What is OOBE?
Before we talk about Chrome OS OOBE, we should probably talk about what it is. OOBE simply stands for ‘out-of-the-box experience’ and it’s the process by which a consumer sets up a new device when it’s straight out of the box. This includes signing in or creating accounts and credentials, syncing services, and more. The process varies by device and platform, but today we’re talking specifically about Chromebooks.
For as long as I can remember, the OOBE or “out-of-the-box experience†for Chrome OS has been pretty much static. The homescreens have changed a bit and the whole process has adopted the look and feel of Google’s Material Design, but the steps themselves are the same. Buy a new Chromebook. Open the box. (plug it in as most Chromebooks come with a dead battery and need to be plugged in to wake them up from shipping standby) Turn on the Chromebook and on the home screen click “Let’s go” . At this point, you will be prompted to connect to an internet source, and then you can start to connect to your new device.
Advertisement
At the login screen, you will be greeted with two options. You can sign in with an existing Gmail or managed account or you can create a new account which will walk you through a quick setup process which basically involves creating a new Gmail account. This whole procedure could soon be very different thanks to a new commit that I found labeled “Oobe character selection screen.â€The initial commit was just added yesterday, so it will probably take a few months to see the changes. However, the changes are substantial and I think it will make Chrome OS a more user-friendly platform for those who are switching to Chromebooks for the first time.
What’s new
I haven’t discovered any screenshots yet, but the commit highlights what the OOBE dialog could be like if and when this feature is deployed. With the new process, once a user connects to the Internet, they will be prompted with the text strings that will determine the flow the connection process will take. The first prompt will be “Who uses this device?“
Advertisement
If you answer “myself â€, then you go be prompted to sign in with a personal, work, or school email address. It won’t be any different from the current user flow. Where things start to look a lot different is when you choose the option other than “myself” which just happens to be “a child. This choice will trigger the option to sign in with a child’s account or create a new Google Account for a child. When creating a new account for a child and maybe even using an existing child account, users will be prompted to “Encourage healthy digital habits with Family Link.â€You will also see the following caption which tells you more about Family Link and managing your child’s Google Account.
Google’s Family Link app lets parents manage their child’s Google account
Account, from approving apps and websites to setting screen time limits.
You can sign in with an account managed with Family Link or create one
below. Learn more about Family Link at (short link)
As it is, users will still be able to add subsequent accounts after setting up the Chromebook for the first time. Given that so many students had to participate in distance learning this year, it’s likely that Google is looking to make the experience for new users as smooth and painless as possible. If you’ve never used a Chromebook before, the setup process might seem a bit confusing, as I’m sure many consumers aren’t aware that you can just sign in with your Gmail credentials. This new OOBE flow will give new users the tools they need to be up and running in minutes without having to “Goog” how to set up a Chromebook. We’ll be keeping an eye on the Canary Channel to see when this new look and process comes along.
Source: Chrome Commit
Advertisement
