If your other half has a android-based smartphone, a chromebook is a complete waste of money. In fact, one of my coworkers and I today were figuratively ejaculating all over our Galaxy s3's today. I wouldn't even blow my money on a netbook and you are better off just getting a tablet at that point.
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What Do you think about the ChromeBook?
- Thread starter maxpowr9
- Start date
JB3
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A good summary of the Chromebook:
So-so hardware running an OS that's a mediocre web-browser at its core.
Unless you spend all your time online and using Google services, its a waste of money. Its also very poorly built, and certainly not worth the money.
So-so hardware running an OS that's a mediocre web-browser at its core.
Unless you spend all your time online and using Google services, its a waste of money. Its also very poorly built, and certainly not worth the money.
jft245
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I have not read very many good reviews about the ChromeBook. Check on line and at your local stores, you can sometimes find better deals on full feature computers.
My local Wal Mart recently had a table full of marked down laptops and desktops. They were all un-opened, original box products. When I asked why they were so cheap the clerk told me that they were just models that had not sold and were being cleared out to make room for new stock. A new laptop (forget what brand) with 4 gig ram, 15 inch screen, 500 gig hard drive and Windows 7 was priced at $249, marked down from $349. I had neither the cash or my credit card with me, when I went back later in the day, it was gone.
Sorry for rambling but I guess my point is check your local stores, you never know when you can get a hot deal.
My local Wal Mart recently had a table full of marked down laptops and desktops. They were all un-opened, original box products. When I asked why they were so cheap the clerk told me that they were just models that had not sold and were being cleared out to make room for new stock. A new laptop (forget what brand) with 4 gig ram, 15 inch screen, 500 gig hard drive and Windows 7 was priced at $249, marked down from $349. I had neither the cash or my credit card with me, when I went back later in the day, it was gone.
Sorry for rambling but I guess my point is check your local stores, you never know when you can get a hot deal.
T-Rexx
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Don't necessariily be put off by the lack of Windows. Chromebooks are a different idea. They do not do some things as well as Windows or Mac, but they do others a lot better. Engadget describes the latest Chromebook as "80% of the MacBook Air experience for 25% of the price." Engadget also praises the build quality of the new Samsung Chromebook as "fantastic."
As you know, Chromebooks emphasize storage of data in the "cloud" and execution of applications on a remote internet server, rather than locally on the Chromebook. By off-loading services to the internet, Chromebooks do not require much local storage or processing power. That gives them long battery lives and relatively cheap prices, which are their chief advantages. The real keyboards are good for productivity applications, as you have noted. Boot times are fast. A Chromebook is safer for surfing the internet than is Windows.
The primary disadvantage is that they require a fast and always-available internet connection. Because the idea is that the apps to be run will be online, there are only a few apps available to install locally on the Chromebook.
Why does he want one? What use does he intend to put it to?
For me, hacking away at a machine, installing alternative OSs, and making it do things the manufacturers never intended is half the fun.
But, for most people, if it isn't Windows or Mac, it's worthless and they don't want it (as you can see from the posts above).
Yes, you can boot from a USB stick or external drive.
Chromebooks use a UEFI BIOS, similar to the new Windows 8 computers. They also implement secure boot like Windows 8. Normally, that would mean that you could not boot anything other than a Google-signed version of ChromeOS. However, unlike Win 8, Chromebooks have a hardware switch to turn off secure boot, enabling you to boot alternative OSs. That's important, because they run some alternative OSs quite well.
Ubuntu 12.04 runs particularly well on the new Chromebook, and is particularly fast. There is even a special version of Ubuntu ("ChrUbuntu") specifically tailored to the Chromebook. Here are instructions for installing Ubuntu (ChrUbuntu) on the new Samsung Chromebook. You may install other OSs as well, of course, but they must be compiled for the ARM processor, which is what the new Samsung Chromebook uses.
Yes, ChromeOS is (yet another) implementation of Linux. I cannot speak to the flexibility of the ChromeOS shell, but it is easy to install alternative OSs on the latest Samsung Chromebook, as discussed above.
