Google and Back Market are teaming up to save PCs from the landfill. Through the new ChromeOS Flex USB Kit, you can transform your aging, unsupported laptop into a fast, secure, and sustainable machine for free.
General summary
Windows 10 end-of-life left many with outdated computers, so Google partnered with Back Market to offer a ChromeOS Flex USB Kit. You can now purchase the kit from Back Market for around $3, which helps you install ChromeOS Flex and modernize your PC or Mac. Check the Certified Models List to see if your device is compatible and extend its lifespan.
Summaries were generated by Google AI. Generative AI is experimental.
Bullet points
- "Give your laptop a new life with ChromeOS Flex" shows how to revive older PCs and Macs.
- Microsoft ending Windows 10 support leaves many with old, potentially insecure computers.
- Google partners with Back Market to offer a ChromeOS Flex USB Kit for easy install.
- ChromeOS Flex extends device lifespans, reduces e-waste, and uses less energy.
- The $3 USB kit is reusable and waste-compensated, minimizing environmental impact.
Summaries were generated by Google AI. Generative AI is experimental.
Basic explainer
Old computers can be slow and unsafe, but you don't always need a new one. Google made ChromeOS Flex, a free computer system, to help with this. Now, Google is working with Back Market to sell USB kits that make installing ChromeOS Flex super easy. This helps people reuse old computers, which is better for the planet.
Summaries were generated by Google AI. Generative AI is experimental.
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Last October marked a turning point for hundreds of millions of computers. Microsoft Windows 10 reached its end of support, putting those computers at risk of obsolescence. 1 This left many people with a difficult decision: spend hundreds on a new device, or continue using an insecure, outdated one.
To offer another solution, Google is partnering with Back Market, a leader in refurbished electronics. Starting today, a new ChromeOS Flex USB Kit is available on their site to help you install our fast, secure and free operating system to modernize the PC or Mac you already own. It comes with simplified guides and video tutorials from Back Market to demystify the installation process. While you can always download ChromeOS Flex for free from our website, these kits are designed to make the upgrade even easier.
A shared challenge
Just because an operating system reaches its limit doesn’t mean the hardware has to. Maintaining software support is a formidable challenge, and Google is no stranger to it. For instance, as part of our own efforts, we’ve extended software updates for Chromebooks to 10 years and Pixel phones to seven years. This pilot is yet another way we’re working to offer a more sustainable alternative for expired Windows computers to extend their useful lifespans.
A new life cycle
The manufacturing process of a new laptop is responsible for a large part of its carbon footprint. ChromeOS Flex allows the already-manufactured device to be used for longer, which keeps hardware out of landfills and avoids the emissions of making a new device. Savings do not stop there, ChromeOS also consumes 19% less energy on average than other comparable systems. 2
Together with Back Market, we’re proving that the more sustainable device is often the one already in your hands. This physical kit, priced around $3 or €3, is one part of that effort. The drive is reusable, and our partnership with Closing the Loop further minimizes e-waste. 3
To see if your device is compatible, check the Certified Models List.
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