Skip to content

Google Chromebook CR-48: Black box

October 4, 2026 · 1 h 24 min

Show notes

Google didn’t even call the first Chromebook a “Chromebook.” The CR-48 had no interesting design and no bright logos – it wasn’t even designed to be a product you could buy. Instead, it was a portal to a big new idea about computers. David Pierce is joined by The Verge’s Nilay Patel and MKBHD’s Marques Brownlee to explain the history of ChromeOS and Chromebooks, and figure out whether Google’s approach to computer hardware was the right one.

Vote for us in the Signal Awards!

We’re also on video! Check us out on YouTube.
Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.
We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All episodes of Version History

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.