As discussed above, there is a hardware switch that must be flipped to turn off secure boot. Except for that, there is no impediment to installing other OSs on the Chromebook. For the latest Samsung Chromebook, however, you must make sure to use an OS compiled for ARM processors. Previous Chromebooks used Intel Atom processors, but the latest Samsung Chromebook is ARM.
There is a version of Gentoo for ARM, and it has indeed been ported to the Samsung Chromebook.
A netbook would make more sense if you need Windows (e.g., for games). A netbook would also make more sense if you wanted to run local apps (like office applications) and you were uncomfortble installing operating systems on a PC. A netbook would also make sense if you need a huge hard drive. The Chromebook has only a 16 GB SSD, plus whatever you can save to a full-sized SD card.
But, the Chromebook offers a much bigger screen than a netbook, as well as a full-sized keyboard, for the same price. It also offers a longer battery life and more secure surfing of the internet. It is faster both at boot-up and in routine operations. The Chromebook does not ship with many local apps installed, nor are many available for ChromeOS. A full suite of such local apps are available, but only if you are comfortable installing and using an alternative OS.
The Chromebook may be a great choice for you if you don't mind learning new things and experimenting. If you are like most people, however, you should search around for a cheap Windows laptop. I saw a Dell Inspiron Win 7 laptop at Big Lots just a couple days ago for $250. I don't know the specs - it's probably not particularly fast or impressive at that price. But, it's a perfectly usable machine and it's what everyone else is using.
As you know, Chromebooks emphasize storage of data in the "cloud" and execution of applications on a remote internet server, rather than locally on the Chromebook. By off-loading services to the internet, Chromebooks do not require much local storage or processing power. That gives them long battery lives and relatively cheap prices, which are their chief advantages. The real keyboards are good for productivity applications, as you have noted. Boot times are fast. A Chromebook is safer for surfing the internet than is Windows.
The primary disadvantage is that they require a fast and always-available internet connection. Because the idea is that the apps to be run will be online, there are only a few apps available to install locally on the Chromebook.
Why does he want one? What use does he intend to put it to?
For me, hacking away at a machine, installing alternative OSs, and making it do things the manufacturers never intended is half the fun.
But, for most people, if it isn't Windows or Mac, it's worthless and they don't want it (as you can see from the posts above).
Yes, you can boot from a USB stick or external drive.
Chromebooks use a UEFI BIOS, similar to the new Windows 8 computers. They also implement secure boot like Windows 8. Normally, that would mean that you could not boot anything other than a Google-signed version of ChromeOS. However, unlike Win 8, Chromebooks have a hardware switch to turn off secure boot, enabling you to boot alternative OSs. That's important, because they run some alternative OSs quite well.
Ubuntu 12.04 runs particularly well on the new Chromebook, and is particularly fast. There is even a special version of Ubuntu ("ChrUbuntu") specifically tailored to the Chromebook. Here are instructions for installing Ubuntu (ChrUbuntu) on the new Samsung Chromebook. You may install other OSs as well, of course, but they must be compiled for the ARM processor, which is what the new Samsung Chromebook uses.
Yes, ChromeOS is (yet another) implementation of Linux. I cannot speak to the flexibility of the ChromeOS shell, but it is easy to install alternative OSs on the latest Samsung Chromebook, as discussed above.
As discussed above, there is a hardware switch that must be flipped to turn off secure boot. Except for that, there is no impediment to installing other OSs on the Chromebook. For the latest Samsung Chromebook, however, you must make sure to use an OS compiled for ARM processors. Previous Chromebooks used Intel Atom processors, but the latest Samsung Chromebook is ARM.
There is a version of Gentoo for ARM, and it has indeed been ported to the Samsung Chromebook.
