New Samsung Chromebook Pro

[Telstar1948]

Bought it this week, and I've been learning a lot about CB's in the overall set up process. Took a call or two to figure out printing from my Android apps - of course, printing through the browser or Google Cloud wasn't a problem. Ended up getting an app from the Play Store that enabled my Pro to print from my various apps (Word, email client etc - keep in mind that I'm running Android apps but the ChromeOS has something to say about printing and such) to my wireless printer, so that puts things pretty much on par with my desktop setup as far as printing goes.

Other than that issue, I haven't run into any others as yet...most likely, I will though.

I'm using my return period to see if I can truly use the Pro as my secondary device with Windows desktop and Note 8 phone. I want to be able to do as much personal and business work as possible from my Pro. I have some Windows programs that I can't replace in Android or ChromeOS, so I'll either have to keep my desktop or figure out something with one of the Cloud "computer" setups running Windows - that may be too pricey, but I'll compare some of that with keeping my Windows desktop.

Overall, after many years of using Macs and PC's, I'm a little tired of the complexity of both systems. At present, I have a Samsung Galaxy Book 12 that I've used very little, so I'm seriously thinking about selling it. It probably has a total of 40 yours runtime and not a mark on it. I'm just a little burnt out on keeping up with Windows devices - they're cool in many ways (had a Surface Pro 3 and a Surface 3 too, along with a HP Spectre 360 and so on, this all in the last couple of years) and necessary for some of us, but if "simple" will work instead, then I'm going that route.

I love the size, weight and fast, cool operation of the Pro. It makes a great tablet too, if that's your thing. In tablet mode it will be a little thicker/heavier than most tablets (not all), but this thing is light and so easy to carry. As a laptop, it's physically way more stable than my Galaxy Book 12 with its folio cover - very nice device all the way around, but if I don't need a Windows machine as my secondary device, then I'm excited about that.

I see Google making strides with the ChromeOS, offering various improvements here and there to provide much of the functionality we've come to expect in PD's and Macs - different in some ways certainly, but actually useful as a tool besides simply checking email, browsing or watching videos.

I'm still on the CB exploration to see if it will actually fill my needs (if I hadn't found how to print from my Android apps, I'm afraid it would have been taken back because that's just one of the things I must have), but it's looking pretty good right now about keeping the Pro and selling my GB 12.

If anyone has any suggestions for helping this process of mine along, please chime in. I've been scouring various sites for CB information as it pertains to replacing Mac/PC devices for personal and business use, so onward and upward!

 

[Golfdriver97]

Not sure how to help with your issues. You may be a user who has just enough MS specific needs that Chrome OS can't help you with.

Aside from the printing from Android apps, the MS services you use....is there any way to shift to Google Suite sites, like Docs, Sheets, etc?

 

[Telstar1948]

Thanks for the reply. I could use Google Suite, but since Office is available in Android, I can use Office on my Pro. I've experimented with it some already. Obviously, the Android version isn't as full-featured as the Windows version, but it will work for my general purposes. Google Suite is actually pretty nice, but I'm already up to speed with Office, and I have a subscription to Office 365. In using Android OneNote, it's even more limited than its Windows counterpart, but for simple notetaking while referencing a book on a "split" screen on the Pro, and having everything synced whether on my PC, Pro or Note 8, it works well enough. I will say that Chromebook's split screen is not nearly as refined as it is in Windows or in Android. It's more of a juggling act to use the Chromebook's split screen offering than in either Windows or AndroidOS.

There are several Windows programs I must use from time-to-time, so, yes, I'll have to stay with something that runs Windows for those times, which aren't required even daily in my case.

Frankly, I've simply fallen in love with the Pro - its size, light weight, rounded edges/corners so carrying it is easy, excellent processor and screen, fast and simple booting and shutting down of the OS, and on and on. I enjoy typing on it and it has the capacity to use external monitor(s) should I decide to do that. I'm not sure what else has attracted me to the Pro, but I enjoy using it as a secondary device much more than my Galaxy Book 12 or my Surface 3 or Surface Pro before the GB 12. I'm talking in terms of a secondary device, because I used my Surface Pro as my desktop replacement for a good while. They're good devices all. However, the Pro coupled with ChromeOS/Android has opened up a new vista for me.

Now, like everyone else, I've found the ChromeOS has some rough edges that I hope Google will smooth out with some more time. Small things like a smoother split screen experience would be great. If they could figure out a better way so that connecting to printers or scanners is smoother and easier to accomplish, that would also be great. There's likely other areas of the OS that need work, but I'm hopeful that Google is committed to ChromeOS and its rapid improvement. I don't want them to lose the symplicity of the OS, but if they want to compete a little more directly with Windows and Mac, some improvements will be necessary. Software will increase and improve with more time that's compatible with ChromeOS, but I realize that some software will remain in the Windows/Mac domains unless the ChromeOS becomes stronger so that Android/ChromeOS capabilites increase. If that happens, the hardware will have to increase (as in happening with some manufacturer's Chromebook hardware even now) to still provide the speed and storage needed.

I'm continuing with my experiment to find ways to use my Pro wherever possible. I think I'll be keeping it with only occasional trips to my PC when needed.

