[JeffDenver]

Covering CES with a Chromebook wasn’t great, but it was possible | Ars Technica

For a couple dollars more (sometimes literally) you can get a fully functional laptop. The fact that his unit did not even have SD support is insane to me. This jihad against local storage from Google has got to end. You cannot use the internet for everything.

I love Google, but Google+ and the Chromebook are awful ideas.

[Ry]

Some tips

- choose a model that has an SD card available
- shoot in RAW+JPG mode

Not really gonna help with video editing though.

[ultravisitor]

I love my Chromebook. Sorry.

[Ry]

When my old Dell D630 finally craps out, it'll be replaced by a Chromebook.

[JeffDenver]

I love my Chromebook. Sorry.

What is it doing for you that a laptop of the same price can't?

[gabbott]

I love Google, but Google+ and the Chromebook are awful ideas.

I actually have enjoyed using Google+ for years and this is from someone that isn't big on social networks.

I also like the idea of a chromebook and plan on getting one (I received a cr48 a couple years ago but it died) and from what I've seen chromeos has evolved quite nicely for what it is.

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[Geodude074]

Haha, I read that article this morning.

Even though I personally would never get a Chromebook, I'm actually buying a Chromebook for my girlfriend. She's completely computer illiterate and her laptop is so incredibly slow and laden with malware that it literally takes five minutes to open a browser. Even though I've been cleaning out her laptop every couple of weeks, I'm getting tired of the constant "Babe this website is telling me that I have viruses, should I click Download?" UGH!

So, Chromebook it is!

[gabbott]

Haha, I read that article this morning.

Even though I personally would never get a Chromebook, I'm actually buying a Chromebook for my girlfriend. She's completely computer illiterate and her laptop is so incredibly slow and laden with malware that it literally takes five minutes to open a browser. Even though I've been cleaning out her laptop every couple of weeks, I'm getting tired of the constant "Babe this website is telling me that I have viruses, should I click Download?" UGH!

So, Chromebook it is!

Heh and this is one of the very reasons I want a chromebook in the house. I'm tired of hearing the complaints that the netbook is running slow again.

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[Geodude074]

Or maybe I'll even buy her -gasp- a Surface RT!

Edit: Cancel that, Windows 8 would be too confusing for her, let alone Windows 8 RT.

[ultravisitor]

What is it doing for you that a laptop of the same price can't?

Well, that is kind of a stupid question because I don't have a laptop of the same price, so I don't care what a laptop of the same price could do for me. I suppose I'll play along, though: my Chromebook's OS maintains itself very well and doesn't get bogged down because nothing can be installed to it. I basically don't have to do anything to maintain it or update it other than restart it when an update is downloaded every few weeks or clean out my browser history.

If you don't like Chromebooks, that's fine. I won't be convinced that I'm wrong to love mine, though.

[JeffDenver]

Well, that is kind of a stupid question because I don't have a laptop of the same price

I disagree. If you can get more functionality by spending the same money, why would you not want that? Why is it stupid to want more for the same amount of money?

my Chromebook's OS maintains itself very well and doesn't get bogged down because nothing can be installed to it.

Self control works well for me. I avoid getting bogged down by not installing stuff. I like having the option to install it if I want though.

I keep thinking there must be something I am missing. A reason people are buying these instead of laptops. So far the only real reason I have heard is that they're more virus resistant.

[ultravisitor]

I disagree. If you can get more functionality by spending the same money, why would you not want that? Why is it stupid to want more for the same amount of money?

Apparently, I need to rephrase myself: "Well, that is kind of a stupid question TO ASK ME because I DON'T CARE because I don't have a laptop of the same price."

Self control works well for me.

Good for you.

Oh, and the battery for my Chromebook (a 2011 Series 5 model) lasts forever. 7 hours easily (Samsung claims it'll go for 8.5 hours). That kicks my work-issued laptop's ***.

[Jennifer Stough]

I would just like to stop by and remind everyone that a conversation as such can be had in a friendly manner. No question is stupid when a user is genuinely interested. The internet can often be misleading in tone and meaning, so lets keep that in mind as well

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using AC Forums mobile app

[Google_Superuser]

Think of the chromebook as between a tablet and pc. It's offers more functionality than a tablet, but the same low maintenance, easy to use, no muss no fuss environment. I also happen to like the chromeOS interface and I like that it gets frequent updates that make noticeable changes. I already have a nice Windows 8.1 desktop that I built myself it does the increasingly low number of things the chromebook can't. It's also fun to just work with something different and chromeOS is a different experience from OSX or Windows or your standard out of the box Linux distro.

[Algus]

Well I can't speak for the state of things right now as I haven't been shopping for a laptop recently but when I bought my Samsung Chromebook last year, there wasn't really anything comparable for $250.

Besides virus resistance, I'm fond of the lack of heat or fan noise (thanks ARM processor!), the weight, battery life, and speedy boot times.