A netbook would make more sense if you need Windows (e.g., for games). A netbook would also make more sense if you wanted to run local apps (like office applications) and you were uncomfortble installing operating systems on a PC. A netbook would also make sense if you need a huge hard drive. The Chromebook has only a 16 GB SSD, plus whatever you can save to a full-sized SD card.
But, the Chromebook offers a much bigger screen than a netbook, as well as a full-sized keyboard, for the same price. It also offers a longer battery life and more secure surfing of the internet. It is faster both at boot-up and in routine operations. The Chromebook does not ship with many local apps installed, nor are many available for ChromeOS. A full suite of such local apps are available, but only if you are comfortable installing and using an alternative OS.
The Chromebook may be a great choice for you if you don't mind learning new things and experimenting. If you are like most people, however, you should search around for a cheap Windows laptop. I saw a Dell Inspiron Win 7 laptop at Big Lots just a couple days ago for $250. I don't know the specs - it's probably not particularly fast or impressive at that price. But, it's a perfectly usable machine and it's what everyone else is using.
JB3
JUB Addict
I would not say that a notebook whose body flexes when you press the trackpad has 'fantastic' build quality. It is mediocre at best and offensively bad at worst. Think the materials Samsung uses in some of their cheaper phones, and you'll get the idea.
T-Rexx
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Through December 21, Google is offering the Samsung Chromebook to students for just $99.
http://news.efytimes.com/e1/96362/Google-Offers--Chromebooks-To-Students
That is an incredible deal, to those of you who may benefit from this offer. The usual price is $249.
http://news.efytimes.com/e1/96362/Google-Offers--Chromebooks-To-Students
That is an incredible deal, to those of you who may benefit from this offer. The usual price is $249.
JB3
JUB Addict
That's not quite how it works. The deal is only for schools, and as a teacher you had to submit your credentials and school information to get them. It doesn't matter much, though, because they have none left.
T-Rexx
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^ You need to be a public school teacher (or a student who can convince his teacher to apply) to get the Chromebooks at this price. So, eligibility is very limited. Nevertheless, the available supply sold out within a day. That's probably not surprising for such an incredible deal.
However, there is a waiting list in case Google makes more $99 Chromebooks available. The offer was so phenomenally popular that many people think Google will probably extend it.
However, there is a waiting list in case Google makes more $99 Chromebooks available. The offer was so phenomenally popular that many people think Google will probably extend it.
JB3
JUB Addict
Again, they will ask for your credentials, so the only way to get one is if you're actually a teacher and are affiliated with a school. It is not for students, it is for schools and teachers to request. No one here would likely be able to use the offer.
T-Rexx
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I don't know what you bought your hubby for the holidays, Johann, but a fascinating statistic has arisen in the last few days.
The Samsung Chromebook was the #1 selling laptop at Amazon over the holidays.
Two other Chromebooks made the top 20 sellers at Amazon. Three Chromebooks all made the top 20 sellers at Amazon, including the #1 selling laptop!
And that's with almost no promotion whatsoever by Google or Amazon. That is amazing!
The Samsung Chromebook was the #1 selling laptop at Amazon over the holidays.
Two other Chromebooks made the top 20 sellers at Amazon. Three Chromebooks all made the top 20 sellers at Amazon, including the #1 selling laptop!
And that's with almost no promotion whatsoever by Google or Amazon. That is amazing!
JB3
JUB Addict
It doesn't upset me at all. What bothers me is that you are posting it here as if anyone could sign up for it. It is more complicated than that. (and just being a teacher doesn't qualify you to get it)
JB3
JUB Addict
Google has been advertising it non stop since the beginning of November. You couldn't watch primetime TV without seeing an ad for it.
T-Rexx
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Ummmm... ...why do you say I am "posting it here as if anyone could sign up for it?"
Not sure I could have been more clear about this.
Sorry this offer upsets you so much.
JB3
JUB Addict
'Anyone' as in the school teachers you mentioned in the post I was responding to.
No one, not even me (I'm a music teacher), on this board would be able to just sign up and get the deal, even if they're a teacher. That isn't how it works.