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Google Expands Chrome-Based Empire With Portable Stick That Can Turn Nearly Any TV Into a Computer

After celebrating four years of Chromebook success and experiencing the rising popularity of Chromecast, Google has unveiled another device that could add to its Chrome-centric tech takeover.

Google recently announced the release of the Asus Chromebit, a device that adds a new level to portability when it comes to computers.

The small, sleek dongle has the ability to turn nearly any TV screen into a fully-functioning computer, and it will cost consumers less than $100.

This differs from Google’s Chromecast, which is anchored in useful apps as opposed to providing full browser-based computer capabilities.

To be clear, the Chromebit is many things — convenient, stylish, affordable and impressive overall — but it wouldn’t quite make the cut as being innovative.

Google is a tad bit late to the computer-in-my-pocket party after Intel announced its Intel Computer Stick back in January. Not to mention China-based companies have been pushing out Android HMDI dongle-computers for almost a year now.

The Intel and China-based versions of the devices boast Windows 8.1 operating systems and Rockchip RK3288 processors, respectively.

Google, after already utilizing the same Rockchip processors for its Chromebook, will continue to hold on to its Rockchip ties while adding a list of additional, impressive features.

“In addition to your Rockship RK3288 (with quad-core Mali 760 graphics) you get 2GB of RAM, 16GB of solid state storage, 2×2 dual-band 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a single full-size USB 2.0 port on one end,” Gizmodo reports.

While Google may have lagged slightly behind its competitors when it comes to the new dongles, the tech giant dealt with its tardiness in its usual ways — be fashionably late.

Of all the dongle-computers being introduced to consumers, Chromebit is the most aesthetically pleasing.

It comes in three different colors and flaunts a sleek, functional design that even Intel missed the mark on.

The Chromebit boasts a swivel design that ensures users can plug the device into any HDMI socket without much fuss or stress.

It’s also priced much lower than its Intel rival, which touts a price tag of roughly $150.

The new device is slated to hit shelves this summer and is sure to be followed by a host of other tech giants tossing their own dongle-computers into the ring.

Perhaps this tech battle will heed more impressive competitors than the much-hyped and quickly dismissed battle of the smartwatches.

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6 Tech Giants That Signed Fat Checks to Help Black Students in STEM but Still Lack Diversity in Their Own Companies

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Google

Google has consistently donated to a variety of different causes aimed at boosting diversity in the tech space, including the Black Girls Code initiative. Google donated $190,000 to the initiative in 2014 but never did much for increasing diversity in its own staff. That same year, Google’s diversity report revealed that roughly 79 percent of the tech giant’s staff across the globe was male. Only about 2 percent of the staff was Black.

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After Revealing Its Own Diversity Issues, Tech Giant Google Gives $775,000 to a Diversity-Boosting Nonprofit

Google diversity

After years of contributing to the diversity problem in tech, Google is stepping up and donating $775,000 to Code2040, a nonprofit that aims to boost diversity in the tech space.

It wasn’t long ago that Google was in the hot seat after the tech giant’s diversity report revealed a stunning lack of diversity among its employees. Reports indicated that only about 1 percent of Google’s employees were Black.

Well now Google is hoping to help foster diversity with a hefty donation that will allow Code2040 to launch a Technical Applicant Prep (TAP) program.

The program will give Black and Latino students access to the type of resources and tools they need to perfect their craft in the tech sphere. This is a major move for Code2040 because the lack of resources is one of the major factors keeping people of color out of the tech space, in addition to racially biased hiring processes and subconscious prejudices in the industry.

Code2040 has always operated on a platform that supports the idea that people of color can thrive in the tech space if they are given the resources and opportunity to do so.

In addition to allowing Code2040 to launch its TAP program, Google’s donation could have an even greater impact on the nonprofit.

Google is one of the most popular and most successful tech giants there is and its hefty donation is a major seal of approval of the Code2040 mission, which could easily help the nonprofit garner the attention of other major players in the tech field.

People are also hoping that it will encourage other major tech companies to make diversity a priority.

To be clear, Google certainly isn’t the first major tech company to dedicate a large amount of money to helping the diversity mission.

Intel recently announced a plan to spend $300 million to improve workplace diversity and invest in other diversity-boosting initiatives, programs and nonprofits over the course of several years.

Apple was also a major giant behind the Hour of Code, which provided free coding classes to young people all across the globe. Apple has also recently surfaced as a leader in hiring more Blacks and Latinos than the other major competing tech giants.

While Google, Twitter, Facebook and Yahoo all had workforces that weren’t even 10 percent Black and Hispanic, Apple boosted its number of Black and Latino workers to 18 percent.

That percentage is still low and not representative of the actual number of Blacks and Latinos in the tech space, but it is certainly a vast improvement for the company and a much better score than the numbers presented by its competitors.

For now, Blerds are hopeful that Google’s donation is also a sign that the company will be opening its own doors to more Black and Latino employees.

As for Code2040, the nonprofit will also be launching a residency program for tech entrepreneur hopefuls.

The “entrepreneur-in-residence” program will kick off in three pilot cities—Austin, Texas; Durham, North Carolina, and Chicago.

While these residents will receive roughly $40,000 in seed money from the nonprofit, Code2040 will not take any equity from the businesses.