# Chromebooks - latest news and discussion



## editor (Dec 30, 2013)

Looks like maybe Google got the Chromebook idea right after all, with sales of Chromebooks going through the roof this year.



> Across product segments, Chromebooks accounted for 21 percent of all notebook sales and 8 percent of all computer and tablet sales during the period, up from one tenth of a percent in 2012, says NPD....
> 
> From 0.1% in 2012, Chromebooks took 21% of all notebook sales — 8% of all computer sales — during the period from January to November 2013.









http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...oks-in-commercial-sector-as-ipad-loses-ground


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## editor (Dec 30, 2013)

Looks like the Chromebook sales are still rising, according to Amazon (US) too: 


> Amazon has released its annual round-up of the Christmas shopping period and while as usual it hasn't revealed how many units it has sold, the list makes for interesting reading about people's online shopping habits in 2013.
> 
> Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer occupied first and third spot in the laptop category over the Christmas period with the Windows-powered Asus Transformer Book wedged between the two. This is the second year in a row that Google's Chrome-powered laptops topped the best-selling laptop category, with four Chromebook model in total appearing in the top 10.
> 
> ...


I think I'm going to take another look at these things. This looks a bargain for £229.







> In general, Chrome OS is probably capable of doing _most_ things that_most_ people will want to do _most_ of the time (browsing, email, playing some music, watching videos on a fast connection - including Netflix - or from a USB stick with the common formats). The problem comes when you try to do something that can't be done in the browser or with a web app.
> 
> For instance, Skype (owned by Microsoft, of course) isn't available on Chrome OS. You can do video calling via Google’s own Hangouts messaging and video chat service – just not Skype.
> 
> ...


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## RedDragon (Dec 30, 2013)

Out sells MacBook 5 2 1, well colour me surprised.


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## Kid_Eternity (Dec 30, 2013)

Rising market share in a dying tech sector isn't what I'd call success.


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## elbows (Dec 30, 2013)

Its hardly a dying tech sector since that first article includes tablets, and its far from clear that laptops can be described as dying in the longer-term. Sustained diversity of form-factors and platforms seems more likely to me.

I'm glad the Chromebook has some legs at this point, although in some ways its an indication that hybrid tablet-laptops have been slow to hit the right price-point and actually achieve the 'best of both worlds'.


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## editor (Dec 30, 2013)

elbows said:


> Its hardly a dying tech sector since that first article includes tablets, and its far from clear that laptops can be described as dying in the longer-term. Sustained diversity of form-factors and platforms seems more likely to me.


Indeed. You really would have to be some sort of deluded fanboy of the highest order to describe a massive jump in sales for a new category of 400k units to 1.76 million in 11 months nothing other than a success.


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## Bonfirelight (Dec 30, 2013)

I have never actually seen or heard of anyone having one in the wild..
Looking at that, I also can't believe they are outselling android tablets, given they seem to be so ubiquitous nowadays.


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## elbows (Dec 30, 2013)

Bonfirelight said:


> I have never actually seen or heard of anyone having one in the wild..
> Looking at that, I also can't believe they are outselling android tablets, given they seem to be so ubiquitous nowadays.



The figures in the first article are for the commercial sector, i.e. sales to businesses. With that in mind its not surprising that its done better than android tablets, which haven't taken the business world by storm yet, and where tablets in general have been adopted at a more cautious rate than has been the case for home users. Additionally much of Androids success, especially until relatively recently, has been globally, with the US showing a stronger Apple etc bias, and the figures in the article are just for the US.


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## Bonfirelight (Dec 31, 2013)

elbows said:


> The figures in the first article are for the commercial sector, i.e. sales to businesses. With that in mind its not surprising that its done better than android tablets, which haven't taken the business world by storm yet, and where tablets in general have been adopted at a more cautious rate than has been the case for home users. Additionally much of Androids success, especially until relatively recently, has been globally, with the US showing a stronger Apple etc bias, and the figures in the article are just for the US.



gotcha. 
So the story is really, Chromebooks (and android tablets by the look of their %age increase) have eaten into the US notebook market, taking sales from Microsoft and Apple.

good for them. still never seen anyone with one over here though, in business or otherwise


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## Tankus (Dec 31, 2013)

Surprised how low the android tablets were


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## Bob_the_lost (Dec 31, 2013)

Yeah, I thought that Android would be outselling OSX by now in the tablet market. Apple are, to use a completely inaccurate comparison, an also-ran in the phone market these days but i guess their crumbling market share hasn't spread to tablets as fast.


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## zenie (Dec 31, 2013)

Bonfirelight said:


> gotcha.
> So the story is really, Chromebooks (and android tablets by the look of their %age increase) have eaten into the US notebook market, taking sales from Microsoft and Apple.
> 
> good for them. still never seen anyone with one over here though, in business or otherwise



Quite a few kids have them to do schoolwork on.


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## elbows (Dec 31, 2013)

Bob_the_lost said:


> Yeah, I thought that Android would be outselling OSX by now in the tablet market. Apple are, to use a completely inaccurate comparison, an also-ran in the phone market these days but i guess their crumbling market share hasn't spread to tablets as fast.



It's been a slower decline, and for a long time I had to take the various research reports with a pinch of salt due to not having actual sales figures from all the manufacturers. However in hindsight it does seem most likely that from somewhere around the second half of 2012, Apples share of the total tablet market dipped below 50% and/or was overtaken by Android as a whole. No single competing product got sales that approach iPad levels, nor did a single manufacturer overtake Apple, although Samsung are apparently closest to pulling that off. Apple will probably have a slight bounce-back for the quarter where new iPads came out, but I doubt it will make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things.


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

Bonfirelight said:


> I have never actually seen or heard of anyone having one in the wild..
> Looking at that, I also can't believe they are outselling android tablets, given they seem to be so ubiquitous nowadays.


Funnily enough, a friend of mine in Cardiff was telling me that he was going to buy one for his 14 yr old daughter - said it was perfect for her school needs at a fantastic price.


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

Bonfirelight said:


> gotcha.
> So the story is really, Chromebooks (and android tablets by the look of their %age increase) have eaten into the US notebook market, taking sales from Microsoft and Apple.


It's a bigger deal than you might expect too, because Apple laptops are _everywhere_ in America.


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## free spirit (Dec 31, 2013)

By my reading of that, Google have overtaken Apple in terms of the number of devices sold with their operating systems, between Chrome and Android.


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

Tankus said:


> Surprised how low the android tablets were


Android have been outselling Apple tablets for some time.


> *Android dominates tablet market as the iPad stumbles in Q3*
> It’s not exactly news that Android has taken over the bulk of the smart device market, but in Q3 2013, Android appears to have claimed yet another title from Apple: The most revenue from tablet sales in a quarter. Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty calculated that Android tablets were generating more revenue than iPads based on IDC’s numbers from October, which showed very little year-over-year growth for iPads and a major loss in Apple’s worldwide tablet market share.
> 
> “For the first time, Android devices accounted for a greater share of the market in revenue terms than iOS,” wrote Huberty in a note to her clients. “Android revenue share reached 46.2% in 3Q13, for the first time exceeding iPad share of 45.6%. Android’s unit share grew to 66.7% from 58.5% a year ago, largely driven by Samsung and Lenovo, while iPad share declined to 29.7% from 40.2%.”
> http://bgr.com/2013/11/15/android-tablet-market-share-q3-2013/


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## Tankus (Dec 31, 2013)

Thats what I thought ....so what's with the graph...?


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Dec 31, 2013)

Oh joy: Google dominates yet another aspect of the market. Too bad the old but effective Anti-Combines legislation seems to have lost its bite with the passage of time.


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## ovaltina (Dec 31, 2013)

I got my Samsung in the summer so I could do a writing project in the park while walking the dogs. I wasn't expecting to use it for much except writing but it's so quick compared to my old PC and work Apple Mac, I use it all the time.
I can understand it being good for schools, because there's no software or viruses on it that could go wrong. Less hassle and cost for the school. The same goes for older people. I'm planning to get one for my mum. 
I think Google is the only company that could have made a viable thin client consumer - focused computer like the chromebook. Ms has a lot to lose if it takes market share from Windows & office.


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## newbie (Dec 31, 2013)

I'm astonished that more Windows tablets sold than Apple laptops, which lost 1/3 of their sales over the two periods.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 31, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> Oh joy: Google dominates yet another aspect of the market. Too bad the old but effective Anti-Combines legislation seems to have lost its bite with the passage of time.



Still a long way from dominating laptop sales.


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## peterkro (Dec 31, 2013)

Jesus Christ could we have a fucking rest from OS/tech companies wars it's a fucking new year,how about giving it a miss until 2015?


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

newbie said:


> I'm astonished that more Windows tablets sold than Apple laptops, which lost 1/3 of their sales over the two periods.


The Windows tablets are pretty good products. The new Asus Transformer Book is likely to prove a winner too,


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## newbie (Dec 31, 2013)

no doubt, and this is US corporate rather than UK street, but as yet no-one has even so much as mentioned them to me, and the internet conversation I've seen has been very muted, nor have I noticed anyone using one.  W8, by contrast has been much discussed and much derided, which presumably accounts for the drop in sales of Windows laptops (& desktops), so people picking up a W8 tablet and running with it is, tmm, surprising.


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

newbie said:


> no doubt, and this is US corporate rather than UK street, but as yet no-one has even so much as mentioned them to me, and the internet conversation I've seen has been very muted, nor have I noticed anyone using one.  W8, by contrast has been much discussed and much derided, which presumably accounts for the drop in sales of Windows laptops (& desktops), so people picking up a W8 tablet and running with it is, tmm, surprising.


The biggest selling laptops on Amazon over this year were:

1. Samsung Chromebook
2. ASUS Transformer Book (Windows)
3. Acer Chromebook

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/googles-chromebooks-top-amazon-christmas-best-seller-list-again-1430498


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## fractionMan (Dec 31, 2013)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Rising market share in a dying tech sector isn't what I'd call success.



whatnow?


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

I've just looked at Amazon UK's current list of best selling laptops, and the Samsung Chromebook is #2.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Sellers-Computers-Accessories-Laptops/zgbs/computers/429886031


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## fractionMan (Dec 31, 2013)

My dad's been asking about laptops.  If he were skinter I might point him in this direction.   But for an extra hundred I'd probably point him at the asus transformer windows machine or lenovo from the budget laptop threads.


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## pesh (Dec 31, 2013)

i finally saw a Chromebook in the wild the over day. i used it to order a pizza. it's trackpad infuriated me. this concludes my review of the Chromebook.


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

pesh said:


> i finally saw a Chromebook in the wild the over day. i used it to order a pizza. it's trackpad infuriated me. this concludes my review of the Chromebook.


The earlier ones weren't the greatest, but new ones like the HP Chromebook 11 really are rather remarkable machines for the price. They don't do everything of course, but they're a great way of introducing truly affordable computing in a decently styled package.  








> Which is why the HP Chromebook 11 is such a joy. Because this is a beautiful, well-designed and high-quality little machine. It's made of shiny white plastic (on the outside, matte on the inside) which is almost retro in recalling the early Apple iBooks, but is stronger than it looks thanks to a reinforced magnesium frame. It has a surprisingly excellent screen and a phenomenally good keyboard for the price, which feels as good as you'd hope for from a £1000+ laptop. The trackpad isn't great, but it's usable, and it's fast enough to do virtually everything you'll want to do in Chrome OS. Conveniently it also charges from a standard smartphone USB plug, and not a laptop powerbrick.
> 
> And it costs £230.
> 
> ...


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## pesh (Dec 31, 2013)

i'm pretty sure it was a Chromebook 11. in as far as it was made by HP and seemed to have about an 11" screen.


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## skyscraper101 (Dec 31, 2013)

What was it about the trackpad that you didn't like?


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## pesh (Dec 31, 2013)

the fact it didn't work very well


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## editor (Dec 31, 2013)

pesh said:


> i'm pretty sure it was a Chromebook 11. in as far as it was made by HP and seemed to have about an 11" screen.


That was only released recently. The trackpad is clearly not going to be a thing of wonder at this price, but loads of reviewers and customers seem satisfied enough with the machine at £229. 



> "It's a quarter of the price of even the cheapest 11-inch MacBook Air and it's far more than a quarter as lovely. If Chrome OS could work for you, buy this laptop."
> http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc...-and-netbooks/hp-chromebook-11-1187675/review


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## Bonfirelight (Dec 31, 2013)

editor said:


> It's a bigger deal than you might expect too, because Apple laptops are _everywhere_ in America.


But according to the graph they're not.

Chromebooks seem like a decent budget idea, but I don't expect to see Microsoft lose out in the laptop market anytime soon.


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## rich! (Dec 31, 2013)

I keep thinking about the hires screen Chromebooks, but am curious as to how they compare with a Nexus 7 and a folding Bluetooth keyboard. Anyone done a longterm test?


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## beesonthewhatnow (Dec 31, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> What was it about the trackpad that you didn't like?


The quality of the trackpads on the vast majority of machines out there is dreadful.


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## ChrisFilter (Jan 1, 2014)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Rising market share in a dying tech sector isn't what I'd call success.



Silly Billy. You're a bit 2000 and late on this one.


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## slainte (Jan 1, 2014)

Hmm actually bought a Samsung Series 5 chromebook a while back nice to type on like the macbook pro keyboard ie better than most netbooks IMHO  but handier and less poncy ...for a better phrase whilst out and about. Actually using it(the chromebook) more than I thought. I bought the 3G model so my 7 quid data SIM from Three is useful.Just topup as and when .. I also have a Nexus 7 good for different things. ... Quick Office now with Google cloud suite and also if you signed up on time Open Office are online now like Office 365 so from that side its pretty good for most people knocking out the occasional documents. Hell even lucid chart is great for viewing and tweaking the odd visio document. Hello sign good for me to edit and sign documents whilst on the go...still a bit shit at times to be honest but much much better than many would realise at the same time. 

Google Docs is getting better. Issues don't like not great for trying to pick up streaming from home RAID but generally its much much better than I thought and getting better if you don't need high end stuff or heavy weight packages.  Even with Office 365 you are limited but you have some functionality... and there is always crouton if you need to run skype ..although I don't google hangout is fine actually no frills but up to 9 on a call.. 

Checked this out for a cousin young son ...might be good https://www.google.co.uk/intl/en_uk/chrome/devices/acer-c720-chromebook.html#ac-c720

Had a play on it in a shop feels better than the price and for the reasons above would cover the needs of most  people probably better than a netbook nowadays. But thats a subjective comment. I think its better feel and build quality than the HP actually and it has that SD slot etc. over the HP.

Also there is a version on ebay with touch screen but not liking the price ...
http://hexus.net/tech/news/laptop/62973-acers-new-haswell-powered-touchscreen-chromebook-c720p/

IF you had asked me 6 months ago about a cloud based computer I would have said no but the way its going ...apart from high end stuff it covers most peoples needs and the keyboard is much better than most laptops. If they sat down and were honest with themselves. 
There will always be a need for a second laptop or a laptop for most households covering a bit of surfing writing the odd letter viewing you tube etc.  Posting on forums etc   They don't need quad core or dual core i7 processors etc. NOTE that is for most people not everyone..
But chromebooks will fill the gap of netbook market and if they continue to improve the quality of google docs etc. its a viable option for most more than they think. Often people don't simply use the power of the machines they purchase or simply just surf etc. For that space they are simply brillant. 

Depending on model you can load stuff to a SD card and view movies files etc. and do offline stuff they are nowadays more than "just browser" machines abeit not massively so.
Frankly for high end stuff of course its out and really wish they would fix the ability to locally print from the USB ports a real restriction in my honest view for students surfing the web the odd documents to be edited created its fine and having either 100Gig or more storage for 2 or so years does make it useful and better value ..even if you dont fill it or renew afterwards your storage plan you can continue to have all files and view etc. but not upload past the expiry date so its win win from my own personal view there.


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## editor (Jan 3, 2014)

Acer's new touchscreen Chromebook retails for just £250 and it looks tremendous value to me.






http://www.wirefresh.com/acer-c720p...mebook-with-e300-low-price-full-specs-listed/


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## editor (Jan 3, 2014)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> The quality of the trackpads on the vast majority of machines out there is dreadful.


A cheapo mouse soon fixes that if you find it a big problem. And then of course, there's the handy touchscreen option on some of the models.  Sorted!


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## beesonthewhatnow (Jan 3, 2014)

Having to use a mouse somewhat negates the portable/chuck it in a bag when you're out and about aspect though.

And having used a couple of touchscreen windows machines at work now I'm still not sold on them. A good quality multitouch pad is still the best option IMHO, but it seems that building one down to a budget price is either still not possible or manufactures are just holding them for their top spec machines as part of their sales strategy.


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## editor (Jan 3, 2014)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> And having used a couple of touchscreen windows machines at work now I'm still not sold on them.


Yes, I think everyone who reads the tech forums must know that by now!

As for me, I NEVER use the touchpad on my Asus Transformer, although it's apparently not a bad one. The touchscreen and keyboard combo is just fine for me, just like it probably will be for many users of this Chromebook.

It's really not such a dealbusting thing for many users at this level.


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## slainte (Jan 4, 2014)

Hmm the above a slightly different model  this is the one for the UK 

http://www.wirefresh.com/acer-annou...intel-haswell-cpu-and-8-5-hours-battery-life/ Not available yet I think ..could be wrong though.
..slightly different form factor and better battery life. Over Christmas had a play with the non touch screen thinking of cheap laptop present for a cousin to do basic docs on etc. bit of storage for them etc. considering he has an Android phone and uses google products docs etc. a  lot... This laptop the Acer  I think is better than the ARM processors to be honest
 I have a macbook pro and the typing quality and feel is pretty similar ..yes really and even my samsung series 5 550 with 3G sim slot over basic wifi is great screen good viewing angle and non gloss.. I let the kids watch the occasional movie on it pleasant to look at. etc. in short build quality of these chromebook laptops is much better and the feel of the Acer is the feel of a much better laptop i think from messing about with it.
Even if you dont like chromebook you can put on ubuntu linux , there is a version specific for it or run as a parallel thread via crouton so you get a good  laptop abeit running linux if you want for a great price.
 much much better than any netbook I unfortunately did purchase one a while back a meenee running ubuntu for linux related tasks but the keyboard was so crap it was is beyond description essentially you couldn't type on it with any speed bit of a restriction for a LINUX laptop I think .
Chromebooks for most is not as restrictive for people as they think ..yes you still need a main machine etc. however I havent personally put crouton or kbuntu on it but if I did I think I could then use it fully..
I would rather spend the money these days if I needed to spend a lot on a really really expensive laptop like the Acer S7 if you just want windows or said macbook pro but lower than these levels being realistic get a workstation type thing for other stuff if the budget isn't there and get a chromebook.
Unless you really must have the shiny aluminium macbook air most of the build quality of windows 8 laptop around 200 to 600 quid are normally pretty crap or simply shit  battery life.
They are not just  these days " laptops running a chrome browser only innit " I would stand by the fact my own chromebook build quality and battery life is better than most low end to mid range laptops


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## editor (Jan 4, 2014)

Had a good go on a couple today and have to say I was pretty damn impressed. Super fast, easy to use and  there seemed to be a good range of apps. There was an Acer for £199 that seemed a real bargain. 

Chromebooks would never replace a laptop for heavier tasks of course, but I imagine it's going to just fine for the needs of the vast majority of users, and the fact that there's never any need to faff about with OS upgrades makes it all the more appealing to non techie types.


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## slainte (Jan 4, 2014)

More nice models including multi-colour variations here...for £249 

http://www.wirefresh.com/the-chrome...nce-new-intel-powered-machines-and-chromebox/


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 4, 2014)

I'm sure they're fine machines for so people, but the OS upgrades is a bit of a red herring, windows does a fair job of it doing it the background.


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## slainte (Jan 4, 2014)

Well correct but most people only would use a "laptop" for surfing , browsing the web and writing the odd letter  or doc etc.  Now personally Im loosing the will to live with constant fringing changes to the Office suite with each and every update ....just take basic word...they have moved the icons symbols macros around behind this now that etc. that when I move from a version I have to budget time to finding when they moved shit about ...personally I stick to Office 2010 now full stop I don't want another skin messing about for features etc. and I deliberately held back for getting Visio 2010 as it was shit they removed options of transparency for objects but had to assign to a layer then make that transparent etc. etc. 
However they re-instated features for visio 2013 so i now run that and before anywhere which gave or insisted on providing a laptop I stated Visio 2007 or now 2013 NOT 2010.

Point of this ..Microsoft keep moving features of their core suite about so much for every version that its becoming counter productive for those whom want  consistency and more features but not messing with layout.
So google docs word equivalent they are adding features but not pricking about with the layout as much as Office.
Hence there really is a lot of companies taking up Google Docs for business as a real option they (companies ) are sick of install requirements for Office suite moving about shit for no reason and are being forced to add Hard disks or more RAM for essentially the same thing.
To the extent that Office has created Office 365 ..to respond to this trend.
So you know if you really don't need to embed other documents into documents making extensive hyper links within documents ...why do you need to buy a whole windows OS and have so much disk space etc. to write a basic fringing document.

To clarify I have the chromebook for most of basic stuff browsing surfing viewing you tube etc. I do use Google docs for knocking up a letter not really required for anything professional
For more highend stuff I have the macbook pro (not the retina )with bootcamp on the bootcamp I have now windows 8.1 and I use the OSX for other things
That is stuffed with  3rd Party RAM 16 Gig in fact a quad core i7 and now upgraded the drive to a solid state SSD 1 Tb split 60/40 for OSX and windows...to answer I have to run high end mathematical intensive programs hence the spec.
I also have bought a workstation G5 with two Intel Xeon quad cores each for VMware stuff and other high end shit..

*My point...if i didn't need high end stuff and esoteric features of Office as part of work. The chromebook would be fine and its fine for most of people but are tricked into believing that they need  8 or 16 Gig of RAM 1TB of hard disk and I5 or i7 processor just to surf the web or write the odd letter.
So they cut corners buy  a crappy laptop with crappy  keyboard or 1.5 hour (when running a few programs whilst on wifi)  but states " up to 5 hours battery " laptop machine when they could have spent the money on say a cloud print printer and chromebook pocketed money and have a better build and feel of machine.*


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## slainte (Jan 4, 2014)

The above statement is not an attack on anyone but do consider the point for MOST and or for 80 percent of tasks people would be fine with a chromebook. 
And for anyone whom works in IT in some field like I do..chromebooks are a god send for those relatives whom are as technical as a teapot..just tell them to get this printer and a chromebook ..no more calls to fix or assist with issues..worth it in my book.
Also for a second machine I would tell anyone to try it the feel of them etc. is worth it as stated the quality is generally much better than expected. Im posting from my chromebook right now actually and about the house I use it for 90 percent of laptop browsing surfing etc. tasks.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 4, 2014)

All fair points but I suspect most home users don't change versions of office that much either. 

I actually tend to agree by way about office changes btw. I dont use a computer that much at work, so can't be arsed working stuff out again and remembering when I do.


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## free spirit (Jan 4, 2014)

can 3rd party software be run on chromebooks, or are they literally just for cloud computing?

We use docs for most of our work, but need to use some specialist software as well that's not too powerful, but just don't know if it'd be compatible.


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## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

free spirit said:


> can 3rd party software be run on chromebooks, or are they literally just for cloud computing?
> 
> We use docs for most of our work, but need to use some specialist software as well that's not too powerful, but just don't know if it'd be compatible.


It's not for users of specialist software. It's a fast, secure and remarkably affordable alternative that will do just about everything that the vast majority of users need a laptop for, but it's not a replacement for power users, or people needing to run specific, bespoke software.


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## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> I'm sure they're fine machines for so people, but the OS upgrades is a bit of a red herring, windows does a fair job of it doing it the background.


Except that windows inevitably gets slower as the hard drive fills up with cack.


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## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

Sure looks like Microsoft are being a bit spooked by the rise of Chromebooks as this daft video shows:


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## slainte (Jan 5, 2014)

Yes nice video except total bollox in terms of what they are offering for instance of course google docs can work offline and then sync when online. There is gmail offline as well so that covers email. Right onto photos now google + photo is available for all chromebooks not just the pixel and its really good. then there is wevideo editor and maker offline and online app just updated out and its actually a really good video editor and compositor tool ...plenty of games even the old classic angry birds etc. ..so said video is actually in terms of argument ..bollox frankly.


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## slainte (Jan 5, 2014)

Further to that I use hello sign a lot for documents upload a doc any format to scan its matches the font type and ink saturation and then you can click and type edit later paste in a signature etc. and then email get an email when its read and of course the email return great for contracts or contractors on the go.
For personal  use ie one person signing and then getting back its free... I like that personally there are more commercial packages which I have used but this is actually better
Then there is hello fax...excellent but a subscription past the first 50 pages however and genuinely there are some good apps there in the chrome store along with the crud but the offline being useless thing not anymore and if you get a chromebook with an SD slot you can import export stuff and via the USB can add USB keys and drives so actually the above video is frankly so old in terms of chromebooks now its fucking sad beyond belief.
If they were so shit why do they sell so much and why has microsoft changed their suite to be principally a cloud solution  aka Office 365 in the cloud...which ironically you can access most features again from a chromebook ..)


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## strung out (Jan 5, 2014)

I'm recommending my dad gets a chromebook later this month as his windows machine continues to get slower and slower and slower.

He tells me he really does only want it for internet and the odd bit of document editing, so I'm hoping he won't get thrown completely when it doesn't do something he thought it would.


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## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

I'd imagine Chromebooks are just about the only mainstream machines you can buy that actually get _faster_ with age!


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## slainte (Jan 5, 2014)

Strung out ..good idea but also ensure he does get a google cloud print ready printer or if you have another machine readily available set that up for be the cloud ready printer. Thats not a daunting or an issue as it sounds. 
Try to get an SD slot one and they all have USB its really great actually occasionally I get some weird kind of codec video or document format pop it in the slot and the chrome OS just reads it EACH AND EVERY TIME I geniunely have had to spend some times getting codecs either for OSX or Windows 7 and Windows 8 ..but the chrome OS to its credit just opens it reads it etc.
Remember you will also get 100G of cloud storage which can be used for loads of other things too. IF he saves in google doc format its takes up NO SPACE neither does PHOTOS ..when he wants to send to someone else send as either the google doc or download save a docx format or xlsx (depending on what you want Word or excel for example ) and send it will open with formating etc. reliably in ANY VERSION of word ...that alone saves me personally so much crap 
ie  (I cant open this its in a later version of word I only have Office 2007 or whatever ) its a none issue from and with google docs..and ...its free 
When you look at the laptop the build quality and the storage for TWO YEARS its well cheap and it brings down price if you view it as a package


----------



## strung out (Jan 5, 2014)

Good advice, thanks!

He's 74 so I want to get him something that needs minimal maintenance and a chromebook sounds perfect.


----------



## free spirit (Jan 5, 2014)

editor said:


> It's not for users of specialist software. It's a fast, secure and remarkably affordable alternative that will do just about everything that the vast majority of users need a laptop for, but it's not a replacement for power users, or people needing to run specific, bespoke software.


which is a shame, as we do use google docs for most of what we do.


----------



## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

free spirit said:


> which is a shame, as we do use google docs for most of what we do.


I don't get what you mean. Chromebooks run Google Docs.


----------



## free spirit (Jan 5, 2014)

editor said:


> I don't get what you mean. Chromebooks run Google Docs.


yes, but apparently not the other programmes we'd want to occasionally use, therefore I can't buy a chromebook. I think.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jan 5, 2014)

editor said:


> I'd imagine Chromebooks are just about the only mainstream machines you can buy that actually get _faster_ with age!


My Macbook Air is noticeably quicker since Mavericks came out  





*runs*


----------



## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> My Macbook Air is noticeably quicker since Mavericks came out


Do you ever worry that you're turned into, well, you know, one of those really boring Mac people?

PS and PS.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jan 5, 2014)

Two smilies and an action in stars and you still bloody bite


----------



## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Two smilies and an action in stars and you still bloody bite


Don't think I'm fooled by the smilies. You'll be high fiving staff soon.


----------



## TheHoodedClaw (Jan 5, 2014)

strung out said:


> I'm recommending my dad gets a chromebook later this month as his windows machine continues to get slower and slower and slower.
> 
> He tells me he really does only want it for internet and the odd bit of document editing, so I'm hoping he won't get thrown completely when it doesn't do something he thought it would.



I wish my dad had mentioned he was getting a new laptop before he bought his. He spunked the best part of a grand on a Sony Vaio (with Win 8), when a chromebook would have been perfect for his needs. Oh well.


----------



## editor (Jan 5, 2014)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> I wish my dad had mentioned he was getting a new laptop before he bought his. He spunked the best part of a grand on a Sony Vaio (with Win 8), when a chromebook would have been perfect for his needs. Oh well.


I think the touchscreen Acer machine that's just been released is going to be a great buy for a lot of people - particularly folks who have trouble with trackpads and mice.

I haven't tried one yet, but the earlier £199 Acer Aspire C720 Chromebook gets a good review here:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/laptops/386023/acer-aspire-c720-chromebook


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 6, 2014)

free spirit said:


> can 3rd party software be run on chromebooks, or are they literally just for cloud computing?
> 
> We use docs for most of our work, but need to use some specialist software as well that's not too powerful, but just don't know if it'd be compatible.



Nope they're beaten in this area by the weakest tablet. Pointless machines in a dying sector...


----------



## editor (Jan 6, 2014)

So are MacBooks even more useless then?


----------



## stuff_it (Jan 6, 2014)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Rising market share in a dying tech sector isn't what I'd call success.


How is it dying? Even I have more working computers than ever.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 6, 2014)

I think we're a long way of the death of the keyboard!


----------



## slainte (Jan 6, 2014)

Sorry don't understand the question above I think there are plenty of people whom can type and require a decent keyboard for many functions. If you are referring to the majority of users needing to have a laptop with lots of RAM and harddisk space just to install an OS and run a word processing package then yes actually I think you are correct hence actually a chromebook will fit those users better.
If you require high end processing and packages mathematically intensive then you require a laptop with serious monetary value or a workstation simple really.
So regarding tablets great for being out and about but sometimes you need a laptop application over what a tablet does. Tablets are different in that sense they offer different benefits


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 6, 2014)

Indeed. Machines with a keyboard as well as a screen, no matter what OS they run will be here for a long time yet. Most people I know with a tablet still have another computer, even if the tablet gets more use.


----------



## editor (Jan 6, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> Indeed. Machines with a keyboard as well as a screen, no matter what OS they run will be here for a long time yet. Most people I know with a tablet still have another computer, even if the tablet gets more use.


If you need to do any amount of typing, using a tablet is a fucking pain in the arse unless you bolt on a third-party keyboard, so a Chromebook represents a far wiser choice than some wobbly tablet add-on.


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

Desktop  LG Chromebase Desktop has been announced. Just about perfect for web cafes, I would have thought.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 9, 2014)

I'm sure it would be very easy to maintain. I'm very impressed with the what can be delivered when you strip away the bloat and deliver a decent experience at a low price, but am I alone though in worrying about having a machine that is so reliant on the "cloud"


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> I'm sure it would, very easy to maintain. I'm very impressed with the what can be delivered when strip away and bloat and deliver a decent experience at a low price, but am I alone though in worrying about having machine that is so reliant on the "cloud"


I used to think that but my laptop is pretty much useless without a web connection for the things I use it for these days.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 9, 2014)

Call me a horder, but I like having everything local. The net is fantastic as a form of backup and a way of accessing your data wherever you are, but the idea of surrendering complete control makes me deeply uncomfortable.


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> Call me a horder, but I like having everything local. The net is fantastic as a form of backup and a way of accessing your data wherever you are, but the idea of surrendering complete control makes me deeply uncomfortable.


You can store a lot of stuff locally so it's not useless without a web connection, and you can of course plug in an external drive to back up everything.


----------



## souljacker (Jan 9, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> Call me a horder, but I like having everything local. The net is fantastic as a form of backup and a way of accessing your data wherever you are, but the idea of surrendering complete control makes me deeply uncomfortable.



NAS drive for all that, with your music automagically synced to Google Play Music therefore available wherever you go.


----------



## c01642 (Jan 9, 2014)

Looks like there's been a lot of misreporting on the actual figures and they do not include all sales including consumer sales.