 

[ted1735]

Thanks for the reply. I could use Google Suite, but since Office is available in Android, I can use Office on my Pro. I've experimented with it some already. Obviously, the Android version isn't as full-featured as the Windows version, but it will work for my general purposes. Google Suite is actually pretty nice, but I'm already up to speed with Office, and I have a subscription to Office 365. In using Android OneNote, it's even more limited than its Windows counterpart, but for simple notetaking while referencing a book on a "split" screen on the Pro, and having everything synced whether on my PC, Pro or Note 8, it works well enough. I will say that Chromebook's split screen is not nearly as refined as it is in Windows or in Android. It's more of a juggling act to use the Chromebook's split screen offering than in either Windows or AndroidOS.

There are several Windows programs I must use from time-to-time, so, yes, I'll have to stay with something that runs Windows for those times, which aren't required even daily in my case.

Frankly, I've simply fallen in love with the Pro - its size, light weight, rounded edges/corners so carrying it is easy, excellent processor and screen, fast and simple booting and shutting down of the OS, and on and on. I enjoy typing on it and it has the capacity to use external monitor(s) should I decide to do that. I'm not sure what else has attracted me to the Pro, but I enjoy using it as a secondary device much more than my Galaxy Book 12 or my Surface 3 or Surface Pro before the GB 12. I'm talking in terms of a secondary device, because I used my Surface Pro as my desktop replacement for a good while. They're good devices all. However, the Pro coupled with ChromeOS/Android has opened up a new vista for me.

Now, like everyone else, I've found the ChromeOS has some rough edges that I hope Google will smooth out with some more time. Small things like a smoother split screen experience would be great. If they could figure out a better way so that connecting to printers or scanners is smoother and easier to accomplish, that would also be great. There's likely other areas of the OS that need work, but I'm hopeful that Google is committed to ChromeOS and its rapid improvement. I don't want them to lose the symplicity of the OS, but if they want to compete a little more directly with Windows and Mac, some improvements will be necessary. Software will increase and improve with more time that's compatible with ChromeOS, but I realize that some software will remain in the Windows/Mac domains unless the ChromeOS becomes stronger so that Android/ChromeOS capabilites increase. If that happens, the hardware will have to increase (as in happening with some manufacturer's Chromebook hardware even now) to still provide the speed and storage needed.

I'm continuing with my experiment to find ways to use my Pro wherever possible. I think I'll be keeping it with only occasional trips to my PC when needed.

I also have a Samsung Chromebook pro and and note8. I as well have fallen in love with it pretty much ditching my $1200 12" iPad pro!

Have you tried the crossover app. It allows you to install MS exe or .msi files into your CB using Wine.

I was able to get inkscape up and running on my Pro! It was slow but did the job.

After that I decided to go developer mode on my Pro so I could install a Linux side by side OS and use inkscape that way. This way if course is a bit complicated but the experience is FLAWLESS! I mean I can use my sPen inside the Linux she'll to draw in inkscape it any other app installed for that matter!

https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton

This is the script and wiki I used to install Linux. It supports old and new versions of whatever flavor Linux you like. I choose Xenial and xfce4.

What other MS applications must you use?

Link to crossover:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codeweavers.cxoffice

 

[Telstar1948]

Hadn't checked the forum in a while...thanks for the reply and info.

By day, I'm an adjuster and use Windows software for estimating damage to structures. I also use a Dymo label printer but the software is Windows only. For my business I have to use office phone software, which is only Windows too. I'm a writer of sorts otherwise and use dedictated Windows software for writing books - nothing nearly as effective in the Chrome/Android sphere unfortunately. Along with that, I use a system-wide spell checker/thesaurus/dictionary that's dynamite - Windows only, of course, and I've not seen anything that will offer that functionality system-wide in ChromeOS. Oh yes, financial software to keep track of things - again, there are offerings in Android but nothing approaching Windows software functionality. I've considered online financial software, but after trying some out, I just wasn't convinced. That probably sums up my needs that, for one reason or another, fall outside the ChromeOS experience at this point. I hope ChromeOS will continue to develop so that I'm required less and less to rely on some Windows programs. I love the functionality of Windows (Mac OS too for that matter), but I've been doing this a lot of years and fiddling with Windows has gotten tiresome.

Anyway, I'll continue with my Pro (love it as mentioned before) where I'm able. I'll check out crossover and appreciate the recommendation. I'm thinking that better hardware might help in that area as well - could there be a PixelBook down the road for me? Hmmmm...still love the Pro, but it may get beefier in newer iterations as well!

I admit I'm a noob when it comes to Wine or Linux...haven't looked into any of that. Don't know if I want to dip into more stuff or not. I may do some research on all that to see if it has enough potential to lure me further. What I really want is more simplicity that simply works as I need it to. Tech becomes, in many ways, more complex for the user as time goes on. Guess you could say I'm at a place in life where I'm ridding myself of clutter and "stuff" so that I can focus on some things that really interest me and matter to me - there's simply not enough time, money or energy to chase everything as I did as a young man. So, I'm simplifying my life in as much as possible to have more time and space to get a little deeper into the things I really like.

Do appreciate the recommendations!