The full-blown version of Visual Studio its still limited to Windows machines, but if you want a similar experience on non-Microsoft platforms, the open-source Visual Studio Code is about as close as you can get. Official builds are available for macOS and Linux and thanks to a fellow by the name of Jay Rodgers, you can get it on Chromebook and the Raspberry Pi.

If you have a Chromebook that supports Play Store apps, you may be able to download and use six Adobe apps for free, from Photoshop to Illustrator.

The biggest problem with Chromebooks was that they had no apps. Not really, anyway. Sure, there were a few decent ChromeOS apps, but it made no sense that they couldn't run the zillions of apps that Google's own Android mobile OS enjoyed. That problem is finally sorted.

Chrome: The Chrome OS version that packs in the Google Play Store has left beta and is now officially on Chromebooks. The new feature allows you to load up any Android app you want on your Chromebook.

If you're in the market for a Chromebook (and why shouldn't you be?) the sheer number of models and types can be a little daunting. The folks at Starry Hope have put together a tool that will help you quickly compare and get details on the specs that matter to you.

Google just made the entire library of Android apps available to Chromebook owners -- but for now, just the Chromebook Flip. After trying a few, my Flip is now one of my most useful devices. There are still some rough edges, but in the near future, you'll have a much more reason to buy a Chromebook.

According to the latest figures from IDC, Chromebooks sales overtook Macs for the first time ever last quarter, with over two million Google-powered laptops sold in the US alone. (Apple "only" sold 1.76 million laptops in the same period.) The sales boost could not have come at a better time for Google, which is finally arming Chrome OS with a treasure-trove of apps from its Google Play store. In other words, we can expect the sales gap to widen as Chromebooks become fully-fledged computers -- particularly in the business sector.

It was a real email from Google, not spam. "We wanted to remind you that you have bonus Google Drive storage expiring on Feb 6 2016. The bonus storage offer that’s expiring is: Chromebook - 100GB."

Chromebooks have come a long way since they were first introduced. While they used to be laptop-shaped browser machines, they have grown capable enough to actually stand up to other laptops. I didn't expect to love my Chromebook, but it's replaced my laptop for most of my work.

There's a lot to like about Chromebooks. They're budget-friendly, have a lot of options and are powerful enough to get things done. If you're a student shopping for a laptop for school, they may be pretty attractive. However, for some students, it's a nightmare waiting to happen. Let's see where you fall.

Need to manage a large fleet of Chromebooks? Google is now selling its Chrome Device Management platform to Australian and New Zealand users.

Google's original 2013 Chromebook Pixel -- an overpriced folly with a screen that had a resolution too high for Chrome OS to actually use -- never scored an official Australian release. Right now, the 2015 update isn't getting one either.

Chromebook's browser-based operating system may be focused on the web, but its built-in app launcher has a few tricks up its sleeve -- including performing calculations and conversions without ever opening up a web page.

When you buy a Chromebook, you're eligible for a free 100GB upgrade on Google Drive for two years. It has now been almost two years since the first devices with this offer went on sale in Australia, so some people are going to start losing that space shortly. Here's what you need to know.

If you have a Chromebook and an Android phone running Lollipop 5.0 or above, you can automatically unlock and log into your laptop when your phone is nearby.

Chrome: Chromebooks are generally reliable, but problems do happen. Create a restore disk with the Chromebook Recovery Utility, so you can reinstall your operating system if anything ever goes wrong.

Chromebook: Have a new Chromebook with an Intel processor? Intel has released a tool to move your contacts, photos, files and bookmarks into your Gmail account.

Chrome: You've been able to install and run Linux on Chromebooks for a while, but a new Chrome extension allows you to run it inside a window, without switching back and forth.

Chromebooks have a crazy long battery life, but that doesn't mean you won't run out eventually. If you need a few extra hours on your Chromebook, log in as a guest.