"There has been a ton of misreporting as many lazy reporters and bloggers have characterized this as all sales, which it wasn't, or even consumer sales, which it most assuredly was not," said Stephen Baker of the NPD Group, in an email reply to questions. "It has been very personally distressing to me that so many reporters/bloggers refuse to read, or don't know what commercial channels mean."

http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=3CF25874-B69F-E19B-024BC4137078E1F0


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

c01642 said:


> Looks like there's been a lot of misreporting on the actual figures and they do not include all sales including consumer sales.
> 
> "There has been a ton of misreporting as many lazy reporters and bloggers have characterized this as all sales, which it wasn't, or even consumer sales, which it most assuredly was not," said Stephen Baker of the NPD Group, in an email reply to questions. "It has been very personally distressing to me that so many reporters/bloggers refuse to read, or don't know what commercial channels mean."
> 
> http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=3CF25874-B69F-E19B-024BC4137078E1F0


He might have been able to save all that distress if NPD had taken the trouble to add a one line explanation of what they meant by 'commercial channels'.


----------



## elbows (Jan 9, 2014)

editor said:


> He might have been able to save all that distress if NPD had taken the trouble to add a one line explanation of what they meant by 'commercial channels'.



A read of their press release suggests that really shouldn't have been necessary. If the term commercial channel is too hard for people to understand, there are several references to business in the full press release.

https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/...13-with-double-digit-growth-according-to-npd/

For example:



> “New products like Chromebooks, and reimagined items like Windows tablets, are now supplementing the revitalization that iPads started in personal computing devices. It is no accident that we are seeing the fruits of this change in the commercial markets as business and institutional buyers exploit the flexibility inherent in the new range of choices now open to them.”


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

elbows said:


> For example:


How does that make it particularly clear? Using phrases like "personal computing devices" suggests that it's for consumers, not corporations.


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

Toshiba have just announced a 13in Chromebook with a super cheap cheap price tag of $279/£170:






Read more: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/laptop/3496063/toshiba-chromebook-hands-on-review/


----------



## purenarcotic (Jan 9, 2014)

I admit I don't know a lot about cloud computing, but from what I've read it seems you have to pay a subscription to it all.  Why would I do that when I can use the existing hard drive on the laptop or an external HD.  I get the whole being able to access from anywhere, but it all seems very expensive.  Unless I've got it all wrong, which is very probable.


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

purenarcotic said:


> I admit I don't know a lot about cloud computing, but from what I've read it seems you have to pay a subscription to it all.


You don't pay a subscription at all unless you're using bazillions of hard drive space (massively unlikely for this kind of machine/usage).


----------



## elbows (Jan 9, 2014)

editor said:


> How does that make it particularly clear? Using phrases like "personal computing devices" suggests that it's for consumers, not corporations.



What do you think PC stands for?


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2014)

elbows said:


> What do you think PC stands for?


Plaid Cymru.


----------



## newbie (Jan 10, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> I'm sure it would be very easy to maintain. I'm very impressed with the what can be delivered when you strip away the bloat and deliver a decent experience at a low price, but am I alone though in worrying about having a machine that is so reliant on the "cloud"


reliance on (ie trust in) corporations.  Leaving aside issues of privacy, copyright, ownership and control of information and metadata, and how that is monetised, there's still the fundamental consideration of what happens when they go bust, get taken over or simply decide to withdraw or reorientate their offering. You're at their mercy, which seems a very odd arrangement to enter into voluntarily.


----------



## editor (Jan 10, 2014)

newbie said:


> reliance on (ie trust in) corporations.  Leaving aside issues of privacy, copyright, ownership and control of information and metadata, and how that is monetised, there's still the fundamental consideration of what happens when they go bust, get taken over or simply decide to withdraw or reorientate their offering. You're at their mercy, which seems a very odd arrangement to enter into voluntarily.


Pretty sure Google won't be going bust any time soon,  and what are these issues of privacy, copyright, and  ownership when it comes to personal, private material stored in the cloud?


----------



## sim667 (Jan 10, 2014)

> *outsell MacBooks five to one*



I bet a chromebook only lasts a year or two until its so slow its unusable.

*runs before the bunfight starts.


----------



## RedDragon (Jan 10, 2014)

sim667 said:


> I bet a chromebook only lasts a year or two until its so slow its unusable.


As a MBP man I thought the OP was a bit like comparing apples to oranges. HOWEVER, I'd be dead keen to know how these chrome-books stand the test of time, if they continue offer sustainable/reliable net access at an affordable cost then good on them.


----------



## editor (Jan 10, 2014)

sim667 said:


> I bet a chromebook only lasts a year or two until its so slow its unusable.
> 
> *runs before the bunfight starts.


It looks like you're singularly failing to understand how Chromebooks work. They don't slow down over time. That's the whole concept.


----------



## slainte (Jan 10, 2014)

Well as a MBP man and a man with a dual socket Quad Core Xeon machine for Vmware etc. The chromebook does all the "ordinary person" stuff pretty much for me. Leaving aside the pixel of course the requirement for most people for MBP or i5 8 Gig of RAM with metro interface and windows 8.1 with a requirement for 30 or so Gig 'Just to run a word processor document or spreadsheet and browse the web" just isn't there ...its spending too much money on what is not needed. Save your money get a cloud aware printer and even a home NAS with twonky or whatever and stream to it. 
As for no storage well you do have storage typically 100Gig of it on the cloud for 2 years free and if you buy the SD slot card you can download at any time to the onboard SSD drive and save off..
What is the storage issue exactly.


----------



## sim667 (Jan 10, 2014)

editor said:


> It looks like you're singularly failing to understand how Chromebooks work. They don't slow down over time. That's the whole concept.


I was taking the mick


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 10, 2014)

After 20 years of PCs being common place, is slowdown because your daft enough to click yes on everything that wants to install itself still happening much to anyone but the old or mentally feeble stupid?


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 10, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> After 20 years of PCs being common place, is slowdown because your daft enough to click yes on everything that wants to install itself still happening much to anyone but the old or mentally feeble?



Nope.


----------



## elbows (Jan 10, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> After 20 years of PCs being common place, is slowdown because your daft enough to click yes on everything that wants to install itself still happening much to anyone but the old or mentally feeble?



I've seen no change in the rather high number of requests I get to remove malware etc from peoples PCS. Any increase in knowledge about this stuff has been offset by the amount of surfing people do, the amount of dodgy emails they receive, the frequent desire to get free stuff, etc. The offensive term 'mentally feeble' tells us nothing about the disgraceful failure of many antivirus apps to actually protect against the sort of malware people end up getting on their machines.

Nor do these issues tell the whole story. A story of people buying computers that come with a lot of crap pre-installed, or buying peripherals or apps that installs a load of shit that runs on startup.

I see less random registry corruption & boot problems than I used to, but I still see windows pcs going wrong through no fault of the end-user, e.g. problems with windows bloody update.

Windows PCs have also done very well at persistently keeping the right balance of hardware power & software needs just beyond the price-point that many people want to go for when buying a laptop.

Many casual users, who I expect you are putting into the disgusting 'mentally feeble' category are starting to go for non-windows alternatives. They may still make the mistake of the false economy of spending a bit less than they really should on a tablet or whatever, but the greater diversity of non-windows machines of all sorts is gradually helping the situation. And very much pointing the finger of blame where it belongs - windows, its quirks, and the dishonest, messy and baffling stuff that has grown around that platform. To write off all these phenomenon as simply being down to unacceptable ignorance on the part of users is not on, its not their fault they've been sold stuff that is often not really fit for purpose.


----------



## xenon (Jan 10, 2014)

Windows is a lot better at not bloating over time. At least IME, using Windows Seven. I don't particularly like the concept of having the majority of my personal data stored in a corporate cloud. I suppose you could encrypt it with GPG, ignoring any potential backdoors. But I'd still not be that comfortable with it. 

Aside that, I quite like the sound of the chromebooks. Reasonbly priced, decent keyboard, battery life, light an dportable. Certainly a market for that sort of thing.


----------



## slainte (Jan 11, 2014)

Absolutely excellent statement above especially the last line regarding the chromebook most people through don't have anything to hide so the odd letter of shopping etc. is fine on the cloud.
Note though anything sensitive you can just save to the local SD or save off to an SD card.


----------



## editor (Jan 11, 2014)

Good piece here about a journalist trying to use a low powered Chromebook for a fairly demanding assignment:


> All of these complaints aside, I was able to cover the majority of CES with the Chromebook 11. I had one full cheat day on Monday, because I need Windows or OS X to run our image uploading tools for liveblogs and I didn't want to carry two laptops around all day.
> 
> Even the biggest sticking point—importing and manipulating images—could have been circumvented in part with a card reader dongle (or better yet, a Haswell Chromebook with an SD card slot integrated).
> 
> ...


----------



## mod (Jan 11, 2014)

Doesn't Adriod still support flash?

Meaning there 'is' life in the old dog 'flash' after all?


----------



## Lazy Llama (Jan 11, 2014)

Have Google said what the support life of any of these devices is?

It shouldn't be difficult to support them for a very long time as long as they restrict what manufacturers can put in them, given that it's just Linux underneath.

I did look round but can't find anything from Google giving support lifetimes. Given Google's propensity for closing things down (Wave, Reader, Knol, Buzz, Health, Talk, iGoogle, Notebook, Answers etc) that might worry some people, particularly those responsible for supporting devices for business, but those were all services rather than end-user software.

Given the price of a Chromebook, if they do what you need they're a bargain.

In 5 years, when we're all on 100Mbps 5G networks and everything is presented as HTML5 augmented reality, the older machines with ARM CPUs will probably struggle, but for the price you'll be able to throw it away and buy a new faster one.

I played with Chromium OS on a Dell netbook but as of April 2013 it was barely functional and the Dell-sourced image was very poor. No updates available for it either.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jan 11, 2014)

If these genuinely don't slow down over time, what is the main difference between these systems and Android based phones which definitely do slow down over time?


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 11, 2014)

Lazy Llama said:


> Have Google said what the support life of any of these devices is?
> 
> It shouldn't be difficult to support them for a very long time as long as they restrict what manufacturers can put in them, given that's it's just Linux underneath.
> 
> ...



That's more than a small risk, Google are sadly dumping product lines without a second thought these days. 

I had a good play with the Pixel and if all I did was use Google products it might be worth it...


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 11, 2014)

mod said:


> Doesn't Adriod still support flash?
> 
> Meaning there 'is' life in the old dog 'flash' after all?



Google dumped it from their own products the Nexus 7 I believe...horrible tech, buggy as shot and kills battery.


----------



## editor (Jan 12, 2014)

Kid_Eternity said:


> That's more than a small risk, Google are sadly dumping product lines without a second thought these days.


Care to list all the major ones they've supposedly "dumped without a second thought " in the last six months?


----------



## mod (Jan 12, 2014)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Google dumped it from their own products the Nexus 7 I believe...horrible tech, buggy as shot and kills battery.



Maybe but flash (or rather actionscript) is incredibly powerful and can achieved amazing things. Anything I've seen created with html5, css3, JavaScript feels very inferior to date but I suspect Adobe Edge Animate will change this within a couple of years.


----------



## Lazy Llama (Jan 12, 2014)

Google Reader, GUI Builder, Google Building Maker, Google Checkout and iGoogle have all closed or had their closure announced since 1st June 2013.

I only ever used 3 out of those 5.


----------



## slainte (Jan 12, 2014)

Hmm if I got a Pixel not being afraid of Linux I would put in developer mode and install Crouton or if you like you can install Ubuntu there is a version especially for chromebooks as well crubuntu its called or an install of standard Ubuntu.
if you really need skype etc. this path can do it for you.
Advantage with Crouton as I see it is that its run as a seperate thread rather than an OS alongside your chrome OS rather than dual boot you are running Chrome OS and crouton as a thread.
http://lifehacker.com/how-to-install-linux-on-a-chromebook-and-unlock-its-ful-509039343
http://www.howtogeek.com/162120/how-to-install-ubuntu-linux-on-your-chromebook-with-crouton/

There are articles out there that you don't have to have Xfce desktop but the other desktops of Ubuntu..anyway the build quality of the laptops is good period and I have been playing around with other laptops based around windows 8 with flimsy keyboard or glossy OTT screen etc.
seriously unless youre spending around the 800 to 1K mark the keyboard quality and build quality is not there at the moment for windows 8 machines.
Generally they feel flimsy terrible keyboard feedback etc.

Also back to crouton the issue of security can be overcome by encrypting the installation and the option of alternative desktop is thus

http://www.webupd8.org/2013/12/install-ubuntu-on-your-chromebook-using.html

Personally and obviously commercially there must be something to the chromebook thing considering that more and more manfacturers are making chromebooks they are selling and even microsoft has made adverts which are essentially anti chromebook advertising. IF they are that shit why are they selling. In short its the experience.

Have a play with one its hard to give the experience element in a thread but the newer models have good displays and keyboards over Netbooks and the whole I need an OS thing if you are a bit of a tinkerer of tech is achievable with an Ubuntu or crouton install. If you are not a techy a cloud print printer and google docs will cover your needs in most cases or for a lot of the population all their needs.

On the google side more and more companies are also using google docs for business so the packages are getting better. Surprised by that myself but there is a growing amount. I find it a bit of a kick in the teeth that for full features of Office 365 Microsoft insist on an install of Windows OS to fully access the features in their flagship product but google docs gives you all from the start. Yes fancy hyperlinks etc. is not developed there in google docs but give it time its getting better and better not more and more bloated or playing with features removing then re-installing etc. etc. on next release.
Regarding google docs for business. Its simple but functional
http://www.google.co.uk/intx/en/enterprise/apps/business/products.html?utm_campaign=emea-smb-apps-bkws-gb&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=+google +docs +for +business#drive


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 12, 2014)

Lazy Llama said:


> Google Reader, GUI Builder, Google Building Maker, Google Checkout and iGoogle have all closed or had their closure announced since 1st June 2013.
> 
> I only ever used 3 out of those 5.



Lol I like the way the resident fandroid avoids the point by demanding we only look at the last six months! Nice bit of framing.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 12, 2014)

The point is each year they dump products that aren't their main profitable business. Each year they force Google + further down your through and integrate their few remaining product lines in a way that no one asked for. None of this is the action of a company you can trust your business with...


----------



## slainte (Jan 12, 2014)

Sorry and you can totally trust your business with an investment in Microsoft which had anti competitive features like breaking and destroying Netscape Navigator back in the day. Plundering and purchasing other companies technologies such as Amiga for then their graphics. etc. Not breaking off their own browser from the OS being in breach of court orders and continuing to do so for years...Just google this if you want..

Even Apple forcing people not being able to upgrade say their white imac laptops to either lion or mountain lion even though the hardware was fine to run it ..not sure on the status of Mavericks and charging via the model of itunes match...eh sorry get serious.
Even with Mavericks it tried to break 3rd Party harddisks requiring major work-arounds to get them to boot afterwards or breaking bootcamp partitions...by removing the rescue disk ..had the same issue but had to hack the EFI and bootloader with more 3rd party apps to get to install onto my 3rd Party harddisk ....
Apple issues forcing people to upgrade well within a tech cycle. Just look at the original iphone 5 not even a year old and it was removed from circulation...sorry not even A YEAR....
What about the ipad 3 then ipad 4 etc. etc.

Sorry what is your point when stacked up against the others out there...


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 12, 2014)

And another one bites the dust...Google announce Schemer is kaput on Feb 7. Yep this is deffo a company that has your long term business interests as part of its profit seeking strategy!


----------



## slainte (Jan 12, 2014)

And microsoft or Apple have your long term business interests at heart. Do you really think any company thinks about "your interests" other than shifting stuff for a price to you. No offence meant


----------



## RedDragon (Jan 12, 2014)

Don't be evil™


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 12, 2014)

RedDragon said:


> Don't be evil™



Hehe yeah at least other profit seeking corporations weren't stupid enough to bullshit everyone with that one!


----------



## editor (Jan 13, 2014)

Got to love people complaining that they can't get to use free products forever and ever with unlimited updates, and complaining that minor, unimportant free apps haven't been made available for eternity. LOL.

If anyone is that bothered, they should just try paying for important apps/service (not that paying for it will guarantee that it will remain alive forever either).


----------



## free spirit (Jan 13, 2014)

editor said:


> Got to love people complaining that they can't get to use free products forever and ever with unlimited updates, and complaining that minor, unimportant free apps haven't been made available for eternity. LOL.
> 
> If anyone is that bothered, they should just try paying for important apps/service (not that paying for it will guarantee that it will remain alive forever either).


hmm, and there was me thinking that google was using all these free cloud based products to help them convince us to switch to chromebooks.

or to hook us in to them, then force more and more of us to start paying for them once we're hooked.


----------



## editor (Jan 13, 2014)

free spirit said:


> hmm, and there was me thinking that google was using all these free cloud based products to help them convince us to switch to chromebooks.
> 
> or to hook us in to them, then force more and more of us to start paying for them once we're hooked.


Do you even know what Schemer was? It was a tiny, ultra minor throwaway Android app.

And what essential Google services are you being asked to pay for?


----------



## revol68 (Jan 13, 2014)

Picked out a Acer c720 for my dad to replace his old Toshiba that had started overheating if you played any video.
Does absolutely everything my dad needs it for, browsing, bit of word processing, watching films.

Got a torrent client for it, pretty basic but does the job and only a matter of time before there are more options there.
It doesn't support AC3 audio though, which is a pain in the hole but again not something that will bother my da much.

9 hrs battery life, great display and ultra portable for 199, add to that it boots up in seconds and runs very cool and I think it's the perfect solution for the majority of laptop users.


----------



## free spirit (Jan 13, 2014)

editor said:


> Do you even know what Schemer was? It was a tiny, ultra minor throwaway Android app.
> 
> And what essential Google services are you being asked to pay for?


google docs, they want hundreds / thousands from business users, so offer it free to start with, then once you're up and running and hooked into it they want to squeeze money out of you

same with sketchup, although they flogged that last year for some reason.

No idea what schemer was, but know what most of these were - Igoogle, Reader and checkout in particular were at one point pretty high profile google products, so it is a valid concern.


Lazy Llama said:


> Google Reader, GUI Builder, Google Building Maker, Google Checkout and iGoogle have all closed or had their closure announced since 1st June 2013.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 13, 2014)

free spirit said:


> google docs, they want hundreds / thousands from business users, so offer it free to start with, then once you're up and running and hooked into it they want to squeeze money out of you
> 
> same with sketchup, although they flogged that last year for some reason.
> 
> No idea what schemer was, but know what most of these were - Igoogle, Reader and checkout in particular were at one point pretty high profile google products, so it is a valid concern.



It's a real concern. We did an IT review last year and when Google came up basically everyone we spoke to said don't risk you're business with it, it's fine for limited things but not a replacement for anything.


----------



## editor (Jan 13, 2014)

free spirit said:


> google docs, they want hundreds / thousands from business users, so offer it free to start with, then once you're up and running and hooked into it they want to squeeze money out of you


I've never paid for Google Docs and see no situation where any home user (or even a small business) would be expected to pay either. However, any large enterprise expecting high end productivity features for its workforce can hardly complain that such features come at a price.

The only expired feature from Google that pissed me off was the closure of Google Reader, but there's been no shortage of replacement apps so it's hardly a major blow.

Sketchup can still be downloaded for free, btw.


----------



## mwgdrwg (Jan 13, 2014)

RedDragon said:


> Don't be evil, _or our military robots will get you_™


----------



## pesh (Jan 13, 2014)

editor said:


> I've never paid for Google Docs and see no situation where any home user (or even a small business) would be expected to pay either. However, any large enterprise expecting high end productivity features for its workforce can hardly complain that such features come at a price.



but isn't this whole thread about the sales figures of Chromebooks to business and education users? i.e. everyone but home users?


----------



## editor (Jan 13, 2014)

pesh said:


> but isn't this whole thread about the sales figures of Chromebooks to business and education users? i.e. everyone but home users?


As far as I can see we're talking about Chromebooks in general, for home, business and education users. And not all businesses need Google's commercial services either.


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## souljacker (Jan 13, 2014)

Kid_Eternity said:


> It's a real concern. We did an IT review last year and when Google came up basically everyone we spoke to said don't risk you're business with it, it's fine for limited things but not a replacement for anything.



You were given incorrect advice. I deal with many companies who use a complete Google infrastructure for email, docs, IM, calendars. And these are big global companies too.


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## sim667 (Jan 13, 2014)

Oh the numbers relate to business and corporate sales only?

Bit of a misleading thread title if so tbh.


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## Lazy Llama (Jan 13, 2014)

For a different take on mostly-made-up/guessed stats, IDC's estimates for the 3rd quarter 2013 indicate that Chromebooks are not exactly setting the world on fire.



> Chromebooks from any vendor except Samsung have not fared particularly well. Even with Samsung's products, they're primarily only having an impact on K-12 education in the US--as a replacement for aging netbooks. *In Q3 '13, Samsung shipped roughly 652,000 Chromebooks Worldwide* ... Among other vendors Lenovo, Acer and HP have shipped, *but in tiny volume*. Samsung continues to hold the number one position...


http://www.zdnet.com/latest-idc-figures-show-chromebooks-continue-to-struggle-7000023000/



> Computerworld - About 2.5 million Chromebooks were sold globally in 2013, or about 1% of the entire PC market, according to market research firm IDC. But most of those sales were driven by consumers, not by enterprise users.
> ...
> But how much progress has the Chromebook made into the enterprise? "Beyond education, it's probably virtually zero," said IDC analyst Loren Loverde.


http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...rket_share_and_a_tough_road_to_the_enterprise

Until I actually see Chromebooks in businesses, I'll remain sceptical that they're suitable for business use beyond replacing thin-client hardware devices.


----------



## editor (Jan 13, 2014)

souljacker said:


> You were given incorrect advice. I deal with many companies who use a complete Google infrastructure for email, docs, IM, calendars. And these are big global companies too.


Indeed. Some absolutely huge businesses use Google.


----------



## editor (Jan 13, 2014)

sim667 said:


> Oh the numbers relate to business and corporate sales only?
> 
> Bit of a misleading thread title if so tbh.


Er, we've already covered this. In some depth.


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## sim667 (Jan 13, 2014)

editor said:


> Er, we've already covered this. In some depth.


 
Oh yeah, i didn't read all 4 pages (well any of the 4 pages )


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## slainte (Jan 13, 2014)

hmm Ocado. The telegraph The Guardian Specsavers etc. use google docs for business...is this big enough for you
https://www.google.co.uk/intx/en_uk/enterprise/apps/business/customers.html


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## free spirit (Jan 13, 2014)

editor said:


> I've never paid for Google Docs and see no situation where any home user (or even a small business) would be expected to pay either. However, any large enterprise expecting high end productivity features for its workforce can hardly complain that such features come at a price.
> 
> The only expired feature from Google that pissed me off was the closure of Google Reader, but there's been no shortage of replacement apps so it's hardly a major blow.
> 
> Sketchup can still be downloaded for free, btw.


google would want $600 a year off us, I'll let sketchup's terms of service do the talking on that aspect



> If you are a for-profit organization of any kind, or an employee of a for-profit organization using the Software or Services in that capacity, you are engaged in commercial activity; therefore, in order to use the Software and Services, you must purchase a SketchUp Pro license.


so that's another £1.5-2k or so.

I guess this all makes good business sense for them, but does feel a bit like being sucked in to their money making machine and adding another chunk to our running costs after we're too deeply in to using the products to really consider switching to anything else. We'd then be at the mercy of Google in terms of any increases in fees, which definitely makes me nervous.


----------



## editor (Jan 13, 2014)

free spirit said:


> google would want $600 a year off us, I'll let sketchup's terms of service do the talking on that aspect


Only if you *elect* to sign up for their business services, and that only makes sense if you're a huge company - and if you're a huge company you'd be a bit mad to entrust mission critical services to a Google freebie.

Skethchup has nothing to do with Google now, although it provided a fantastic way for people to get into 3d modelling for free.


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## TheHoodedClaw (Jan 13, 2014)

free spirit said:


> I guess this all makes good business sense for them, but does feel a bit like being sucked in to their money making machine and adding another chunk to our running costs after we're too deeply in to using the products to really consider switching to anything else. We'd then be at the mercy of Google in terms of any increases in fees, which definitely makes me nervous.



You are surprised that for-profits orgs end up having to pay for stuff?


----------



## RedDragon (Jan 13, 2014)

They charge for their maps too, by the view don't they, so does that mean even as a non-profit site if enough people hit you up then wallop?


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## free spirit (Jan 13, 2014)

editor said:


> Skethchup has nothing to do with Google now, although it provided a fantastic way for people to get into 3d modelling for free.


yep, google cashed out of a product that is incompatible with either of their own operating systems. At least they didn't just end it, but it still shows their capacity to decide to do complete about turns on technology they were really pushing just a few years back even if it's still pretty ground breaking.

That's one of the key products we use that means we can't also use a google chromebook (as far as I know).


----------



## slainte (Jan 13, 2014)

hmm well just a side note I am an IT contractor and as such have worked over a few places in the last few years. About 2 years ago I was working for a company whom acquired other companies I wont say who but they are big.. Essentially they took over another company with over 5000 employees which was using google apps for business. They were bringing the IT back in house (the company whom aquired them ) as a strategic measure owning data centres   and it was a case of saving off the google docs as docx format spreadsheets as xslx etc....ie it was easy to MIGRATE from Google docs to Office documents  rather than moving Office with inbuilt macros to google docs ..so again if you are not requiring heavy feature rich elements for a company ie embedding documents with documents etc. context links etc. then probably google docs is fine.
By the way *ITV the entire organisation *use google docs for business. So do *EAT the food chain store* so many many large companies use it a lot also *so does Cape Gemini* (which is an extemely LARGE IT consultancy company ) .*Rentokil* etc. etc
They also have google apps for governance which matches security elements criteria for what is termed il2 data etc.
I think a lot of companies are saving money with google docs for business and extra features like vault gives them the element of encryption and co location by default for them.
Personally and unfortunately I am ironically one of those whom needs to have heavy features of visio etc. and word etc. so google docs doesn't work for me YET ..but if they come up with features of context links embedded documents etc. then it would work definitely more for me


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## free spirit (Jan 13, 2014)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> You are surprised that for-profits orgs end up having to pay to pay for stuff?


I'm just pointing out a reason why businessses or anyone considering going into business for themselves have a legitimate reason to be wary about tying themselves in to an initially free service via a chromebook.


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## free spirit (Jan 13, 2014)

slainte said:


> and it was a case of saving off the google docs as docx format spreadsheets as xslx etc....ie it was easy to MIGRATE from Google docs to Office documents  rather than moving Office with inbuilt macros to google docs ..so again if you are not requiring heavy feature rich elements for a company ie embedding documents with documents etc. context links etc. then probably google docs is fine.


actually that's interesting, I just checked and hadn't realised we can highlight all and then download up to 2GB at a time conveted to MS office.

I might do this just as a back up.

It is great software, it just makes me nervous having my entire companies documents entrusted to a single corporation in this way, especially one that seems to have a bit of a habit of dropping products.


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## slainte (Jan 13, 2014)

Office 365 anyone with skydrive..... at least google docs has been around and is being added to over time ..unlike Office 365 where funnily enough to use all the features you need to pay a much higher licencing model and a windows OS machine with a local install copy to fully access ALL the features in the cloud....hmmm..yes


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## slainte (Jan 13, 2014)

On the topic of buying into a free service its already been mentioned your 100gig of storage at the end of the 2 years will revert to the amount uploaded and you can still access it you just won't be able to upload further stuff to the cloud storage past this point unless you pay. Which is better than most whereby you loose your data and storage space immediately.....


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

RedDragon said:


> They charge for their maps too, by the view don't they, so does that mean even as a non-profit site if enough people hit you up then wallop?


Could you give some actual examples? It's absolutely free to embed a map on your site unless you're going into advanced customisation. 


> Can I put Google Maps on my site without using the Google Maps APIs?
> Yes. Google Maps now offers the ability to embed the map that you're viewing into your website or blog, without any programming or use of the Google Maps APIs. More information is available here.


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

free spirit said:


> It is great software, it just makes me nervous having my entire companies documents entrusted to a single corporation in this way, especially one that seems to have a bit of a habit of dropping products.


What irreplaceable products have they dropped for you so far?


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## free spirit (Jan 14, 2014)

editor said:


> What irreplaceable products have they dropped for you so far?


well, they dropped sketchup, which is pretty much the heart of our business - fair enough they sold it rather than closing it, but a lot of the advantage it had was the integration with other google products, particularly google earth and streetview, which has to be a lot less guaranteed into the future now google ain't involved.

They also completely changed google docs overnight a while back into google drive, which caused significant difficulties until we sussed it out, and still has ballsed up the previous shared file structure we had in place.

Then there's just silly changes they seem to make sometimes, such as the one that buggered up some carefully worked out commissioning sheets using tables etc that means we can no longer fit it all on one side of A4. I've still no idea what they did, just suddenly all the formatting was buggered up on all our documents with tables in them.

and silly stuff like slightly altering the colour palette, so that spreadsheets we've had running for ages end up with slightly different shades being used - minor niggle, but demonstrates their liking of fiddling with bits of it because they can.

It's absolutely amazing software to allow multiple users to edit the same document at the same time from anywhere in the world, and blows microsoft out of the water on that score, but all the fiddling they do in the background does still make me nervous as I know they can and have buggered up the formatting of all our documents on a whim.


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## slainte (Jan 14, 2014)

The direct above post can be exactly applied to the Microsoft Office suite particularly if you include Visio ...sorry but it does


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## Lazy Llama (Jan 14, 2014)

slainte said:


> The direct above post can be exactly applied to the Microsoft Office suite particularly if you include Visio ...sorry but it does


With the exception that you don't HAVE to upgrade Visio/Office immediately that a new version is released.


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

free spirit said:


> well, they dropped sketchup, which is pretty much the heart of our business - fair enough they sold it rather than closing it, but a lot of the advantage it had was the integration with other google products, particularly google earth and streetview, which has to be a lot less guaranteed into the future now google ain't involved.
> 
> They also completely changed google docs overnight a while back into google drive, which caused significant difficulties until we sussed it out, and still has ballsed up the previous shared file structure we had in place.
> 
> ...


I'm struggling hard to think of any (paid) software that I regularly use that hasn't had its annoyances when it's been 'upgraded' to newer versions. I still find the newer versions of Word more frustrating than the the earlier ones.


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

Lazy Llama said:


> With the exception that you don't HAVE to upgrade Visio/Office immediately that a new version is released.


But then you haven't shelled out a King's ransom for the software. You pays yer money etc....


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## slainte (Jan 14, 2014)

Well if you work with say Visio im afraid you do have to (ie pay and upgrade) for if others whom send you visio documents DONT save the format to an earlier version...you cannot open it only view (with a 3rd party viewer or visio viewer embedded in a browser ) so you are FORCED to upgrade...oh... or you can if not too complicated view in  google drawings and save off ......or use lucidchart for example..which are google cloud and chrome store based products bypassing paying out a lot of money for example viso professional 2013 is over 700 pounds..thats a lot of money..


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## Lazy Llama (Jan 14, 2014)

You appear to have missed/ignored the word "immediately" in my post. 
Maybe I should have highlighted it.


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## slainte (Jan 14, 2014)

However you still really need the functions of Visio for embedded and layered diagrams so when a version comes out after a few months you have to shell out and they move functions around or off then re-apply again in a later version ...very very frustrating.


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## Lazy Llama (Jan 14, 2014)

I don't think anyone is holding up Microsoft's Office suite as a paragon of consistency.

If they are, I'll track them down and force .pptx files up their nose.

Just that in an organisation, what version of software people are using (and any problems in newly released versions) can be controlled* to some extent*. If you hand upgrading of your apps to someone else, as well as the advantage of always having the latest version you have to live with whatever fuck-ups they make with no way of reverting.

Just look at the howls of protest every time one of the world's most commonly used cloud-based app gets updated -  "hate Facebook change" - about 410,000,000 results!


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## slainte (Jan 14, 2014)

All good comments but far from ...chromebooks ..still for most people ie at home etc. with the right printer its perfectly adaquate..


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

Lazy Llama said:


> I don't think anyone is holding up Microsoft's Office suite as a paragon of consistency.
> 
> If they are, I'll track them down and force .pptx files up their nose.
> 
> ...


Although for some people, I'd imagine not having to manually faff about with OS updates (and then the ordeal of some programs no longer working) will prove a real attraction.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 14, 2014)

I cant remember the last time I had to faf with an OS update other than maybe waiting a few seconds longer on shutdown for them to install.


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> I cant remember the last time I had to faf with an OS update other than maybe waiting a few seconds longer on shutdown for them to install.


That's fantastic, but I really wouldn't assume that it's the same story for everyone else.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 14, 2014)

Is there a special version of Windows you use that gives you all this hassle?


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> Is there a special version of Windows you use that gives you all this hassle?


Please feel free to peruse Mac/Windows forums and see just how seamless simply _everyone_ has found major OS upgrades. By the sounds of things, you're going to be in for a bit of a shock!


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 14, 2014)

People on tech forums having problems shocker.


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> People on tech forums having problems shocker.


