Chromebooks

[OFSO]

Since (a) I am fed up with installing. maintaining, keeping virus-free and updating my OS and general software, and (b) most of what I do is on-line work, and (c) free wifi is available just about everywhere in London and here in Spain, I purchased an Aesus Chromebook, the larger screen version.

The only additional apps (it comes with a lot) I have installed are those enabling off-line work and WhatsApp.

All my settings (including AdBlocker) were already on my Google account.

A truly excellent device. Anyone thinking of purchasing one, PM me for a discussion.

[Saab Dastard]

Interesting endorsement, thanks.

I was at a Google event in London last week, looking at the Chromebook and chromebox (for video conferencing) with a particular emphasis on integration with Citrix in the workplace. Impressive.

SD

[OFSO]

However, owning a Chromebook seems to come in the category of "doing something naughty you don't mention in public".

Having mentioned that I bought one, several friends have told me they already have a Chromebook, and at the place I bought mine there was a queue for them - a short queue but nevertheless a queue - and people were scuttling out of the store with wrapped parcels.

Probably the absence of a large illuminated graphic of a piece of fruit on the lid makes them less worthy of ownership.

[SpringHeeledJack]

It's a nice looking machine, the battery life is double that of my macbook. It reminds me of the black mac brought out a few years ago. For those used to PC and looking for a lightweight 'do-all' it seems to tick many boxes.


SHJ

[OFSO]

the battery life is double that of my macbook.

Re battery life: having bought it last Tuesday lunchtime I charged it for three hours. I've used it at least two hours a day since then, including watching TV, and I still have two and a half hours left on the battery. I'd say Aesus claim of over ten hours is true.

[mixture]

Re:
the battery life is double that of my macbook

That may well be your perception, but you have to ask yourself why.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and I suspect a perusal of the Chromebook spec sheet will answer how they've achieved the battery saving, e.g. much less powerful processor.

[exeng]

I have had an Asus Chromebook for about 6 months. The long battery life is not a perception as Mr Mixture would have it but a fact. The processor is more than adequate for the tasks it performs. Basically an internet centred device and is a brick without good broadband speeds.

I would prefer a higher resolution on the screen, but other than that I am impressed.


Regards
Exeng

[mixture]

exeng,

I used the word "perception" in the context of people who think that a Chromebook can be considered to be equivalent to a MacBook with the added bonus of additional battery life.

You have confirmed that in your statement:
Basically an internet centred device and is a brick without good broadband speeds.

I'm sure if Apple made an internet-centered brick, their battery life would also be the same or better than the Chromebook.

Basically I'm saying people should not be comparing Apples and Oranges (or Apples and Chromebooks !).

[KBPsen]

It's an interesting product. Over the years I've found ASUS to be an excellent product. I'm on the fourth ASUS laptop and none of them has ever suffered a hardware failure.

I assume that Chrome OS is a close relative of Android? Perhaps OFSO could expand?

[Bushfiva]

Basically it's a flavor of Linux that boots to a browser. So it's fast and lean. You can whatever you want, as long as it's web-based. So if you already use gmail, store photos online, Google Docs etc. you're fine. If you're used to all your stuff sitting on your hard drive, you'll find it a tougher transition: the computer itself is stateless.

[onetrack]

And once you subscribe to the Great God Google with the purchase of one of these, you understand that you have handed over every aspect of your life, every ground movement, every page visited, every item you examine on the 'net - to a faceless organisation of 55,000 people, who sell that info so they can make lots of money - and who transfer every piece of your metadata to hundreds of other faceless 'net data-gathering companies, most of whom you have never even heard of.

I've got a Galaxy Note 3 and I like Google, it's very useful. However, I'm constantly surprised at how much Google does behind my back with my phone and my Google account.
I treat Google like I treat a very large anaconda. I watch what it's doing constantly, and I never ever, let it get a grip on me, that initially feels like a friendly hug. :suspect: :suspect: :suspect:

[OFSO]

You can whatever you want, as long as it's web-based.

Well yes, as it comes from the box. However open your browser and tick "apps that work off-line" and you can find a lot of them. And they do work. Inserting a large-capacity SD card is essential.

I am surprised nobody has mentioned the paucity of USB connectors on Chromebooks, had they done so I would have riposted that connecting a hub solves that problem. Add a mouse, keyboard and big screen and you have something not unsimilar to the large PC that sits on your desk all day and is also connected to the 'net full time.

Google knowing everything about you ? Well, really, I'd never have thought it :D Next thing is you'll be saying they sell that data and make money from it.....

[chevvron]

I'm on my second Samsung Chromebook and I must say it's very 'pleasant' to use once you get used to the differences from Windows. I especially like the fact it doesn't keep loading updates every 3 or 4 days and refusing to shut down until they're loaded!!

[cattletruck]

I'm on the fourth ASUS laptop and none of them has ever suffered a hardware failure.


My ASUS from 2008 just does not want to die, I've done plenty to it but think I'm not trying hard enough.

Is Chromebook what we call a thin-client? What's it do when an internet connection is not available?

