FydeOS is an alternative choice to ChromeOS Flex, however with just a few important variations – together with Google-account-free operation.
Fyde Innovations’ FydeOS is a rebuild of ChromiumOS with a distinction. In truth, with a number of variations, a few of which can make it interesting to Google skeptics. Broadly talking, FydeOS can flip any PC or laptop computer right into a Chromebook, full with Android apps, and it will possibly use a free Fyde account instead of a Google account.
FydeOS is an easy light-weight Linux, with Chromium and the Play Retailer. What extra do you want?
FydeOS was beforehand referred to as Flint OS from Flint Improvements, earlier than that firm was acquired by Neverware, itself later acquired by Google. With this shared historical past, it is sensible that in a number of methods FydeOS isn’t not like the Mountain View product that came out of the Neverware acquisition, ChromeOS Flex.
Like ChromeOS Flex, FydeOS installs and runs on bizarre PCs, laptops, and Intel-based Macs. For anybody who needs to keep away from handing their knowledge to Google, one of many greatest variations is that whereas FydeOS does assist customary Google accounts similar to regular ChromeOS Flex, it additionally affords two options. You should use easy native accounts or you possibly can check in with a FydeOS account as an alternative. The corporate instructed us that FydeOS accounts do not embrace cloud storage, although. The OS and the accounts can be found totally free, though corporate versions are on provide too.
One other important distinction is that FydeOS can run Android apps – a characteristic that is doable on actual Chromebook {hardware}, however not on ChromeOS Flex. The corporate has bases in each the UK and in China, and the 2 separate account techniques signifies that FydeOS can be utilized behind the Nice Firewall of China – the place Google and Google Mobile Services aren’t out there.
Whereas there’s only one version of ChromeOS, FydeOS has a number of totally different editions. The fundamental freebie model known as FydeOS for PC, and is available in 4 variants: three for Intel-based PCs of various ages, and one other for PCs with AMD GPUs. There’s additionally an Arm version that helps a range of SBCs: the Raspberry Pi 4, 400 and 5; XpressReal T3; Orange Pi 5, 5B and 5 Plus; the Khadas Edge 2; and the Radxa Rock 5B.
There’s additionally a subscription-based variant, referred to as FydeOS for You, which helps sure particular machine fashions with richer {hardware} assist. This consists of the 2013 and 2015 fashions of the Chromebook Pixel, a number of fashions of Microsoft Floor, together with the Professional 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7+, and eight, and the Go, Go 2, and Go 3, and a number of other different units. This version prices £14.99 per 12 months (or $19.99/12 months in USD).
The Reg FOSS desk isn’t an enormous fondleslab fan, and as an oblique outcome we haven’t any touchscreen-capable x86 equipment that is remotely present sufficient to run this. Assist for touchscreens on Linux does are inclined to lag reasonably behind Home windows, however ChromeOS is fairly good at contact assist. We have carried out some work on a buddy’s convertible Chromebook, whose display folds again on itself to show it right into a reasonably chunky pill, and it’s totally usable. If in case you have an end-of-life convertible comparable to a Floor Professional 3, or perhaps a newer one that may’t run Home windows 11 nicely, then a sub to “FydeOS for You” could possibly be a really efficient approach to make it usable once more.
For the curious who need to strive it earlier than committing to {hardware}, there is a particular OVA for VMware, full with an in depth installation guide. Because it’s based mostly on the FOSS ChromiumOS mission, there’s additionally an upstream model referred to as openFyde and there is source code on GitHub. The product boards have a summary of the differences.
In our testing, FydeOS appears to be like and works just about like ChromeOS Flex – which isn’t any dangerous factor. ChromeOS does the job, it is useless simple to put in with no troublesome questions. FydeOS additionally has an option to dual boot, which is value having, too.
FydeOS underneath VMware – if you happen to’ve ever used ChromeOS, this will probably be very acquainted
To this point, so good, however there’s a catch – albeit a comparatively small one. FydeOS itself may be had totally free, and the accounts are free too, however there’s a pricing model. What prices cash are model upgrades. We checked out FydeOS model 20, which is predicated on ChromiumOS version 132-16093. For every main model, minor updates are free, however main model upgrades – for example, to FydeOS 21, when that seems – value cash. The hyperlink above says upgrades are £2.49 ($3.35). We requested the corporate how usually customers might anticipate these paid updates, and it instructed us:
Google has extra information on its LTS release cycle and the current version.
You can in fact get round this by backing up your knowledge and reinstalling. That may get you free upgrades — however it will additionally eradicate a lot of the simplicity and comfort of working ChromeOS or any of its relations.
We should depart it as much as you to determine whether or not this seems like a compelling deal or not. We admit it, this vulture does use a Google account, and we reasonably like ChromeOS. There is a Dell Latitude with ChromeOS Flex in common use within the Irish Sea division of Vulture Towers. It really works nicely and we do not really feel any burning want for Android apps. In the event you do and also you’re prepared to get your fingers soiled, workarounds do exist to put in generic ChromeOS onto a PC full with the Play Retailer – for instance, the Brunch Framework.
We’re still waiting for an all-FOSS ChromeOS replacement. Within the meantime, FydeOS is shut: if you need one thing useless simple, maybe for a non-techie relative, and also you’re prepared to pay a fiver a 12 months for upgrades, FydeOS appears to be like like an honest possibility. If in case you have a touchscreen PC, the £15 FydeOS for You sub (approx $20 however charged in GBP) remains to be fairly good worth. ®
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