Oh come on. You know that major OS upgrades can cause real problems for a lot of less tech-savy people, and although Chrome OS won't be without its faults, it's clearly an easier process for average users: 



> One reason is that because Google seems to be living up to its pledge to “constantly iterate,” frequently tweaking and upgrading ChromeOS. In practice, that just means that Google downloads updates in the background, with a little “up arrow” appearing on the screen next to the system clock. With Windows or even the Mac, updating can mean a laborious process of saving, shutting down and rebooting that can take minute after endless minute. With the Chromebox, the whole process took me 21 seconds the last time - including being restored to what I was doing before I upgraded. And it felt faster than that





> Ironically, the biggest thing missing from ChromeOS is actually a big positive: the lack of day-to-day management tasks is a joy and a time saver. I don’t need to constantly worry about upgrading numerous browsers, software, apps and patches. There’s no reason to believe that I’ll ever need antivirus software and the constant updates and scanning that entails. Google’s ChromeOS upgrades themselves bring new features, not compatibility concerns.



http://readwrite.com/2012/08/16/my-month-with-a-chromebox-how-i-survived-without-windows-or-mac


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## Kid_Eternity (Jan 14, 2014)

souljacker said:


> You were given incorrect advice. I deal with many companies who use a complete Google infrastructure for email, docs, IM, calendars. And these are big global companies too.



The views came from global entities with tens of thousands of employees. It's clear that Google cannot at this stage be trusted.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jan 14, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> I cant remember the last time I had to faf with an OS update other than maybe waiting a few seconds longer on shutdown for them to install.



Indeed. Using Mac OS has been remarkably simple compared the sheer torture of Windows updating...


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## slainte (Jan 14, 2014)

Really Mac OS has been simple for simple upgrading compared to windows really so Mavericks which by default does not have a boot disk requires you to hack the Darwin Kernel or use 3rd Party pre made packages to get your EFI to recognise your 3rd party harddisk if you have upgraded your harddisk like I did to a crucial memory SSD drive as frankly 
a the size wasn't there for my macbook pro  ie a 1TB SSD within reasonable prices.
b I have to spend over 4 hours getting it to recognise the new drive then restore from the time machine which
c wouldn't have been possible at all if I wasn't highly technically competent.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/385171/os-x-mavericks-wipes-data-on-western-digital-drives

http://www.macworld.com/article/2056561/how-to-make-a-bootable-mavericks-install-drive.html

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6201

Bricking existing bootcamp partition that took another 2 days

https://discussions.apple.com/message/23471204#23471204

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=47&topicid=133502&page_no=2

What was that about pain free upgrades on OSX sorry...Im all ears...

Windows also..sorry moving my windows 7 64bit to windows.old loosing all my licence keys even running the sys until exe and having to re-install all programs even though it was an "upgrade"

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/restore-files-upgrade-windows-old

Which didn't work correctly I might add

Sorry ...


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## strung out (Jan 14, 2014)

Generally I'd agree that Windows can be a pain, and Mac OS virtually seamless, but Mavericks was a disaster and broke loads of stuff. Eventually I just had to stop using some apps until certain things were fixed.


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## Lazy Llama (Jan 14, 2014)

ChromeOS upgrades for unchanged hardware will be as seamless as those for Macs with unchanged hardware - generally very seamless.

They make this seamless by supporting a limited set of hardware. That's always been Apple's advantage - they don't have to support WhakiClone CPUs from Ulan Bator because they don't sell machines with those in.

Windows has to support anything someone decides to put into a PC, or at least the manufacturer has to write and maintain drivers. So if there's no working driver for your disk controller in Windows 9, you're probably not going to be upgrading.

The Chromebook is based on the same idea of a limited set of hardware. You cannot add new hardware and associated drivers that are not supported and expect it to continue working after the next upgrade.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jan 14, 2014)

strung out said:


> Generally I'd agree that Windows can be a pain, and Mac OS virtually seamless, but Mavericks was a disaster and broke loads of stuff. Eventually I just had to stop using some apps until certain things were fixed.



No disaster for me, only one app didn't work.


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## slainte (Jan 14, 2014)

Good for you...on that front however there was a lot of issues for a lot of people whom did upgrade to Mavericks which is why I suspect they made it free..ie you cant really complain when its free can you per se.
I sorted out mine in the end and my bootcamp ..just waiting for Symantec to update their PGP full disk encryption for Mavericks and I should be good to go. 

Anyway...apart from google docs for business and the merits and negatives of both windows and  Macintosh machines there is still plenty of room for some people whom a chromebook will function as their primary machine dependant on needs(surfing browsing the odd printing and viewing you tube etc. etc. ) and plenty of room for others whom require or may want a second machine *r*ather than spending a large amount to get a decent laptop with good keyboard over a tablet for instance.
When you add  for the for home user free google apps and docs and 100 Gig cloud storage for 2 years. its not a bad deal and you cannot really say its not ...unless again there is something I am missing.


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## free spirit (Jan 14, 2014)

editor said:


> I'm struggling hard to think of any (paid) software that I regularly use that hasn't had its annoyances when it's been 'upgraded' to newer versions. I still find the newer versions of Word more frustrating than the the earlier ones.


yeah, but you actually have to go out and install the new version, and your old files remain the same in the old format.

with docs when it updates it updates for all files, so when they tweaked the table formatting, it then automatically adjusted the formatting on every document we had saved with them, at least it did when the file was opened


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## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

Lazy Llama said:


> The Chromebook is based on the same idea of a limited set of hardware. You cannot add new hardware and associated drivers that are not supported and expect it to continue working after the next upgrade.


It takes it much further though, by virtue of almost everything going through the browser, so that the user doesn't need to need to install and update endless third party apps.


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## souljacker (Jan 14, 2014)

Kid_Eternity said:


> The views came from global entities with tens of thousands of employees. It's clear that Google cannot at this stage be trusted.



I'm not sure how you can say they can't be trusted but I accept that some IT decision makers wouldn't be prepared to take on their model. I wouldn't dismiss it as a solution though. I've seen it work well in a few different places but they obviously have different needs to the companies you deal with.


----------



## editor (Jan 14, 2014)

souljacker said:


> I'm not sure how you can say they can't be trusted but I accept that some IT decision makers wouldn't be prepared to take on their model. I wouldn't dismiss it as a solution though. I've seen it work well in a few different places but they obviously have different needs to the companies you deal with.


I wonder who these unnamed "global entities with tens of thousands of employees" are?


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## Kid_Eternity (Jan 15, 2014)

Wonder all you like Mr Shill no one in their right mind can post information like that.


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## editor (Jan 25, 2014)

Stepping aside from the tales of fantasy "global entities" and the worryingly unhinged hysteria about "shills," it seems that Chromebooks really are starting to make an impact in education in the US. 


> _The Wall Street Journal_ directs our attention to new research from Futuresource Consulting showing that Chromebooks’ share of the K-12 market for tablets and laptops exploded from just 1% in 2012 to 19% in 2013. What’s more, Windows’s share of the same market declined from 47.5% to 28% over the same period.
> 
> What’s more, it looks like Chromebooks are invading higher education as well. The_Journal_ notes that “data from IDC analyst Rajani Singh that includes purchases by U.S. colleges and universities as well as K-12 schools shows a similar pattern, as well as signs of stagnation for Apple’s iPad in the education market.”
> 
> http://bgr.com/2014/01/24/chromebook-school-sales-analysis-2/


More:


> For Microsoft, Chromebooks add to the already stiff competition that emerged after the iPad arrived in 2010. IDC said the software company's share of sales to schools and higher education, which hit 77% in 2010, had dwindled to 43% by the 2013 third quarter.
> 
> The iPad had grabbed 10% of that market by early 2011 and 27% in last year's third quarter. But that is a percentage point lower than the same period in 2012, and other IDC data also point to slowing share gains.
> 
> ...


----------



## pesh (Jan 25, 2014)

so MacBooks 15% share, Chromebooks 12% share then? 

this thread is up there with KE's Apple Maps one for unbiased accuracy.


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## editor (Jan 25, 2014)

pesh said:


> so MacBooks 15% share, Chromebooks 12% share then?


The thread title came from a widely reported study and in case you've missed, it, the specific area it related to and the accuracy of its findings has since been discussed at length.

Any comment on the rise of Chromebooks in education in the US?

*Edit: actually, I will alter the title for accuracy. I trust the new title pleases you.


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## editor (Jan 25, 2014)

Samsung are looking for a piece of the UK Chromebook action. 


> Samsung bets Chromebook use to grow 4x in 2014
> 
> Read more: http://www.itpro.co.uk/mobile/21449/samsung-bets-chromebook-use-to-grow-4x-in-2014#ixzz2rPjPHV2I
> 
> ...



http://www.itpro.co.uk/mobile/21449/samsung-bets-chromebook-use-to-grow-4x-in-2014


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## xenon (Jan 25, 2014)

I want to get hold of a Chromebook to try the Chrome Vox screenreader. I tried *Chromium OS (Not Chrome) in a VM briefly the other day but the speach didn't really work. Probably something to do with drivers or buffering. 

*. There's a blog detailing how you can turn the Chromium VMWare image into Chrome but I couldn't do it at the time.


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## pesh (Jan 25, 2014)

interesting article that might be relevent to some here, regarding configuring Chrome for better webcam / mic security

http://boingboing.net/2014/01/24/how-to-configure-chrome-to-sto.html#more-282653



> Under Chrome's security model, a website that gets your permission to access your mic and camera once keeps it forever, regardless of which page is loaded -- so you might authorize an app running on one page of Github to use your mic, and thereafter, every Github page you visit can listen in on you automatically, without you getting any indication that this is going on. Google maintains that this is the right way for Chrome to behave -- that it complies with the relevant W3C standard.
> 
> Google has created a fix for this, but have not pushed it to Chrome users. If you want to protect your camera and mic from sneaky or unintended remote operation and you use Chrome, you'll need to take some extraordinary measures, which are laid out in this Lifehacker post.


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## slainte (Jan 25, 2014)

Well  interesting considering that IF you don't run developers mode Chrome OS is to date quite unhackable and there is even a price offered by Google if you can...http://www.esecurityplanet.com/network-security/chrome-os-unhackable-at-pwnium-3.html

For those whom don't click on links and fancy themselves as capable of cracking Chrome OS ....here is a nice price 

"Google offering a total of $3.14159 million in bounties, entrants couldn't demonstrate a working exploit on the Series 5 550 target machine," writes Engadget's Jon Fingas."


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## slainte (Jan 25, 2014)

Further to this ...compared to Internet Imploder..sorry I do mean Internet Explorer even Firefox and the Chrome Browser itself (as ported to other non Chrome OS platforms ) were hacked..here the extract

*Chrome OS found unhackable at Pwnium 3*



Chrome OS found unhackable at Pwnium 3
Hackers were unable to exploit Chrome OS at Google's Pwnium contest
by Omar Qudsi, 2013/03/09

<Ads removed>

HP's Pwn2Own competition is an annual contest held at the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver, where hackers attempt to exploit various browsers while competing for cash prizes. Furthermore, Google has begun holding their own event over the past 3 years, and the Pwnium challenge focuses exclusively on their Chrome OS notebooks.

*This year, the Pwnium event took place on the 7th of March, and developers competed for up to $3.14159 million in prizes.*Unfortunately for the hackers (and fortunately for Google), no exploitable hacks were found, as the Chrome OS-powered Series 5 550proved a formidable challenge. The hacks were supposed to center around browser vulnerabilities when logged on as a guest or user, but nothing significant was found, although Google is evaluating one entry for partial credit.

On the other hand, the simultaneously ongoing Pwn2Own contest didn't prove to be as difficult, with most of the entries turning up exploits. *All three of Internet Explorer, Firefox and the Chrome browser were taken down by MWR Labs and VUPEN, who netted over $250,000 in prizes.* Surprisingly, Safari was the only browser to come out of the challenge unscathed, but that may be due to nobody pre-registering, despite a $75,000 bounty.


*Source(s)*
Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/08/chrome-os-fends-off-all-hacks-at-pwnium-3-others-fall-at-pwn2own/

Geek.com: http://www.geek.com/articles/geek-pick/all-chrome-os-hack-attempts-fail-at-pwnium-3-2013038/


----------



## editor (Jan 29, 2014)

Interesting real life study here.


> *Kentucky Country Day, an independent private school, recently began requiring Chromebooks for their middle schoolers. What started as an R&D experiment has yielded some striking results*
> 
> So, the school began throwing things out there to see what would stick. They got some iPads, Android tablets, Lenovo tablets, and Chromebooks. The wow factor was high with the iPads, and the school was convinced they were going to be an iPad school, until the kids started trying to produce content on them. At this point the focus shifted to entirely to the Chromebook and Google Apps, where content was easy to produce and collaboration came naturally...
> 
> ...


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jan 29, 2014)

It's a real shame there's no skype app yet. Has anyone any experience of google hangouts as it seems to be the only way to do video chat on the chromebook?


----------



## editor (Jan 29, 2014)

skyscraper101 said:


> It's a real shame there's no skype app yet. Has anyone any experience of google hangouts as it seems to be the only way to do video chat on the chromebook?


I really like hangouts. Use it a lot.


----------



## slainte (Jan 30, 2014)

I was pretty much reluctant to use a Google hangout but found that its really good for a free service as you can have 9 people on the  hangout for free.. Thats great actually....compared to Skype now which charge for conferencing... 
Only issue is that you need a decent bandwidth to really take full advantage but that can be levelled at most of google services the bigger the bandwidth and pipe you have the better the experience for real time streaming.


----------



## editor (Mar 25, 2014)

Bit of news:







Samsung Chromebook 2 coming to the UK in May, with prices starting from £249



> Connectivity-wise, there’s a modest, but useful, selection of options onboard, with the Chromebooks offering one HDMI, one USB 3.0 and one USB port, 2.0 and a microSD multi-media card reader.
> 
> UK pricing has been set at £249 for the 11.6-incher and £329 for the 13.3-inch. The black 11.6-inch model will be available from May 1st, with the the white model and the larger 13.3-inch version available twelve days later.



I didn't think I'd like that faux leather effect, but I think it adds a nice touch to what is essentially a super cheap laptop.


----------



## BoxRoom (Mar 26, 2014)

editor said:


> Bit of news:
> 
> I didn't think I'd like that faux leather effect, but I think it adds a nice touch to what is essentially a super cheap laptop.



Am starting to get a little tempted by this. Been keeping a vague interest on it's progress. I've only recently got a C720 though so I don't have either the cash or the need for it. But still...


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## BoxRoom (Apr 2, 2014)

Bit o' info:

http://www.androidcentral.com/report-21-million-chromebooks-shipped-2013



> And today ABI Research has released data showing that 2.1 million Chromebooks were shipped in 2013, the majority of them in the U.S.
> 
> North America actually made up around 89 percent of the shipment figures, according to ABI. What’s more is the firm also expects that by 2019 more than 11 million units will ship.


----------



## editor (Apr 2, 2014)

I'd love to have a go on one of these to see what they;re like in daily use.


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## BoxRoom (Apr 2, 2014)

editor said:


> I'd love to have a go on one of these to see what they;re like in daily use.



I haven't had to do anything the Chromebook can't do yet. I've got an old netbook so I can use Audacity when I need it (once my replacement power adaptor arrives for my mixing thing). I could install ubuntu on the Chromebook if I wanted and use Audacity on that but I'm a tad too tech unsavvy for such things.

Otherwise it does everything I need it to.

Often hear people saying they bought one to use as a secondary computer but end up using it so much more that their other computers rarely get switched on.
I'm well happy with the start up speed, updating speed, security and performance. I have found that I can write faster on this than anything else I have used too!

Seeing over on G+ that a lot of schools are rolling them out to students and are going down very well indeed. I believe more companies are going over to such things too, latest one I found was Barking and Dagenham:

London borough to roll out Google Chromebooks to escape Microsoft's licensing costs

If I get burgled again or mugged or am a bloody fool and leave it somewhere all I need to do is stump up another £200 come a pay day or two and I haven't lost any data, can just carry on where I left off.

This got a bit longer than I expected, I should have just said: Go for it, it's like well skill.


----------



## editor (May 20, 2014)

This looks interesting. Good for schools and businesses, I imagine.







> A mere slip of a thing, HP’s new Chromebox is a tiny desktop computer running Google’s Chrome operating system and comes in two CPU flavours.
> 
> HP will be unleashing two versions of the little fella, one with an Intel Celeron 2955U processor and a beefier version packing a powerful Intel Core i7-4600U chip.
> 
> Both 5″ x 4.9″ x 1.5″ boxes will also come with 16GB of solid state storage and 2GB to 8GB of RAM, with a SDXC card reader offering further memory expansion options. The Core i7 model has two SODIMM slots, while the Celeron model is restricted to one.


http://www.wirefresh.com/hp-chromeb...eleron-cpu-options-and-oodles-of-connectivty/


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## BoxRoom (May 20, 2014)

editor said:


> This looks interesting. Good for schools and businesses, I imagine.
> 
> http://www.wirefresh.com/hp-chromeb...eleron-cpu-options-and-oodles-of-connectivty/



Have been peering at Chromeboxes like this now and then, following our American cousins discussions about them and so forth. I wouldn't go for one myself, I don't need a home computer really but I think you're right about it being good for schools and businesses. I'm still hearing reports of yet another school somewhere in the world that is issuing Chromebooks to their students.

If I did go down the home computer route at some point, I would be slightly interested in one of these:

 
LG Chromebase, all in one computer/monitor doodad.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...N=B00JR8MMH0&linkCode=as4&tag=blogextrdang-21

And here's a slightly interesting article on why Microsoft should be worried: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2458145,00.asp
Even more so now Google have partnered with Intel.


----------



## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

i'm about to buy either a Lenovo laptop (G505), or a Chromebook, its for my daughter to use for essay writing and surfing etc in her final year at school.   could someone tell me which way to go please.  i'm an untechy with a headache coming on.


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## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

If it's just for essay writing and internet then go for a Chromebook.
She can work on Google Docs offline too should she need to.


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

OK Boxroom, which chromebook?  She likes a bigger screen.


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## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

Good question!

I've got an Acer C720, which has excellent performance but probably not a big enough screen for her at 11.6 inches.

The HP 14 might be worth looking at perhaps?

https://www.google.co.uk/intl/en_uk/chrome/devices/hp-14-chromebook.html#hp-cb-14
http://store.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/s...ogleCBMS_ot_inv_ds_pd/Chromebook_str/20140326


----------



## editor (May 22, 2014)

Looks like more people are digging the concept: 


> YOU have to hand it to Google: Its little hobbies sometimes have a way of taking off.
> 
> Five years ago, Google created a lightweight computer operating system, Chrome OS, that behaved like a web browser. The search king also persuaded a short list of computer makers to use the new operating system in inexpensive and easy-to-use laptops — Chromebooks.
> 
> ...


----------



## editor (May 22, 2014)

This new 'mystery' HP Chromebook looks lovely.






http://www.slashgear.com/hp-chromebook-11-mystery-model-surfaces-13328973/


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 22, 2014)

redcogs said:


> i'm about to buy either a Lenovo laptop (G505), or a Chromebook, its for my daughter to use for essay writing and surfing etc in her final year at school.   could someone tell me which way to go please.  i'm an untechy with a headache coming on.



Ask her? If she doesn't know the difference, then I'd go with Windows and Office. It's still what your far more likely to find out there. 

That said most young people are quite computer literature so she probably had a fair idea of the pros and cons and if she likes chrome go for it!


----------



## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

Can anyone comment on this - my daughter's school use windows (unfortunately) based technology.  So when essays etc are submitted they need to be windows compatible.  will work done on a chromebook be compatible, or at least easily made compatible?

Sorry for such a numpty type question.


----------



## editor (May 22, 2014)

redcogs said:


> Can anyone comment on this - my daughter's school use windows (unfortunately) based technology.  So when essays etc are submitted they need to be windows compatible.  will work done on a chromebook be compatible, or at least easily made compatible?
> 
> Sorry for such a numpty type question.


If by Windows compatible they mean Word docs and the such like, then yes, it will be compatible.


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> Ask her? If she doesn't know the difference, then I'd go with Windows and Office. It's still what your far more likely to find out there.
> 
> That said most young people are quite computer literature so she probably had a fair idea of the pros and cons and if she likes chrome go for it!



She's in the loop GS.  And, as you suggest, being a young person, she's pretty good on the techy stuff.


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

editor said:


> If by Windows compatible they mean Word docs and the such like, then yes, it will be compatible.



She is suggesting that Open Office documents are compatible (with her school system) - so can i assume that Open Office is included on chromebooks?


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

Curry's seem to have a good selection of Chromebooks.  Curry's tomorrow!


----------



## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

redcogs said:


> She is suggesting that Open Office documents are compatible (with her school system) - so can i assume that Open Office is included on chromebooks?


Just had a quick search and am pretty certain Open Office isn't available to work with on Chromebooks, unless there's an online version or something else I'm missing?

But with Google Docs you can download your document in Word format so that should be fine for her needs.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

Forgot this, there is also an online version of Office that she could use:
https://office.com/start/default.aspx
Which is still, I believe, dependant on an internet connection. Hoping that will change to be able to work offline at some point.


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

Appreciate your input BR.


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## elbows (May 22, 2014)

I suppose its possible that some talk of Open Office on Chromebooks could stem from some people putting Linux on their Chromebooks. 

I want a Chromebook or Chromebox at some point. Since I seem to be spending a vast amount of time these days developing a web app at work, perhaps I can convince them to buy one so we can test that the system we are making works ok on these devices.


----------



## FridgeMagnet (May 22, 2014)

BoxRoom said:


> Forgot this, there is also an online version of Office that she could use:
> https://office.com/start/default.aspx
> Which is still, I believe, dependant on an internet connection. Hoping that will change to be able to work offline at some point.


That is not OpenOffice compatible - google docs is (sort of) though.

Tbh if it was a laptop that somebody might take to uni I would probably advise not a chromebook - you never know what they might want or need to install.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

FridgeMagnet said:


> That is not OpenOffice compatible - google docs is (sort of) though.
> 
> Tbh if it was a laptop that somebody might take to uni I would probably advise not a chromebook - you never know what they might want or need to install.



I had no idea if Office Online was compatible with Open Office, thanks for the confirmation. Was just putting the info out that it was available to work on if she wanted to work with Word on a Chromebook.

And as far as I know all that the laptop is needed for is essays and internet so a Chromebook would be fine. Why have a Windows laptop that just gets slower with time and has stuff that's not needed? As a resource in an educational environment I think Chromebooks would do the job nicely in this instance.

I'm also quite surprised no one had called me a Chromebook fanboy yet! But I do love the bloody little things


----------



## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

One worry that occurs to me relates to the usefulness of a chromebook if you have no internet access?  Are they not usable at all when the wifi is down?


----------



## editor (May 22, 2014)

redcogs said:


> One worry that occurs to me relates to the usefulness of a chromebook if you have no internet access?  Are they not usable at all when the wifi is down?


Many of the apps can work offline too and sync once the connection is re-established - much like a regular laptop.


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## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

redcogs said:


> One worry that occurs to me relates to the usefulness of a chromebook if you have no internet access?  Are they not usable at all when the wifi is down?



You can't access facebook or twitter or anything else on the internet but you can still write essays! 

Like ed says, there are many apps that work offline, there's a whole section for them in the Chrome store.


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

Are you able to print docs via the usb when the net isn't available please?

Apologies to you boffins for the basic questions.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

Sorry, printing isn't my thing, I have no need of it at the moment. Plenty of helpful internet people out there somewhere that could assist.


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## editor (May 22, 2014)

redcogs said:


> Are you able to print docs via the usb when the net isn't available please?
> 
> Apologies to you boffins for the basic questions.


You need to be connected to a network, but not necessarily the internet.


> In order to print using the Google Cloud Print service, first connect your printer to the service. Google Cloud Print can print to either a Cloud Ready printer that can connect directly to the Internet or a classic printer that is plugged into a Windows or Mac computer with Internet access. If you are using a Chromebook and you attempt to print, you will be prompted to set up Google Cloud Print to connect a printer.
> 
> *Using your Chromebook at work or school?* Your network administrator might connect one or more printers for you, which will be available when you're signed in to your work or school account.
> 
> https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1069693?rd=1


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

Hmm.  Our printer is an old steam one that isn't wireless.  Can it be the case that there is no method of using it with a chromebook?


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## redcogs (May 22, 2014)

Maybe a lenovo g505 is coming out ahead?  Its the inflexibility of a chromebook that is slightly concerning.


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## elbows (May 23, 2014)

redcogs said:


> Hmm.  Our printer is an old steam one that isn't wireless.  Can it be the case that there is no method of using it with a chromebook?



As the article editor linked to says, you can use it if you have a normal pc in the house that is connected to the net and the printer.


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## elbows (May 23, 2014)

redcogs said:


> Maybe a lenovo g505 is coming out ahead?  Its the inflexibility of a chromebook that is slightly concerning.



You should be concerned about such things, but its impossible for us to know how valid the concerns would turn out to be in this case. I'm sure a lot of people toy with getting a chomebook but back out for similar reasons though.


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## redcogs (May 23, 2014)

elbows said:


> You should be concerned about such things, but its impossible for us to know how valid the concerns would turn out to be in this case. I'm sure a lot of people toy with getting a chomebook but back out for similar reasons though.



In the end we got the Lenovo.  It was on offer at Argus for about £250, which was comparable to the chromebook that we considered.  What fucks me off was that Curry's, and PC World, and Tescos all advertised items on their websites that they do not hold in stock, and, once we were in their shops they were trying to steer us towards other laptops that we hadn't researched.  Thankfully we resisted.  Only Argos came good, so respect to them.

The idea of choice in a capitalist market dominated by a few superstores seems to me to be a sick and frustrating joke.

Still, our daughter is delighted with the Lenovo (she doesn't share my antagonism towards Microsoft), and it does look to be just the ticket.

Thanks for all the excellent advice everyone.  Its a jungle out their, made less so by your practical input.


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## editor (Aug 1, 2014)

Here's all the Chromebook reviews in one place: http://www.androidcentral.com/chromebook-reviews-find-em-all-here







The HP is one of the highest rated:
http://www.androidcentral.com/hp-chromebook-11-review


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Aug 1, 2014)

Chromebook sales are increasing?

I'm so pleased to hear that.


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## editor (Aug 1, 2014)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> Chromebook sales are increasing?
> 
> I'm so pleased to hear that.


Have you a point, here?

But yes, the rise of truly affordable, capable, and decent looking machines is something that I view as good news.


----------



## BoxRoom (Aug 1, 2014)

They are brilliant. I haven't missed my old Windows laptop at all. Good bloody riddance to it.


----------



## Johnny Canuck3 (Aug 1, 2014)

The reviewer at PCMag didn't seem so stoked:



> I honestly wanted to like the Chromebook, and I still won't write it off completely, despite my troublesome experiences. It's amazingly affordable, durable, and compact. I carried it easily in an oversized handbag without a sleeve or other padding. And some, but not all, of the problems I hit could have been overcome had I been using a Chromebook with a 3G data plan… except paying for 3G service thwarts the inexpensive factor.
> 
> But portability went down the toilet when I realized I couldn't actually use the netbook when I went to the places I needed to go! I hit roadblocks every time I didn't have an Internet connection, and that's just not acceptable for me and my work. What is the point of a highly portable machine if it doesn't work 75 percent of the times you remove it from your house or office?
> 
> If I'm going to be working at home or in the office, I'd rather have a larger device with a bigger screen and larger keyboard, as well as a little more power and speed. And when I'm traveling, it's crucial I have a device that works reliably offline. The Chromebook does not.



http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2413773,00.asp


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## gabi (Aug 1, 2014)

editor said:


> Here's all the Chromebook reviews in one place: http://www.androidcentral.com/chromebook-reviews-find-em-all-here
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Do you actually read the articles you link to?

*A Chrome OS laptop with a bundle of great features, marred by a case of performance anxiety*



*Update:* A statement from Google and HP confirms that the Chromebook 11 is currently no longer on sale, due to a small number of reports that the charger is overheating during use. We will keep up with this story as the situation develops.


----------



## BoxRoom (Aug 1, 2014)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> The reviewer at PCMag didn't seem so stoked:
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2413773,00.asp


That review is from January 2013, also that reviewer is a blimmin' idiot.
My Chromebook doesn't need an internet connection if I want to work on it. There is so much you can do offline now that makes that review completely obsolete.

I have never been a fan of the HP Chromebooks and can't understand why people buy them, tbh. Especially when I hear continued moaning about ARM processors. At least they're offering free replacements of the charger but still, meh!


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2014)

gabi said:


> Do you actually read the articles you link to?


Yes, and I've had a play on several Chromebooks and have got a good feel about some of their pros and cons. How about you? Or is quoting links from November 2013 as good as it gets?


----------



## ovaltina (Aug 1, 2014)

My Samsung is still a boon after a year and a bit, although the battery life is not what it was. I hardly use my iPad now, and the old windows laptop is just for the few tasks the Chromebook can't do. The only regular annoyance is trying to access outlook online, Microsoft only lets you use the light version.


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## FridgeMagnet (Aug 1, 2014)

ovaltina said:


> The only regular annoyance is trying to access outlook online, Microsoft only lets you use the light version.


Tbh I find web Outlook impossible to use on my Macbook as well - it's just shite.


----------



## slainte (Aug 6, 2014)

Hmm unfortunately they have removed from the chromestore the chrome app for open office but I have it and it still works it creates a local document when not on line and syncs when it is online and I can save in full open office format.. However the google docs suite for most people is fine for creating documents for most work except perhaps extensive in depth embedded other documents but its more compatible than going between various versions of word unless you save them in later versions of word as older documents. Same for excel and power point presentations. 
Its good and its free. ...Saving to google docs format takes up no space on your given online storage and you get to keep the storage after the date of expiry but then not save so if I max out my 100Gig currently at 70 I will still have access to all my docs and other stuff there... win win..try that with sugar sync or dropbox ...you lost your stuff ..simple as... 

I still have my Samsung chromebook which has 4Gb of RAM and an Intel (admittedly an celeron ) but I use it the most. Currently in Germany its been a God send over my normal laptop as I bought the data SIM version so Im good on the go all the time.
Printing I will admit is a bit fiddly but if you buy a google print compatible printer your flying and its handy as you can print to the location from ANYWHERE ..that useful trust me on this.
I truly have to say its the most convenient everyday laptop I have ever used. If I had a lot of money I would even consider ...hic the chromebook pixel but sanity prevails so that is a no on that one.
A lot of people whom knock them just fiddle with them in a shop or read the usual reviews or seem or want to come across as more "techy" so bash them out of habit.
However, I have a high powered laptop for certain things I have the chromebook for 80 to 90 of the usual stuff I do the rest of the time.
For kids and those whom don't need massive CPU power for running CAD or emulators or something like that they are ideal. 
Hangout on the chromebook is an actual joy compared to either a tablet or phone and I speak as an owner of an ipad as well as nexus tablet
The google sphere of things is really not so bad and even though I do love my Apple stuff Apple could do with catching up with the offer which the chromebook and google world gives you.
1. A fully fledged word processor spreadsheet and presentation software suite compatible fully with Microsoft for free.
2. A dedicated online storage to read write and add to for a few years and full access after this with option of cheap storage if you want to add to this.
3. A dedicated hangout chat system of up to 9 people for free 
4. A dedicated google play account to upload even from itunes to the cloud 25,000 of your own songs FOR FREE
5. Now they have added the feature of being able to play movie formats from your storage back on any device just like dropbox for free.
6.The option of adding 2 factor authentication via an SMS or via an app with changes your password and secures your email ...far better than hotshit..I mean hackshit no ..I mean hotmail. or outlook as its now called as well ..
7. Truly the ability to upload share and distribute photos and other items from your google+ account.

All this and a relatively cheap but decent laptop...bargain if you ask me


----------



## Mapped (Aug 6, 2014)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Tbh I find web Outlook impossible to use on my Macbook as well - it's just shite.



It's been shit on the Mac for years, although my latest employer is using a later version, which lets you do radical things like searching your mail. I had 2 years of not being able to do that before I moved here.


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## rutabowa (Aug 8, 2014)

I met get a 2nd hand Acer if it's cheap enough... I just want it for web, netflix, emails, the odd bit of typing (notes etc), and I already use google for loads of things, so a chromebook sounds ideal right? Could I record music on it too even?


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## slainte (Aug 8, 2014)

http://chromebookratings.com/2011/app-reviews/music-audio-editor-chromebook-review/

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search/audio editor

A few up there but there is others... depends on what you want to do  I have quite a few decent HTML5  synth programs and such like.