There may be a Windows laptop out now for $250 that gets 6+ hours of battery life, has no heat or fan noise, and can boot from cold off to ready to go in 30 seconds and loads from a SSD. If so, great. I haven't been shopping for a laptop since I got my chromebook so I'd be down for a device like that.

[JRDroid]

The HP Chromebook 11 was the worst possible Chromebook to attempt this with. Every other Chromebook currently available has an SD card slot for example. The C720 is much faster with better battery life and an optional touch screen.

I'd get a Chromebook over a "more capable" laptop at the same price because I don't need the extra functionality. I have a big, powerful workhorse machine. A Chromebook is a light, take it anywhere, simple, no maintenance web browser. Its great for email, simple documents, uploading photos to your cloud of choice (provided you don't get the HP 11, which is the worst Chromebook available in every way bit looks), and other simple, light weight tasks. When my $450 windows laptop and my Samsung Chromebook are sitting by each other, if I'm just going to check a couple websites, write some email, or work in a word processor, 9 times out of 10 I grab the Chromebook because it is easier and more enjoyable to use.

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[JeffDenver]

I'd get a Chromebook over a "more capable" laptop at the same price because I don't need the extra functionality. I have a big, powerful workhorse machine.

So do I. Thats why I use a tablet for the light stuff. It is more portable and easier to hold than any Chromebook.

A Chromebook is a light, take it anywhere, simple, no maintenance web browser. Its great for email, simple documents, uploading photos to your cloud of choice (provided you don't get the HP 11, which is the worst Chromebook available in every way bit looks), and other simple, light weight tasks.

So is a tablet.

They are not as portable as tablets and don't do as much as laptops...seems like the worst of both worlds to me.

[JeffDenver]

Well I can't speak for the state of things right now as I haven't been shopping for a laptop recently but when I bought my Samsung Chromebook last year, there wasn't really anything comparable for $250.

Micro Center - Computers, Electronics, Computer Parts, Networking, Gaming, Software, and more!

Micro Center - Computers, Electronics, Computer Parts, Networking, Gaming, Software, and more!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/14-laptop-4gb-memory-500gb-hard-drive/8850089.p?id=1218914354022&skuId=8850089&st=categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=2

Besides virus resistance, I'm fond of the lack of heat or fan noise (thanks ARM processor!), the weight, battery life, and speedy boot times.

I get the same thing with my tablet though.

There may be a Windows laptop out now for $250 that gets 6+ hours of battery life, has no heat or fan noise, and can boot from cold off to ready to go in 30 seconds and loads from a SSD. If so, great. I haven't been shopping for a laptop since I got my chromebook so I'd be down for a device like that.

Laptops have gotten dirt cheap in the last year. Two of my co-workers bought some. I am shocked at how good they are for under $300. Windows 8 really does make a big difference. They are very quick and lighter than I expected. Best of all, they will run full "real" PC apps...I can run photoshop or acrobat pro on them without any problems.

[JRDroid]

Micro Center - Computers, Electronics, Computer Parts, Networking, Gaming, Software, and more!

Micro Center - Computers, Electronics, Computer Parts, Networking, Gaming, Software, and more!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/14-laptop-4gb-memory-500gb-hard-drive/8850089.p?id=1218914354022&skuId=8850089&st=categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=2


I get the same thing with my tablet though.


Laptops have gotten dirt cheap in the last year. Two of my co-workers bought some. I am shocked at how good they are for under $300. Windows 8 really does make a big difference. They are very quick and lighter than I expected. Best of all, they will run full "real" PC apps...I can run photoshop or acrobat pro on them without any problems.

I have a tablet as well. They are two very, very different types of devices. I use them for very different types of things. Windows 8 on a Celeron will not be satisfying long term. I'm so tired of people who have never owned a Chromebook talking about how crappy they are. If they aren't for you, that is all well and good, but if you haven't owned one and used it for an extended period of time, you have no accurate way judge their usefulness relative to anything else.

So do I. Thats why I use a tablet for the light stuff. It is more portable and easier to hold than any Chromebook.


So is a tablet.

They are not as portable as tablets and don't do as much as laptops...seems like the worst of both worlds to me.

Again, a tablet and a Chromebook are not the same type of device and not meant to do the same kind of things. I can do actual productive work on a Chromebook while I'm out. I cannot on a tablet. Not even with a bluetooth keyboard. They simply aren't good for it. When I need to be productive but don't need the horse power of my work machine, I use a chromebook. When I'm on the couch writing in forums, I use my Chromebook. If I'm just reading or browsing Reddit and such, the tablet is great for that. If I'm writing a response like this, the Chromebook is 100x better. If I'm working on a report, the Chromebook is 100x better.

[JeffDenver]

I have a tablet as well. They are two very, very different types of devices. I use them for very different types of things.

Well, web browsing seems to be a main reason for Chromebooks. My tablet does a great job with that. I use it at lunch to consume news content in my car...that would be real awkward with a chromebook.