[OFSO]

What's it do when an internet connection is not available?

a) look for your smartphone with "Wifi Hotspot Enabled".
b) use the off-line apps you have loaded for just such an eventuality
c) suggest you move back to civilisation and the bright lights

[Mike-Bracknell]

My ASUS from 2008 just does not want to die, I've done plenty to it but think I'm not trying hard enough.

Is Chromebook what we call a thin-client? What's it do when an internet connection is not available?
It could possibly fall into that category, however the only Chromebook i've played with I found horrendous to use due to the limitations of their app store with regard to RDP clients - I couldn't find one good one that worked with MS RDP, despite trying several.

[sea oxen]

I bought an Acer C720 and replaced its native 16GB SSD with 128GBl, set it up for dual boot and put Bodhi Linux on it. Since the initial tests, I've never run it on Chrome.

As mixture says, you endure sacrifices for the battery life - the screen is pretty poor on this model. OTOH, it has USB3 and HDMI - so on the whole it's been a good fit.

[Booglebox]

I'm sure if Apple made an internet-centered brick,

Apple - MacBook (http://www.apple.com/macbook/)

[henry_crun]

Am thinking about getting one for use in local cafe on their wifi.

Any thoughts?


Ooops - thanks for merging to this thread SAAB.

[Minnie Burner]

Henry
I'm using a second-hand Samsung NC110 netbook which ran W7 starter and was dumped because it was frustratingly slow. They're still available refurbished on t'internet; mine now runs Linux Mint Cinnamon which comes with Libre Office, Firefox, Gimp, etc., etc. It runs brilliantly for up to 10hrs. It boots from cold in 40" and shuts down in 10. No AVG or Norton nonsense, no updating (unless you want to). You can use any browser or search engine you wish. It might have even better battery life if I upgraded to SSD but I'm too tight and CBA'd. Good hunting!!

[henry_crun]

Hi Minnie, thanks ever so much, I had one of those long long ago and it would fit the bill absolutely perfectly.

All the more so because I like to work at home offline and then potter down to our library to get online.

Good thinking! :ok:

[Minnie Burner]

Henry, Glad to help.
Many unexpected bonuses, such as, a nice old Canon scanner which is no longer supported by windows (apart from via expensive 3rd party software) worked perfectly as soon as I plugged it in, and an SD slot which wouldn't read SDHC cards under windows, despite wasted time with drivers, now reads all cards under LInux.
This pdf guide should help you set it up, or you can buy the boot DVD from ebay for less than a couple of squids including postage,
Good luck.
http://www.linuxmint.com/documentation/user-guide/Cinnamon/english_17.0.pdf

[henry_crun]

Thanks for all the help. :ok:

I looked at second hand netbooks, very good in their day, but the three I saw, HP, Toshiba and Acer, were looking very old and I was reluctant to spend a hundred pounds, plus another sixty when the battery dies. Thanks Minnie for the advice on fitting a new operating system, alas way beyond this analog guy's hardware and brainware capability.

Your Chromebook recommendation SCHEDULING seems the best, I am inclined to go with that, best battery life, good looks, nice choice of color.

I am very reluctant to enter into another landline contract after getting my fingers burned. I really do like PAYG MiFi, though on 3G it is a variable feast, ok here at 3am but useless at 6pm. They say 4G is imminent in this area, so that's what I shall go for, 4G PAYG MiFi.

[SCHEDULING]

Your Chromebook recommendation SCHEDULING seems the best

Please do one thing, Mr. C. Read all the reviews ! They are evolving all the time. My 10 plus hour battery life seemed great when I bought it, brilliant non-reflective screen, good keyboard....but who knows what's come on the market in the past three months ?

The basic principle of the Chromebook however remains unchanged.....and it's good. (Might need to buy an Ethernet/Cloud printer, though).

[henry_crun]

Okay, took the plunge and bought a nice little 11 inch chromebook in fetching white finish. I'm typing on it now, whilst munching fried bread sausage and beans at our beach cafe looking out across the Atlantic Ocean, sand, sea, an island, and Welsh Wales off to the right.

For those worried about giving away their all, there is no need to log into googoo, I am using the 'guest' mode which is browse-only and forget-all afterward.

The clincher for me is the availability of an unlocked 'wingle' from our local supermarket. This means I will be able to do a moderate amount at home without commitment to any landline provider or mobile service. More of this anon, shall be starting a new thread to discuss it.

One Happy Bunny! :ok:

[henry_crun]

I got sufficient confidence to log into googoo, and wow, all my bookmarks from a machine long deceased reappeared! Presumably they will appear on any machine with chrome so long as I log in.

Very nice feature is a toolbar with the bookmarks on it, and if you arrange the bookmarks into folders, the folders appear in the toolbar, with the actual bookmarks appearing as drop-down menus.

Chrome has a bookmark manager where you can sort the bookmarks into your preferred sequence and put them in folders if you wish.

Googoo Documents app is inbuilt and I am finding it very useful for writing long emails over a period of time. It works offline and magically syncs when online. Seamless.

This machine is by far the best I have ever used. It has quick start like a tablet and a full keyboard for easy typing. Internet operation is fast (except for known slow sites, naming no names).