----------



## slainte (Aug 8, 2014)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/audiotool/bkgoccjhfjgjedhkiefaclppgbmoobnk

http://chromebookratings.com/2011/app-reviews/audio-tool-music-production-chromebook/

A few more in the chrome store I have a few really good Analogue Synth programs and stuff from there..

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/twistedwave/lhjkhabkkillndljkhedpfldghbpljij


----------



## rutabowa (Aug 11, 2014)

sounds good. lost my £9 snip on an Acer ha, might need to go a bit higher.


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## editor (Oct 1, 2014)

Interesting: streaming Photoshop on to Chromebooks
http://edex.adobe.com/projectphotoshopstreaming


----------



## spudulike (Oct 7, 2014)

I've been using a Samsung ARM Chromebook for the past 15 months. First off I installed Crouton alongside ChromeOS but then I grew a pair, wiped the internal drive and installed Arch Linux.

I have a light, cool, quiet Chromebook with a full OS (e.g. running with 3G and GPS dongles). I went for an ARM processor because I wanted to find out what it was like, and the Samsung also has a USB3.0 port for my external terabyte drive.


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## editor (Nov 12, 2014)

I'd still love to give one a proper go, but in the States they are making big inroads in the education market: 



> Google is proud of the progress it has made with Chromebook, especially in the education space. Noting that Chromebook has been a big hit in schools, Google bragged that the latest IDC numbers show that Chromebook is the best-selling device for education in the U.S. among laptops and tablets, with adoption rates still to increase with more institutional purchases from school districts.
> 
> http://www.androidcentral.com/chromebook-top-selling-device-among-laptops-tablets-education


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## slainte (Nov 12, 2014)

hmm I must be mad or stupid or both but I had the opportunity to lower my tax bill by buying another chromebook...i have bought the Pixel.. . the 1TB storage is great but the laptop itself is absolutely beautiful to use and look at etc. Not much inroads here in Germany (Chromebooks ) but as effectively I am spending so much time on the road anyway moving for most things to the cloud has been easy for me and I dont regret buying it at all. 
Hmm what to do with the Samsung now Im not sure .... two apps which help me a lot are zip extractor and hellosign for documents.
Still wish overall you could print directly from Chromebooks without needing a google cloud print printer as I have this at home rather than being able to get something portable and for use on the road..however a lovely machine was cheaper and new on amazon so i bought it ..I don't regret it at all.
Yes I have a proper laptop for heavy end mobile stuff and once setup again at the new home a full ESX workstation running VM for stuff so the pixel is quiet well built fast lovely display and the trackpad is better than the macbook as well as its keyboard for typing which surprised me.
If microsoft could come down from their stance and open Office 365 with full functionality on the chromebook then Im sure it would help sell more of the chromebooks and more licences for Office 365.
I found and tried IP Vanish for VPN but found it didn't work and a bit crap but stealthy works just fine for bbc iplayer etc. 
The chrome store apps are definitely getting better but its a while til I think it can do all things for everyone ..but its getting there 
I still have the chrome store Open Office app which is no longer available but it works however...come on Microsoft ..if you could start to accommodate Apple iPad open this further as in full functionality and extend to chromebooks.
They are not going away and getting better


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## slainte (Nov 24, 2014)

Interesting developments in the Chromebook world. Apart from Office (most of the functions not all unfortunately ) being available now . Photoshop are adding to this and VMWare are launching another service called DaaS (Desktop as a Service ) a bit like Citrix for chromebooks as well so that any legacy windows apps can run from a chromebook remoting to it..

Or you setup a machine to be a remote machine if you really need this... 

This app is an excellent simple remote desktop..I think I will have my own family members add this if I ever need to access or remote to any of their machines. Just launch chrome the web app and bang... with a bit of talking on the phone of course...

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desktop/gbchcmhmhahfdphkhkmpfmihenigjmpp

http://www.cnet.com/news/now-running-on-a-chromebook-near-you-windows/
http://www.vmware.com/products/horizon-air-desktops

http://www.cnet.com/news/checking-out-photoshop-for-chromebooks-network-computing-revived/
http://www.computerworld.com/articl...oft-concedes-chromebooks-are-work-worthy.html
http://www.omgchrome.com/microsoft-brings-office-online-chrome-web-store/



Hmm not bad... no I don't feel as bad buying that pixel.


----------



## slainte (Dec 1, 2014)

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/12/01/google-chromebooks-overtake-ipads-us-education/

Hmm....


----------



## editor (Dec 1, 2014)

Outselling iPads in US education now



> It looks like Google is winning the war in classrooms, as we now have word that Chromebooks happen to be the most popular devices shipped to US schools. This would mean Chromebooks have knocked off iPads from its lofty perch as the market leader in this particular segment, going to show how Google has managed to work their way up the hierarchy which has been dominated by both Apple and Microsoft for quite some time already. According to the Financial Times, Google has shipped more than 715,500 Chromebooks to US schools in the third quarter of 2014, narrowly overtaking the iPad with a 702,000 units shipped count.
> 
> 
> The Chromebooks would cost at least $199 each, and have managed to make their way to various schools in a matter of just two years - starting off with a 0% market share to boot. In that amount of time, Chromebooks have managed to garner a whopping quarter market share, now how about that?


http://nr.news-republic.com/Web/ArticleWeb.aspx?regionid=4&articleid=32620408

*edit - just noticed slainte's earlier link. Oops.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 1, 2014)

I'm guessing that price point massively helps?


----------



## editor (Dec 1, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> I'm guessing that price point massively helps?


Well that is the whole point! You're getting the tech that's good enough for the job rather than shelling out for things you don't need - and the OS/cloud storage makes it cheaper too.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 1, 2014)

editor said:


> Well that is the whole point! You're getting the tech that's good enough for the job rather than shelling out for things you don't need - and the OS/cloud storage makes it cheaper too.



Sure. I've actually been working in education recently in half arsed accidental way recently and kids have been bought ipads. Total overpriced overkill if you ask me. Absolutely no need if you ask me.

Not sure your point on OS/Cloud Storage...they're not even being used for "real" work. It's desirable to get them of the tablet for that anyway to teach keyboard skills.


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## editor (Dec 1, 2014)

Global Stoner said:


> Sure. I've actually been working in education recently in half arsed accidental way recently and kids have been bought ipads. Total overpriced overkill if you ask me. Absolutely no need if you ask me.
> 
> Not sure your point on OS/Cloud Storage...they're not even being used for "real" work. It's desirable to get them of the tablet for that anyway to teach keyboard skills.


Cloud means no expensive SSD or hard drives to install.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 1, 2014)

editor said:


> Cloud means no expensive SSD or hard drives to install.



I guess you're talking about running a network with local storage? I assume there will have to be something like that anyway, no matter what you run.

No idea how a small Nas to store word documents compares to cloud storage, but it's pretty tiny compared to the cost of the devices. Tbf I've been working in primary.


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## Throbbing Angel (Dec 1, 2014)

I'm considering a Chromebook as my laptop is on the fritz.

How hobbled is the access to MS Office?  I'd be accessing Word docs via google drive and an Outlook.com account (but I don't have a 365 account).
  My main worries are for job applications - the creative writing stuff will be fine in the cloud - and Dropbox access.  Oh, and accessing my favourite Scrabble site - I don't suppose I'd be able to download isc.ro 's java interface would I?


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## slainte (Dec 2, 2014)

In answer to your access to MS Office..not very hobbled at all tbh.I would take out the Office 365 subscription. Okay you loose the ability of  multi embedded documents within documents but for most people even for  quite high end documentation it will cover your needs. Open Office used to have a chrome app for that but it has been removed however its still working on mine as I had it and have it installed in chrome. Libra Office have chrome apps now. Google docs is okay but apart from basic document creation it doesn't cut it at all.
If you setup the 2 factor authentication then this spreads to you Google drive account ..personally I avoid Dropbox now after Ms. Rice has become involved. Also remember..depending on your preference and linux skills there is a chromebook version of Ubuntu which you can install.Also your Google Drive can now play movies and do the conversion online for you within your drive just like dropbox.


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## BigTom (Dec 5, 2014)

Posting from the new asus chromebox I've bought to replace my nearly dead mac mini. Seems decent, annoying that you can't install apps on the guest account so I'll have to sign in to play music or films, but other than that, seems like it'll do what I want nicely (internet, video streaming, music and film playing from local drive)


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## editor (May 18, 2015)

I'm horribly tempted by the Chromebook Pixel even though I know it's a daft buy. 









> The new Chromebook Pixel isn’t meant to outsell other laptops or even to expand Chrome OS' marketshare. It's a development platform, one that will eventually make all other Chromebooks better. It’s also a premium laptop for people who can afford to spend a lot of money on the best thing, even if they don’t use it as their main machine.
> 
> The new Chromebook Pixel is slightly cheaper than its predecessor, at $999, but it’s still wildly more expensive than other Chromebooks. It has almost the exact same design as the original, and thus is a beautiful machine. It still runs Chrome OS, which has advanced significantly in the past two years, but not enough to be a real replacement for what you can do on a Mac or a PC.
> 
> ...





> The Chromebook Pixel is clearly not for everyone, any more than any flagship is. It’s expensive. It pumps much more power than most people need. But as a Chromebook, it’s the best you can get. As a flagship, it’s as avant-garde as it should be--and it gives other flagships a run for their overpriced money, too.
> http://www.pcworld.com/article/2908...-excels-as-both-a-machine-and-as-an-idea.html


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## Throbbing Angel (May 18, 2015)

looks nice 'eh


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## editor (May 18, 2015)

Throbbing Angel said:


> looks nice 'eh


I love the fact that you can tap the lid to check the battery. And a 12+ hour battery life is pretty damn good too.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 18, 2015)

editor said:


> I love the fact that you can tap the lid to check the battery. And a 12+ hour battery life is pretty damn good too.



Ooooooh, that's sweet - not $999 sweet - but still pretty nifty


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## BoxRoom (May 18, 2015)

If anyone would like to buy me one I would say thank you a lot.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 24, 2015)

FYI. John Lewis have £50 off a lot of their Chromebooks ATM
http://www.johnlewis.com/browse/electricals/laptops-netbooks/laptops/chrome-os/_/N-a8fZ1z0wpwt

Including the one I bought not so long ago


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## editor (Jul 21, 2015)

This looks a decent tablet convertible for around £200-250 (UK pricing yet to be set).











http://www.wirefresh.com/asus-serve...0-convertible-laptop-specs-videos-and-photos/


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## Throbbing Angel (Jul 21, 2015)

Looks good. Like the aluminium body.  Screen's smaller than I'd prefer but that's by the by.

Nice throw it in your bag for the_ weekend/train/coffee shop/iplayer-in-bed_ kind of machine


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## Kid_Eternity (Jul 24, 2015)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Looks good. Like the aluminium body.  Screen's smaller than I'd prefer but that's by the by.
> 
> Nice throw it in your bag for the_ weekend/train/coffee shop/iplayer-in-bed_ kind of machine



Heh yeah nice rip off of Apples laptops.[emoji23]


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## editor (Aug 20, 2015)

It seems that the rise of affordable and capable Chromebooks is proving unstoppable in the education market. 


> It looks like Chromebooks are becoming the popular choice for the education sector, with a new report indicating that sales for Windows-based devices and Apple devices in the school sector are beginning to fall behind.
> 
> During the first half of this year, about 2.4 million Chromebooks have been shipped to schools in the US, senior IDC research analyst Rajani Singh told theNew York Times.
> 
> ...


----------



## editor (Aug 20, 2015)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Heh yeah nice rip off of Apples laptops.[emoji23]


Do Apple do touchscreen convertible laptops for £250 then?


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## Chz (Aug 24, 2015)

I'm trying to decide if a Chromebook will be acceptable for a 1st year bio-chem student. I suspect it is, but I don't want/need a spare laptop if I'm incorrect. The problem is mainly just how unbearable Atom-powered Windows would be on a sub-£300 laptop. At least I know the Chromebooks perform pretty well. And with Office 365 apps available, I can't think of a reason why getting that nice Toshiba with the full HD screen wouldn't be a great idea. 

Anyone have an opinion to share on that?


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## editor (Aug 24, 2015)

Chz said:


> I'm trying to decide if a Chromebook will be acceptable for a 1st year bio-chem student. I suspect it is, but I don't want/need a spare laptop if I'm incorrect. The problem is mainly just how unbearable Atom-powered Windows would be on a sub-£300 laptop. At least I know the Chromebooks perform pretty well. And with Office 365 apps available, I can't think of a reason why getting that nice Toshiba with the full HD screen wouldn't be a great idea.
> 
> Anyone have an opinion to share on that?


The Chromebook does seem particularly well suited for academic purposes so I think you'd be fine...


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## editor (Aug 24, 2015)

This article may be helpful too: Are Chromebooks Good Laptops for Students?


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## Chz (Aug 24, 2015)

I'm thinking it will be perfect for him, in the end. He's in residence and they have great wifi in Aberdeen (supposedly) Really I just wanted to voice my uncertainty to get it out of my system.  I did go for the Toshi in the end. 13" and 1080p screen _does_ help productivity over something smaller or lower res, in my experience.


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## J Ed (Aug 24, 2015)

A lot of schools seem to be giving chromebooks to teachers and sixth formers increasingly.

I've never used one, don't really like the google equivalents of Office - much prefer libre office!


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## Throbbing Angel (Aug 24, 2015)

Chz said:


> I'm trying to decide if a Chromebook will be acceptable for a 1st year bio-chem student. I suspect it is, but I don't want/need a spare laptop if I'm incorrect. The problem is mainly just how unbearable Atom-powered Windows would be on a sub-£300 laptop. At least I know the Chromebooks perform pretty well. And with Office 365 apps available, I can't think of a reason why getting that nice Toshiba with the full HD screen wouldn't be a great idea.
> 
> Anyone have an opinion to share on that?





editor said:


> The Chromebook does seem particularly well suited for academic purposes so I think you'd be fine...



In most cases, it'll be super - the only thing you have to consider with students, especially in the sciences and medicine is whether they will have to use some specific software for their studies (human anatomy for med students for example).

From a writing essays and accessing web based resources/email, it is pretty much perfect (as long as you have a decent wifi connection).   Offline, they have limitations, as you'd expect, but can be used offline.

I have a *16gb Toshiba Chromebook* with a 32gb low profile usb  stick in the side - s'all good.


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## editor (Aug 24, 2015)

Chz said:


> I'm thinking it will be perfect for him, in the end. He's in residence and they have great wifi in Aberdeen (supposedly) Really I just wanted to voice my uncertainty to get it out of my system.  I did go for the Toshi in the end. 13" and 1080p screen _does_ help productivity over something smaller or lower res, in my experience.


I think there's several Chromebooks with 1920x1080 screens now - the Acer Chromebook 15 comes with a hefty 15.6" screen and that's only £229...


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## Chz (Aug 25, 2015)

Ah, now if I'm going 15" I'm thinking I'd (well, he'd) be better off with a an actual PC. I've always found 13-14" to be the sweet spot of portability and usability. I always lean towards the flexibility of a PC, but the cheap laptops are all bulky 15" things or bloody useless 11" Atom-powered nonsense. I used an HP 11" thingamabob the other week. Would've been fine as a Chromebook, but really quite painful with Win8.1.

That's the exact one I went for, Throbbing Angel. JL was the same price as everywhere else and you get the extra warranty. I think the Skullcandy thing is silly, but the teenager will probably think it's cool.


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## Throbbing Angel (Aug 25, 2015)

Chz said:


> Ah, now if I'm going 15" I'm thinking I'd (well, he'd) be better off with a an actual PC. I've always found 13-14" to be the sweet spot of portability and usability. I always lean towards the flexibility of a PC, but the cheap laptops are all bulky 15" things or bloody useless 11" Atom-powered nonsense. I used an HP 11" thingamabob the other week. Would've been fine as a Chromebook, but really quite painful with Win8.1.
> 
> That's the exact one I went for, Throbbing Angel. JL was the same price as everywhere else and you get the extra warranty. I think the Skullcandy thing is silly, but the teenager will probably think it's cool.



Yeah, I looked at HP Stream's too (which is what I assume you mean) and they did seem to drag a bit at times. It felt underpowered.

That chromebook is great imho.  I  went for the 4gb instead of the 2gb (personal pref) and it just flies. Had it about 5 months I think and I've booted up my Win 7 Lenovo about 3 times in that period. Mainly because I don't need to, I can do 99% of stuff on here.  I have an iPad as well and I generally use the chromebook. It literally boots in seconds and has a proper keyboard, so is preferred.

The skullcandy speakers are great, they are under the keys in the keyboard, which I found odd.

My son was 17 when I bought mine and he loves it.  The main appeal to him, he says, is the fast boot time, the fact there is virtually no learning curve and that he can just pick it up and use it. You log into it with your Gmail/Google account details, so there is no setting up of accounts (unless you want to) for other people, they just log into Guest account with their email deets - all good.

So light too -and battery life for aaaaaaaaaaages.

As you can tell, I like it a lot.

The two year warranty thing from JLewis is what made me buy from there too btw.  I figured I may be buying another around that time (newer, shinier things innit) so being covered for the life of a product was a no brainer.


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## BoxRoom (Sep 26, 2015)

editor said:


> This looks a decent tablet convertible for around £200-250 (UK pricing yet to be set).
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I bought one of these yesterday (using it right now!). I really, really like it.
I thought the size might be an issue but am finding it absolutely fine, it's a great out-and-about machine. Feels really well made. I checked out some of the Chromebooks on display at PC World and they just look rubbish, very plasticky and uninspiring. This little beast is well metal, innit.

Touchscreen works fantastically, just got to get used to having a touchscreen now. Some reviews all say the display is a let down but I'm not in that camp, it's absolutely fine for the size and far better than my C720 Chromebook. Have watched some Netflix stuff on it and it looks fantastic. I don't even mind the bezels, it looks like that decision was made to be more useful in tablet mode (which works very well). The screen rotation is also flawless.

Was very wary of having a machine with an ARM processor but this one seems to work very well indeed. The UK model only comes with 4GB RAM which is fine with me. I've had a couple of stutters on this machine (froze on me earlier, held the power button down and it closed the browser and returned to normal functionality again, the first niggle I've encountered) so I'd suspect a 2GB model would be a little laggy perhaps? Maybe it's the ARM, I don't know as I'm far from being an expert, but I have had zero issues with my 2GB C720 in the time I've had it.

But basically, I love this little damn thing. I can see it coming in very handy.


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## Fez909 (Oct 1, 2015)

Just found this thing: Landing Page

Allows you to run ChromeOS on "any" machine. Might be good to revive older models.

Supposed to launch today.


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## Chz (Oct 1, 2015)

Looks like a good idea if there are any old netbooks in the cupboard. I tried to compile ChromeOS once, but I did have a few driver issues. If their fork is a bit more inclusive of old hardware, it could be a goer.


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## BoxRoom (Oct 4, 2015)

Had the Flip for over a week now, just reporting in for an update 

It's good, really good, very reliable little thing. Typing on the slightly less than full size keyboard is fine, doesn't take much getting used to and am really liking it.
It starts up a couple of seconds slower than my old C720 so when you're used to something working swiftly it seems like an eternity! Have been spoiled by actual, fast, working tech 

I have discovered though that it may be a bit of a drain on finances as reading comics bought through Comixology, in tablet mode, is fantastic. It's just the right size. I used to read comics on my old Fonepad which was too small at 7" so had to use guided view, which wasn't a problem, but with this I can read full pages perfectly well. Dammit! 

Am typing this in The Tiger at the moment and will be comic reading as soon as I finish posting this. 

Had initial niggles with wi-fi not working here, and in The Bear, previously and had to hotspot my phone, which was not ideal, but whatever issue was occurring seems to have been resolved as it works a treat now.

It's not a burden to carry around either, it's very portable and takes up less space in my bag too so I don't feel like I'm hefting around a computer room.

The screen really does show fingerprints though so will need a regular cleaning but, well, I knew the risks!

So yes, happy customer here. Well worth it.


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## BoxRoom (Oct 13, 2015)

Have just discovered Amazon Prime now works on Chromebooks!

Sorry if old news, I am surprised.


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## editor (Oct 13, 2015)

The Dell Chromebook is picking up some top notch reviews. Sure looks nice...






24 hours with the Dell Chromebook 13: A taste of luxury with a price you can stomach


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## Throbbing Angel (Oct 13, 2015)

BoxRoom said:


> Have just discovered Amazon Prime now works on Chromebooks!
> 
> Sorry if old news, I am surprised.



What does that mean?


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## Throbbing Angel (Oct 13, 2015)

editor said:


> The Dell Chromebook is picking up some top notch reviews. Sure looks nice...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




That does look nice  - I am unnerved by the glass touchpad, though.  Is that a new thing or do laptops have these?


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## editor (Oct 13, 2015)

Throbbing Angel said:


> That does look nice  - I am unnerved by the glass touchpad, though.  Is that a new thing or do laptops have these?


T'is the trend!


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## BoxRoom (Oct 13, 2015)

Throbbing Angel said:


> What does that mean?


Watching films and telly shows via Amazon Prime didn't work before. Now it does


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## Chz (Oct 13, 2015)

Looks rather nice, but waiting on UK pricing.


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## weltweit (Oct 13, 2015)

So, if all I do is online gmail, forums, news, and offline spreadsheets, wordprocessing and databases - will a chrome book be ok for me?


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## Throbbing Angel (Oct 13, 2015)

weltweit said:


> So, if all I do is online gmail, forums, news, and offline spreadsheets, wordprocessing and databases - will a chrome book be ok for me?



I can say yes to everything except the databases bit - I don't use 'em so don't know.

If you can use Google Docs/Sheets for the other stuff, then yes, offline access is possible, and it'll all sync when you reconnect

I've only found one website since May this year that won't work on my Chromebook, and, typically, it is one from work  so I have to drag myself to the bedroom to get the iPad   

I nipped into PC World and harangued a salesbot until I had all the info I needed, they usually have a few set up. So do John Lewis (less aggro and the wifi will definitely be working)


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## Chz (Oct 14, 2015)

Office 365 works perfectly well in a browser if you need the Microsoft tools. I haven't noticed anything missing. That included Access, which is a fairly basic, but functional database.


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## Throbbing Angel (Oct 14, 2015)

Depends on the complexity of the database I hear from a convo I had in IT today.

They were thinking of making us use 365 and decided against because of the databases we use (size and complexity)


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## Chz (Oct 14, 2015)

Oh yeah, you can't use Access for any heavy lifting. But it's suitable for small business use. I'm not anticipating MSSQL or Oracle in a browser tab any time soon.


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## editor (Oct 16, 2015)

Here's a glowing review for a very tempting machine. It's £339 in the UK.  








> It's a good time to be in the market for a Chromebook. That's because laptops like Dell's newest model go a long way toward dispelling the notion that Chromebooks are cheap, compromised machines that don't have the hardware or software to cut it as your main computer. Chrome OS will likely always lack some features or applications that Windows or Mac options offer -- but for a lot of people, living life in the browser is becoming more and more viable every day.
> 
> Until recently, finding good Chrome OS hardware has been as hard (or harder) than finding a good web-based workflow -- but Dell's Chromebook 13 raises the bar on how good a relatively inexpensive computer can be. Yes, it costs more than most other options out there, but you get a lot for your money. If you're on a tight budget, Toshiba's Chromebook 2 is probably a better option, but for my money, the Dell is the best Chromebook I've used. There's just no compromise to speak of here, and as such it's an easy laptop to recommend to anyone who might want to make a Chromebook their main computer. That may have been a crazy idea just a few years ago, but it's not anymore.



Dell Chromebook 13 review: Chrome OS without compromise


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## Chz (Oct 17, 2015)

So long as we've got a spare desktop for real work, I'd be tempted to get my wife that when her old (feels like I just bought it, but it is Sandy Bridge!) Lenovo dies.


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## Throbbing Angel (Oct 17, 2015)

I've been thinking of getting another chromebook for 'the house' for anyone to pick up and use, my Lenovo is only switched on if it has to be now and Christ it feels slow in comparison (win7).

It makes me wonder what the 'real work' is these days.


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## Chz (Oct 17, 2015)

About the only things that qualify in her case are Photoshop and Excel. It's deep enough Excel voodoo that the Google docs aren't useful and they don't have a 365 license at work. Actually, it's not even so much running Excel locally as that ChromeOS's support for Microsoft RDP is lacking.


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## souljacker (Oct 19, 2015)

Chz said:


> ChromeOS's support for Microsoft RDP is lacking.



What apps have you tried? I've been using ChromeRDP for ages and it hasn't let me down yet.


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## Chz (Oct 19, 2015)

souljacker said:


> What apps have you tried? I've been using ChromeRDP for ages and it hasn't let me down yet.


It worked well enough inside the LAN, but I found it a bit buggy over a VPN connection. I don't know why, and quite possibly it's been fixed now, but I do see a of lot of reviews that suggest it either works for you or it doesn't.


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## souljacker (Oct 19, 2015)

Chz said:


> It worked well enough inside the LAN, but I found it a bit buggy over a VPN connection. I don't know why, and quite possibly it's been fixed now, but I do see a of lot of reviews that suggest it either works for you or it doesn't.



I use it over VPN and have had no problems but that's just my experience.

I actually think you should be able to road test chromebooks to make sure everything you use works ok before committing to buying because the main reason people don't go for them is because they 'don't think it will work with x'


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## Hollis (Oct 24, 2015)

Given my fancy ultrabook conked out after a mere 3 years, & I've had hassle recovering data, I'm tempted by one of these. Are they any good for streaming TV, how about importing old word docs?


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## Chz (Oct 25, 2015)

If you've got an Office 365 sub, you can run Word in the browser. Full featured.

What sort of TV streaming? Watching on the laptop? Sending over to a proper telly in the room (you'd need a Chromecast)?


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## weltweit (Oct 25, 2015)

Having a duh moment, chromebooks don't run windows do they, they run chrome!

Does this limit the number and type of programs you can run on them?


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## Chz (Oct 25, 2015)

Absolutely! But they can probably fulfil over 95% of the average user's needs. Every time I think there's something the Boy needs that it can't do, it turns out that I'm wrong. A lot depends on whether you're absolutely loyal to a particular program or not.


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## Hollis (Oct 25, 2015)

Err.. Skype?  I've read mixed things on internet about whether it's compatible or not? Is hangouts as reliable?

Was planning on streaming to separate monitor..


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## BoxRoom (Oct 25, 2015)

Hollis said:


> Err.. Skype?  I've read mixed things on internet about whether it's compatible or not? Is hangouts as reliable?
> 
> Was planning on streaming to separate monitor..


No proper Skype as yet but Hangouts work great


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## weltweit (Oct 25, 2015)

Chz said:


> Absolutely! But they can probably fulfil over 95% of the average user's needs. Every time I think there's something the Boy needs that it can't do, it turns out that I'm wrong. A lot depends on whether you're absolutely loyal to a particular program or not.


At the moment I mainly use a browser, Apache Open Office, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and I will want to use more photo editing stuff, I used to use a few web editing tools but they mostly fell out of compatibility when I moved to Win7.


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## Chz (Oct 25, 2015)

BoxRoom said:


> No proper Skype as yet but Hangouts work great


Skype works now.

There are photo editing tools (decent ones, even!), but if you're married to the Adobe workflow then you're stuffed.


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## weltweit (Oct 25, 2015)

Oh and I have some applications that are in MS Access so I would want MS Office Pro to work as well.


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## BoxRoom (Oct 25, 2015)

Chz said:


> Skype works now.
> 
> There are photo editing tools (decent ones, even!), but if you're married to the Adobe workflow then you're stuffed.



You can make Skype calls now? When did this happen? It was just messaging as far as I knew.


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## editor (Oct 25, 2015)

BoxRoom said:


> You can make Skype calls now? When did this happen? It was just messaging as far as I knew.


Voice and video calls should be supported on Chromebooks soon: Skype for Web brings (some of) Skype to Chromebooks

Or you can get it here with a bit of fiddling about: Tutorial: How to get Skype™ on Chromebook (The Easy way) - AndroidAPKsFree


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## Chz (Oct 25, 2015)

I've no idea how he did it, but the teenager was definitely videoing us over the Skype network. Not sure if it was the Skype client, but on our end it was Skype.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 25, 2015)

weltweit said:


> Oh and I have some applications that are in MS Access so I would want MS Office Pro to work as well.



I think a windows laptop sounds easier.


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## Chz (Oct 25, 2015)

> I think a windows laptop sounds easier.


I'll agree with that on general principle, but it's not because of Office. You want the newest version of Office, you buy a 365 sub. 365 works in just about any web browser.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 25, 2015)

Do you need the Internet on for this to work?


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## Chz (Oct 25, 2015)

A chromebook is quite utterly useless without an internet connection. I mean, there are few things you can do offline but it's quite limited. Editing some documents is about it.

Edit: As ed says below there's more to it than that. But it's still very limited without net access, no matter how you paint the picture.


----------



## editor (Oct 25, 2015)

Global Stoner said:


> Do you need the Internet on for this to work?


You can work offline for most things just like a normal computer. 



> When you aren't online, you can still do lots of things with your Chromebook:
> 
> 
> Write emails. Gmail Offline is built to support offline access, allowing mail to be read, responded to, searched and archived without network access. Gmail Offline will send your messages as soon as Wi-Fi is available.
> ...


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 25, 2015)

I meant Office 365 rather then chrome books generally as I assume the same is true for Windows?


----------



## Chz (Oct 25, 2015)

365 by default allows one full PC installation, a tablet and a phone, plus Internet  use.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 25, 2015)

That makes more sense!


----------



## editor (Oct 25, 2015)

Chz said:


> A chromebook is quite utterly useless without an internet connection. I mean, there are few things you can do offline but it's quite limited. Editing some documents is about it.
> 
> Edit: As ed says below there's more to it than that. But it's still very limited without net access, no matter how you paint the picture.


But that's pretty much the same for most people's needs on a laptop/tablet, no?

You may have to use unfamiliar ad/or more restricted versions of software but you can do most of the things the same as a laptop without a wi-fi connection, e.g.:


*Pocket*: Pocket has a neat Chrome app that lets you read articles offline. If you are a Pocket user, there is no need of introduction here. It is the same Pocket experience that you get on iOS or Android
*Pixlr Touch Up*: Smart, easy offline photo editor. Touch up, clone, crop, resize, rotate, adjust color, add effects, and more.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




*Wunderlist for Chrome*: Your beautiful and simple to-do list app, now as a Chrome app.
*Any.DO*: Another world famous to-do list app as a Chrome  app!
*Google Keep*: The note taking app from Google that we all have a lot of hope on. Google has an elegant Chrome App for Google Keep.
*Google+ Photos*: Upload and share photos from Chrome. There is a lot more expected from this app as well.


----------



## editor (Nov 4, 2015)

Here's a very positive review for the Dell Chromebook 13:








> *Dell Chromebook 13 Bottom line*
> Leaving out the absurdly-priced Pixel lineup, Dell has made the best all-around Chromebook to date with the Chromebook 13. It offers solid performance, long battery life and build quality that should hold up over time, while also offering several different configurations between $400 and $850 to fit people's needs for performance and price. While the different options let you choose processor, memory and touchscreen capabilities, you're getting the same great backlit keyboard, glass trackpad and 1080p IPS display, which are the really important parts of the experience.
> 
> Of course the Dell Chromebook 13 is a bit on the heavy side and isn't going to fill your friends with envy when they see the design, but those two small downsides take a back seat to a Chromebook that offers a great overall experience and goes a step above the cheap Chromebooks out there today.
> ...



http://www.androidcentral.com/dell-chromebook-13-review


----------



## editor (Feb 1, 2016)

Interesting story here: 
I bought my mom a Chromebook Pixel and everything is so much better now

And discussion;
Should I buy my parents a Chromebook instead of a MacBook? Which one?


----------



## Janh (Feb 2, 2016)

editor said:


> Interesting story here:
> I bought my mom a Chromebook Pixel and everything is so much better now
> 
> And discussion;
> Should I buy my parents a Chromebook instead of a MacBook? Which one?


Good story, there is much to admire in my Chromebook. Every time I have to use a PC I get increasingly appreciative of CB.


----------



## BoxRoom (Feb 10, 2016)

NowTV still aren't contemplating getting shot of Silverlight, they tell me, so viewing that on a Chromebook is something future generations may one day enjoy.
Netflix and Amazon Prime Video work fine though.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Feb 10, 2016)

Yeah, Now TV not working on my Chromebook wind me up too


----------



## BoxRoom (Feb 10, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Yeah, Now TV not working on my Chromebook wind me up too


More people need to have a go at them about this on Twitter 
But it's run by Sky now isn't it, they are difficult swines.

ETA: What Chromebook have you got? How are you finding it otherwise?


----------



## editor (Mar 22, 2016)

Here's a opinion piece on the top ten Chromebooks currently available.

