Chromebook

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The Venerable Bogatir X
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Chromebook

Post by The Venerable Bogatir X »

Pro's & Con's, please....for $300 bones, it looks like a steal for home use.

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Ripe Turd
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Re: Chromebook

Post by Ripe Turd »

Really, I think it's a very good deal if you don't have to deal with confidential stuff (job, academic research, etc.)

Cons :

- you need internet access for everything
- I think you have to pay after the first 100 free MB a month, or something like that
- also, http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/20 ... d.stallman
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Re: Chromebook

Post by Protobuilder »

Read some poor reviews but I saw one and it looked fine if, as you said, you want to use it primarily from home. Acer and Samsung both make good computers in lower price ranges and, for the price, it's a good deal.
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j-cubed
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Re: Chromebook

Post by j-cubed »

Out of curiosity, why would you consider a chromebook over a tablet (iPad or Android tablet)?


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Re: Chromebook

Post by The Venerable Bogatir X »

j-cubed wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you consider a chromebook over a tablet (iPad or Android tablet)?
A keyboard, for one. I have this little HP machine that I'm using for home use over the past year and it's pretty buggy. One of our IT guys at work looked at it and said to wipe the nigga clean and start over again....which I can't figure out how to do, since it has no disk drive....apologies for the tangent, different topic.

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j-cubed
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Re: Chromebook

Post by j-cubed »

I've not used a chromebook, and was wondering the big differences.

I'm wondering if the google docs apps are better on a chromebook than they are on a tablet, or if more apps are available.

Image

Chromebook:
1280x800 display (12.1")
No touch screen
6 hours battery life
Built in cameras
HDMI output
USB ports
SD and micro sd card support
$300-$550 (depending on brand and unit)
Probably a better keyboard
Cloud file storage
3.3 lbs

Image

Tablet / keyboard combo
1280x800 display (10.1")
touchscreen
16 hours battery (with both tablet and keyboard dock)
built in cameras
HDMI output
USB Ports (in docking keyboard)
SD and Micro SD support
2.3lbs (tablet and keyboard)
$500 and up for tablet and keyboard combo

The Chromebook seems to have a higher class of CPU, as well as a "real" keyboard. I wonder how much you can use it without a wifi connection. The tablets still have problems with some fancy stuff in browsers, which could make the chromebook better at docs and stuff.

Just wondering, I'd like to try a chromebook for a while, but I don't want to spend my own money to do it.


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Re: Chromebook

Post by Protobuilder »

j-cubed wrote:I wonder how much you can use it without a wifi connection.
When it originally came out, David Pouge fairly destroyed it in a review (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/techn ... gewanted=1) and that was an issue that he had.
when it’s not online, a Chromebook can’t do much of anything
Again, if using from home, it wouldn't be an issue though in many hotels and other places, you need to pay for wi-fi.

Although I think that it would be a nice purchase to try out, if you aren't going to take it out, you could get a decent desktop for a few more bucks and probably be happier with it.
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The Venerable Bogatir X
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Re: Chromebook

Post by The Venerable Bogatir X »

Terry B. wrote:you could get a decent desktop for a few more bucks and probably be happier with it.
A deskwhat? They still make those things?


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Re: Chromebook

Post by Protobuilder »

High Velocity Lie-Nap! wrote:
Terry B. wrote:you could get a decent desktop for a few more bucks and probably be happier with it.
A deskwhat? They still make those things?
Precisely.

But, I purchased a new laptop a few months ago and have been thinking that it never leaves my apartment whereas my office computer never leaves my office. My tablet, which is able to replace neither of them, goes nearly everywhere in between.

As my son gets online and eventually finds places as bad as this place, the computer is going to be front and center in the living room - probably will be a desktop. For $2k you are able to put together a computer that didn't exist a few years ago.
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clutch
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Re: Chromebook

Post by clutch »

I'd probably lean towards Chromebook v. a Windoze-based tablet, just based upon the problems I've seen with the Windows Tablet OS. Not terrible, but not terribly smooth, with some definite issues.

I fuggin' hate not having a keyboard. I have the Motorola Xoom, and hardly ever use it anymore. I just fall back to my beefy laptop.

The Droid I have integrates quite well with Google apps + Gmail, the best integration I've seen. I'll bet the Chromebook does just as well. So if you use Gmail, etc., it should be really seamless and intuitive.

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j-cubed
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Re: Chromebook

Post by j-cubed »

Will be interesting to see and try a new windoze tablet to compare (introduced yesterday, june 18)

http://www.informationweek.com/byte/new ... /240002252


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Re: Chromebook

Post by Abandoned by Wolves »

High Velocity Lie-Nap! wrote:
j-cubed wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you consider a chromebook over a tablet (iPad or Android tablet)?
A keyboard, for one. I have this little HP machine that I'm using for home use over the past year and it's pretty buggy. One of our IT guys at work looked at it and said to wipe the nigga clean and start over again....which I can't figure out how to do, since it has no disk drive....apologies for the tangent, different topic.
You can set up Windows 7 to install from a USB flash drive. Or you could plug in an external DVD player into a usb port, put the 7 install disk on it. In both cases set the BIOS to install from the USB device by putting it first in your Boot order. Google "Install Windows 7 from flash drive" or "...from usb drive" - there's a couple of utilities out there that will do the work for you. Down side is you DO need a copy (or ISO) of Windows 7 to work with.
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Topic author
The Venerable Bogatir X
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Re: Chromebook

Post by The Venerable Bogatir X »

Abandoned by Wolves wrote:
High Velocity Lie-Nap! wrote:
j-cubed wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you consider a chromebook over a tablet (iPad or Android tablet)?
A keyboard, for one. I have this little HP machine that I'm using for home use over the past year and it's pretty buggy. One of our IT guys at work looked at it and said to wipe the nigga clean and start over again....which I can't figure out how to do, since it has no disk drive....apologies for the tangent, different topic.
You can set up Windows 7 to install from a USB flash drive. Or you could plug in an external DVD player into a usb port, put the 7 install disk on it. In both cases set the BIOS to install from the USB device by putting it first in your Boot order. Google "Install Windows 7 from flash drive" or "...from usb drive" - there's a couple of utilities out there that will do the work for you. Down side is you DO need a copy (or ISO) of Windows 7 to work with.
Thanks....I do have a copy of 7 Pro somewhere.

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