Google is offering old PC and Mac hardware a new lease of life as a Chromebook

GOOGLE is making it possible to install its ChromeOS operating system on virtually any PC or Mac. This can give a new lease of life to an old device that can no longer be updated with Windows or macOS, making it functional for a few more years.

The idea is to equip an old PC (or a Mac with an Intel chip) with a lightweight and powerful operating system that doesn't need too much memory. It's also easy to use, since this OS integrates the entire Google ecosystem, which is familiar to many. Plus, this operating system is cloud-based, so all your data (documents, photos, videos, etc.) is hosted directly by Google.

Called Chrome OS Flex, this operating system is currently available in an Alpha version, which is by definition rather unstable. A final version should be released by the end of the year. From then on, Chrome OS Flex will be able to receive official updates from Google, thus ensuring the stability and security of the system.

Installation is relatively quick, since you only need to create a bootable Chrome OS Flex USB flash drive to test the system before installing it. You can then install the OS on as many computers as you want. This solution could be useful for individuals, as well as professionals, associations and educational institutions.

Ultimately, this solution will let people continue to use hardware that has become obsolete under another operating system, while at the same time reducing electronic waste.