Top 7 best business Chromebooks and Netbooks of 2016

And here's another listing:
The best Chromebooks you can buy in the UK

Their top three:


> *3. Dell Chromebook 11*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## BoxRoom (Mar 22, 2016)

Peterborough Council are going all out with Chrome:
Peterborough City Council ditches Microsoft for Google Apps in cloud push


----------



## editor (Mar 22, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> Peterborough Council are going all out with Chrome:
> Peterborough City Council ditches Microsoft for Google Apps in cloud push


Be interesting to see how it works out.



> “For us moving to that whole 'as-a-service' model means that the IT staff can stop doing what I call the fire fighting tasks - patching servers, building laptops, maintaining things - and be more dynamic and useful in departments and take them on that next step of what those tools can do for them,” said Godfrey.
> 
> “I think sometimes IT is guilty of overcomplicating things, whereas we want IT to be as slick and efficient as possible where they are almost commissioning services in.”
> 
> ...


----------



## Chz (Mar 23, 2016)

Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R alone should save hundreds of support man-hours.


----------



## editor (May 19, 2016)

In case anyone missed the announcement:


> Today we announced that we're adding Android apps to Chromebooks, which means users will be able to install the apps they know and love. Later this year you can expand your app's reach to a new hardware platform and wider audience while maximizing the Google Play ecosystem. With expanded app availability, new use cases and improved workflows can be achieved for all Chromebook users, whether for personal use, for work or for education.



Google will also be bringing Google Play over to Chromebooks. These new features will be available on a wide variety of Chromebooks, as well as Chromeboxes and Chromebases. A full list of supported Chromebooks can be found here.

Google Chrome Blog: The Google Play store, coming to a Chromebook near you


----------



## BoxRoom (May 19, 2016)

editor said:


> In case anyone missed the announcement:
> 
> 
> Google will also be bringing Google Play over to Chromebooks. These new features will be available on a wide variety of Chromebooks, as well as Chromeboxes and Chromebases. A full list of supported Chromebooks can be found here.
> ...



My Asus Flip is one of the first to get this!
*falls over*

My trusty old C720 ain't on the list, ain't a bad thing really as it's the Flip that will, as the kids say, be well spiffing.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 21, 2016)




----------



## editor (May 21, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


>


Looks fucking brilliant.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 21, 2016)

editor said:


> Looks fucking brilliant.


I think you know me well enough now to not doubt that I am something of a Chromebook fanboy but I seriously have not been this excited about a tech thing before... sounds really sad now I've typed that but fuck it I'm practically crying looking at the calendar


----------



## Chz (May 21, 2016)

Games are a bit of a bugger for the 90% that don't have a touchscreen, but it's welcome nonetheless!


----------



## weltweit (May 21, 2016)

What is the deal with chromebooks then, I just checked Dell chromebooks and the cheapest was more than £400.00 ?


----------



## editor (May 21, 2016)

weltweit said:


> What is the deal with chromebooks then, I just checked Dell chromebooks and the cheapest was more than £400.00 ?


That's the high end business model. You can get a Dell Chromebook for £175
Dell 11.6-inch Chromebook (Grey) - (Intel Celeron 2955U 1.40GHz, 2GB RAM, 16GB SSD, WLAN, Bluetooth, Webcam, Integrated Graphics, Google Chrome): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

...or take your pic from the huge range of different models on offer from other manufacturers:
Chromebook Store – Latest and Deals | Amazon UK

They really are astonishing value.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 21, 2016)

weltweit said:


> What is the deal with chromebooks then, I just checked Dell chromebooks and the cheapest was more than £400.00 ?


That's well pricey. Are they made of platinum by angels? 

This isn't a bad list, and far better prices (apart from the Pixel but that machine's just daft )

10 best Chromebooks 2016: top Chromebooks reviewed


----------



## editor (May 25, 2016)

> Chromebooks have surpassed sales of Mac laptops in the United States for the first time ever. And that doesn’t surprise me. Because roughly a year ago I made the same switch. Formerly a lifelong Mac user, I bought my first PC ever in the form of a Chromebook. And I’m never looking back.



http://gizmodo.com/why-i-bought-a-chromebook-instead-of-a-mac-1778403065


----------



## BoxRoom (May 25, 2016)

editor said:


> http://gizmodo.com/why-i-bought-a-chromebook-instead-of-a-mac-1778403065


It's nice to hear of a Mac deserter, usually it's Windows users I hear about.

I think that the number of people that would find a Chromebook perfectly adequate for their needs is larger than we thought as perhaps now they're starting to realise it more.


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (May 25, 2016)

Will all chromebooks mirror to smart TV? My Nexus 7 does it to my TV but I want to get my daughter a Chromebook for school and watching videos on tv.


----------



## editor (May 25, 2016)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Will all chromebooks mirror to smart TV? My Nexus 7 does it to my TV but I want to get my daughter a Chromebook for school and watching videos on tv.


With Chromecast, yes. 

How To Cast Your Chromebook To Your Chromecast


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (May 25, 2016)

editor said:


> With Chromecast, yes.
> 
> How To Cast Your Chromebook To Your Chromecast


I can do it without chromecast. But it's just an easy free download and am free to buy any chrome book?
I don't need to buy anything for my telly?


----------



## BoxRoom (May 25, 2016)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> I can do it without chromecast. But it's just an easy free download and am free to buy any chrome book?
> I don't need to buy anything for my telly?


Is it via an app on your Nexus 7?
Apps are coming to Chromebooks properly this year:
Chromebooks that support Android apps - Chromebook Help


----------



## weltweit (May 25, 2016)

A question to the chromebookers

Presumably chrome is the OS also. Can I run Apache Office, Photoshop Elements, other Adobe products?


----------



## editor (May 25, 2016)

weltweit said:


> A question to the chromebookers
> 
> Presumably chrome is the OS also. Can I run Apache Office, Photoshop Elements, other Adobe products?


No, but there are capable equivalents.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 25, 2016)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> I can do it without chromecast. But it's just an easy free download and am free to buy any chrome book?
> I don't need to buy anything for my telly?



Do you mean an HDMI cable or something more clever?


----------



## weltweit (May 25, 2016)

editor said:


> No, but there are capable equivalents.


Will it run any of them?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 25, 2016)

weltweit said:


> Will it run any of them?



No


----------



## editor (May 25, 2016)

weltweit said:


> Will it run any of them?


No. I don't think you're quite getting the concept of Chromebooks. They're not like laptops with traditional programs; they're based around Google's cloud services so they're lighter, faster and cheaper for day to day jobs.


----------



## weltweit (May 25, 2016)

editor said:


> No. I don't think you're quite getting the concept of Chromebooks. They're not like laptops with traditional programs; they're based around Google's cloud services so they're lighter, faster and cheaper for day to day jobs.


Oh, ok ...


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (May 25, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Do you mean an HDMI cable or something more clever?


I have a Nexus 7 and it connects to my Samsung smart TV wirelessly with just one click. I didn't install anything  or set anything up, it just worked.


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (May 25, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> Is it via an app on your Nexus 7?
> Apps are coming to Chromebooks properly this year:
> Chromebooks that support Android apps - Chromebook Help


Nope I just hit 'cast' and it casts to the telly.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 25, 2016)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Nope I just hit 'cast' and it casts to the telly.


That's pretty swish! Wondering if the telly has Chromecast built in. Wasn't that a thing that was supposed to be happening once?
May do some research.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 25, 2016)

I think we'll be able to do what ATOMIC SUPLEX  is describing when we get the apps on Chrome OS.

I can fling youtube vids to my NowTV box as the apps on my Android phone and iPad2 detect a capable device on the network automatically.  Currently, on a Chromebook, you are just accessing youtube via a web page as you would do on a mac/pc.


----------



## gaijingirl (May 25, 2016)

I just bought a chromebook after using them lots at work and I'm really pleased with it.  Also pleased with the price.  Admittedly my needs are very simple though.


----------



## editor (May 25, 2016)

gaijingirl said:


> I just bought a chromebook after using them lots at work and I'm really pleased with it.  Also pleased with the price.  Admittedly my needs are very simple though.


Most people's needs are pretty simple and that's why Chromebooks are doing so well. They're fast, cheap and efficient at everyday tasks and that's good enough for the majority of users. Once Android apps get to run on them, they're going to become even more popular.


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (May 25, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I think we'll be able to do what ATOMIC SUPLEX  is describing when we get the apps on Chrome OS.
> 
> I can fling youtube vids to my NowTV box as the apps on my Android phone and iPad2 detect a capable device on the network automatically.  Currently, on a Chromebook, you are just accessing youtube via a web page as you would do on a mac/pc.


Yeah its pretty freaky. I knew I could do the you tube thing, which was basicly just telling my telly to match a you tube address.. . But then one day I just noticed the cast button on the main drop down menu and it copied everything on my tablet. I can watch hd movies saved on my tablet or check out help assume. I assumed I was last to the party and everybody already did this. It's probably just that chrome cast is built in to android. But if it's just a tiny download then that's great. My wife is really angry because she only has Mac tablets and phones so can't even cast you tubes without forking out for apple tv and sticking an extra bit of kit in the back.


----------



## Fez909 (May 25, 2016)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Yeah its pretty freaky. I knew I could do the you tube thing, which was basicly just telling my telly to match a you tube address.. . But then one day I just noticed the cast button on the main drop down menu and it copied everything on my tablet. I can watch hd movies saved on my tablet or check out help assume. I assumed I was last to the party and everybody already did this. It's probably just that chrome cast is built in to android. But if it's just a tiny download then that's great. My wife is really angry because she only has Mac tablets and phones so can't even cast you tubes without forking out for apple tv and sticking an extra bit of kit in the back.


I think it's using DNLA rather than Chromecast. You can get a DNLA server for Mac called Universal Media Server that will let you accomplish pretty much the same thing. It's can be a bit flakey but it works. I have used it to stream to my Playstation 3 before.


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (May 25, 2016)

Fez909 said:


> I think it's using DNLA rather than Chromecast. You can get a DNLA server for Mac called Universal Media Server that will let you accomplish pretty much the same thing. It's can be a bit flakey but it works. I have used it to stream to my Playstation 3 before.


Tell me more. Where might my wife get this dnla so that she can watch her Japanese dramas on the main tv. Buying apple tv just for that seems excessive.


----------



## Fez909 (May 25, 2016)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Tell me more. Where might my wife get this dnla so that she can watch her Japanese dramas on the main tv. Buying apple tv just for that seems excessive.


Universal Media Server


----------



## editor (May 25, 2016)

Fez909 said:


> Universal Media Server


That doesn't exactly look like the easiest thing to set up.


----------



## Fez909 (May 25, 2016)

editor said:


> That doesn't exactly look like the easiest thing to set up.


It's been a while since I used it, but I don't remember it being difficult.

Which part do you think looks tricky?


----------



## editor (May 25, 2016)

Fez909 said:


> It's been a while since I used it, but I don't remember it being difficult.
> 
> Which part do you think looks tricky?


Would you call that a user-friendly website? The only comment on their windows download page say," superb piece of software can be a little tricky to set up correctly but once achieved the results are excellent."

The same page also invites you to, "Check the MD5/SHA1 signature." I'd wager most users have no fucking idea what that means. I certainly don't.

So, yeah. Not so friendly.


----------



## Fez909 (May 25, 2016)

editor said:


> Would you call that a user-friendly website? The only comment on their windows download page say," superb piece of software can be a little tricky to set up correctly but once achieved the results are excellent."
> 
> The same page also invites you to, "Check the MD5/SHA1 signature." I'd wager most users have no fucking idea what that means. I certainly don't.
> 
> So, yeah. Not so friendly.


Fair enough. I do know what an MD5/SHA1 signature is, but it's not neccesary to do anything with that. I've never checked one in my life.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 25, 2016)

that's a checksum is it?


----------



## BoxRoom (May 30, 2016)

Captain Knee Jerk writes a helpful article about something he's not actually researched because Chromebooks are shit, innit:

Chrome OS, Chromebooks getting Android apps | ZDNet


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 31, 2016)

I'd quite like a new portable machine with long battery life. My budget doesn't really stretch to a decent windows one and I already have all my stuff saved on Google Drive.

How hard is it to get a Chromebook to store the drive locally and keep it in sync when it has internet? It's the default on Windows, but seems impossible on Android.

When you work on stuff in Google Docs and you want to email it someone (say an invoice) does it automatically convert it to a word file or can you make it do so?


----------



## editor (May 31, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'd quite like a new portable machine with long battery life. My budget doesn't really stretch to a decent windows one and I already have all my stuff saved on Google Drive.
> 
> How hard is it to get a Chromebook to store the drive locally and keep it in sync when it has internet? It's the default on Windows, but seems impossible on Android.
> 
> When you work on stuff in Google Docs and you want to email it someone (say an invoice) does it automatically convert it to a word file or can you make it do so?


You'll be able to run Word on Chromebooks soon (there's an excellent free Android version). The whole point of Chromebooks is to sync with the Cloud/internet so you should be fine there!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 31, 2016)

editor said:


> You'll be able to run Word on Chromebooks soon (there's an excellent free Android version). The whole point of Chromebooks is to sync with the Cloud/internet so you should be fine there!



Aye, but will it store the whole folder locally for when I don't have internet?

For example I'm working on a NVQ and may want to refer to something I stuck in there months ago.


----------



## editor (May 31, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Aye, but will it store the whole folder locally for when I don't have internet?
> 
> For example I'm working on a NVQ and may want to refer to something I stuck in there months ago.


You save your work to the default Drive folder and everything is synced and the file is available to work locally. You can now sync removable media too New Chromebook Feature Allows Syncing Of Data Between Removable Media Device And Google Drive | Androidheadlines.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 31, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Aye, but will it store the whole folder locally for when I don't have internet?
> 
> For example I'm working on a NVQ and may want to refer to something I stuck in there months ago.



Depends on the size of the folder I suppose. Most Chromebooks only have a 16 or 32gb hard/flash/NAND/whatever drive.  Filesize and editability will depend on whether they're all in Word or google's format.  

I have over 500 documents in my drive, all are available offline, all are in Google's format. I also use one of these in the side of the cbook as my double sure back up thingy:
 

I also use an offline word processor called *ain't* which is available from the chrome web store for free. That works offline very well


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 31, 2016)

That's good to know regarding offline stuff.  Can you set it so everything just saves as .doc? I'm thinking to avoid any confusion when sharing work with other people.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 31, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> That's good to know regarding offline stuff.  Can you set it so everything just saves as .doc? I'm thinking to avoid any confusion when sharing work with other people.


If you're sharing documents via emailing them you can send it as a Word doc, even if it's a Google Doc. Otherwise just edit it as a Word doc and it's all sweet.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 31, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> That's good to know regarding offline stuff.  Can you set it so everything just saves as .doc? I'm thinking to avoid any confusion when sharing work with other people.



you can't make Google Docs save a new _from scratch_ document in .doc - you can save.doc in there but can only edit them if you convert them to google's format

I suppose you could use OneDrive and their online version of Word, or as ed says, wait for the Word app

Save the .docs to the usb and upload a copy to drive to faff around with? Pain in the ass, though.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 31, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> If you're sharing documents via emailing them you can send it as a Word doc, even if it's a Google Doc. Otherwise just edit it as a Word doc and it's all sweet.



I don't understand that


----------



## BoxRoom (May 31, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I don't understand that


If you're working on Google Doc's, you can send the document as an attachment in a format of your choosing. Word document, PDF too if you like


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 31, 2016)

Ok. Sucks you into their eco system slightly. I can understand why. Would just have to get used to using Google Docs at home. Not sure I like it at the moment, but could get used it.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 31, 2016)

I experimented with Google Docs ages ago, after another nuclear meltdown at Windows and all its little demons, and found it fine for what I needed, a no nonsense word processor. Got a C720 not long after we were burgled, the pillocks stole my old Windows laptop, christ that thing was a death trap, and haven't looked back.
With the apps on their way I will soon never need to go near MS or Apple unless forced at gunpoint. Am at the pub now typing this merrily on my Asus Flip which is hands down the best thing I ever bought.

tl:dr - Meh, y'know, Doc's is okay.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 31, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> If you're working on Google Doc's, you can send the document as an attachment in a format of your choosing. Word document, PDF too if you like



OK - I believe you, but I can't see how and I'm trying now. So go on - how?

I tend to use the share button


----------



## BoxRoom (May 31, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> OK - I believe you, but I can't see how and I'm trying now. So go on - how?
> 
> I tend to use the share button



File - Email as attachment - Attach as (drop down list)

You can also 'download as' different formats too.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 31, 2016)

Oooooooooooh BoxRoom , that's brill


----------



## BoxRoom (May 31, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Oooooooooooh BoxRoom , that's brill


innit! Only discovered this the other day!


----------



## Chz (Jun 1, 2016)

editor said:


> You'll be able to run Word on Chromebooks soon (there's an excellent free Android version). The whole point of Chromebooks is to sync with the Cloud/internet so you should be fine there!


You can already run Word on Chromebooks. The only real irritant of Office 365 is that some of the keyboard shortcuts you may be used to are munged.


----------



## editor (Jun 4, 2016)

Jump to 6:36. Android + Chrombook is going to be fucking brilliant.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 4, 2016)

editor said:


> Jump to 6:36. Android + Chrombook is going to be fucking brilliant.




It's the "Santa's been!" feeling. Or at least it will be when my CB has _that_ update.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 4, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> It's the "Santa's been!" feeling. Or at least it will be when my CB has _that_ update.



aye


----------



## editor (Jun 6, 2016)

I am mighty tempted by this machine. Just £200.



It's going to be the first to run Android too later this month
Chromebooks that support Android apps - Chromebook Help

Edit: fuck it, I've just bought it as it's on a sale at Argos for just £199 for the 4GB/16GB version. Add in a 64GB card for a tenner and I'm sorted for storage.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 6, 2016)

editor said:


> I am mighty tempted by this machine. Just £200.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Excellent choice! Please keep us updated on how you get on with it. I really love mine still.


----------



## Chz (Jun 6, 2016)

It looks like a great little machine. But there's no way in hell I'm using 1280x800. Especially when we're *finally* seeing consumer grade laptops (15.4" sub-£400) using 1920x1080 now. Been a pet peeve of mine for the better part of a decade. They make these little miracles of technology, and then they slap some shit-assed screen on it that's half the resolution of a Hudl2.


----------



## editor (Jun 6, 2016)

Chz said:


> It looks like a great little machine. But there's no way in hell I'm using 1280x800. Especially when we're *finally* seeing consumer grade laptops (15.4" sub-£400) using 1920x1080 now. Been a pet peeve of mine for the better part of a decade. They make these little miracles of technology, and then they slap some shit-assed screen on it that's half the resolution of a Hudl2.


With just a small 10.1" screen, I'm not going to be bothered about the resolution. My main needs are portability, decent build and a long battery life. A higher res screen would have been nice, but that that would have bumped up the price and impacted on battery life/size. £200 was my limit. This thing is thinner than an Air


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 6, 2016)

editor said:


> With just a small 10.1" screen, I'm not going to be bothered about the resolution. My main needs are portability, decent build and a long battery life. A higher res screen would have been nice, but that that would have bumped up the price and impacted on battery life/size. £200 was my limit. This thing is thinner than an Air




After watching that I wonder if this might replace my failing ipad.
Meh, none in stock for miles around me.

Looks very good - you going to do a Wirefresh review editor ?


----------



## editor (Jun 6, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> After watching that I wonder if this might replace my failing ipad.
> Meh, none in stock for miles around me.
> 
> Looks very good - you going to do a Wirefresh review editor ?


You can buy them on Argos (via eBay) for a bargain £199, free delivery.
Asus Chromebook Flip C100 10.1 Inch Rockchip 1.8GHz 4GB 16GB Silver Chromebook.

There's a really positive review here: 
http://reviews.gizmodo.com/asus-chromebook-flip-review-who-said-you-cant-be-class-1716817372


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2016)

Got the Asus Flip today. First impressions: it's one hell of a lot of a laptop for £199. The keyboard is a lot more usable than my Asus Transformer, the screen is excellent and the finish is exceptional. Being able to run a desktop Chrome browser means that all my extensions installed themselves by default and it feels like there's less compromises than using the Android version. It looks great too.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 8, 2016)

And here's the Flip 2!



Spoiler



Maybe, could be, might be, might not be but whenever it'll not for a while yet though but I'll wager the next Flip, whenever it appears, will be awesome.
Could This Be The ASUS Chromebook Flip 2?



editor - Glad first impressions of Flip 1 are good. It's a beauty innit!


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> And here's the Flip 2!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If it's got a backlit keyboard and is a similar sort of price, I'll be in!


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 8, 2016)

editor said:


> If it's got a backlit keyboard and is a similar sort of price, I'll be in!



The biggest wish I see people pining for is a backlit keyboard. They will lose their shit over this if it's true. The love the current Flip is getting, and ever growing, is one thing but the next version will blow these tiny minded little Chromebook fanboys my mind. I hope the price will still be reasonable and that it's released in a time when I can save up for it if I'm working because I'll be first in the queue, traffic willing.


----------



## editor (Jun 10, 2016)

Interesting stuff!



> But something happened about a year ago when my Macbook Air was running on fumes. I looked at the Macs and gave my brain a half-second to entertain other options. I owned a functioning Mac desktop, which is my primary machine for heavy lifting. But I started to wonder why I wasn’t entertaining other options for my mobile machine.
> 
> The biggest consideration was price. When all was said and done, even the cheapest Mac laptop was going to set me back about $1,300 after taxes and AppleCare. And the siren song of a computer under $200 was calling my name. I got the Acer Chromebook with 2GB of RAM and a 16GB drive. It cost a shockingly low $173. And it was worth every penny. It even came with 100GB of Google Drive storage and twelve GoGo inflight internet passes. If you travel enough, the thing literally pays for itself in airline wifi access.


http://gizmodo.com/why-i-bought-a-chromebook-instead-of-a-mac-1778403065


----------



## editor (Jun 13, 2016)

A week in and I remain hugely impressed with the Asus chromebook. It's a wonderful lightweight travelling companion: it's ready to go as soon as you open the lid, the wifi connection is extra speedy (faster than my Windows/Android laptops) and the keyboard is surprisingly good.

The folding design makes it ruddy marvelous for watching TV in bed too. It's the best £199 I've spent in quite a while: an absolute bargain.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 13, 2016)

What sort of battery life are you getting from it and can they be charged from USB? 

I'm considering a small and light machine as working in bunkhouses in Wales a lot and don't always have access to power, but would be good to be able to do admin in the evenings. 

Still not sure what it would be like moving away from MS Office, despite storing all my stuff in Drive.


----------



## chilango (Jun 13, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> What sort of battery life are you getting from it and can they be charged from USB?
> 
> I'm considering a small and light machine as working in bunkhouses in Wales a lot and don't always have access to power, but would be good to be able to do admin in the evenings.
> 
> Still not sure what it would be like moving away from MS Office, despite storing all my stuff in Drive.



I find 90+% of the time Google Docs etc. is actually better than Office. It only isn't when other people insist on using Word.


----------



## editor (Jun 13, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> What sort of battery life are you getting from it and can they be charged from USB?
> 
> I'm considering a small and light machine as working in bunkhouses in Wales a lot and don't always have access to power, but would be good to be able to do admin in the evenings.
> 
> Still not sure what it would be like moving away from MS Office, despite storing all my stuff in Drive.


Annoyingly it has a proprietary charger but it's good for a minimum of 9 hours according to the reviews I've read.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 13, 2016)

chilango said:


> I find 90+% of the time Google Docs etc. is actually better than Office. It only isn't when other people insist on using Word.



Which is most of the time for me


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 13, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Which is most of the time for me



Same here - ballache innit


----------



## editor (Jun 14, 2016)

Handy reference



> *Everything You Can Do Offline With A Chromebook*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Article from here but that page seems borked Everything You Can Do Offline With A Chromebook


----------



## inva (Jun 15, 2016)

editor said:


> A week in and I remain hugely impressed with the Asus chromebook. It's a wonderful lightweight travelling companion: it's ready to go as soon as you open the lid, the wifi connection is extra speedy (faster than my Windows/Android laptops) and the keyboard is surprisingly good.
> 
> The folding design makes it ruddy marvelous for watching TV in bed too. It's the best £199 I've spent in quite a while: an absolute bargain.


thanks to your posts about it I ordered myself one of these and it arrived today. so far I am really pleased with it. It does just about everything I need and the way it turns into a tablet is great and really useful. In spite of being so tiny I reckon it'll end up my main computer.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 15, 2016)

inva said:


> thanks to your posts about it I ordered myself one of these and it arrived today. so far I am really pleased with it. It does just about everything I need and the way it turns into a tablet is great and really useful. In spite of being so tiny I reckon it'll end up my main computer.


Very glad you like it. I've been using my Flip more and more at home despite me thinking it'd just be my out-and-about machine.
My poor old Acer C720 is starting to resent me I think.


----------



## editor (Jun 16, 2016)

So I've switched to Google Docs from Word for my writing work. The instant syncing across all devices is a real bonus and it's no problem to send the work to my client as a .doc file - just select download -> Word. The only thing I don't like about Docs is that there's no word count displayed in the bottom bar - I either have to press ctr+shift+c or use a rather clunky add-on. 

Apart from that, it's every bit as good as Word.


----------



## chilango (Jun 16, 2016)

I do all my work in Google Docs (and Sheets) despite having both Office and the Apple equivalent on my work machines. I think it's great.


----------



## chilango (Jun 16, 2016)

...and I've just discovered the voice input feature on docs. I doubt that I'll use it at work but I can imagine that when I'm out and about using my phone to input text into a document will be very handy indeed. In fact, this post has been made using it!


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 16, 2016)

chilango said:


> ...and I've just discovered the voice input feature on docs. I doubt that I'll use it at work but I can imagine that when I'm out and about using my phone to input text into a document will be very handy indeed. In fact, this post has been made using it!



A fellow I work with recently got a Flip on my recommendation because he uses a clunky transcription programme on a half-dead old Windows machine and was impressed with the voice recognition without having to train the machine to recognise your voice etc.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 16, 2016)

editor said:


> So I've switched to Google Docs from Word for my writing work. The instant syncing across all devices is a real bonus and it's no problem to send the work to my client as a .doc file - just select download -> Word. The only thing I don't like about Docs is that there's no word count displayed in the bottom bar - I either have to press ctr+shift+c or use a rather clunky add-on.
> 
> Apart from that, it's every bit as good as Word.



Handy tip (apols if this is what you meant) but you can click File, Email as attachment and choose the format you want to email it as direct from Docs rather than having to download it and attach it manually to an email.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 16, 2016)

Do you lot find that the .docs produced render/convert properly?

I've had a few complaints about formatting going wonky when I send a .doc that was created in Gdocs.  I've also noticed that what appears on the screen in a Gdoc ain't always what appears in a .pdf produced from Gdocs. Too many blank lines between paragraphs is a common complaint.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 16, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Do you lot find that the .docs produced render/convert properly?
> 
> I've had a few complaints about formatting going wonky when I send a .doc that was created in Gdocs.  I've also noticed that what appears on the screen in a Gdoc ain't always what appears in a .pdf produced from Gdocs. Too many blank lines between paragraphs is a common complaint.



I've not had any great problems, a few minor formatting niggles. But I wouldn't yet trust a Google Doc of importance to convert blindly to another format. I'd like to see the result first and edit as necessary.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 16, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> I've not had any great problems, a few minor formatting niggles. But I wouldn't yet trust a Google Doc of importance to convert blindly to another format. I'd like to see the result first and edit as necessary.



Trouble is I can't see the difference until the conversion has been done. Looks fine in Gdocs.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 16, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Trouble is I can't see the difference until the conversion has been done. Looks fine in Gdocs.


That's my point, innit. If I'm converting a Google Doc to a Word doc then I can amend the Word doc if anything had gone astray. The process isn't perfect so I was just saying that I wouldn't trust something important to be converted without me being able to check out the conversion first before sending it on.


----------



## editor (Jun 16, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> That's my point, innit. If I'm converting a Google Doc to a Word doc then I can amend the Word doc if anything had gone astray. The process isn't perfect so I was just saying that I wouldn't trust something important to be converted without me being able to check out the conversion first before sending it on.


That's what I did - I saved a Google Docs file in .doc format, checked it in Word and then sent it on, and it was fine.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 16, 2016)

editor said:


> That's what I did - I saved a Google Docs file in .doc format, checked it in Word and then sent it on, and it was fine.


Aye, it's best to be sure.


----------



## editor (Jun 16, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> Aye, it's best to be sure.


I'll do it a couple more times and then I'll trust it if it works every time


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 17, 2016)

Android Apps are now available on the Flip!
(Dev channel)

I'm on Beta but I'm so very tempted to change to Dev.


----------



## editor (Jun 17, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> Android Apps are now available on the Flip!
> (Dev channel)
> 
> I'm on Beta but I'm so very tempted to change to Dev.


How do I get on to this?

*mustard keen


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 17, 2016)

editor said:


> How do I get on to this?
> 
> *mustard keen



Click Settings > About Chrome OS > More info....
Click the Change channel... button.
Pick "Developer - unstable"

Am avidly reading people's updates on how they're finding it on reddit. Not perfect yet but they're making some happy noises


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 17, 2016)

I've switched to Dev. 
Will have a proper play later but so far so good.

Edit - 24 hours later:

It's pretty good! Bit early days, the odd glitch here and there, but I'm generally finding it's working fantastically.

I'm not saying it's a game changer, but it's certainly a game changer


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2016)

Looks like most Android apps already work well with Chromebooks 

Android apps on Chromebook review: Is it ready for mainstream use? | ZDNet


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 21, 2016)

editor said:


> Looks like most Android apps already work well with Chromebooks
> 
> Android apps on Chromebook review: Is it ready for mainstream use? | ZDNet



It's pretty good from what I've experienced myself. Some glitches here and there but mostly working superbly. Once this goes to Beta I'd say we'll be in a better position so gauge how well everything will do. Will keep testing, innit.


----------



## editor (Jun 22, 2016)

Another rave review: 



> The Chromebook Flip is the first PC I've used in a long, long time that's genuinely surprised me. No, it's not going to play _Crysis_, and it can't run full-fat Photoshop. So what? It's a $240 computer that doesn't make any noise unless it's playing music. It doesn't get hot under load. It seems next-to-impossible to corrupt with malware, and it generally won't lose all your files if you somehow manage to destroy it. Were it that we could say the same of our big, complex laptops running Windows or macOS....
> 
> We've recommended against Chromebooks for a while in our mobile staff picks, but after using the Chromebook Flip, I don't think that caution applies any more. Cheap Windows laptops tend to be big, heavy things with delicate, slow mechanical hard drives, crappy screens, and all the rope that Windows tends to give the average user to hang themselves with.
> 
> Yeah, you can get Windows "cloudbooks" with tiny SSDs and paltry amounts of RAM for the same price as the Chromebook Flip, but I'm not sure those machines would offer any better a user experience. If you need a tiny PC for basic tasks and you're OK with running a few Android apps on the side, the Flip is an affordable, well-built option that's well up to the job. We'll have to test an Intel-powered Chromebook at some point to see how that combo fares.



Asus' Chromebook Flip convertible laptop reviewed


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 22, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> Android Apps are now available on the Flip!
> (Dev channel)
> 
> I'm on Beta but I'm so very tempted to change to Dev.




Is it machine specific (like my phone _not_ getting Marshmallow for example) or will my Tosh Chromebook do this if I switch to Dev?

And, does it automagically suck you existing apps across? I have apps installed on my phone that are linked to my google account, which is what I'm logged into my Chromebook with. So, will the apps on my phone appear on my laptop as if by magic?


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 22, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Is it machine specific (like my phone _not_ getting Marshmallow for example) or will my Tosh Chromebook do this if I switch to Dev?
> 
> And, does it automagically suck you existing apps across? I have apps installed on my phone that are linked to my google account, which is what I'm logged into my Chromebook with. So, will the apps on my phone appear on my laptop as if by magic?



It's just the Flip that's got this at the moment, here's the list of ones it'll come to as it stands at the moment: Chrome OS Systems Supporting Android Apps - The Chromium Projects

Unfortunately you have to manually download all the apps you want, it ain't automatic. But if you go into the Play store you can see all your apps you've previously got and pick and choose from there.

There are glitches and it isn't all perfect, couple of crashes here and there, and have discovered that apps I've pinned to the shelf are unpinned when the app updates.

I'm enjoying testing it all out at the moment but am really looking forward to it coming to the Beta channel. By then it will be pretty damn sorted.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 22, 2016)

Cheers for the link - I'll keep my eyes open.

I'm sure it'll all improve as time passes and crashes will become a thing of the past. After all, this is new ground at the moment.


