chromebook to replace a dying tablet?

[preppystud]

i have a dying nexus 7. i am considering to buy a new product. i see that chromebook can now use some android apps directly, etc.

when will the chromebook system and android system be combined into one?

i use my tablet at home most of the time, so if a chromebook is almost as good as the nexus 7, then i am considering buying one.

any comments?

thanks.

 

[B. Diddy]

There's currently no end to speculation of whether Chrome and Android will truly converge at some point. For a while, everyone was excited about "Andromeda OS," which some thought would be this Holy Grail, but I believe that has been debunked recently.

I have yet to enjoy Android apps on either of my Chromebooks (although they're slated to get them at some point). But I've read many posts and articles from satisfied Chromebook users who have been able to access Android apps. There are currently only a handful of Chromebooks that can use Android Apps on the stable Chrome channel (as opposed to the beta or developer channels), so if you want more choice, you may want to wait a little while longer.

 

[zachavm]

I'll give you my input and beliefs here:

Can a chromebook replace a tablet right now?
Yes, with caveats. I have a flip ($250). It is great, but performance is sluggish and as a tablet the user experience isn't a smooth as an android tablet. I'm planning to get the new samsung chromebook Pro. It will have great performance, but at $550 it will be a high cost to get there, but there is more value as a chromebook too.

When will android and chrome merge?
No on knows, but I expect we will see andromeda launch this year with devices by year end. However, don't expect any current device to be upgradable to it.

I am using a chromebook as a tablet now. It will work, but just know that in using it as a tablet you will still be working through the top level chrome UI which is first and foremost a mouse/keyboard UI.

 

[zachavm]

There's currently no end to speculation of whether Chrome and Android will truly converge at some point. For a while, everyone was excited about "Andromeda OS," which some thought would be this Holy Grail, but I believe that has been debunked recently.

"Debunked" is a little to strong of a word. A high level executive denied it, but companies deny rumors that are true all the time. Also, there are semantics arguments between what he actually denied and what Andromeda is rumored to be. AndroidPolice.com is the source of the rumors and their track record is in a league of its own. I trust that when they publish something it was at least true at that time that Google was planning it.

 

[B. Diddy]

"Debunked" is a little to strong of a word. A high level executive denied it, but companies deny rumors that are true all the time. Also, there are semantics arguments between what he actually denied and what Andromeda is rumored to be. AndroidPolice.com is the source of the rumors and their track record is in a league of its own. I trust that when they publish something it was at least true at that time that Google was planning it.

Good points!

 

[CHIP72]

If you ask me, a chromebook is way, way better than an Android tablet.

Just buy a large screen Android smartphone and a chromebook and you're good to go.

 

[npaladin-2000]

A Chromebook 2 in 1 will be much bigger than a Nexus 7, and much heavier as well. Still, it's also more useful, and a 10 inch one won't be all that much of a difference.

 

[Brew Swayne]

I'm 2 or 3 weeks into my attempt at replacing my tablet with an Asus Chromebook Flip, so here's my 2 cents:

If you intend on primarily using the Asus Flip in tablet mode, then don't bother with it. It's a nice feature but it's not as responsive as my tablet...which is a very cheap Samsung Galaxy Tab A. The touchscreen is definitely sluggish and sometimes unresponsive. Touch accuracy definitely seems off compared to my tablet as well. Of course, Asus isn't the only brand out there with touchscreen Chromebooks so perhaps a more expensive one would provide a better tablet experience than this one.

If you want to install a bunch of Android apps on your Chromebook, then make sure you get a 32GB Chromebook. That said, be prepared for apps to not function or display properly on your Chromebook. I'm sure this is something that will be improved over time as devs need to tweak their apps for better compatibility with Chromebooks, but this is all in it's infancy right now so expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised when you find an app that works just as well on Chromebook as it does on your phone or tablet.

If you intend to use Chromebook primarily in laptop mode, then you should be pretty happy with it. The main reason I got tired with my tablet is because I did not enjoy typing on it at all. So emails and messaging and posting comments in Android Central felt like a chore. I missed having a laptop that I could use while lounging on the couch or in my recliner, but I also had no desire to spend upwards of $1000 on a windows laptop or macbook just so I could browse the web and have an easier time typing. Chromebook works just fine for that and at 1/4 of the price.

Like everything, there are pros and there are cons. Just gotta decide what's most important to you and go from there.