Google Tips Gaming Chromebooks With RGB Keyboards Are Coming Soon
Most people likely do not equate Google Chromebooks with gaming. However, Google has been working hard to make its Chromebooks more attractive to gamers, including creating devices that are more aesthetically pleasing. It was recently hinted that new Chromebooks may soon feature full color RGB keyboards.
9to5Google recently discovered that an internal command for Chrome OS would allow users to adjust a keyboard’s colors and backlight brightness. However, this feature only appears to be available to developers at the moment and it cannot be accessed by the general public. It was at first believed that Google was simply adding support for existing keyboards that can connect via USB or Bluetooth. However, the site posits that "Chrome OS’s RGB support is being prepared for a select few unreleased devices."
There are reportedly three codenames total for the upcoming devices. "Vell" and "Taniks" are supposedly codenames for devices that will incorporate Intel’s 12th Gen Alder Lake processors, while "Ripple" is the codename for a detachable keyboard. It is furthermore theorized that the Vell Chromebooks will come from HP, while the Taniks devices will be produced by Lenovo. One thing we think is interesting is that both Taniks and Vell are the names of video game bosses. Vell or the "Heart of the Sea" is a boss in Black Desert Online while Taniks frequently pops up in Destiny 2. The "Ripple Star" is a planet that appears in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards and there was a Japanese video game named Ripple Island that was released in 1988. Perhaps the codenames are a nod to the developers' favorite video games.
Chromebooks have long been advertised as ideal devices for those concerned about productivity, but may increasingly become associated with gaming. NVIDIA added GeForce NOW support for Google ChromeOS devices in August 2020. This allows Chromebook users to play higher-end games. Google also began pre-installing Google Stadia on all of their new Chromebooks in February 2021. There is currently no Steam support for Google Chromebooks, but this addition, as well as NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Stadia, could make Chromebooks a desirable gaming device. RGB would simply be the icing on the cake.
Images courtesy of Google and NVIDIA
9to5Google recently discovered that an internal command for Chrome OS would allow users to adjust a keyboard’s colors and backlight brightness. However, this feature only appears to be available to developers at the moment and it cannot be accessed by the general public. It was at first believed that Google was simply adding support for existing keyboards that can connect via USB or Bluetooth. However, the site posits that "Chrome OS’s RGB support is being prepared for a select few unreleased devices."
Chromebooks have long been advertised as ideal devices for those concerned about productivity, but may increasingly become associated with gaming. NVIDIA added GeForce NOW support for Google ChromeOS devices in August 2020. This allows Chromebook users to play higher-end games. Google also began pre-installing Google Stadia on all of their new Chromebooks in February 2021. There is currently no Steam support for Google Chromebooks, but this addition, as well as NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Stadia, could make Chromebooks a desirable gaming device. RGB would simply be the icing on the cake.
Images courtesy of Google and NVIDIA