Ooooh, mine is listed (Chromebook2 2015)


----------



## editor (Jun 23, 2016)

Interesting feature: 

How Android apps transformed my Asus Chromebook Flip into an entirely new device


----------



## editor (Jun 23, 2016)

Putting this here as a reminder for myself really!

How to customize your Chromebook launcher


----------



## editor (Jun 23, 2016)

Just trying out some of the free image editing programs for Chromebook and I'm mightily impressed with the two I've tried so far - Pixlr Editor and Polarr. Looks like they're very capable programs - Pixlr does an awful lot of what Photoshop does when it comes to everyday editing.


----------



## joevsimp (Jun 23, 2016)

I've got a flip as well but I haven't really used the android apps I've installed yet, might give pixlr a try as I seem to have bricked my big laptop


----------



## editor (Jun 24, 2016)

This sums up why I think Chromebooks are going to keep on growing: 



> The biggest advantage that Chromebooks bring to the table is that they are a no-nonsense computing platform that allows people to focus on getting the job done without the distractions of updates and antivirus and bloatware and nags to download and install the latest and greatest operating system.
> 
> Chromebooks are so incredibly low maintenance that for someone coming from a big platform -- especially Windows -- it can feel rather disconcerting initially. The amount of time that a Chromebook user needs to spend on maintenance can be measured in seconds.
> 
> ...


----------



## editor (Jun 24, 2016)

And all your messaging needs: 
Best Chrome extensions for staying in touch


----------



## Chz (Jun 24, 2016)

Or just install PushBullet and route everything through there.
I know it's not _quite_ the same, but it's a lot easier.


----------



## Nebulous. (Jun 28, 2016)

I looked into chromebooks and I decided against it. Laptops are so cheap these days, some are around the same price.


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2016)

Nebulous. said:


> I looked into chromebooks and I decided against it. Laptops are so cheap these days, some are around the same price.


Er, yes, they are. But then you'd be missing the point by a country mile. How long does the battery last on a £150 laptop? How quickly does it boot up? How much time do you have to spend updating it, adding virus checkers etc?


----------



## Nebulous. (Jun 28, 2016)

editor said:


> Er, yes, they are. But then you'd be missing the point by a country mile. How long does the battery last on a £150 laptop? How quickly does it boot up? How much time do you have to spend updating it, adding virus checkers etc?



Good point.  My laptop's battery isn't that great.   It's typically plugged in all the time.  I just use it while I am sitting on my sofa.


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2016)

Nebulous. said:


> Good point.  My laptop's battery isn't that great.   It's typically plugged in all the time.  I just use it while I am sitting on my sofa.


Chromebooks typically last much longer than equivalent Windows laptops, with many typically offering 8-9 hours or more. They're also significantly faster in everyday operation.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 28, 2016)

Nebulous. said:


> Good point.  My laptop's battery isn't that great.   It's typically plugged in all the time.  I just use it while I am sitting on my sofa.



Wanted to echo editor's posts and add that depending on what you want from a laptop then Chromebooks are fantastic. I use mine for internet, email and writing. That's all I really need it for and, to quote many happy customers, it just works. The aggro I've had with Windows machines makes the EU vote anger look like a rather pleasant summer day 
With Android Apps starting to come to these machines now too the possibilities are outstanding.
I've experience of 2 Chromebooks specifically, the older C720 and the more recent Asus Flip. The battery on both of them is incredible.
I could bollock on all day about how good they are but I'll spare you!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 28, 2016)

BoxRoom said:


> Wanted to echo editor's posts......I could bollock on all day about how good they are but I'll spare you!



Same here - I hardly use a windows machine outside of work now
I won't bang on here, though.
Chromebooks are the new "it just works" platform


----------



## Lazy Llama (Jun 28, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Chromebooks are the new "it just works" platform


Same article editor quoted on Friday


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2016)

Acer's new 14" Chromebook looks good













Acer Chromebook 14 Review


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 28, 2016)

looks similar to my Tosh Cbook 2 (13.3in) that - good review -$299 is a steal for that


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## editor (Jul 5, 2016)

Handy if you use Skype: Chromebook Users Can Now Make Voice Calls Via Skype For Web | Androidheadlines.com


----------



## editor (Jul 7, 2016)

Another handy set of links: How to use your Chromebook offline


----------



## editor (Jul 8, 2016)

I'm still absolutely loving the Asus Chromebook Flip. I think it's the best laptop I've ever owned - and that's before I start loading up Android apps. It's fast, well built, stylish, has a massive battery life with a great keyboard, hooks into the nearest wi-fi almost as soon as I've opened the lid and makes my Windows laptop look like a slow lumbering beast. Best £199 I've ever spent on tech, I think.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jul 9, 2016)

editor said:


> I'm still absolutely loving the Asus Chromebook Flip. I think it's the best laptop I've ever owned - and that's before I start loading up Android apps. It's fast, well built, stylish, has a massive battery life with a great keyboard, hooks into the nearest wi-fi almost as soon as I've opened the lid and makes my Windows laptop look like a slow lumbering beast. Best £199 I've ever spent on tech, I think.


No surprise that I like this post, am seriously glad you like it. I've never been this happy with a piece of kit I've bought before but I seriously adore the Flip.
Am so glad I bought this while I had a job, couldn't afford it now, and is seriously one of the finest purchases I ever made.
If I had a decent phone that worked I'd be made!


----------



## editor (Jul 13, 2016)

Full Skype is coming to Chromebooks: Microsoft is Bringing Skype to Linux, Chromebook and Chrome Web Browser - Thurrott.com


----------



## chilango (Jul 16, 2016)

I've borrowed a long forgotten chromebook from work. 

I already use the Google Suite for all work stuff but any tips or recs for games/apps etc.?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 16, 2016)

Lexulous Word Game

Unreal Speccy Portable-ZX Spectrum emulator

Cribbage (there are quite a few)

Spark Chess is good - but it just opens the web page in the browser - again there are lots of chess games on there - bookmark Play chess online with SparkChess Lite and you achieve the same

Quite a few apps/games just open a web link I've found


----------



## editor (Jul 18, 2016)

I guess someone had to do it


----------



## editor (Jul 18, 2016)

Here's a handy comparison for anyone looking to buy a Chromebook:

Chromebook Comparison and 2016 Buyer's Guide


----------



## editor (Jul 23, 2016)

Top ten listing: Top 10 Best Chromebooks 2016 - Buy the Best | MobiPicker


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 28, 2016)

Hey Chromies 

I can't see some videos on my chromebook - does anyone else have this issue?

An example is the vids on *this page* just keep 'loading' - the wheel spins and I never get presented with a play button.

Anyone know why and care to explain?


----------



## editor (Jul 28, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Hey Chromies
> 
> I can't see some videos on my chromebook - does anyone else have this issue?
> 
> ...


Check what extensions you're running in your browser. Are you using Adblockers or Ghostly? Some won't play unless you turn off the the ad blocking.


----------



## editor (Jul 28, 2016)

editor said:


> Check what extensions you're running in your browser. Are you using Adblockers or Ghostly? Some won't play unless you turn off the the ad blocking.


Yep, that's it. I turned off Ghostly in my browser and could see the video after getting the same message as you.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 28, 2016)

Ahhhh right - thanks ed - I do have ghostly and an adblocker
I opted to open the pages I'm struggling with in incognito tabs - same result - all plays


----------



## tangerinedream (Jul 29, 2016)

I'm quite keen on the idea of a flip style Chromebook. Looking at what's out, the new Acer looks good but underpowered in terms of ram, so maybe the flip would make more sense. 

My only concern is I don't think I've ever found a decent option for recording a podcast on chromebook which is one of the primary uses I have for a laptop 

That and the fact the boy is desperate for full fat Minecraft makes me think I might not be better buying an old PC laptop and duel booting it with windows and chrome os 

But I really like Chromebooks...


----------



## tangerinedream (Jul 29, 2016)

editor said:


> So I've switched to Google Docs from Word for my writing work. The instant syncing across all devices is a real bonus and it's no problem to send the work to my client as a .doc file - just select download -> Word. The only thing I don't like about Docs is that there's no word count displayed in the bottom bar - I either have to press ctr+shift+c or use a rather clunky add-on.
> 
> Apart from that, it's every bit as good as Word.



I like docs a lot but I *heart* slides. I know you can do more with PowerPoint but it just feels horrible and clunky when I open it now.


----------



## editor (Jul 29, 2016)

tangerinedream said:


> I'm quite keen on the idea of a flip style Chromebook. Looking at what's out, the new Acer looks good but underpowered in terms of ram, so maybe the flip would make more sense.
> 
> My only concern is I don't think I've ever found a decent option for recording a podcast on chromebook which is one of the primary uses I have for a laptop


You can get  a few recording options although not as slick as Windows. Don't forget you can run Android apps on the Asus Flip so there's tons of decent apps in the store.

6 Good Chromebook Apps for Recording and Editing Audio ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
Audacity for Chromebook – About Chromebook


----------



## tangerinedream (Jul 29, 2016)

Yeah, I've read the latter link several time, each time I think it's going to literally mean 'audacity for chromebook' - I've tried most of those links and they're fiddly at best. Like you say, I'd be hopeful of finding something decent in the android store though.


----------



## tangerinedream (Jul 29, 2016)

Speaker is probably the best for what I'm looking at doing, I've played with it on tablet and it was fine.


----------



## editor (Jul 29, 2016)

tangerinedream said:


> Speaker is probably the best for what I'm looking at doing, I've played with it on tablet and it was fine.


There's loads to choose from. Selections here:

9 best voice recorder apps for Android
Five of the best voice recording apps available for Android - TechRepublic


----------



## tangerinedream (Jul 29, 2016)

editor said:


> There's loads to choose from. Selections here:
> 
> 9 best voice recorder apps for Android
> Five of the best voice recording apps available for Android - TechRepublic



Cheers.


----------



## tangerinedream (Jul 30, 2016)

New Asus (not flip) with more storage than usual as standard. (though I have read elsewhere that it's a 32gb base model)

The New ASUS C301SA 64GB Storage Base Model: Why It Matters


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2016)

A Mac fan sees the light! 



> At the price I paid, this Chromebook is a steal. (Its regular price is £150.) And I’d bet that I could find a Chromebook with a better display for twice the price; or still less than half the cost of the least expensive Apple laptop. I understand now why Chromebooks are so popular, especially in education.
> 
> If you put things in perspective, this cheap computer, while not having the design or display of an Apple product, is capable of doing all the tasks that the majority of people need. For people who don’t use a computer a lot, or who need a simple device for the basics (email, Facebook, web browsing), I will have no qualms about recommending a Chromebook instead of an Apple laptop.



A Chromebook revelation by a Mac user


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2016)

So I've got a little DJ gig coming up where I have to use my laptop. My needs are ultra basic - just selecting songs from the micro SD card and playing them one after another without embarrassing gaps (a "selecta," if you will!). I've installed the Until AM extension which seems OK, but was wondering if I should try some of the slicker Android apps - which would involve me upgrading my Flip to the alpha channel.

So has anyone done this and found any problems with audio?


----------



## editor (Aug 4, 2016)

Not so cheap, but it's a lovely looking machine:











HP Chromebook 13 review: Google's Pixel has a rival for best Chromebook ever


----------



## editor (Aug 5, 2016)

It really does look lush.














> In making the Chromebook 13, HP proves that it can achieve what Apple never could. Not only does the Chromebook 13 look stunning, its performance shows that at $499, the laptop can go toe-to-toe with $1,000 Ultrabooks and still hold its own.
> 
> HP defied expectations by delivering a premium notebook with solid performance at a price point that no one else is able to match—and it’s far from a piece of junk.
> 
> With a build quality that rivals the $1,299 MacBook, the Chromebook 13 manages to beat Apple’s laptop in many ways while coming in at a $499 starting price. Compared to the MacBook, you’ll find more ports, a higher resolution display and a more usable keyboard on the Chromebook 13 in a package with a similar all-metal build quality. For Chromebooks on the higher end of the price scale, the HP Chromebook 13 just might be the new standard.



HP Chromebook 13 Review: You Won't Believe This Laptop Only Costs $499


----------



## tangerinedream (Aug 9, 2016)

Taken the plunge and ordered a flip...


----------



## editor (Aug 10, 2016)

Here's some good deals right now. The Asus C100PA (Flip) for £199 is a wonderful bargain
Best Chromebook deals August 2016


----------



## tangerinedream (Aug 10, 2016)

Well the flip arrived and it's already exceeded my expectations. What a lovely little machine, keyboard is reasonably tight, trackpad nice, just got to get used to its size. The touchscreen is *much* better than I expected and the screen (as in the quality of the image and colours) is nice enough - I am used to apple stuff from work, it's not a retina display, but it's certainly not a bad screen. Even the speakers aren't too bad. It's surprising how natural it feels to touch the screen of of a laptop after years of not so. I was torn about the size of it, but I think it's the perfect size to go in a bag or with me on the bike and do some writing out and about. 

It feels like it's more than a gimmick, that it's something that actually has a use to its form. The fact it's essentially a tablet but gives you full web pages and a keyboard so it's a laptop, but it's a tablet, but you get usb ports and that is brilliant.


----------



## editor (Aug 11, 2016)

A Mac fan is persuaded by the new HP Chromebook: 







> The $499 Chromebook 13 is, in many ways, the Chromebook you’ve been waiting for. It falls between Google’s glorious, preposterously expensive Chromebook Pixel, and everyone else’s craptastic Chromebooks. Google and HP desperately want to prove Chromebooks can be more than cheap, student-friendly laptops. This is a Business Laptop, a Primary Device, a laptop to use as your only machine.





> Yes, switching to a Chromebook takes work, and Chrome OS feels less powerful than macOS or Windows. But almost nobody cares. Most people don’t use Alfred or Atext, or go to great lengths to master Evernote’s global keyboard shortcuts. They just want a good computer at a good price. The HP Chromebook 13 is exactly that.


Review: HP Chromebook 13


----------



## Janh (Aug 12, 2016)

It's not all roses with these Chromebooks.

My humble Chromebook Samsung 303C has a broken hinge. I've ordered used hinges and a lid - cheap enough - and will be replacing them using this guide 

. 

Wish me luck.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 12, 2016)

you'll have to let us know how it goes Janh 

best of luck


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## tangerinedream (Aug 13, 2016)

Evaluating android apps on the flip, I'm very impressed so far. 

Google Earth works and looks brilliant, though a bit glitchy. 
I installed a couple of random games which worked well
Medium is perfect, looks really good on laptop type interface
Most pleasingly Caustic, (music programme) works perfectly so far and the onscreen keyboard responds to the physical device keyboard, suggesting the keys are mapped. Not yet tested if I can connect a keyboard via usb, if I can that'll be incredible. 

As with others, found the bug when flipping into tablet mode but as others have said, if and when this is ironed out and apps can be installed to SD card, this really does begin to look like an incredibly good device.


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## editor (Aug 16, 2016)

How about a Lenovo Chromebook for just £99! And yes, it runs Android apps already.

11.6-inch display, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage internally plus 14 houts battery life...








http://amzn.to/2aZcB22


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## editor (Aug 16, 2016)

And if you must: How To Run Linux On A Chromebook


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## Jon-of-arc (Aug 16, 2016)

How well do the £200 Chromebook handle some of the more graphics heavy apps, like 3d games and stuff, for android? As well as/better than my moto g 3rd gen phone?


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## mwgdrwg (Aug 16, 2016)

Jon-of-arc said:


> How well do the £200 Chromebook handle some of the more graphics heavy apps, like 3d games and stuff, for android? As well as/better than my moto g 3rd gen phone?



Games? Most big modern games need Windows to run (though a lot will run on Linux).


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 16, 2016)

mwgdrwg said:


> Games? Most big modern games need Windows to run (though a lot will run on Linux).



You can get some quite graphic intense games for phones, which I suspect Jon is referring to.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 16, 2016)

editor said:


> How about a Lenovo Chromebook for just £99! And yes, it runs Android apps already.
> 
> 11.6-inch display, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage internally plus 14 houts battery life...
> 
> ...



At that price it's tempting just for the battery life!


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 16, 2016)

These seem to be amazing bargains.


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## Janh (Aug 16, 2016)

"... Lenovo Chromebook for just £99!"

Rotatable camera is a nice feature. And anything with "rugged" in the description has my attention, even "semi-rugged".


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 16, 2016)

Some reviews suggests performance is sluggish with more then a few tabs. Which for a 100 quid is probably to be expected.


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## editor (Aug 16, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Some reviews suggests performance is sluggish with more then a few tabs. Which for a 100 quid is probably to be expected.


It'll still boot up much, much quicker than a Windows laptop! 


> Something you’ll immediately notice about the N20 is how quickly it boots up, whether it’s been off or just asleep. As soon as you hit the power button or pop open the lid, you’re pretty much ready to go, and that’s something we wish more laptops were better at.
> 
> Powered by a dual-core Intel Celeron N2830 processor paired with 4GB of RAM, it’s powerful enough to handle the tasks most students would throw at it. We used it for watching movies, editing documents and browsing the internet, and came across no issues, even when we left it on for three days (and nights) in a row, without shutting it down. After four days, we noticed a tiny bit of lag creeping in, but it was minimal.
> 
> Lenovo N20 Chromebook review | TrustedReviews



Over excited review:


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## Janh (Aug 16, 2016)

Janh said:


> It's not all roses with these Chromebooks.
> 
> My humble Chromebook Samsung 303C has a broken hinge. I've ordered used hinges and a lid - cheap enough - and will be replacing them using this guide
> 
> ...




That worked better than I expected. Now my CB hinge is like new again. Hats off to the guy in the video doing the Jack Nicholson impression for the guidance. 

While inside the CB - it required taking out the motherboard, battery, and screen - I was surprised how modular the build was, and how little stuff there is in there. Its obvious to me now how these are low cost items.


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## ViolentPanda (Aug 16, 2016)

Janh said:


> That worked better than I expected. Now my CB hinge is like new again. Hats off to the guy in the video doing the Jack Nicholson impression for the guidance.
> 
> While inside the CB - it required taking out the motherboard, battery, and screen - I was surprised how modular the build was, and how little stuff there is in there. Its obvious to me now how these are low cost items.



I'm not sure "low cost" is applicable. It's more that the cost is commensurate with the tech required for Chromebook functionality.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 16, 2016)

Jon-of-arc said:


> How well do the £200 Chromebook handle some of the more graphics heavy apps, like 3d games and stuff, for android? As well as/better than my moto g 3rd gen phone?



I've fiddled with a couple of cricket games on the flip. They look good and it felt as if the machine was absolutely fine handling them, no stutter or lag. I've also got a Moto G (3rd gen) and I'd say the flip seems smoother. The 3d on google earth looked absolutely lovely, a little bit of lag as you spin the globe and the world appears, but I get that on a macbook pro as well... I have been meaning to test out GTA San Andreas as I bought it years ago for a now dead nexus tablet but I've can't be arsed waiting for it to download!


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## cybershot (Aug 20, 2016)

I'm sure a lot of the questions I have about Chromebooks have been mentioned before, but figured I'd ask again anyway, it's a pretty long thread and some information may be out of date. I'm pretty tech savvy but I'll be honest, i know very little about these and after some bad Android experiences I've been put off such things. Although Chrome is my browser of choice on Windows and OS X as I like the way it syncs everything.

My Mum is dropping hints that her laptop is slow, she's probably right, it's a Thinkpad that's about 9 years old now and despite me doing a clean Windows 10 install, she still thinks it's slow. Another complaint is it's too heavy (she's in her 60s now) so my other idea of whacking an SSD into it for a new lease of life is probably not going to be a welcome one as it means keeping the heavy and hot Lenovo......

Budget is a issue, so we're looking at around the £200 mark. Which is where the Chromebook comes in.

We've discussed what she uses her laptop for. Essentially it's just online banking (so a browser, check) emails (check) surfing the net (check) and some Youtube/BBC iPlayer and the like, which I'm making the assumption the Chromebook can handle without an issue? The only other thing is, she sometimes has to print stuff off. She currently has a HP Deskjet. It doesn't have any cloud printing capabilities. Will she be able to just whack it into the USB port and it just works? if they have USB??

Now my main 'worry' about a Chromebook is actual support from the vendor. Not wanting to turn this into an Apple vs Google debate, but for the most part we are a family iOS devices. And it works well for us. My Android knowledge is decent, in fact the first Android device I owned was the Nexus One because I wanted vanilla Android and not a load of shite added on. But my main gripe with android and even google issued devices is the updates side of thing. Every nexus device has stopped receiving updates after 3 years. Compare this to Apple devices where the 4s (which she has) is still going strong with updates 5 years later. I appreciate the 4S will not get iOS 10, but that's not the point of this comment, just that Google/Android device lifecycle tends to be pretty short, even worse when it comes from another vendor like HTC etc.

Also if we get a HP/Acer etc one, do the vendor put a load of crap on them, or do they come as vanilla ChromeOS? i'm guessing the former. Is there a particular favorable vendor in terms of support lifecycle? Or am I looking at getting a vanilla chromebook from google if support updates is an issue for me?

Cheers in advance for any advice/feedback

EDIT: I'm likely also going to need to remote on at some point, is Teamviewer an option, it looks like it only supports outgoing? I know theres in built Chrome remote now, but when we tried that on Windows it didn't seem to work very well. Teamviewer I can just remote on without her even having to do anything other than turn it on. Any alternatives?


----------



## editor (Aug 20, 2016)

If argue that Chromebooks are the absolute ideal choice for non techie types. They come with zero crapware.

The Chromebook concept means that they will always be updated to the latest OS, regardless of the age of the machine.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 20, 2016)

Yes, it will get updates, forever as far as I can tell. I'm not sure it will print from USB though - there may be a way round that, but as far as I know it's cloud print or nothing. They don't come with any vendor bloatware. A Samsung chromebook or a Google chromebook or a Tosh chromebook is exactly the same. It's got the same OS, identical. We've got a Samsung which is about 5 years old and it is identical in appearance once booted up to the ASUS one I bought 2 weeks ago. 

I also agree that they are ideal machines for anyone less tech orientated than a technician. If speed and weight are the issue, the Chromebook is a sure fire winner.


----------



## tangerinedream (Aug 20, 2016)

HP has a print extension for chrome that seems to support USB printing on at least some devices. So you maybe in luck there. :


----------



## cybershot (Aug 21, 2016)

Thanks for the feedback guys.

That HP app may well save the day. Otherwise she's cloud printing to my house for a while. lol

Skype has just been thrown into the mix, which some googling, is just text talk only at the moment? Although looks like Microsoft are actually changing the web version so it doesn't require a plugin? Anyone confirm if that's gone live yet. Doesn't seem to want to work on my Windows PC so I guess not, but looks like it's at least coming. Can't test on the VM as it don't pick up my cam (more on that below)

is a 16GB internal drive sufficent also, I know most stuff is geared towards cloud storage and that's fine, but wondered what you guys thing as people thatuse them everyday? 

I think I'm going to have to take her to a currys/pc world to at least look at one first before taking the plunge then using the good ol online purchase with 14 day cooling off period if she decides after a few days use it's not the thing for her.

Also, I came across this while researching which is pretty cool, and only recently release, a ChromeOS Virtualbox disk image: So you can try out ChromeOs on your existing device: *UPDATED* Un-Official CloudReady Virtual Machine Images!


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## tangerinedream (Aug 21, 2016)

Skype, I dunno, don't use it but with android apps coming you could just use the app. 

You can always add an SD card storage wise. 

On my flip I can see it being an issue as I add apps but on the other two we've got (not mine primarily) it's never been an issue and one of them is 5 yrs old. 

What do you realistically need to download these days?


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## cybershot (Aug 21, 2016)

tangerinedream said:


> What do you realistically need to download these days?



Not a lot, I just know she's practically filled her iPhone, wasn't sure how good this was with storage, so was more a query to you seasoned pro's to see if you've come across storage issues. Although just come across the Acer C910 with 15" screen with 4GB RAM and 32GB SSD for just shy of £240.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 21, 2016)

It's almost certainly photos and videos that fill up a mobile. Get her into flickr or pribs better with a Chromebook Google photos and she never needs to physically put them on the device. 

My only downloads are music, I do use a streaming service but I also buy flac when I really want something and that's the only storage issue really for me. 

I stopped bothering downloading TV and films ages ago. Wouldn't even remember how to go about it.


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## cybershot (Aug 21, 2016)

I've put google photos onto her phone, but she doesn't seem to get it! So I've given up telling her. Will just need to clear out the cache and delete/reinstall apps and make sure she's using iCloud to back up photos to claim back some storage next time I'm at hers.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 21, 2016)

cybershot said:


> I've put google photos onto her phone, but she doesn't seem to get it! So I've given up telling her. Will just need to clear out the cache and delete/reinstall apps and make sure she's using iCloud to back up photos to claim back some storage next time I'm at hers.



Problem is on iOS it doesn't do automatic back up does it? On android you could just tell it to back up whenever on WiFi and show her the logo for photos on the Chromebook and they'd be there. Im pretty sure the iOS app has to be left active to be uploading.


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## cybershot (Aug 21, 2016)

It does, I use it myself as a another backup of my photos, so for a 60 year old, that's too cumbersome a solution I think. Doubt I'll get her on Android and she likes the iPhone, especially as facetime etc is so simple especially when myself and my sister have iPhone's also. Not sure I'd trust her with the play store either an inadvertently installing some crapware. Had to make her Windows PC a general user account so random crap didn't get installed after 1 Windows re-install to many. Think apart from the Windows 10 install, I haven't had to reinstall once since taking admin rights off her. (She does know the admin password if she ever needs it) and I can easily remote on with Teamviewer.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 21, 2016)

Play store is a lot better than it was. I think Google now screen apps in a more apple-esque manner. It used to be awful I agree. Mind you, you can access icloud on the web can't you but what you can't do is install iTunes on a Chromebook. Not on chromeOS anyway. Is that an issue?


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## cybershot (Aug 21, 2016)

No she's got bugger all music, and I can always upload it to Google Play and give her the Google Play Music app. Do like that myself.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 21, 2016)

cybershot said:


> No she's got bugger all music, and I can always upload it to Google Play and give her the Google Play app. Do like that myself.



Yep, it's what I use. Works well on iOS device I have as well. Dead simple.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 21, 2016)

Final point, I think the key stuff like browser, word processor etc are really good for less techy people as they are so 'baked in' to the os. Using drive doesn't feel like it does on other machines as the os automatically searches your drive and stuff like Gmail links to it really simply so the google drive feels like an actual hard drive if that makes sense.


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## chandlerp (Aug 22, 2016)

editor said:


> How about a Lenovo Chromebook for just £99! And yes, it runs Android apps already.
> 
> 11.6-inch display, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage internally plus 14 houts battery life...
> 
> ...



Bought one of these on a whim whilse sat in the pub Friday night.  It arrive Saturday morning and it is chuffing brilliant


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## editor (Aug 25, 2016)

Now this is interesting!



> We’ve been talking about this CrossOver project for a while now. To get you up to speed, read here and here. Basically, this is an app that will allow you to run programs designed to be installed and run in a Windows system on Android. We hope you’re excited about this as we are.



CrossOver Android Tech Preview drops tomorrow, get your Chromebooks ready


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## tangerinedream (Aug 25, 2016)

editor said:


> Now this is interesting!
> 
> 
> 
> CrossOver Android Tech Preview drops tomorrow, get your Chromebooks ready



Isn't it! - I've taken my flip to work. They were very impressed. Several people were saying 'why do we use iPads?' and that was before I showed them android apps. Add in windows apps and it's very, very interesting. Just a shame Android apps isn't an option yet when you are running Google Apps for Work/Education, but I'm sure it'll arrive just as soon as the standard version comes out of beta. Sensible not to open a potentially flakey test to enterprise customers to risk data or have bad experiences with. 

The challenge is to Apple is very good. Apple do make good kit, but it's so expensive and you pay more to get locked into a walled garden. Pay less to have lots more choice on a device with infinitely more connectivity and ways to interact and what's more, do it  by opening up to different manufacturers who put the system into a variety of forms so there is serious innovation, instead of two models a year. 

Virtually every Apple owner I know expresses frustration at the limitations of connectivity and access to certain services. The point becomes not 'is Android better' but is ChromeOS, Android and Windows more likely to meet your needs than iOS? 

No doubt some will say 'but iOS will have the edge because it's beautiful/slick/genius' or something but chromebooks are really starting to roll back the tablet 'dumbing down' of computing. 

I felt for years that the iPad was a bit of a con and the iPad pro especially was a strange device, an attempt to find a simpler/cheaper product to fit the price point that was once the bottom end of the MacBook range. The consumer gets a less powerful device for the same price but thinks it's a futuristic innovation. 

The chromebook potential is to knock that pricepoint down to £200 AND still retain a significant part of what makes laptops good to work on.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 25, 2016)

Ah, intel only, still my point stands. A hypothetical intel powered flip vs an iPad pro. There's no competition in my mind.


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## editor (Aug 25, 2016)

tangerinedream said:


> The chromebook potential is to knock that pricepoint down to £200 AND still retain a significant part of what makes laptops good to work on.


Everyone I've shown my Flip to has come away very impressed indeed. Unless you're doing some niche or power-hungry activities, I really can't think of any reason why anyone would want to spend 4-5 times more on an expensive laptop that is unlikely to be particularly faster for everyday tasks.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 25, 2016)

editor said:


> Everyone I've shown my Flip to has come away very impressed indeed. Unless you're doing some niche or power-hungry activities, I really can't think of any reason why anyone would want to spend 4-5 times more on an expensive laptop that is unlikely to be particularly faster for everyday tasks.



Exactly. All I want is to be able to run audacity. Still not found a really convincing editing tool. Apart from that, I'm absolutely delighted and I've got ten times more 'I wish I could' feelings about the ipad air2 work gave me which was more than twice the price.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 25, 2016)

I honestly take it to work to use instead of a macbook out of choice. I'll probably stop doing that as it's a bit pointless and I don't want to wear it out doing work on but it's light and nice to use in meetings and to walk about with, It's stood up perfectly well to the multi tabbed editing of stupid big documents and having emails open all the time and all that. Several times people have said 'is that little thing working already?' and the ability to swap users so quickly has melted people's minds. On MacOS you can thoeretically swap between user accounts but it takes ages and almost always crashes. That's with my mac upgraded to an SSD and extra RAM. Also, not being pestered for updates and to swap to safari or use Apple Music and stuff is fantastic.


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## editor (Aug 26, 2016)

tangerinedream said:


> I honestly take it to work to use instead of a macbook out of choice. I'll probably stop doing that as it's a bit pointless and I don't want to wear it out doing work on but it's light and nice to use in meetings and to walk about with, It's stood up perfectly well to the multi tabbed editing of stupid big documents and having emails open all the time and all that. Several times people have said 'is that little thing working already?' and the ability to swap users so quickly has melted people's minds. On MacOS you can thoeretically swap between user accounts but it takes ages and almost always crashes. That's with my mac upgraded to an SSD and extra RAM. Also, not being pestered for updates and to swap to safari or use Apple Music and stuff is fantastic.


It's been my main machine since I bought it. I have a high end Thinkpad, but that takes ages to start up and/or hook up to the wifi - a real pain in the arse if I'm in a cafe looking to do some quick writing. The Chromebook is so fast it's almost connected and ready to go as soon as the lid is open. And all for £199!


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## chandlerp (Aug 26, 2016)

I'm sorry I never bought the flip now instead of the N22.  I love the N22 of course but it was my first taste of Chromebook.  Now I wish I'd understood how good they were and just bought a swish one.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 26, 2016)

Are there any Chromebooks with a 13" touch screen that aren't as  expensive as the Dell?


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## chandlerp (Aug 26, 2016)

One of the issues I have is that the Chromebook will not play my .mkv video files because of the audio codec used in them.  They play the picture but no audio.  Can anyone with a Chromebook running Android apps report in on whether or not the android media players fare any better?


----------



## editor (Aug 26, 2016)

chandlerp said:


> One of the issues I have is that the Chromebook will not play my .mkv video files because of the audio codec used in them.  They play the picture but no audio.  Can anyone with a Chromebook running Android apps report in on whether or not the android media players fare any better?


I'm sure there's Android apps, but have a look here Is there a way to play .mkv files on my Acer Chromebook? - Quora


----------



## inva (Aug 26, 2016)

editor said:


> It's been my main machine since I bought it. I have a high end Thinkpad, but that takes ages to start up and/or hook up to the wifi - a real pain in the arse if I'm in a cafe looking to do some quick writing. The Chromebook is so fast it's almost connected and ready to go as soon as the lid is open. And all for £199!


pretty much the same for me. I've got an old laptop which was my main computer but I hardly use it at all now and it seems really slow compared with the chromebook flip. Having the flexibility of it being a perfectly decent tablet is a really excellent feature as well.


