make data-based voice and video calls — all without having to pay the expensive roaming and data fees of your regular US-based carrier.

How a Nomad eSIM helps you save on international data

Nomad eSIM is different from the other eSIMs in that it offers an affordable plan lineup for every type of trip. Whether you’re going to Costa Rica for a week-long retreat or backpacking around Europe all summer, you can pick a plan that works for your specific needs — and budget.

If you’re visiting one destination, Nomad has you covered with daily, weekly and monthly data plans ranging from 1GB to more than 20GB with coverage in over 200 countries. Travelers can also choose daily unlimited plans for a week, and there are local plans for single-country trips or regional plans for multi-destination travel. Current prices on plans include hotspots like Thailand ($0.18/GB) and Iceland ($1/GB).

Get data plans tailored to your travel needs — and budget

If you’re exploring more than one country, the Nomad Global plan has weekly and monthly plans ranging from 1GB to 5GB and coverage in up to 112 countries. While global in reach, Nomad has intentionally focused coverage on the most popular travel destinations, helping to keep global plan costs more affordable. A 1GB, one-week Global plan starts at just $12, ideal for the occasional check-ins with loved ones and social media posts. Or you can opt for a 3GB or a 5GB Global plan starting at $26 or $36 respectively, and the data is good for one month.

eSIMs are great for frequent flyers and digital nomads, too

For backpackers, students abroad and digital nomads, the Nomad Global-EX plan offers handy six-month and year-long options that are good in up to 82 countries.

The highly affordable Global-EX offers a 10GB, six-month plan starting at just $30 and a 20GB, one-year plan starting at $50, plus the option to expand your data limit to 30GB or 50GB as needed. This plan eliminates the hassle of having to reactivate your eSIM for each trip, and it’s more affordable than other eSIM brands that offer similar data allowances for shorter durations.

And for those who prefer unlimited data, Nomad has recently expanded its offerings with 21 new unlimited plans. Perfect for travelers who don’t want to worry about running out of data or topping up, these plans start as low as $11 USD for 3 days of unlimited usage.

eSIMs provide instant, hassle-free connectivity

No matter which plan you choose, the Nomad eSIM is a snap to use. Simply download the app and activate the eSIM on your unlocked iOS or Android eSIM-compatible phone so you can get online the minute you land. There’s no physical SIM card, no contracts and no hassle.

Lock in a new Nomad plan today and score 20% off with the discount code NOMCNET20.