Windows 8 on a Celeron will not be satisfying long term.

Why not? I have actually used these, and they are plenty fast. Windows 8 is actually quite remarkable if you can circumvent that stupid and pointless Metro UI. It is lean and fast...much faster than comparable Windows 7 machines.

They are not all Celerons. The ones I have used myself are dual core AMD CPUs. I have seen quad core versions under $300 on sale.

I'm so tired of people who have never owned a Chromebook talking about how crappy they are. If they aren't for you, that is all well and good, but if you haven't owned one and used it for an extended period of time, you have no accurate way judge their usefulness relative to anything else.

Well, the guy in that link used one for an extended period. Just sayin.

I can do actual productive work on a Chromebook while I'm out. I cannot on a tablet. Not even with a bluetooth keyboard. They simply aren't good for it.

I'd just get a laptop for productivity. It will run a much wider range of software and will be a lot more flexible long term.

[ultravisitor]

I'm so tired of people who have never owned a Chromebook talking about how crappy they are.

This bears repeating.

[benhmadison]

There are many great things a Chromebook can do faster and more efficiently than a laptop or tablet. For example, taking notes in a college classroom is much easier on a Chromebook. Within 30 seconds of opening it, I'm able to take notes or access email without any other programs or Windows updates interfering. As previously stated, battery life is phenomenal. It's much better than a laptop for streaming content to a Chromecast or other type of streaming device. Other than using Word or Power Point (When I absolutely have to) the Chromebook can do most everything better, not to mention it's the future of computing. Everything will soon be stored via a cloud.

[Geodude074]

There are many great things a Chromebook can do faster and more efficiently than a laptop or tablet. For example, taking notes in a college classroom is much easier on a Chromebook. Within 30 seconds of opening it, I'm able to take notes or access email without any other programs or Windows updates interfering. As previously stated, battery life is phenomenal. It's much better than a laptop for streaming content to a Chromecast or other type of streaming device. Other than using Word or Power Point (When I absolutely have to) the Chromebook can do most everything better, not to mention it's the future of computing. Everything will soon be stored via a cloud.

You said there are many great things a Chromebook can do faster and more efficiently, but you only listed two. Both of which are debatable.

People are always saying that Chromebooks boot up faster than Windows notebooks, but the only reason why they do is because Chromebooks have an SSD. Place an SSD into a Windows notebook and it will boot just as fast as a Chromebook. Also, if you don't have the cash for an SSD, just put your Windows notebook in Sleep or Hibernate. Why does no one ever utilize Sleep or Hibernate? This is exactly why Sleep or Hibernate was created - so you could start up your PC quickly from a stand-by.

Battery life is a toss up between models. Not all Chromebooks get better battery life than Windows notebooks, and not all Windows notebooks get better battery life than Chromebooks.

[Algus]

Your examples are not thin and light. How are they on heat and fan noise?
Assuming that is the Haswell celeron battery life should be pretty ok.

Yes I'm being picky but since my chromebook delivers I can afford to be.

I use dolphin + desktop user agent on my tablet and note 3. It works pretty ok but I dislike browsing mobile sites. Nice thing about chromebook is I get the desktop browsing experience with built in keyboard and touchpad. Sure I can do this on a tab but say 10-11" tab and I'm already several hundred over chromebook price without including accessories to replicate desktop experience.

Only thing chrome os doesn't do that I'd like is DVD support. It has local media play and word processing software. Internet access is a nonissue as I just tether with my phone if I have no wifi

The Asus does look nice though. Slap Debian with XFCE on it and would probably be gtg. I won't use Windows period unless it is for gaming.


Sent from my iPod Touch (5th Gen) using Tapatalk

[Geodude074]

Your examples are not thin and light. How are they on heat and fan noise?
Assuming that is the Haswell celeron battery life should be pretty ok.

Yes I'm being picky but since my chromebook delivers I can afford to be.

I use dolphin + desktop user agent on my tablet and note 3. It works pretty ok but I dislike browsing mobile sites. Nice thing about chromebook is I get the desktop browsing experience with built in keyboard and touchpad. Sure I can do this on a tab but say 10-11" tab and I'm already several hundred over chromebook price without including accessories to replicate desktop experience.

Only thing chrome os doesn't do that I'd like is DVD support. It has local media play and word processing software. Internet access is a nonissue as I just tether with my phone if I have no wifi

The Asus does look nice though. Slap Debian with XFCE on it and would probably be gtg. I won't use Windows period unless it is for gaming.


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The ARM Chromebooks may not produce much heat and noise, but they have TERRIBLE performance. That's the trade-off you get, and in my opinion, it simply isn't worth it.

Just wait for more Bay Trail T laptops/hybrids to come out. The Asus T100 is really paving the way for "netbooks" of 2014. Thin and light, no heat or noise, low price, full Windows x86 functionality, can be used as a tablet OR a laptop, and yet it has the processing power of Core 2 Duo's of old.