[tor-project] Fwd: Android on Chromebooks

[Nathan Freitas]

Some Chromebooks now run Android apps, and Orbot and Orfox work great on
at least one of them (ARM-based ASUS Flip). Chromebooks have become
increasingly popular in schools, some workplaces, and even for activists
and journalists. Having an easily installable option for using the Tor
is great news.

----- Original message -----
From: Nathan of Guardian <nathan at guardianproject.info>
To: guardian-internal at lists.mayfirst.org
Subject: Android on Chromebooks
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2016 19:29:18 -0800

I picked up an ASUS Chromebook Flip with the Rockport ARM chip, and
enabled it to run the new "beta" channel that includes full support for
Android apps. I have to say I am quite impressed. It is a really great
combination to have the full Chrome desktop browser, with a solid
keyboard and trackpad, along with access to Android apps and Google
Play. The Flip itself is a 2-and-1, and having the Android apps really
makes it useful as a tablet. It also seems to actually get 9-10 hours of
battery life, and only cost about $250 USD.

The best news is that Orbot and Orfox run very well, allowing you to
have a real Tor capability on a stock Chromebook for the first time. All
of the intent launches work, and the VPN mode, too, though I think only
for Android apps and not the ChromeOS itself. I am a little confused
about that part.

I also tried a number of our other apps, and they all seem to be working
more or less. Some apps, like StoryMaker 2, don't appear in the Play
Store when I search, so they must be requiring some feature that
Chromebooks aren't offering. I guess we just have to mark that as
optional.

All in all, I am excited how well this works, both for our users and for
myself. 

+n



-- 
  Nathan of Guardian
  nathan at guardianproject.info