----------



## editor (Aug 26, 2016)

inva said:


> pretty much the same for me. I've got an old laptop which was my main computer but I hardly use it at all now and it seems really slow compared with the chromebook flip. Having the flexibility of it being a perfectly decent tablet is a really excellent feature as well.


If this was an Apple product, the media would be frothing at the mouth and bursting into superlative overdrive about how this is a laptop that changes everything/revolutionary/game changer/Second Coming etc.  For once, this is a machine that deserves the hype, but it looks like it's going to be mainly world of mouth publicity for the Flip!


----------



## tangerinedream (Aug 26, 2016)

editor said:


> If this was an Apple product, the media would be frothing at the mouth and bursting into superlative overdrive about how this is a laptop that changes everything/revolutionary/game changer/Second Coming etc.  For once, this is a machine that deserves the hype, but it looks like it's going to be mainly world of mouth publicity for the Flip!



The first rule of flip club is talk about flip club.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 26, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Are there any Chromebooks with a 13" touch screen that aren't as  expensive as the Dell?



I struggled to find touchscreen at the right price till I found the flip. There's an Acer which is bigger than the flip but low on ram and a few devices which have optional touch screen notionally but getting them in the UK seemed tough.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 26, 2016)

Ah well I'm in no rush, so will wait, my think pad T60 has lasted years and will do a while longer. 

A decent amount of RAM and Storage is important to me as well and prices will only come down.


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## tangerinedream (Aug 26, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Ah well I'm in no rush, so will wait, my think pad T60 has lasted years and will do a while longer.
> 
> A decent amount of RAM and Storage is important to me as well and prices will only come down.



Yeah, the Acer is only 2gb anyway so I didn't want that. 4gb is fine for a chromebook. Tbh, the toshiba we've got with 2gb is perfectly fine as well, but 4gb makes them zip along nicely. Storage? Stick an SD in but there are a few 32gb models about. Don't think we're likely to see a lot of storage in them any time soon.


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## Throbbing Angel (Aug 26, 2016)

inva said:


> pretty much the same for me. I've got an old laptop which was my main computer but I hardly use it at all now and it seems really slow compared with the chromebook flip.<snip>



same here - I've wiped my old laptop and given it to my son so he can trade it in against a new one for Uni.
I've tried to steer him towards a Chromebook & Desktop combo but he ain't having it


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 26, 2016)

tangerinedream said:


> Yeah, the Acer is only 2gb anyway so I didn't want that. 4gb is fine for a chromebook. Tbh, the toshiba we've got with 2gb is perfectly fine as well, but 4gb makes them zip along nicely. Storage? Stick an SD in but there are a few 32gb models about. Don't think we're likely to see a lot of storage in them any time soon.



Yeah, don't need epic storage for media, but I would be working offline a lot, so it's important my entire Google Drive folder would fit. 32gb would be fine. 

I also hang on to hardware a while so 4gb makes it likely it would be useful longer.


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## Janh (Aug 27, 2016)

One thing I wish the good folk at Chromebook would improve is the accessibility of Bluetooth information - is it on - from the shelf. At the moment I need to click on it to see what's happening, and then click again, to see what's connected. Using wireless keyboard and speakers makes this a hassle if switching between devices. First world problems, eh?


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## editor (Aug 29, 2016)

Very positive review





> Hewlett-Packard’s Chromebook 13 is the best reason yet to consider an alternative to Mac and Windows.
> 
> Here’s the short version of my review: HP’s Chromebook can be your only laptop. That’s coming from a skeptic who has never strayed from the Windows PC and Mac paradigm (heretofore). But I have been happily using HP’s Chromebook 13 for the last few weeks.




Hewlett-Packard Chromebook 13 Review: Yes, It Can Replace A MacBook, Windows 10 PC


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## BoxRoom (Aug 29, 2016)

Convinced a popular radio presenter to get a Chromebook the other day 
Love it when people adopt these lovely machines.
Can't be long until Android Apps are on Stable channel. Have reverted back to Beta from Dev now which is giving me a far more stable environment.
All's good!


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## sheothebudworths (Sep 8, 2016)

Hello! My daughter has just started secondary school and I need to get her some sort of laptop affair - cheaper the better, but would pay more if it'll last longer blah blah.
I normally put a bit of time and effort into looking at specs and reviews etc but don't have time/cba 
First result on Amazon was for a Lenovo chromebook (I don't even know what they are, tbf  )

This...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-11-...1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1473349018&sr=1-4

for £99!!!

She'll need it to do homework on - plus the usual browsing/Netflix/Instagram stuff.

Will that do?
Anyone got any better recommendations (for eg - she doesn't *need* a rotating cam  and she also doesn't really need anything that needs to be carted about - it'll be used at home mostly)?
Under £150 would be great but would stretch to more if it'd be stupid not to!
Laptop thread seems to be dead  and technology seems to have moved on since I last bought a laptop/netbook! 

I will freely admit to not having read ANY of the massive thread!


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## chandlerp (Sep 8, 2016)

I have one of those.  If all she can do is online it's fine.  Although, for me it was a bit "rugged" and clunky.  I bought an Asus C201 yesterday and it's much better.  It has half the storage at 16Gb but twice the RAM, a much nicer screen and a very very good trackpad.

For the extra £80 I'd recommend


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## sheothebudworths (Sep 8, 2016)

chandlerp said:


> I have one of those.  If all she can do is online it's fine.  Although, for me it was a bit "rugged" and clunky.  I bought an Asus C201 yesterday and it's much better.  It has half the storage at 16Gb but twice the RAM, a much nicer screen and a very very good trackpad.
> 
> For the extra £80 I'd recommend



Cheers - I don't imagine she'll need much storage - I'd just like it to last as a means to do her homework (and yeah, all online) along with the usual, basic stuff.
Thanks for the heads up - will have a look!


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## Throbbing Angel (Sep 8, 2016)

More RAM is better with these things.  I went for one with 4gb of RAM and an Intel processor after reading around a bit.

Is an 11inch screen and small keyboard going to be OK?

I love Chromebooks but am amazed by the lack of parental controls (compared to Windows Family Security) so if that is a concern for you, bear it in mind.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 8, 2016)

An 11 inch screen seems on the small side if it's your main machine to do school work on or watch Netflix. I'd also read further up the thread about printers. May be relevant to printing out said homework, assuming kids still do that.


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## Throbbing Angel (Sep 8, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> An 11 inch screen seems on the small side if it's your main machine to do school work on or watch Netflix. I'd also read further up the thread about printers. May be relevant to printing out said homework, assuming kids still do that.



Aye- can be a pain - I have  a £35 HP wireless printer - works well - limited functionality compared to Win/Mac in my experience _*but*_ I hardly ever print so it ain't that much of an issue


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## sheothebudworths (Sep 8, 2016)

Oh blimey - I'm too tired to look up thread  - and it will be too small, won't it! 
So - any recommendations for something *big enough* where printing isn't an issue (or where she can just put it on a USB stick and onto the PC and print from there - the printer's not wireless anyway, fwiw)?

ETA - Sorry, being thick - yeah, printer is not wireless, so assuming transferring the work onto USB isn't the issue, she'd have to do that anyway - so just something with a big enough screen/keyboard!


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## Throbbing Angel (Sep 8, 2016)

sheothebudworths said:


> Oh blimey - I'm too tired to look up thread  - and it will be too small, won't it!
> So - any recommendations for something *big enough* where printing isn't an issue (or where she can just put it on a USB stick and onto the PC and print from there - the printer's not wireless anyway, fwiw)?
> 
> ETA - Sorry, being thick - yeah, printer is not wireless, so assuming transferring the work onto USB isn't the issue, she'd have to do that anyway - so just something with a big enough screen/keyboard!



I moved from a 15.6in Windows 7 laptop to a 13.3in Chromebook and that's fine for me.  I wouldn't want to go smaller.  I used to have a 12in Windows laptop and that was too small for me.

I mainly do email, a bit of writing, youtube, and browsing mainly and it is great for that. It does everything I sued to do pretty much.  Printing set up was a breeze with the printer on the network.  I understand cabled printing can be achieved but is a bit of a pain.

Chromebooks are loved by American schools as I understand it - so it should be good for what she needs to do on it.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 8, 2016)

Are you sure she wants a cut down computer? If so then I see you can buy an Acer with a 13.3 inch screen for another 30 quid. Price jumps a fair bit after that. 

Alternatively how about a second hand lenovo thinkpad from eBay? Not as portable, but solidly built and runs standard windows software.


----------



## sheothebudworths (Sep 8, 2016)

She's used to phone and tablet so wants something small but without realising the drawbacks - it defo needs to be big enough but she does have the PC down here, too - 13.3 sounds good!
I don't imagine she'll need to do much printing anyway - it's mainly sending stuff in on the school site and like I say she does have use of the main PC otherwise...


----------



## sheothebudworths (Sep 8, 2016)

I do want it to last as long as possible and it doesn't seem like she needs anything very complicated so looks like I probably just need recommendations for chromebooks with 13.3" screens but I would go up to £200 I think for something that's built better/more suitable in the end.
Sorry - must look like lots of goalpost moving and I know I'm being lazy not looking myself  - I kind of thought I had it all covered early in the school holidays with uniform and scientific calculators and maths sets etc - but in the five short years since my son started secondary, there's even _more_ of an assumption that they have access to some way to get online to do a large percentage of their homework, so I'm just trying to avoid panic buying something that's not right.
Thanks loads for your help, all


----------



## BoxRoom (Sep 8, 2016)

sheothebudworths said:


> I do want it to last as long as possible and it doesn't seem like she needs anything very complicated so looks like I probably just need recommendations for chromebooks with 13.3" screens but I would go up to £200 I think for something that's built better/more suitable in the end.
> Sorry - must look like lots of goalpost moving and I know I'm being lazy not looking myself  - I kind of thought I had it all covered early in the school holidays with uniform and scientific calculators and maths sets etc - but in the five short years since my son started secondary, there's even _more_ of an assumption that they have access to some way to get online to do a large percentage of their homework, so I'm just trying to avoid panic buying something that's not right.
> Thanks loads for your help, all



It'd be well worth getting one of the Chromebooks from the list of those that will support Android Apps: Chrome OS Systems Supporting Android Apps - The Chromium Projects

It'd make this a far more worthwhile purchase. Also with Chromebooks, they don't slow down over time, no bloatware, no need for antivirus or regular maintenance. Battery life is pretty great too. Great machines!
Really don't go for a cheap Windows laptop. Disaster lays ahead with those lads.


----------



## sheothebudworths (Sep 8, 2016)

Cheers BoxRoom - that's very informative! Will absolutely check against that list - and really great news the bloatware/AV stuff, too! Sounds ideal


----------



## sheothebudworths (Sep 8, 2016)

So - 13.3"+ screen Chromebook, under £200, memory less important than RAM and needs to be *on the list* - anyone got any links (I did look for the Acer UnderAnOpenSky but couldn't find it)?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 8, 2016)

Asus Chromebook C300MA 13.3\

Although if the budget stretches to a machine with 4gb that makes sense.


----------



## sheothebudworths (Sep 9, 2016)

Okay - how does this look?

Acer Chromebook C910-C3B4 4GB 16GB SSD Google Chrome OS 15.6"  Laptop - Acer Direct

That's with the budget stretched for 4 gigs of RAM...


----------



## sheothebudworths (Sep 9, 2016)

Otherwise, the cheapest larger screen - but 2gb ram - seems to be this...

ACER Chromebook 14 - Silver

OR the refurbished Asus that UnderAnOpenSky posted - I'm a bit wary of refurbs, seems there's no telling how _much_ it's been refurbished, iyswim - or is that just silly? 
(I know _she'd_ choose that one, just for the _colour_ options '  '   )

Maybe someone could just kindly tell me which looks to be the best overall - I'm pretty sure I've already found the cheapest option for each - I just struggle to know when it's worth paying more, or not!


----------



## tangerinedream (Sep 9, 2016)

Depending on the school's attitude towards tech and your daughter's preferences for working, I wonder if a flip (touchscreen and thus able to write on/interact with pdfs and so on via android apps) would be a better investment.  

It's a smaller screen, sure, but you could install stuff like instagram, netflix etc via the play store and the type of shit games teenagers like so you get round some of the limitations of the chromeOS and it's also 4gb so a bit more future proof. In terms of typing, I'm using it loads even though it's little, it's dead comfy and she'll have smaller hands than me probably.  

You've probably read the thread and seen people fetishising them but I've recommended them to a few kids at work (I'm a teacher) as the ideal machine as they have the benefits of a tablet and a laptop in one. 

As I say, it depends on how the school use tech and to be honest, if they expect kids to have device, someone should really be identifying clearly what kind of device and making a recommendation. They *should* be aware of the need for broad cross platform access, but I wouldn't bet on it. If for example the school sends out lazily formatted word documents they want kids to interact with chromebooks will potentially have some issues in properly editing them as google docs can have a hissy fit over editing word docs full of clip art and tables.  

I specialise in e-learning strategy to some extent and I know that teachers are often completely ignorant of devices and just hoy out any old format of worksheet or task and say things like 'well, they've all got tablets haven't they?' or 'what do you mean, it only works on apple?' or 'PDF, what does that mean?' - I've spent the best part of three years saying 'for fucks sake, make it in Google Docs in the first place!!!! then we KNOW the kids can edit it' 

With a flip in that situation you can just install office or whatever app and away you go. (that said, I do believe android apps are coming to the majority of chromebooks - though obviously not touchscreen) 

I agree with the above comment about cheap windows PCs - in theory you can do a bit more but they are usually a crock of shite and will be slow/dead in 18 months time. 

I paid £199 for my flip, I just had to hang around a week till it went to that price. 

Of the ones you chose, I'd probably go with the 2gb Acer - we've got a 2gb Toshiba that's a great machine and as long as you don't open 42 tabs it's fine. (I always have at least 42 tabs open so I need 4gb)


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## sheothebudworths (Sep 10, 2016)

Thanks for that tangerinedream 
My son (who went to the same school) also strongly endorsed a chromebook purchase precisely because the school DO use Google Docs 
She already has a tablet so I'd just feel I was pointlessly buying her a second one of those if I went for something smaller, I think  - but from what you're saying it sounds like all of that wouldn't apply to her anyway (outside of the advantages of a touchscreen, at least) so I think I will go for the 2GB Acer - thanks _so much_ for helping me make the decision - phew!


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## BoxRoom (Sep 23, 2016)

The Play Store for apps are on the Flip and R11 stable channel now


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## chandlerp (Sep 23, 2016)

Still waiting for any sign on my Asus C201


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## editor (Sep 24, 2016)

I think someone asked about this: Dealing with VPNs on a Chromebook running Android apps


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## tangerinedream (Oct 3, 2016)

My extended ASUS flip review on my blog: Manic Street Teacher: Finally some tech!


----------



## chandlerp (Oct 4, 2016)

nice review


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## chandlerp (Oct 4, 2016)

Anyone expecting them to announce the Play Store for the previously listed devices tonight?  I really hope this is the day they do it.


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## BoxRoom (Oct 5, 2016)

Pixel Chromebooks now removed from Google Store.
Flip's still there though, which is good because it is awesome


----------



## chandlerp (Oct 5, 2016)

Got all excited when my chromebook installed an update requiring a restart this morning.  Still no Play Store.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 14, 2016)

Does anyone make a 13 inch touchscreen Chromebook with an Intel chip or is that one we shall have to wait for?


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## weltweit (Oct 14, 2016)

Someone I know has just bought a chromebook for about £170 it is a nice small thing. The only thing is that they think they bought a cheap laptop - but I am not sure that is what they actually have.


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## chandlerp (Oct 15, 2016)

It is but I guess you mean Windows


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## editor (Oct 15, 2016)

Look at this bad boy:

*




*​













> Samsung has quietly listed a new Chromebook on its Korean website. Dubbed Chromebook Pro, it runs Chrome OS and features a 12.3-inch touchscreen display (3:2 aspect ratio) with 400 nits brightness and a resolution of 2400 x 1600 pixels. It uses a 360-degree hinge and comes with a stylus. Samsung is not calling the stylus an S Pen, though. It’s now just called a PEN.
> 
> The Chromebook Pro is equipped with a 2GHz hexa-core processor (two Cortex-A72 cores and four Cortex-A53 cores), 32GB onboard storage, and 4GB RAM. It can run Android apps, now that Google has introduced the Play Store on Chrome OS. Moreover, the laptop looks like it’s made out of aluminum, and there’s an inbuilt slot to store the PEN. It is 13.9mm thin and weighs just 1.08kg. The chiclet-style keyboard on the laptop has curved keycaps.
> 
> Samsung is claiming on its website that the Chromebook Pro can last up to 10 hours on a full charge. It comes with two USB Type-C ports, a headphone jack, and an SD card slot. Samsung is also offering ad-free, one-year subscription of AirDroid app. The laptop is currently listed on Adorama, and it can be preordered for $499. Samsung could announce the Chromebook Pro in a few days.


This is the Samsung Chromebook Pro, and it comes with a PEN


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## Lazy Llama (Oct 15, 2016)

Samsung withdrew from selling PCs and Chromebooks in the UK and Europe in 2014 so it'll probably never see these shores except as a US-keyboarded import


----------



## editor (Oct 15, 2016)

Lazy Llama said:


> Samsung withdrew from selling PCs and Chromebooks in the UK and Europe in 2014 so it'll probably never see these shores except as a US-keyboarded import


Dreamcrusher.


----------



## emanymton (Oct 16, 2016)

editor said:


> Look at this bad boy:
> 
> *
> 
> ...


Comes with a pen, wouldn't it be better coming with a fire extinguisher?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 16, 2016)

editor said:


> Look at this bad boy:
> 
> *
> 
> ...



This looks very nice. Not fussed about a PEN as never use the one on my Note, but a bigger touch screen and a high resolution screen are very desirable. Hopefully more companies will follow in 2017.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 16, 2016)

emanymton said:


> Comes with a pen, wouldn't it be better coming with a fire extinguisher?



Hopefully they have learnt their lessons!


----------



## oneflewover (Oct 17, 2016)

Looking forward to this finally hitting the stores, expected November in US. Nothing here yet.

CB5-312T-K40U


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 18, 2016)

oneflewover said:


> Looking forward to this finally hitting the stores, expected November in US. Nothing here yet.
> 
> CB5-312T-K40U



Looks nice. Could do with a catchier name mind.


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## cybershot (Oct 25, 2016)

Getting it in early, but if any good deals for Black Friday and what not pop up, can people post them, looks like dear Mother wants one for Christmas, but am prepared to hold out for some bargains in the run up.


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## BoxRoom (Oct 26, 2016)

Wot's goin on? No Chromebooks on the Google Store.


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## editor (Oct 26, 2016)

So Amazon Prime movies work just fine on my Asus Chromebook. Nice. Watched 45 mins of a movie at full volume and full screen and the battery had gone down all of 5%!


----------



## chandlerp (Oct 26, 2016)

Ooh, never thought of trying Amazon movies.  That is good news.  Still waiting for Android so I can Kodi-up this mofo


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## BigTom (Oct 26, 2016)

editor said:


> So Amazon Prime movies work just fine on my Asus Chromebook. Nice. Watched 45 mins of a movie at full volume and full screen and the battery had gone down all of 5%!



I've been using my asus chromebox as my main computer for the last couple of weeks after motherboard failure on my PC and using dual screens it has struggled to play movies and browse websites without the odd freeze or glitch. I'm assuming it is using all the memory and I could use a machine with more ram if I want to stream and do other stuff at the same time.


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## editor (Oct 26, 2016)

BigTom said:


> I've been using my asus chromebox as my main computer for the last couple of weeks after motherboard failure on my PC and using dual screens it has struggled to play movies and browse websites without the odd freeze or glitch. I'm assuming it is using all the memory and I could use a machine with more ram if I want to stream and do other stuff at the same time.


I don't think they're really designed to drive dual screens!


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## BigTom (Oct 26, 2016)

editor said:


> I don't think they're really designed to drive dual screens!



probably not but it lets you do it and chromeOS has the capability (auto changed to dual screen mode when I plugged in the second one) so... (HDMI port + display port).


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## tangerinedream (Oct 26, 2016)

Anyone managed to get Linux on a flip and if so how is it?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 30, 2016)

So I rashly put in a bid on a Toshiba 13.3" job last night with the 1080 screen & 4gb and am winning.

It sounds the best of what is available (without paying silly money), but now I'm thinking I should be holding fire till next year when there will be a greater selection of touchscreen models available.

Also who has put Linux on there's? I'm thinking that I can do 95 percent of what I want, but having a "real" OS for the other 5 has been what's convinced me. That and all the windows machines I like are over 600 quid. What distro did you use. Been limiting my search to Intel Chromebooks to have more choice.


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## cybershot (Oct 31, 2016)

You'll no doubt get snipe'd anyway, don't think i've ever put an ebay bid in with more than 7 seconds to go, which is usually the max price i'm willing to pay, and it rarely actually goes for that price i put in.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 31, 2016)

Yeah if I was serious I'd snipe it. Luckily I've been out bid. I think 2017 should be interesting. With so many of them being sold and Android apps I think we should see nice new models. I'm starting to think I'm happy to pay similar to a cheaper Windows laptop to get a machine that will properly replace it.


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## oneflewover (Nov 10, 2016)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-CB5-3...qid=1478778462&sr=1-1&keywords=chromebook+r13

Now available for pre order. Does not state memory though.


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 10, 2016)

Supposed to be available in both 16 or 32gb I've read - which is no use in this instance I know as there would obviously be a price diff.  Doesn't make much difference though as you can slam in a 128gb card or low profile usb stick.

Looks good!


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 11, 2016)

It does look good. I'd quite like an Intel processor so could have a go at running Linux, but that's not the end of the world. 

Looking forward to reading reviews and seeing what other companies release in competition.


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## Chz (Nov 11, 2016)

The processor does put me off a bit. I know the Celeron in the Boy's Toshi is _just_ fast enough to not be annoying, and it scores a good 60% faster in Octane than the abomination Acer's using. (and the newer i3 Toshi is over twice as fast) In all other respects, it looks great.


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

Cheap as chips and perfectly good for near disposable tech

https://chromeunboxed.com/samsung-chromebook-3-review/


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## Jon-of-arc (Dec 7, 2016)

How is printing on a chromebook?  My dad is getting started on computers, and wants something very easy.  I really want to suggest a chromebook, but dicking around too much with printing (as a google of the term "chromebook printing" suggest would be involved) is going to be a total red line.

What is your experience?  Would it be possible to link to an existing printer?


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## Throbbing Angel (Dec 8, 2016)

by what method - over wifi only is the official method - usb can be done with some faff

I already had a wifi enabled printer before I got a chromebook so it wasn't an issue for me


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## emanymton (Dec 8, 2016)

No idea about a chromebook but printing to a wifi printer from my phone is easer than from my laptop.


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## Mojofilter (Dec 9, 2016)

Jon-of-arc said:


> How is printing on a chromebook?  My dad is getting started on computers, and wants something very easy.  I really want to suggest a chromebook, but dicking around too much with printing (as a google of the term "chromebook printing" suggest would be involved) is going to be a total red line.
> 
> What is your experience?  Would it be possible to link to an existing printer?


It prints though Google Cloud Print.

Once you're setup on that you can print from any device through your Google account so you can test it out before you buy the Chromebook.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## cybershot (Dec 9, 2016)

Jon-of-arc said:


> How is printing on a chromebook?  My dad is getting started on computers, and wants something very easy.  I really want to suggest a chromebook, but dicking around too much with printing (as a google of the term "chromebook printing" suggest would be involved) is going to be a total red line.
> 
> What is your experience?  Would it be possible to link to an existing printer?



Someone mentioned previously theres a HP app you can install, which may or may not work with your printer, assuming it's a HP of course.


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## Jon-of-arc (Dec 9, 2016)

Throbbing Angel said:


> by what method - over wifi only is the official method - usb can be done with some faff
> 
> I already had a wifi enabled printer before I got a chromebook so it wasn't an issue for me



USB is probably what we have. Any links for how to fudge it through?


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## weltweit (Dec 9, 2016)

Do they come with a locking point for a cable lock?

Last time I bought a lappy it had one and I used it with a cable.

So pick-upable these things are.


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## editor (Dec 9, 2016)

weltweit said:


> Do they come with a locking point for a cable lock?
> 
> Last time I bought a lappy it had one and I used it with a cable.
> 
> So pick-upable these things are.


I dare say some do, but mine doesn't. Seems a bit like feature overkill for a £190 laptop (which I still think is fucking great).


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 9, 2016)

weltweit said:


> Do they come with a locking point for a cable lock?
> Last time I bought a lappy it had one and I used it with a cable.
> So pick-upable these things are.



Mine has a lock point (Toshiba Chromebook 2 - £270 when new nearly 2 years back)  I suppose other must do too. Yet the most expensive, Pixel 2, doesn't 



Jon-of-arc said:


> USB is probably what we have. Any links for how to fudge it through?



This mentions it - scroll down a bit
How to Set Up Google Print on Your Chromebook


and this
https://chromeunboxed.com/usb-printing-from-a-chromebook-is-possible-and-quite-simple/


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## tangerinedream (Dec 21, 2016)

One thing I'd love on my chromebook is a *proper* (not browser based) blue light filter. I use one on my phone and macbook and the chromebook seems so bright in comparison. 

If you share the the desire, a quick 'star' of this issue below might focus the engineer's minds.... 

This Google Groups


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## oneflewover (Jan 5, 2017)

oneflewover said:


> Acer R13 CB5-312T MTK MT8173 13.3-Inch Chromebook (Silver) - (MediaTek, 4 GB RAM, Chrome OS): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
> 
> Now available for pre order. Does not state memory though.



Bit the bullet and bought direct from Acer. Order at 06:00 03/01/17 arrived 09:00 04/01/17 - It came from Wroclaw in Poland.

First impressions, it's beautiful, lovely finish, really tactile. Key press and pad work nicely. Touch screen really nice. bends and folds with a reassuringly nice feel. Heavier than I thought it would be.

On start up it took quite a while for the WiFi to start working even though it connected immediately. 

Disappointingly does not come with play store installed and even after update to latest version of chrome, still had to do beta for Play Store.

VLC  installed and plays nicely with lovely bright screen.

Questions, what do folk use for Music that will see the SD card? Early days yet but have trouble accessing SD card.

Further to follow


----------



## tangerinedream (Jan 8, 2017)

Tbh, I don't use anything other than Google music on the chromebook. You can upload a huge amount without subscribing and it means I can cast to the chromecast audio which is probably the best piece of kit I've ever bought. 

I don't know of another audio solution, but I highly recommend poweramp on android. Not tried it on CB, but it's got a function to choose the music library.


----------



## editor (Jan 8, 2017)

tangerinedream said:


> Tbh, I don't use anything other than Google music on the chromebook. You can upload a huge amount without subscribing and it means I can cast to the chromecast audio which is probably the best piece of kit I've ever bought.
> 
> I don't know of another audio solution, but I highly recommend poweramp on android. Not tried it on CB, but it's got a function to choose the music library.


I use Spotify. Works fine for offline too.


----------



## tangerinedream (Jan 8, 2017)

So, I found rollapp. They are promising a cloud based version of audacity. This would answer my prayers.


----------



## tangerinedream (Jan 8, 2017)

Also, soundtrap. This is fucking cool!


----------



## tangerinedream (Jan 8, 2017)

Simple arrangement of songs works well, the recording is quite good. Take about a month to do a pitch change thouh, but still, lovely interface.


----------



## oneflewover (Jan 9, 2017)

Acer R13 - happily playing Music and watching films direct from the file manager app. Missing bells and whistles though.


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## tangerinedream (Jan 16, 2017)

oneflewover said:


> Acer R13 - happily playing Music and watching films direct from the file manager app. Missing bells and whistles though.



 You know you can get VLC for chromebook now? It's not as good as VLC for other computers, but it's capable of building a library of songs and playing anything. 

Which brings me to my one major* gripe with my Chromebook - that I can't cast system audio to the chromecast audio. I download a lot of music and want to be able to cast it without uploading to Google Music first but I seemingly can't... 

*ok, slight irritation...


----------



## oneflewover (Jan 16, 2017)

tangerinedream said:


> You know you can get VLC for chromebook now? It's not as good as VLC for other computers, but it's capable of building a library of songs and playing anything.


Couldn't get VLC to find SDcard. The inbuilt player within the file app is playing everything I want at the moment.


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## tangerinedream (Jan 16, 2017)

oneflewover said:


> Couldn't get VLC to find SDcard. The inbuilt player within the file app is playing everything I want at the moment.



That's odd, it found mine fine. Did you install the version from the chrome store or the Android version from the play store? The R13 has android apps I think? If the Android version then it won't find SD card, but chromeOS version should. At least it did for me. 

And I _believe _that android apps will soon be able to see SD card which will be a big boost as it's been annoying me a little that they can't. Still, can't grumble, it is after all a beta.


----------



## editor (Jan 18, 2017)

Here's a bloody marvellous £200 Chromebook with a 14" screen 







Acer Chromebook 14 review: A standout Chrome OS laptop


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## Chz (Jan 19, 2017)

Might be interested in the Full HD/4GB version when it launches. I reckon the dual-core in this one is fine for a CPU, but the 2GB ones really chug and I have a bugbear about FHD in 13+" screens. There aren't a lot of mid-range options since Toshiba exited the market. You either take your ~£200 Chromebook with a 1366x768 screen (which is fine with the 11" ones, not so much with larger ones) and 2GB, or you're up around £400 with the business-class ones. If they still sold the Teenager's Toshi for ~£250 (13" FHD, 4GB), I would probably buy it.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 19, 2017)

This seems to be true when I did some research lateast year. By the time I worked out the spec I wanted it wasn't such a cheap option anymore.


----------



## editor (Jan 25, 2017)

Interesting! Adobe Creative Cloud apps are now available for Chromebooks - DIY Photography


----------



## editor (Feb 12, 2017)

This is handy. You can run WhatsApp on a Chromebook via the free WhatsChrome extension. Works a treat too.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 12, 2017)

The resolution on the new Samsung is very impressive, but the reviews I read say that it can be sluggish when running Android apps.


----------



## editor (Feb 12, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> The resolution on the new Samsung is very impressive, but the reviews I read say that it can be sluggish when running Android apps.


That's probably because Android integration is still in beta. Given that the Samsung Pro has an i3 processor, I can't see it struggling too hard with many things.


----------



## editor (Feb 16, 2017)

Handy article: 
Chromebooks beyond the cloud: Everything Chromebooks can do offline


----------



## editor (Feb 20, 2017)

HP's new 13" Chromebook gets a rave review - but WTF - no touchscreen?  













> HP’s Chromebook 13 might seem a little overpriced but, in reality, it’s a marvel. It’s a standout Chrome OS laptop with great performance and a crisp Quad HD display, and the ultra-light chassis and all-day battery life make it a portable workhorse that's a joy to use.
> 
> If you’re after something that can effortlessly butt heads with pricier Windows-powered laptops, there’s nothing like it. Despite its display shortcomings, this is the Chromebook to beat.



HP Chromebook 13 review: The best Chrome OS laptop yet


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 20, 2017)

At that price you'd rather expect one. Mind you I'm guessing the other components still push the price up.


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## editor (Feb 23, 2017)

Both these Samsung Chromebooks look bloody great


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## editor (Feb 23, 2017)

Compared to the Asus


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

The march of the Chromebooks continues: 



> A new report by Futuresource shows Chromebooks were the top-selling device across laptops and tablets in Swedish schools in 2016. According to the analyst firm’s data, Chromebooks now account for 38 percent of device sales in Swedish classrooms, up from 18 percent in 2015. Worldwide more than 20 million teachers and students are using Chromebooks and Google Classroom, and more than 70 million are using G Suite for Education.





> This is significant. Sweden is a leading innovator in EdTech adoption—seeing Chromebooks achieve #1 shows Google's momentum within education. Mike Fisher Associate Director, Futuresource


Schools in Sweden have made Chromebooks nummer ett (number one)!


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 3, 2017)

editor said:


> WTF - no touchscreen


Does anyone care, aside from you?


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Does anyone care, aside from you?


I'm not sure what your point is. Are you saying that people aren't interested in touchscreen Chromebooks?

Because that would be a really silly thing to say given the new touchscreen machines coming through, and the glowing press they've garnered.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 3, 2017)

editor said:


> I'm not sure what your point is. Are you saying that people aren't interested in touchscreen Chromebooks?
> 
> Because that would be a really silly thing to say given the new touchscreen machines coming through, and the glowing press they've garnered.


Sorry, was drunk posting last night and could've phrased that better 

I did mean it though. I've never met anyone who likes touchscreen laptops and I speak to a lot of people in my job about their computers.

