Chromebook 101: How to make your new toy more Apple-y

Steve is a deeply bad influence. He started the trend, which prompted me to order my own Chromebook (although I had been waiting to pull the trigger for several weeks). Slowly this US$250 MacBook-wannabe has been infiltrating TUAW households.

It's great for kids. It's a unit you don't mind taking on non-work trips. It's undemanding.

But it's not quite the MacBook experience, especially for our Apple-trained fingers. The problem is that we want the Control key next to the space bar, not waaaaaay off to the left.

Solution? A simple Chromebook option, similar to System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard > Modifier Keys.

1. Visit chrome://settings/languageCustomizeModifierKeysOverlay on your Chromebook

2. Under Device > click Keyboard Settings. A little dialog opens.

3. Swap Alt to Ctrl, and Ctrl to Alt. And, if you like, bring back Caps Lock by selecting that from the Search pop-up.

And you're set. You're ready to Chrome like a real Machead!