[jcbmack]

Yes there are always opportunity costs and no free lunch, but even with a less powerful processor, on average, the Chromebooks tend to browse faster due to the efficient browser based applications. It comes down to one's needs and laptop preferences too, but a good chromebook can achieve apple like speeds browsing with a less powerful processor. Having said that, chromebooks are a gray area between high functional laptops and tablets.

I am happy with my Toshiba Chromebook:ok:

[SCHEDULING]

Presumably they will appear on any machine with chrome so long as I log in.

Aye, like magic isn't it Mr C., open a Chromebook, enter your google password and all the settings change to your very own preferences. Mine updates the OS every few weeks.......

[Bushfiva]

It's great when someone finds exactly the right-sized tool for their particular needs. I think a lot of this is due to various synch and online storage now available. After decades of having seriously powerful kit, my most useful machines are currently a very cheap Dell (bought for only 2 reasons: aftermarket internal batteries are available, and it's one of the few fully socketed notebook motherboards) and a few Raspberry Pi's doing various things.

[henry_crun]

Another really nice feature is the touchpad operation. Single finger touch works as normal, but if you use two fingers it will scroll up/down and left/right. Go further left or right and you get onto last or next page.

I started off using a mouse but now I don't bother.

[SCHEDULING]

if you use two fingers

And if you use three fingers, summit else happens (I forgot what.) Nowt so enthusiastic as a new Chromebook owner, is there Mr C ? Count me in.

[mixture]

Another really nice feature is the touchpad operation. Single finger touch works as normal, but if you use two fingers it will scroll up/down and left/right. Go further left or right and you get onto last or next page.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Copied right off Apple's user interface design. :E

[Booglebox]

I prefer my touchpad that does scrolling on the edge. You can also scroll by moving your finger in a circle clockwise / anticlockwise.

[henry_crun]

Hurrah!

Much success with music on my chromebook.

I keep mp3 downloads on an SD card, micro SD in full-size holder, this just plugs in and clicking on tracks plays music.

There is a music player app which will play local music. Bit difficult to get it going but it seems to have picked everything up ok now. Plays ok.

There is an Amazon app that finds and downloads previously purchased music, I was able to download a track I'd lost. It was naked so I had to wrap it up in two levels of folders, disc title and artist, then add to the appropriate music folder. Played ok on chromebook...

...but when added to my Kubik mp3 player it was there, showed as playing, but no sound emerged. Possibly a permissions thing, need to investigate further.

edit

Put the micro SD card directly into the Kubik and the same happens, shows as playing, spectrum looks good, but no sound. Other items downloaded from Amazon via a tablet to Kubik work ok.

edit 2

Copied files back from Kubik onto a new SD card and that nice Alex Welsh version of Davenport Blues played perfectly, so it's not corruption, just a DRM issue.
.

[SCHEDULING]

Mr C, it takes time but there is an app or extension that does everything you want on a Chrome book. If the app doesn't work, stick the app on the SD card and it will open what it finds around it.

Not however MRI results. I brought home the results of a scan this week, packaged on the DVD was a viewing program and the data. Copied to my PC and laptop it works perfectly but not on the Chrome book.

Why did I copy it ? Because once handed over to the doctor I won't see the DVD again - and besides, sliding on-screen through a human body's knee joints is better than a computer game. Oh, just to add, the .jpg sections copy to the Chrome book but not the automated viewing program.

[henry_crun]

In the course of learning to use my chromebook I inadvertently generated a large number of entries in the 'offline' and 'recent' sections of the offline file browser, and I couldn't delete them.

Bit of a nuisance because I like to be in control.

Anyway, the good news is that after reading several forums I found there are ways to delete.

First and foremost, there is a bigger and more powerful version of the file browser online, go into the 'All Apps' area and click on the 'Google Drive' icon. This puts you in better control of what files are where.

Then, to remove files from the 'Recent' list you need to look in:
chrome://drive-internals
Under the heading 'Local Metadata' you click on 'Clear Local Data'.

Hope this helps anyone who is keen on having a clean machine.

PS - A tidy desk is a sign of a sick mind, or so I am told.

[Mark in CA]

Love, love, love my Chromebooks. Currently using an ASUS C720 with 4GB RAM (more RAM on this machine does make a difference). Bought another for the wife and our two older ones are being used by staff in our kindergarten. They just work. Sure, there are lots of things you can't do on a Chromebook, but at this point that's only about 15% of what I have to do, like my bookkeeping and some other tasks that only have Windows apps. Otherwise, unless you're a power user, and even then, it's the best thing out there for most people for most things. Easy to use Drive or Dropbox for moving files between Chromebook and Windows machines. Availability of things like Office Online even gives you those MS apps if you need them. Otherwise, Google equivalents work just fine for most things. Very lightweight, easy to pop into a satchel when traveling, great battery life, etc.

[SCHEDULING]

Mark, could not agree with you more. For 90% of the home/small business applications, the Chromebook is perfect. I also have the Asus 15", it's excellent. (Oops sorry for advertising.)