What is Google Chrome octopus?

Google Chrome's Octopus has been a huge success since its launch last year - with over 555K members in the chromeOS community alone. The biggest independent, community-run forum for discussions related to Chromebooks and everything else the world of tech has ever seen, this site is also home to some great resources that you can't find anywhere else.

But what exactly is this thing called 'Chrome' – which now seems to be everywhere we turn these days? What is the Octopus? And why does it have two heads? Let us explain…

We've previously looked at how Octopus first came into our lives back when Chrome OS was just an idea being tossed around by people who didn’t know much about computers or software development. It all started as a project between a couple of friends working together from their homes - one developing the code while another friend handled marketing and distribution.

A few years later, that same pair of developers decided to take things further, creating a free Chrome Extension that would allow users to easily share files online through email. They named it “Octopus” because they felt it sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. But if you think about it, there are several similarities between sharing files via email and sharing them using a browser plugin such as this. After all, both require you to open up your inbox every time someone wants to send you a file, and then manually copy & paste the link into whatever website you want to upload it too.

This was certainly not intended to become a full blown app but rather a way to give easy access to anyone who wanted to share files without having to go through complicated steps each time. In fact, it wasn’t until recently that the team behind Octopus realised how popular it had become, and so were forced to make it official as part of the Google Chrome operating system.

So let’s talk more about Octopus and where it fits into the picture. If you head over to the Chrome Web Store right now, you'll see that Octopus is available for Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. This means that even those users running older versions of Chrome will benefit from the functionality built into Octopus.

It works in pretty much the exact same way on any platform though, allowing users to simply click on a button labelled "Share" whenever needed, with no need to install anything extra onto their computer. Once clicked, it opens up a pop-up window asking whether you'd like to add a specific file to your clipboard before sending it off to whoever you're trying to share it with. Alternatively, you could choose to drop files directly into the web page itself instead.

If you try opening the popup box on your own machine, you should notice that it doesn’t show up unless you have Chrome installed on your PC/Mac. That's because Octopus needs the ability to run inside Chromium – the open source version of Chrome used across multiple platforms. So far, only Android devices support Octopus natively, but it looks like Microsoft may soon join the party as well.

As mentioned earlier, Octopus isn’t really meant to replace other methods of file sharing, nor is it designed to become an alternative to services such as Dropbox or OneDrive. Instead, it offers a simple solution to the problem of getting files uploaded to websites quickly.

You might wonder why it hasn’t yet made its way to iOS or Android devices, given that many smartphones already support cloud storage solutions such as Dropbox and iCloud Drive. Well, it turns out that Apple has blocked apps similar to Octopus from appearing on its App store due to concerns over security. So although users can currently transfer files through Dropbox and iCloud Drive, they cannot view the links in the process. As such, this remains a feature exclusive to desktop browsers.

To be honest, this probably won’t affect most mobile device owners very much. Most modern phones come equipped with powerful processors that offer plenty of processing power to handle complex tasks like uploading files to the internet. Even ones that haven’t got 4G connectivity can usually connect to Wi-Fi networks fairly easily. However, if you’re looking for an option to safely move large amounts of data online, Octopus definitely comes recommended.

Now that we understand what Octopus actually is, let’s look at how it relates to the rest of the Chrome ecosystem. We’ve talked about how it makes accessing cloud storage easier than ever before, but did you know that Octopus also allows you to keep tabs on how long certain downloads took once they’ve completed? Or how about keeping track of how long it takes to start up various programs?

All of this information can be found within the menu bar located at the top left hand side of your screen. From here, you can switch between different views including the usual list format (which shows you all active processes) along with graphs showing CPU usage, memory consumption, disk space used and more. You can also filter results based upon the type of application you're downloading, the size of the file(s) involved and more.

When browsing the main menu options, it's worth taking note of the number beside the word "Processes". Those numbers represent the amount of time taken for Octopus to complete each task listed alongside it. Each item in the menu can be customised, meaning you can change the name displayed beneath the title of each action, alter the colour scheme and remove unwanted items entirely.

Of course, Octopus couldn’t exist without the rest of the Chrome ecosystem. Without extensions such as FileDropper, Linker and Uploadify, for example, none of this would be possible. These three tools help streamline the entire experience so that all you need to worry about doing is clicking on a button and letting Octopus carry on the job.

One final point worth mentioning is that Octopus doesn’t require root privileges to function properly, making it ideal for anyone concerned about privacy issues. All of the core actions performed by Octopus remain completely hidden from sight, so nobody outside of yourself will know that you're using it.

That said, however, you are required to grant permission for Octopus to perform certain tasks on your behalf. For instance, if you don’t wish for Octopus to automatically upload pictures you take to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you must disable this setting under Settings > Privacy Controls > Customize settings [your country] > Social media. Doing so ensures that any images sent to social networking sites are done so purely at your discretion.

Hopefully, this article gives you a better understanding of what Octopus is and what it can do. With over half a million members worldwide, it’s safe to assume that a lot of people are benefitting from its existence. Whether you’re someone who uses it regularly or someone who just stumbled upon it accidentally, we hope you enjoy using it! Please feel free to leave your thoughts below.

