Acer Chromebox CX15 and Add-in-One 24 land at CES 2023 to upgrade offices and classrooms

Google’s Web-centric Chrome OS had humble beginnings, catering primarily to educational and business sectors using low-power and affordable laptops. Chromebooks today, however, are a far cry from their ancestors from nearly a decade ago, and Chrome OS itself has undergone a rather radical transformation worthy of rivaling the big operating systems. Aside from supporting multiple platforms like Android and Linux, Chrome OS devices now also come in different forms, like the modest Chromebox. It’s pretty much a mini PC running Chrome OS, but there’s no rule that says it has to be just a box that sits on top of your desk or hidden behind it. At CES 2023, Acer is doing more than just show off its new and shiny Chromebox, it’s also introducing a new “Add-in-One” solution that helps make the Chromebox more practical and more space efficient in the places where it’s needed the most.

Designer: Acer

At the heart of Acer’s new Chrome OS lineup is the Chromebox CX15 and its business-minded sibling, the Chromebox Enterprise CX15. On its own, it’s already a fine device that you won’t feel embarrassed to be seen on your desk, whether lying flat or standing up. Powered by 12th-gen Intel Core processors with up to 16GB of DDR4 memory, the Chromebox has all the processing muscle you need for your business workflows as well as educational programs. The Chromebox Enterprise CX15 also comes with business-minded solutions, including Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, Intel vPro, hardware-based security, and integrated malware protection.

Acer Chromebox CX15:

Despite its simple looks, the Chromebox CX15 checks all the boxes for integrating the mini PC into your office or school system. In addition to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 wireless connectivity, the box has a variety of ports and expansion slots to extend its capabilities. It can even support up to four external displays thanks to a tandem of USB-C ports and dual HDMI 2.1 ports. As a compact box, the Chromebox CX15 can be placed almost anywhere, including behind a monitor, courtesy of its VESA mount kit.

Where it really shines is in the Acer Add-in-One 24, and no, that isn’t a type. This is a tag-team productivity package composed of a Chromebox CX15 or Chromebox Enterprise CX15 and a 24-inch 1080p FHD monitor. The Chromebox CX15 slides inside a specially-designed dock on the back of that monitor, making it trivial to replace it with a backup unit in a worst-case scenario. There are also specialized screws that prevent the unauthorized separation of these two devices.

Acer Add-in-One 24:

The monitor itself is a perfect complement to the Chromebox CX15, providing a built-in 115-degree wide-angle 5MP webcam that has become necessary for both work and school these days. That camera comes with a physical shutter to protect users’ privacy when it isn’t in use. There are also dual mics and dual 4-watt speakers for video conferences and communication. Thin bezels maximize the viewable area of the screen, and the ability to tilt the screen gives lets users adjust the monitor to their comfort. With this space-saving two-in-one solution, the Acer Add-in-One 24 delivers a complete all-in-one package that still leaves plenty of room for changes and customization down the road.

  • The Acer Chromebox CX15 will launch in North America sometime in the first quarter, starting at $289.99
  • The Acer Add-in-One 24 will also arrive in Q1 with a starting price of $609.99

The post Acer Chromebox CX15 and Add-in-One 24 land at CES 2023 to upgrade offices and classrooms first appeared on Yanko Design.

Darth Vader Chrome Ceramic Mug: The Shiny Side of the Dark Side of the Force

What’s better than sipping coffee from a Darth Vader helmet mug? Sipping coffee from a chrome-finish Darth Vader helmet mug. The Sith Lord’s black outfit is so shiny you could comb your hair in its reflection, but this mug is even more reflective thanks to its mirrored ceramic finish.

I like to imagine Vader walking around his Imperial Star Destroyer like Bill Lumbergh in Office Space, sipping coffee from this mug while micromanaging the crew about missing cover sheets on their Imperial TPS reports and asking them to come in and work on the Death Star II on the weekend.

If you like your coffee dark, like your favorite side of The Force, you can grab the Darth Vader chrome mug on Amazon (affiliate link) for $19.99.

Braun and Virgil Abloh collaborate to celebrate 100 years of ‘Good Design’





Marking 100 years since the German company was first founded, and celebrating a century of changing the landscape of design and bringing Bauhaus art and German functionality to the world, Braun teamed up with designer, entrepreneur, and DJ Virgil Abloh to reinvent one of its classic products.

The product in question is the 1965 Wandanlage, a hi-fi audio wall unit that Abloh sought to update, turning it into ‘functional art’ that reflected Braun’s design values along with Abloh’s eclectic cultural and musical references from the past 100 years. In its 2021 edition, the new Wandanlage sports a beautiful chrome design that unites Braun’s love of the material (as seen in its 1960 SM3 shaver and 1961 T1 toaster) with Abloh’s hat tip to the glitz and the shimmer of chrome accents often associated with hip-hop culture through the later years. The design still reflects Braun’s ‘less is more’ philosophy, while the company also ensures that the original hi-fi audio remains the hero of the collaboration – and the technology still functions today as it did back in 1965.

About the collaboration, Virgil Abloh said, “I have always had a deep appreciation for Braun design. For the brand’s 100 years, I jumped at the opportunity to reimagine this iconic Braun product and challenge what we have come to expect from design. The “functional art” piece co-curated with Braun Design not only highlights the original function of the hi-fi wall unit that was the best audio of its time, but also the quality and durable materials that are built to last. As a creator, I continue to question how art is perceived in today’s culture. “Functional art” is a lasting legacy of the enduring power of good design that is simple, useful and built to last. In so doing, it advances the frames of design references beyond design ‘purists’ to broader audiences.” Abloh further describes his inspiration and this collaborative journey in the video above, shot at Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Farnsworth house.

Designers: Braun X Virgil Abloh


An image of the original Wandanlage sound unit from 1965.

Google updates Gmail and other iOS apps for the first time in months

Google has updated the Gmail iOS app for the first time in months, along with Meet, Sheets, Docs, Calendar and Tasks. Aside from Tasks now supporting widgets on iOS 14, these are minor updates centered around bug fixes and performance improvements. I...