These Official ChromeOS Flex USB Sticks Can Give Your Old Mac or Windows PC a Second Life

Google and refurbished tech marketplace Back Market have a plan to help keep old laptops and computers running longer. Part of a pilot program, Back Market will soon sell USB sticks housing software that people can use to plug into their computers to install ChromeOS Flex, Google's cloud-based operating system that can run on many existing laptops or desktops.

The stick costs $3, and there are no monthly fees. An initial run of 3,000 USB keys will go on sale March 30, and Back Market says it will expand from there based on demand.

The goal is to give a lifeline to older PCs with aging hardware or operating systems that lack software support, like Windows 10, so they don't end up as e-waste. The two companies announced the partnership at the Slow Tech Uprising summit, an event hosted by Back Market in Barcelona, which deliberately coincides with Mobile World Congress 2026, where hundreds of companies are announcing new products.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.