Google has announced a new version of its Chrome OS operating system that will be available as part of the next generation of Chromebook laptops and computers. Called Chromium os 5.0, the new operating system will bring with it some interesting features – including the ability to run apps from outside of the browser. But what exactly does “Octopus” mean? Is this just another name for Chrome OS or something more sinister? We investigate...

What is an octopus device?

The original nickname for the software was ‘octopi’ but after feedback received from the developer community they decided to change their minds and rename it ‘Chromium OS’. This decision came about because they had been using the word ‘octopus’ to describe the process of building multiple versions of the same code base at once, which seemed like an apt description of the way most people felt about the software itself.

So why are we talking about octopuses today? Well, it seems that there have recently been reports of users being greeted by a little bit of extra software when they try to log into their accounts and make changes. It’s not clear whether this is running alongside your normal Chrome OS installation on your computer or if you need to install it separately (although given the recent move towards cloud computing some might suspect that you could already have it). Whatever the case may be, here's how to use the new feature.

What is Chromebook octopus device?

It appears that all devices sold with the latest update to Chrome OS, either through retail channels or directly via distributors such as System76, will come preloaded with the app. If you've bought one yourself then hopefully you'll find out sooner rather than later! However, those who don't want to wait around until their machine arrives can opt to disable the service themselves. Here's how.

First things first, head over to Settings " Advanced settings " Privacy & security " Sign-ins. You should see two entries listed under “Other sign-ins” - these represent any other services signed into by your account. Clicking on each entry will take you to where you can view information about them. For example, clicking on Google One will open up a page displaying details about the associated email address and password. Underneath you’ll also find links to enable or block the service.

Click Block to stop any further attempt to sign in with the corresponding account. Doing so won’t remove the existing instance though. To completely cut off access, click Remove All Other Accounts. Once complete you must restart your device before logging back in using the new method.

Why is my device named Octopus?

When asked about the origin of the name, Google responded saying:  "We wanted to give our customers choice and flexibility without confusing them." So perhaps it is simply a branding exercise designed to appeal to consumers who tend to prefer a different naming convention when choosing hardware. In fact, many devices now sport names that include letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, which makes no sense whatsoever unless the manufacturer wants to create confusion amongst buyers.

There’s also the possibility that the developers didn’t necessarily know what they were doing, although this seems unlikely considering the amount of testing required to ensure compatibility across different manufacturers and models. That said, it would still be nice to know why they chose the name ‘Octopus’ in the first place!

How do I access Google octopus?

If you’ve opted to block the service then you won’t experience anything unusual. Otherwise, if you’re curious to check out the new interface you’re welcome to visit the official website and enter your preferred username and password. From there you can choose between signing in using your current credentials or creating a new user account. There’s even support for third party authentication providers, meaning you could potentially use Facebook Connect, Microsoft Live ID, Twitter or OpenID to login instead.

As mentioned above, if you decide to go ahead and set up a separate account, remember to keep track of both options and switch between them regularly. When you do, take note of the time zone displayed on screen. Some countries/regions display local times while others show GMT. While there’s nothing wrong with having both enabled simultaneously, it’d probably prove useful to stick to one option at a time. Also, bear in mind that certain functions rely upon your location, so switching locations mid-session (or indeed changing your timezone) may cause problems.

You may also notice that you receive an error message whenever you attempt to perform certain tasks. As far as we can tell, this only affects Windows machines and isn’t present on Macs. Thankfully, disabling the service fixes the issue, so long as you haven’t chosen to block it yet.

Have you ever used Google octopus? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below!

5 years ago, the world learned that Google had developed a brand new operating system dubbed Chrome OS. Since then, millions of people have switched to Chrome OS to save money on expensive desktop PCs and convert their old laptops into ultraportable tablets. Now, thanks to the introduction of a major upgrade, Google says it plans to push Chrome OS beyond the PC and onto smartphones too.

In April 2014, Google unveiled the Pixelbook, a 13-inch Android tablet powered by Chrome OS. At $999 (£849 / AU$1,449), the company claimed it offered better performance, longer battery life, and enhanced security compared to competing products. More importantly, it promised to deliver a seamless transition from mobile to desktop mode -- allowing users to quickly launch applications and carry on working seamlessly regardless of platform.

At the time of writing, the Pixelbook remains unavailable online, making it impossible to purchase. Although it's unclear when the product will return, industry watchers believe Google will unveil a successor sometime soon. According to sources speaking to TechCrunch, the new model will likely boast a larger 14-inch display, improved keyboard design, and increased processing power.

Meanwhile, Chrome OS continues to grow rapidly. On November 11th, 2015, Google revealed that 555,000 members of the Chrome Community Forum were currently subscribed to the site, representing the largest independent, community-run discussion board dedicated solely to Chromebooks and everything else connected to the category.

Google Octopus is a pretty simple concept – it’s a way for people who own a premium Chromebook Pixel or Samsung Series 5 550c to use their devices without being forced into using Google services like Gmail, YouTube, Drive etc. 

