These Official ChromeOS Flex USB Sticks Can Give Your Old Mac or Windows PC a Second Life Leave a comment

“Folks need one thing that lasts them a very long time, that’s high quality, that’s helpful,” says Google senior director Alexander Kuscher. “Ultimately, when it breaks or if you lose it, you get a brand new one since you really feel taken care of. So I feel that builds belief, and the belief is necessary.”

Flex began as an enterprise service for companies; Google provided corporations frightened about safety vulnerabilities on growing old {hardware} a approach to simply replace to a safer working system. Or, no less than, one that also obtained updates. After some time, different customers began to get ahold of the software program, downloading and putting in it on their very own USB sticks for his or her private machines. “We did not make it significantly simple on the time,” Kuscher says. “However individuals did it.”

What led to the extra consumer-oriented push of ChromeOS Flex—like this partnership with Again Market—was the tip of software program help for Microsoft’s Home windows 10 working system final fall. Whereas the OS nonetheless technically works, it stopped receiving safety updates, and Microsoft has inspired customers to replace to Home windows 11. However Home windows 11 has particular {hardware} necessities, and it is probably not a easy improve on sure machines. Google noticed this as a second to supply a less expensive various to the “Home windows 10 cliff,” as Kuscher places it. Again Market agreed.

“Finally, [Microsoft is] saying that individuals have to throw away their present laptop computer to purchase one other one,” Hug de Larauze says. “And we are saying politely, no.”

Should you’re tech-savvy, you’ll be able to forgo Again Market’s $3 stick and obtain ChromeOS Flex onto a USB drive you may have mendacity round proper now.

Shopping for Refurb

Again Market has executed very effectively for itself regardless of financial turmoil. As gadgets turn out to be dearer, individuals flip to cheaper, refurbished choices. He compares the system market to the auto business.

“Ninety p.c of vehicles are being bought pre-owned,” Hug de Larauze says. “The brand new regular is to buy them pre-owned as a result of it is nearly dumb to purchase a brand new one.”

When US president Donald Trump introduced sweeping tariffs final 12 months, Hug de Larauze says Again Market gross sales tripled afterwards. Even after the mud settled slightly and it grew to become clear that tariffs wouldn’t straight have an effect on smartphones or computer systems, Hug de Larauze says gross sales stayed round twice what they’d been earlier than. Again Market made $3.8 billion in 2025, making the corporate worthwhile for the primary time. Whereas Hug de Larauze says these sorts of financial fluctuations could also be good for sending extra individuals to Again Market, he hopes it would shift purchaser mindsets to purchasing refurbished tech writ giant.

“We’ve got one planet, and assets are restricted,” Hug de Larauze says. “We have to do extra with what we have already got in each sector. Trend is identical, transportation is identical, power is identical, it is the identical for all the pieces.”