Overview
BITS LITS has several Chromebooks available for checkout through the BITS LITS Support office in Mayer Hall Morse Library. A Chromebook is a small laptop that runs a web browser (Google Chrome) and cloud-based applications. All applications and files are stored in the cloud and not on the Chromebook itself.
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A few things to know about Chromebooks
- You do all your work in a browser
Send mail, schedule meetings, work on documents, edit graphics, use custom apps, and more—all in a Chrome web browser!
- Access your stuff from anywhere
Your apps, documents, and settings are all stored safely in the cloud and not on your Chromebook, so you can sign in with your Beloit account on any Chromebook and you’ll find your personal workspace exactly as you left it.
- There’s no desktop!
All you do is open and close browser windows—just as when browsing the web on other computers.
- No updates or maintenance
Unlike a traditional PC, your Chromebook stays fast and up-to-date on its own. Each time you turn it on, it updates itself with the latest apps, features, system updates, and antivirus software. - Fast boot, long battery life
A Chromebook needs little processing power or local storage since all the heavy lifting happens in the cloud. As a result it boots super fast—in 8 seconds—and the battery can last up to eight hours!
- Built-in security
Each webpage and application you visit runs in a restricted environment. So visiting one page that’s been infected with something malicious can’t affect anything else on your computer.
- You’re almost always online
You can do a few things on a Chromebook without an Internet connection. But since you typically work on the web, you’ll need to be online to get most of your work done.
- Learn more at google.com/support/chromeos (or choose > Help)
Using Google Apps
When you sign in to your Chromebook with your Beloit College account, you can access one or more of the following Google Apps. Some of these, such as Gmail, might already be on your New Tab page. Open others by clicking the App Launcher at the top-left of your Gmail window.
Adding apps from the Chrome Web Store
You can add more apps to your Chromebook from the Chrome Web Store. Here, you will find apps for doing pretty much anything you’re used to doing from a traditional computer; creating documents, editing photos, playing music, managing projects, and much more. Buyer beware - while many apps are free, some may have one-time or recurring subscription costs, or may have in-app purchases to unlock certain features.
To browse and install apps from the Chrome Web Store:
- Click the
icon on a New Tab page or go to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/ to access the Chrome Web Store.
- Browse apps via the category filters on the left side of the page, or use the Search bar in the upper left corner to search for a specific app.
- Click on an app icon for additional information.
- To Install an app, click the + Add to Chrome icon to add it to your New Tab page.
- Review the permissions pop-up and then click Add Extension button to proceed with the installation.
- Some apps have settings that need to be configured during setup. You will receive pop-up prompts to follow to complete any additional configuration or setup steps.
- Once the installation is complete, the app should be available to use from the New Tab page or the App Launcher.
Projecting your Chromebook
BITS loaner Chromebooks have an HDMI output for audio and video.
To connect your Chromebook to an external display or projector, simply connect the HDMI output of the Chromebook to the HDMI input of the display. By default, the Chromebook will enter Extended Display mode. Do switch to Mirrored Display, click on the Control Panel in the lower right corner and click on the Extending screen to Projector notification, then choose Mirrored under the Options dropdown.
Printing from your Chromebook
BITS LITS loaner Chromebooks are not setup with local printers. To print from your Chromebook, please use the B-Print mobile printing service.
Go to bprint.beloit.edu and upload your document to a print queue and then go to one of the many B-Print release stations on campus to print the document.
File Retention
Be sure to save your documents and images to your Google Drive or external storage before returning a loaner Chromebook to BITSLITS. Once you return a Chromebook to BITSLITS, it will be factory reset to protect your privacy and so that it is ready to go out to the next user. The factory reset will delete all user accounts, apps, extensions, and locally stored files on the Chromebook. This data will not be recoverable after the Chromebook has been reset. The factory reset will not affect any files that you have stored in your personal Google Drive account.