The idea was first introduced at Google IO 2015 with the Chromium OS team announcing they would be releasing some sort of free service that allowed you to use your Chromebook as if it were running Android apps. It wasn't until later when we found out what this actually entailed:

It turned out that "Octopus" was just a fancy name for Chrome Apps installed from Play Store on your Chromebook. While there are plenty of reasons why this might not work well for everyone, one of those reasons is because it means all of these apps will only run offline.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, since many people don’t want to have any kind of internet connection while working anyway. We’ve been seeing more and more cases where companies are offering employees Chromebooks so they can take advantage of the benefits offered by them such as remote desktop access, instant messaging and even file syncing.

So now we know exactly what Google has planned for us, but what about all the other Chromebook owners who aren’t interested in getting involved with the program? Well, it turns out that anyone can install Chrome Apps on their Chromebook too! You can find instructions here. However, we've also seen some users asking questions regarding whether or not this process could cause issues down the line. To answer these questions, let's look at each step that needs to happen before you're able to start installing Chrome Apps onto your computer.

What is octopus Chrome?

Google calls its new sign-in feature on ChromeOS “Chrome octopus” which is probably a reference to the fact that it resembles something between an octopus and a spider. If you didn't already know, most Chromebooks come preinstalled with two versions of Chrome built right into their operating system: One version is called Chrome Canary and comes packed with experimental features, whereas the other is known as Chrome Dev Channel and is designed to make sure developers' software works properly across different hardware configurations.

Both of these versions of Chrome share the same code base, meaning that anything added to either branch gets automatically included in both branches. This is great news for people looking to try out the latest Chrome releases, but unfortunately, it doesn't really help much for regular users trying to remove the annoying "Octopus".

If you go to Settings & Security > Account details, then scroll down to see your account picture, you'll notice two entries: Your normal avatar image and another entry named "Signing in with [email protected]", which is where the problem lies.

As you can tell from the screenshot above, our account settings page looks quite similar to yours. Now, instead of having an actual account photo associated with our email address, we simply have a fake profile pic showing up next to our username. Thankfully, it seems like this issue affects only certain models of Chromebooks, including all Chromebook Pixels.

Unfortunately, there's no way to fix this issue except waiting for a future update, so hopefully, it won't affect you long term. But for those affected, you can still change your password and disable automatic signing in via this method.

What does Chromebook octopus mean?

We thought this little mystery had finally been solved after reading through several threads discussing the subject matter online, but apparently, it hasn't yet. According to numerous posts, the origin of the word "octopus" refers to the fact that it resembles an eight-armed creature, which makes sense considering that the name suggests that the user can log into multiple accounts simultaneously.

However, according to someone over at Reddit, he thinks that this explanation may not hold water. He believes that the reason why the name "octopus" appears is due to the fact that Google wanted to avoid confusion with the terms "octo" and "octe," which refer to the number 8. In his opinion, it makes perfect sense that the company chose the word "octopus" instead of "octo."

While we agree with him that it wouldn't be very difficult to pick out the difference between "eight arms" and "8 arms," we think it's unlikely that Google would purposely choose a confusing name for the purpose of avoiding confusion. So maybe there's another reason behind this mysterious name.

How do I get rid of octopus on my Chromebook?

If you'd rather not wait around for updates to resolve the issue, you can always uninstall the app manually. Head back to Settings & Security & click Manage Apps, followed by clicking Show All App Packages. Next, select the package ID and hit Uninstall. After that, restart your Chromebook and you should have successfully removed the unwanted app.

But if you did decide to wait for a patch, you'll need to enable Developer Mode first. To do this, head to System Preferences & Advanced Options & tick Enable developer mode. Then reboot your Chromebook once again and follow the steps mentioned earlier to unpack and delete the offending application. Once done, you should be good to go.

You can check whether you're signed in with your real information or not by checking the bottom half of your screen. If the text says "[email protected]" along with your name, then you're logged in using your authentic credentials. Otherwise, you'll need to enter your password one last time to ensure that you're indeed signed in correctly.

Once you've confirmed that you're fully signed into your account, open up the Chrome Web browser and browse to chrome://apps/ to view all of your applications. Scroll down to locate the one titled "Octopus" and click Remove. After that, close the window and restart your machine.

Finally, here's a video demonstration of the whole process below:

What's an octopus device?

An octopus device is basically a Chromebook that runs the Chrome OS operating system with the addition of a few extra tools specifically made for developers. These include things like emulators, debuggers and various development environments. They typically cost upwards of $1,000 USD depending on size and storage capacity, but thanks to Google's push towards making Chromebooks affordable to students and businesses alike, a lot of people are opting for devices like the HP CTO Triton 500, Dell XPS 13, Acer Spin 1, Asus Zenbook Flip UX550UD, Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Book 2.

With the popularity of Chromebooks becoming increasingly mainstream, it's clear that manufacturers are going to continue to invest heavily into developing products optimized for the platform. With the ability to easily upgrade the firmware on your existing devices, it's easy to imagine how the market could grow exponentially in the coming years.

Hopefully, this article helped shed some light on what Google Octopus really is and provided you with some useful tips on removing it from your Chrome OS experience. If you ever encounter problems with it yourself, feel free to contact us in the comments section below.