Google Chromebooks

A few tips for Chromebook-beginners, from an ex-beginner :P

1. Plug in your Chromebook device with the supplied power-adapter!
   
   You cannot power on the device right after unboxing, Google have really made sure you have to plug in the device before the on-board battery is linked to the Chromebook motherboard.
   
   
2. Make a Google account!
   
   The Chromebook-devices are online account driven. Every detail (logins, wifi-passwords, IoT devices, documents, links, etc.) gets "siloed" into the Google online account cloud storage.
   
   
3. Share it with friends and family!
   
   Because the Chromebook-devices are online account driven, they are also easy to swap out (online account contains everything needed to set up just like your previous device) and share between friends and family (easy account-swap directly from control-panel or login-screen.
   
   
4. Enable Play Store to use Android-apps!
   
   Chromebook-devices are (basically) running Android made for tablets (that sport a track-pad and keyboard). So you only have to sign in to Play Store and every app you use on your smart-phone will be available for your Chromebook, although some apps are not optimized for big screens so actual use may vary.
   
   

You really can use both the Android-app version of a service, or use the same service in the Chrome web-browser. Quality of use may vary a bit depending on if the app is optimized for big screens in 16:9-mode (widescreen).

A couple of personal notes:

• These devices are not fully Stadia-compatible at the time of writing.
• I could NOT install the Stadia-app ("not compatible with your device at this time").
• Nor could I launch a game through the web-portal in Chrome.
• And the chromebook did not recognize the Stadia-controller on a USB connection.

Google Stadia

Yes, I was one of the "fortunate" one's that got a hold of a Founders Edition Stadia-pack.

Stadia - Google Photos Album

The pack includes:

• Google Stadia Founders Edition Pro controller
• USB-C cable for PC-use / charging
• Google Chromecast Ultra HDMI-dongle
• Power-adapter for Chromecast Ultra
• and some Stadia-stickers 😂

I have to admit, the controller is actually pretty good. Sure, some exceptions do exist, but they are rather minor ("clicky" D-pad, raised buttons, etc.).

Overall it's pretty decent.

Amigan Joy

Streaming- / recording-setup
Flylink HD > HDMI splitter > USB 3.0 HDMI capture-dongle. Allowing for FHD (1080p/60Hz) streaming / recording. Hidden on the lower shelf of the top bench with the joyboards and dustcover.

Arcade Evolution Amiga joy-boards
DB9-connected arcade-sticks for the Amiga computers.

Commodore Amiga 500 Rev 6a
Upgraded from OCS to ECS (relative to 500+ specs, HiRes Denise + Fatter Agnus), 1MB chipram and a FlashFloppy USB floppy-emulator board (replacing the 3.5" floppy-drive).

ACA500plus accelerator side-cart
With dual CF-card reader and 7MB fastram allowing the use of Workbench v1.3, v2.1 and v3.1 (/v3.1.4 by Hyperion) and GUI-launching of HDD-installed games with WHDLoad.

Happy 28th! :D

Linux. Uploaded to public FTP, 28 years ago today.

JoySticks no more...

Competition Pro + ZipStik Joysticks for the Amiga computers.

30 year-old controllers have limited usability, I am fully aware of this... but I didn't think newly re-fitted joysticks would give up after only 2-3 months of use.

They did...

Then again, I am not a little kid anymore. These were built for kids, and surely not anticipated to last for 30+ years.

Guess I'll have to order some arcade-quality joystick-boards. Boards because I really like these kinds of controllers to have a solid base, keeping it from jiggling around in-use. And arcade-quality to ensure they outlast my Amiga-computer for sure.

I already decided on the maker and type.

Arcade Evolution Amiga Joystick

https://amigakit.amiga.store/product_info.php?products_id=1172

Ctrl+A+A

https://www.ctrlaa.com/