We have a bug on our website that means touchscreen computers behave differently, and when I ask the users if they mind if disable it, they all say they never use it anyway. Every time, without fail.


----------



## chandlerp (Mar 3, 2017)

Use the touchscreen on my Surface Pro all the time.


----------



## souljacker (Mar 3, 2017)

I quite like my touchscreen on my work PC but if I didn't have it I wouldn't care. However, if this chromebook/android thing is happening then I'd say a touchscreen on a chromebook is vital otherwise all the Android apps will be shite.


----------



## Chz (Mar 3, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Sorry, was drunk posting last night and could've phrased that better
> 
> I did mean it though. I've never met anyone who likes touchscreen laptops and I speak to a lot of people in my job about their computers.
> 
> We have a bug on our website that means touchscreen computers behave differently, and when I ask the users if they mind if disable it, they all say they never use it anyway. Every time, without fail.


For previous Chromebooks, I'd tend to agree with you. But with Android app support, some things just aren't going to work all that well without a touchscreen. I'd say it's _essential_ in any new model.


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Sorry, was drunk posting last night and could've phrased that better
> 
> I did mean it though. I've never met anyone who likes touchscreen laptops and I speak to a lot of people in my job about their computers.
> 
> We have a bug on our website that means touchscreen computers behave differently, and when I ask the users if they mind if disable it, they all say they never use it anyway. Every time, without fail.


You're a bit out of touch. Touchscreens are hugely popular on Chromebooks and they provide a very useful prime/supplemental way to interact with the content. I've barely touched the touchpad on mine and there's no way I'd go back to the limitations of a non-touch device.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 3, 2017)

editor said:


> You're a bit out of touch. Touchscreens are hugely popular on Chromebooks and they provide a very useful prime/supplemental way to interact with the content. I've barely touched the touchpad on mine and there's no way I'd go back to the limitations of a non-touch device.


Out of touch with what? 

I can see the appeal of touchscreen for using Android apps, but other than that, I don't see the point. And nor do [m]any of the users of my website.

Chromebooks are getting more popular, but they're still pretty niche. The first time I've seen one outside of a shop was Tuesday just gone. 

And within that niche, only 4 models of Chromebook can run Android apps.


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Out of touch with what?
> 
> I can see the appeal of touchscreen for using Android apps, but other than that, I don't see the point. And nor do [m]any of the users of my website.
> 
> ...


Every model released in 2017 will run Android apps, and previous models will soon be able to as well. Not sure where you're getting this number of 4 from, but it's quite wrong. These are the current machines that are compatible with Android apps:


> *COMPATIBLE WITH ANDROID APPS NOW*
> 
> Acer Chromebook R11
> Acer R13
> ...


Chromebooks already outsell Macs in the US, by the way.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 3, 2017)

editor said:


> Every model released in 2017 will run Android apps, and previous models will soon be able to as well. Not sure where you're getting this number of 4 from, but it's quite wrong. These are the current machines that are compatible with Android apps:
> 
> Chromebooks already outsell Macs in the US, by the way.


So it's 8 devices.

But, fair enough if all 2017 models will run Android apps. I didn't know that.


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> So it's 8 devices.
> 
> But, fair enough if all 2017 models will run Android apps. I didn't know that.


Like I said, you're a bit out of touch 

Google made this announcement back in May last year. There's an awful lot of machines that will be able to run Android apps.


> *All Chromebooks launching in 2017 and after as well as the Chromebooks listed below will work with Android apps at a time to be announced in the future:
> 
> Manufacturer* *Device*
> Acer Chromebook 11 C740
> ...


The Google Play store, coming to a Chromebook near you


----------



## BoxRoom (Mar 3, 2017)

I never fancied getting a touchscreen computer AT ALL. When I got my Asus Flip I thought it'd be something I'd use rarely, if at all. Now I find when I'm on other computers I keep touching the screen and feeling rather foolish.
Really do use the touchscreen way more than I would have thought I would.


----------



## chandlerp (Mar 3, 2017)

I've been able to throw away my colouring books because I have a touchscreen


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

chandlerp said:


> I've been able to throw away my colouring books because I have a touchscreen


What point are you trying to make here?  


BoxRoom said:


> I never fancied getting a touchscreen computer AT ALL. When I got my Asus Flip I thought it'd be something I'd use rarely, if at all. Now I find when I'm on other computers I keep touching the screen and feeling rather foolish.
> Really do use the touchscreen way more than I would have thought I would.


It feels like that scene in Star Trek when they return to Earth in the 1980s and keep walking into doors that won't open automatically. Touchscreens are a real convenience and a total natural way to interact with a computer for some apps. No doubt as soon as Macs catch up some people will be predictably quick to change their minds.


----------



## chandlerp (Mar 3, 2017)

editor said:


> What point are you trying to make here?



None.  I used to use actual adult colouring books and now I have an app for it I use with my stylus.


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

I can see why Chromebooks are hammering iPads in the education sector. They're far better value and the keyboard makes them far more versatile too.,   


> Apple’s iOS and macOS platforms both lost share to Chrome OS in the US K-12 education market last year, according to new data from Futuresource Consulting (via _The New York Times_).
> 
> In the US, Chrome OS managed to grow to 58% market share in 2016 up from 50% a year earlier, while iOS dropped to 14%, down from 19% in 2015, and macOS dropped to 5% share, down from 6%.


Report: Chrome OS grabs market share from Apple’s iOS and macOS in US K-12


----------



## editor (Mar 3, 2017)

This article may be of use for anyone thinking of switching: 

*6. Image Editing: Pixlr*






Photoshop is the image editing king with GIMP coming in as a close second — neither are available on Chromebooks. And even if they were, most Chromebooks don’t have the hardware to support the heavy resource usage that both of them require, so it’d be a moot point for most users anyway.

But there are plenty of image editors for Chromebooks, and the best of them is Pixlr. Most notable is the interface, which emulates the look and feel of Photoshop and GIMP. It also supports many of the features you’d expect including layers, filters, brush controls, cloning, spot healing, advanced adjustments, and more. It’s surprisingly good.


Switching to Chromebook: 8 Apps to Replace Your Desktop Favorites


----------



## oneflewover (Mar 3, 2017)

my.sketchup.com brings sketchup to the chromebook.

i'm using an Acer R11 and it needs illuminated keys. That's all, everything else is good.


----------



## Mojofilter (Mar 7, 2017)

I've got an R11 too and it's brilliant. I only bought it because I wanted something portable with an all day battery as a secondary machine.
Hardly touched my significantly more expensive Windows machine since.


----------



## editor (Mar 8, 2017)

I can't decide which one to start saving up for:







Asus: better keyboard, backlit keys, louder speakers, more powerful
Samsung: brighter screen, much higher res, stylus


----------



## editor (Mar 8, 2017)

Here's an interesting take:


----------



## editor (Mar 8, 2017)

If you like to treat 'em rough, check out this cheapo marvel.



> Do you need a rugged laptop that can stand up to being dropped, shaken and doused with water -- but you can't afford the price tag? Acer's answer is its touchscreen Chromebook 11 N7 (C731T), a hardened system that meets many (although not all) of the Army's rigorous MI-STD 810G  requirements. And at $280 -- one-tenth what even a typical Windows 10 rugged tablet costs -- it's a tough bargain to beat.
> 
> At 0.9 x 11.7 x 8.2 in. and 2.7 lbs., the dark gray Chromebook 11 deviates from conventional rugged notebook design with an internal plastic frame that's covered with a textured acrylic butyl styrene (ABS) plastic skin. It weighs the same as Asus's rugged Chromebook C202SA, but is half the weight of more traditional rugged systems like Panasonic's Windows-based ToughBook 54.








Acer's Chromebook 11 N7: Tough and economical


----------



## twentythreedom (Mar 19, 2017)

Best chromebook for under £250 for primarily home use, anyone?


----------



## twentythreedom (Mar 20, 2017)

twentythreedom said:


> Best chromebook for under £250 for primarily home use, anyone?


editor?


----------



## felixthecat (Mar 20, 2017)

twentythreedom said:


> Best chromebook for under £250 for primarily home use, anyone?


Aye,  for me too. I use it for invoicing, Skype and emails so nothing fancy. I'm desperately in need of a new laptop


----------



## twentythreedom (Mar 20, 2017)

felixthecat said:


> Aye,  for me too. I use it for invoicing, Skype and emails so nothing fancy. I'm desperately in need of a new laptop


Yeah just the usual bollocks for me too, no fancy graphic stuff, games etc - it'll be various Google apps, fb, bit of streaming, that's about it.


----------



## editor (Mar 20, 2017)

twentythreedom said:


> Best chromebook for under £250 for primarily home use, anyone?


I LOVE the Asus Flip but if you're after a bigger screen the Acer Chromebook 14 is a good buy
Acer Chromebook 14

£230 in Agos Buy Acer Chromebook 14 Inch Celeron 2GB 32GB Laptop - Gold at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Chromebook, Laptops and PCs, Technology.


----------



## 74drew (Mar 20, 2017)

twentythreedom said:


> Best chromebook for under £250 for primarily home use, anyone?


This: Buy Acer Chromebook R11 11.6 Inch 4GB 32GB Laptop - White at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Chromebook, Laptops and PCs, Technology.
I got the 2gb version and it was great. This will be, well, 2gb better than that for your budget. There are cheaper ones that would do the job but if you have £250 i'd get this.


----------



## editor (Mar 20, 2017)

Yes, I'd always look for a 4GB version of any Chromebook.


----------



## twentythreedom (Mar 20, 2017)

Cheers 

Any recommendations from you, editor?


----------



## felixthecat (Mar 22, 2017)

I've taken the plunge and ordered this  Acer Chromebook R11 CB5-132T 11.6-Inch Notebook - (White) (Intel N3060 Celeron Processor, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, Chrome OS): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Please tell me I'm going to love it


----------



## BoxRoom (Mar 22, 2017)

felixthecat said:


> I've taken the plunge and ordered this  Acer Chromebook R11 CB5-132T 11.6-Inch Notebook - (White) (Intel N3060 Celeron Processor, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, Chrome OS): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
> 
> Please tell me I'm going to love it



You're going to love it!


----------



## oneflewover (Mar 22, 2017)

felixthecat said:


> I've taken the plunge and ordered this  Acer Chromebook R11 CB5-132T 11.6-Inch Notebook - (White) (Intel N3060 Celeron Processor, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, Chrome OS): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
> 
> Please tell me I'm going to love it



This is the same as mine, it's only problem i've come across is the max video file it will play is about 1.9gb


----------



## felixthecat (Mar 23, 2017)

OK so I have my new toy. Anything I should know? 

I guess I have to learn how to use it first. I'm used to Windows and Mac OS whatever my Ipad at work uses.


----------



## felixthecat (Mar 23, 2017)

ok 10 minutes playing around and i think its idiot proof ...


----------



## felixthecat (Mar 23, 2017)

10 more minutes and I think I'm a convert

It's like using my phone but bigger.​


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Apr 18, 2017)

I was dead against touch screens - and I would feel a nob using a desktop one. 

But then I got a tablet (and most phones are touch screen anyway) and saw the benefits of them. 

Tablets are perfect for portability (I mean carrying, I don't sit with them in the park) but then you realise they lack a keyboard so get one of those for them and then realise that wouldn't it be good if they were as powerful as a PC...

So I've bought a Surface Book Pro With Performance Base.  ouch. 

But I do think it'll solve all my various niggles.... until I desire more graphical power or something.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 18, 2017)

Sounds a great solution if you've money to throw at.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Apr 18, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Sounds a great solution if you've money to throw at.



Well technically I didn't. The bank stupidly increased my overdraft. So it better be fun enough to keep me from blowing money on nights out!


----------



## editor (Apr 18, 2017)

Magnus McGinty said:


> I was dead against touch screens - and I would feel a nob using a desktop one.
> 
> But then I got a tablet (and most phones are touch screen anyway) and saw the benefits of them.
> 
> ...


It's a beautiful looking machine but Lordy is it expensive.






Mind you, I'm pissed off that the really lovely Asus Flip 2 Chromebook retails for $499 in the States yet somehow that gets bumped up to a massive rip of of £600 in Blighty. If I ever get over to the States I'll buy one over there and save myself £200.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Apr 18, 2017)

editor said:


> It's a beautiful looking machine but Lordy is it expensive.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The tanked pound doesn't help of course.


----------



## felixthecat (Apr 18, 2017)

felixthecat said:


> 10 more minutes and I think I'm a convert
> 
> It's like using my phone but bigger.​


I've found a downside  It doesn't like Skype.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Apr 18, 2017)

felixthecat said:


> I've found a downside  It doesn't like Skype.



Hasn't Skype been shit for ages? It stopped working for me at one point anyway.


----------



## felixthecat (Apr 18, 2017)

I use it a fair bit and it's been fine


----------



## salem (Apr 18, 2017)

I run skype as an android app - it's generally OK but I don't seem to get notifications beyond a little dot on the icon which I tend to miss.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Apr 18, 2017)

felixthecat said:


> I use it a fair bit and it's been fine



No idea why it wouldn't work on your chrome book then. Have you checked the specs?


----------



## Chz (Apr 19, 2017)

Magnus McGinty said:


> The tanked pound doesn't help of course.


Even with the low pound, it should work out to price parity at worst.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 19, 2017)

felixthecat said:


> I've found a downside  It doesn't like Skype.



Yeah, i struggle with the web version of Skype on my Chromebook too.


----------



## editor (May 15, 2017)

Interesting piece here 


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/13/technology/google-education-chromebooks-schools.html


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2017)

Looks like they're making inroads in the UK now too: 



> After evaluation, Arnold and his team chose G Suite for its functionality and flexibility. The team relied on Netpremacy, a Google Cloud partner, to train 300 staff members to educate colleagues on how to use G Suite. Within months, 5,500 corporate users and 11,500 schools users had been set up with G Suite accounts. “Without the support of Netpremacy, we wouldn't have been able to implement as rapidly as we did,” says Arnold. “They recognised the cultural challenges. There was skepticism at first, but users really took the tools to heart when they could see the benefits.”
> 
> From different locations across the region, staff began working collaboratively on Docs and Sheets and inviting others to join. The team saved money by switching to Chromebooks and Arnold and his colleagues started using Hangouts to join meetings to stay synced on daily work.
> 
> Even firefighters, who were reluctant to try out Hangouts at first, started using it regularly. “Firefighters now use Hangouts at the scene of fires to communicate with central command, monitor the fire, and decide how many vehicles they need,” says Arnold. “The chief fire officer doesn't have to get in his car and drive out to the scene to help — he can do it all from wherever he is.”



English county council saves millions switching to G Suite and Chromebooks


----------



## editor (Jun 16, 2017)

More machines have got Android support:

Google on Thursday updated its list of Chromebooks that now have official support, and 16 new machines have been added. They include:


Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731, C731T)
Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-532)
Asus Chromebook C202SA
ASUS Chromebook C300SA/C301SA
CTL NL61 Chromebook
Dell Chromebook 11 (3180)
Dell Chromebook 11 Convertible (3189)
Dell Chromebook 13 (3380)
HP Chromebook 11 G5 EE
HP Chromebook 13 G1
Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook
Lenovo N23 Yoga Chromebook
Lenovo N22 Chromebook
Lenovo N23 Chromebook
Samsung Chromebook 3
Mercer Chromebook NL6D
Chrome OS Systems Supporting Android Apps - The Chromium Projects


----------



## editor (Jun 23, 2017)

Nice:


----------



## elbows (Jun 30, 2017)

I hadnt realised samsung stopped selling computers in the uk! Have to import the chromebook plus if you want one in the uk apparently.


----------



## Crispy (Jun 30, 2017)

I was waiting for Android-on-Chrome to be official before considering a chromebook, but it looks like I'll be waiting a bit longer for that, so I can return it to a UK retailer if it's busted.


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2017)

Crispy said:


> I was waiting for Android-on-Chrome to be official before considering a chromebook, but it looks like I'll be waiting a bit longer for that, so I can return it to a UK retailer if it's busted.


I'm not sure why you need the 'official' bit - I've been using Android apps on my Chromebook for ages and they all work very well.


----------



## Libertad (Jul 1, 2017)

editor said:


> I'm not sure why you need the 'official' bit - I've been using Android apps on my Chromebook for ages and they all work very well.



Apps from Google Play or the Chrome Web Store?


----------



## Crispy (Jul 1, 2017)

editor said:


> I'm not sure why you need the 'official' bit - I've been using Android apps on my Chromebook for ages and they all work very well.


That's an x86 machine though. Makes more sense (and should be more efficient) to stick to ARM if running android apps


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2017)

Crispy said:


> That's an x86 machine though. Makes more sense (and should be more efficient) to stick to ARM if running android apps


All the Android apps I use work just fine.


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2017)

Libertad said:


> Apps from Google Play or the Chrome Web Store?


From Google Play. I use the Chromebook Flip. Best £199 I ever spent on a computer.


----------



## Libertad (Jul 1, 2017)

editor said:


> From Google Play. I use the Chromebook Flip. Best £199 I ever spent on a computer.



Ah right. No one likes a show off though.


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2017)

Libertad said:


> Ah right. No one likes a show off though.


You can still pick them up for around that sum if you shop around. I saw a refurb going for £200 recently


----------



## Libertad (Jul 1, 2017)

editor said:


> You can still pick them up for around that sum if you shop around. I saw a refurb going for £200 recently



La Lib has just got herself an Acer R13 which is a great machine but would benefit from Google Play apps. It's Beta tested so things may change soon.


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2017)

Libertad said:


> La Lib has just got herself an Acer R13 which is a great machine but would benefit from Google Play apps. It's Beta tested so things may change soon.


Google is rumoured to be producing a new fabbo Chromebook soon. I'd love the Samsung Chromebook Pro/Plus or Acer Flip C302 but can't really justify paying £450-odd when my current model still does the job. I'd love a backlit keyboard though.


----------



## Poot (Jul 1, 2017)

My elderly Chromebook gave up the ghost on Thursday so rather than mess about I simply bought a replacement for £140, logged in and all of my stuff immediately came back. I love you Chromebook <3

I have been utterly bereft without it. 

I have no technical knowledge at all but the ease with which my sweated-over documents came back to me very nearly made me cry tears of joy.


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2017)

Poot said:


> My elderly Chromebook gave up the ghost on Thursday so rather than mess about I simply bought a replacement for £140, logged in and all of my stuff immediately came back. I love you Chromebook <3
> 
> I have been utterly bereft without it.
> 
> I have no technical knowledge at all but the ease with which my sweated-over documents came back to me very nearly made me cry tears of joy.


One you've got used to a Chromebook, it seems almost_ medieval _to have individually reinstall programs  and settings when you get a new laptop.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 1, 2017)

editor said:


> One you've got used to a Chromebook, it seems almost_ medieval _to have individually reinstall programs  and settings when you get a new laptop.



It does - my daughter's HP stream came back from repair last week - it always was inferior in my opinion - but getting it back _clean_ again and having to set it up from scratch made me realise just how much of a pain in the arse all that stuff is.  Windows 10 on a 32gb ssd (or whatever it is) does not make for a happy user - she is always asking to borrow my _Chromey,_ as she calls it,  instead of using her own laptop.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 14, 2017)

question for the Chromebook users out there...

Changed car, no longer have a CD player in car, need to convert loads of CDs to mp3 so I can play the over BT from my phone or from a usb stick in the car.

I'll need an external CD drive and some software to do this on my Chromebook.

Suggestions are go!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 14, 2017)

Throbbing Angel said:


> question for the Chromebook users out there...
> 
> Changed car, no longer have a CD player in car, need to convert loads of CDs to mp3 so I can play the over BT from my phone or from a usb stick in the car.
> 
> ...



Unless they are very esoteric then just torrent them.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 14, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Unless they are very esoteric then just torrent them.



Most of them aren't - never torrented - go on...... suggest away


----------



## nancyjohnson454 (Jul 15, 2017)

every reply is too good i appreciate all members


----------



## Libertad (Jul 15, 2017)

nancyjohnson454 said:


> every reply is too good i appreciate all members


----------



## The Boy (Jul 15, 2017)

nancyjohnson454 said:


> every reply is too good* i appreciate all members*



Euphemism?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 15, 2017)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Most of them aren't - never torrented - go on...... suggest away




There are a few threads about it going on about it, but basically you'll need a bit of software that does the torrenting and then find a website that hosts the torrents.

Torrenting...would someone be willing to explain this to me?!

I just keep an eye on this thread and don't have a Chromebook, but I believe you can get a torrent client for them which I'm sure someone else can help with.


----------



## Libertad (Jul 15, 2017)

The Boy said:


> Euphemism?



A statement of fact I expect and who doesn't appreciate a member?


----------



## editor (Sep 1, 2017)

If you're after a big screen: 


> Lust like past entries in Acer’s Chromebook 15 line, this new model still features the iconic 15.6-inch screen size. This is the largest Chromebook currently on the market, and it features an IPS panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Both touch and non-touchscreen options are available, and to make media consumption with that display even more enjoyable, Acer has also included two upward-facing speakers.
> 
> The top cover and palm rest on the Chromebook 15 are made out of aluminum for a more premium feel than what , and this year’s model is also thinner and lighter at 0.74-inches thick, and weighs in at 3.79-pounds. The full-size keyboard promises to offer a comfortable typing experience, and writing papers late at night shouldn’t prove to be a problem at all with built-in backlighting for the entire keyboard layout.
> 
> ...














The new Acer Chromebook 15 packs an aluminum design, 12 hours of battery life, and USB Type-C


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 1, 2017)

Looks good to me.

Like the ability to choose in relation to RAM, touchscreen and processor.

32gb Intel with touchscreen for me please  (unless touchscreens rinse batteries, I have no idea)


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 1, 2017)

So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS.  Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs?  As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.


----------



## BoxRoom (Sep 1, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS.  Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs?  As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.


I'd definitely go for the Chromebook. They don't slow down and get clogged up like Windows machines do. The R11 also has Android Apps available to it which is great


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 1, 2017)

BoxRoom said:


> I'd definitely go for the Chromebook. They don't slow down and get clogged up like Windows machines do. The R11 also has Android Apps available to it which is great



seconded

e2a: I've had my Chromebook over 2 years and it runs the same as they day I got it


----------



## elbows (Sep 1, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.



Looks like VLC is available for Chrome OS so you shouldnt have any problems with different video/file formats of rips etc.


----------



## editor (Sep 1, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS.  Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs?  As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.


Chromebook all the way. Imagine this: you open the lid and it's ready to go and it's actually nippy!


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 1, 2017)

editor said:


> Chromebook all the way. Imagine this: you open the lid and it's ready to go and it's actually nippy!



What about updates?  People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates.  Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?


----------



## elbows (Sep 1, 2017)

Ah I've just found a lot of complaints on the web about VLC for Chrome OS so probably need someone who actually uses it to say what the reality is on this front.


----------



## elbows (Sep 1, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> What about updates?  People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates.  Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?



It has to be better than windows, which seems to have the magical ability to install updates at the worst possible moment.


----------



## BoxRoom (Sep 1, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> What about updates?  People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates.  Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?


Updates are a breeze on Chromebooks. They take all of 11 seconds usually. You're not pestered by them either. They download in the background.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 1, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS.  Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs?  As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.



Low spec windows machines are hateful things to use so just based on that, anything but.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 1, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> What about updates?  People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates.  Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?



I had to do an update today - all it wanted me to do was close it down or restart it at some point when it suited me.  No nag screen, no slowing down, no stuff stopping working. So when I was going to make a brew, I did that - takes about 11 seconds as BoxRoom said.


----------



## Libertad (Sep 1, 2017)

Chromebook VP, ours has been a joy to use and Android apps have just become available for it.


----------



## editor (Sep 1, 2017)

Might be of interest to people thinking about a Chromebook: I Used A Google Chromebook For 30 Days, This Is What Happened


----------



## Chz (Sep 2, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Low spec windows machines are hateful things to use so just based on that, anything but.


This. I mean, I love my Windows desktop but it's a fuck-off, 4.6GHz, 16GB, 27" screen bastard.

On a £300 laptop, stick with ChromeOS.


----------



## editor (Sep 6, 2017)

Chunky but cheap'n'tough: 








> In our CNET streaming battery test, it ran a little less than 12 hours. Its standby time is also great. I fully charged the laptop and left it sleeping for an entire weekend. When I returned to it, its battery life had barely been depleted.
> 
> Nothing about the Lenovo Flex 11 is incredibly special. Yet, if you want an affordable and tough laptop with a touchscreen, it's one of the cheapest you can get. If the keyboard isn't a deal-breaker, the Flex 11's attractively low price makes up for most of its shortcomings.



Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook review


----------



## Part 2 (Sep 7, 2017)

Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).

He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.

He doesn't want anything too small or with detachable keyboard.

Any current recommendations? 
What should I be looking for and what else is there to consider? 
Is it easy enough getting used to online working?

Probably looking at £3-400 max though it seems it's possible to spend much less.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 7, 2017)

Part 2 said:


> Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).
> 
> He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.
> 
> ...



What does school use and does it need to play nice with that? Does he care about what OS he uses? If these two aren't important then you will certainly get more bang buck then with a windows laptop.


----------



## BoxRoom (Sep 7, 2017)

Part 2 said:


> Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).
> 
> He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.
> 
> ...



Just a quick point (don't have a current rec in mind, I've got a Flip and reckon that'd be smaller than he'd like), online working is very easy to get into but Chromebooks work well offline too. There's plenty you can do now that doesn't require an internet connection.


----------



## Part 2 (Sep 7, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> What does school use and does it need to play nice with that? Does he care about what OS he uses? If these two aren't important then you will certainly get more bang buck then with a windows laptop.



I'm not sure tbh, he's there to get his timetable tomorrow so will get him to ask. I've used the same 2009 macbook for ages and have never got on with Windows due to virus etc. 

The laptop he has hardly gets used so I'm fairly sure everything he needs can be done with quite a low spec machine, I imagine all he'll need to do is write essays, research online and watch stuff.


----------



## BoxRoom (Sep 7, 2017)

Part 2 said:


> I'm not sure tbh, he's there to get his timetable tomorrow so will get him to ask. I've used the same 2009 macbook for ages and have never got on with Windows due to virus etc.
> 
> The laptop he has hardly gets used so I'm fairly sure everything he needs can be done with quite a low spec machine, I imagine all he'll need to do is write essays, research online and watch stuff.


A Chromebook would be perfect for that. You can use the native Docs to write essays and you can save it, and work on it, in Word document format too. It's pretty nifty, innit.


----------



## Libertad (Sep 7, 2017)

Part 2 said:


> Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).
> 
> He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.
> 
> ...



La Liberette got herself one of these and it is excellent, now app ready:

ACER Chromebook R 13 13.3" 2 in 1 - Silver


----------



## cybershot (Sep 7, 2017)

Part 2 said:


> Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).
> 
> He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.
> 
> ...



Might be worth double checking that media section of the course, it wouldn't surprise me if there's going to be some sort of video editing element to that. It's likely the college probably has specialist Apple Macs or decent Windows devices with Adobe Premiere on for this bit which he'll have to book onto, but it might be worth having something that can at least handle some of the freebie movie editing software should he/colleagues prefer to work on it from home or together in a break out room, or this ends up becoming the thing he enjoys the most (It is great fun once you figure out how to use Premiere Pro and After Effects, and surprisingly easy to pick up!)


----------



## editor (Sep 7, 2017)

I bought a second hand Asus C302. It's ruddy magnificent.


----------



## Part 2 (Sep 7, 2017)

cybershot said:


> Might be worth double checking that media section of the course, it wouldn't surprise me if there's going to be some sort of video editing element to that. It's likely the college probably has specialist Apple Macs or decent Windows devices with Adobe Premiere on for this bit which he'll have to book onto, but it might be worth having something that can at least handle some of the freebie movie editing software should he/colleagues prefer to work on it from home or together in a break out room, or this ends up becoming the thing he enjoys the most (It is great fun once you figure out how to use Premiere Pro and After Effects, and surprisingly easy to pick up!)



Aye, just been looking into the course content and hadn't realised there was a bit of practical stuff in both film studies and media courses so I'm gonna get him to check out things with tutors tomorrow.


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 8, 2017)

Bought the R11 "as new" for a hundred beer tokens, and it's been a pleasure to take for a spin, so far.  Incredibly light too!


----------



## cybershot (Sep 8, 2017)

Part 2 said:


> Aye, just been looking into the course content and hadn't realised there was a bit of practical stuff in both film studies and media courses so I'm gonna get him to check out things with tutors tomorrow.



Aye, YouTubers can be massive today, and it's no doubt part of the media studies. If all these vloggers and what not can create exciting intros to their vlogs and use multi camera angles and get it all syncing to one audio feed, then that just shows how easy it is with the professional software. Once I'd followed a tutorial especially on the multi camera stuff, I was amazed that the software just auto synced it to whatever you choose as the master audio track. Incredible bit of software, and then just going through it pressing numbers on the keyboard to choose what camera angle to choose as you go through your final edit. I felt like Ridley Scott.


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 8, 2017)

A day into the Chromebook experience, and I'm a convert!  Battery seems to last forever, everything is lightning-fast, and it weighs next to nothing! Will certainly be taking this along with me to Berlin, rather than my ThinkPad!!!


----------



## BoxRoom (Sep 8, 2017)

ViolentPanda said:


> A day into the Chromebook experience, and I'm a convert!  Battery seems to last forever, everything is lightning-fast, and it weighs next to nothing! Will certainly be taking this along with me to Berlin, rather than my ThinkPad!!!


They're good, innit!


----------



## mwgdrwg (Sep 8, 2017)

cybershot said:


> Might be worth double checking that media section of the course, it wouldn't surprise me if there's going to be some sort of video editing element to that. It's likely the college probably has specialist Apple Macs or decent Windows devices with Adobe Premiere on for this bit which he'll have to book onto, but it might be worth having something that can at least handle some of the freebie movie editing software should he/colleagues prefer to work on it from home or together in a break out room, or this ends up becoming the thing he enjoys the most (It is great fun once you figure out how to use Premiere Pro and After Effects, and surprisingly easy to pick up!)



Hijacking the thread for a moment. My son's a "Youtuber". He streams and uploads video. He wants to edit his own videos but I only have Windows Movie Maker on the PC, he doesn't like it. What should he be using? Thanks!


----------



## chandlerp (Sep 8, 2017)

If he's uploading to youtube alone then youtube has just as good an editing suite as movie maker


----------



## cybershot (Sep 8, 2017)

mwgdrwg said:


> Hijacking the thread for a moment. My son's a "Youtuber". He streams and uploads video. He wants to edit his own videos but I only have Windows Movie Maker on the PC, he doesn't like it. What should he be using? Thanks!



To save the thread hijacking, I'll refer you to this thread Basic Video Editing Software
It doesn't directly answer the question, but may give you some ideas on what to use. Ultimately, the question is, what exactly does he want to achieve? Does he have loads of different cameras recording different angles at the same time, or does he just simply want to cut out the bits that are not needed?

A fancy intro is a bit more complex, and would involve learning something like After Effects, or buying a template, or just simply submitting a job on fiverr and getting someone do it for you for cheap, you then just add it to the front of the sequence in whatever software you use.


----------



## Part 2 (Sep 18, 2017)

Is there any DJing apps/sofware that can be used with Chromebook?

Sons now got a Numark Mixtrack Pro he wants to use but doesn't sound like it will work with Chrome?


----------



## chandlerp (Sep 19, 2017)

It won't.  There are no drivers for it.


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2017)

Part 2 said:


> Is there any DJing apps/sofware that can be used with Chromebook?
> 
> Sons now got a Numark Mixtrack Pro he wants to use but doesn't sound like it will work with Chrome?


There's a fair bit of DJ software available (and many Chromebooks can now run Android apps) but you'll need Windows or Mac if you want to use Numark Mixtrack Pro.

I've DJs off a Chromebook and it was capable enough for the basic stuff.


----------



## editor (Oct 24, 2017)

Here#s an article that may be of interest to anyone thinking of getting a Chromebook: 

Reality check: Can you use a Chromebook for work?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 24, 2017)

editor said:


> Here#s an article that may be of interest to anyone thinking of getting a Chromebook:
> 
> Reality check: Can you use a Chromebook for work?



Intresting. I'm currently trying to use Google Docs a bit more as a trial. My thinking is that I don't really want a Chromebook, I want a lightweight, fast Windows laptop with a high resolution display and good battery life. However as I hardly use my laptop, it's not something I can justify and cheap windows machines are normally nasty. The better Chromebooks get, the easier it is to make the decision I keep putting off.


----------



## editor (Oct 24, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Intresting. I'm currently trying to use Google Docs a bit more as a trial. My thinking is that I don't really want a Chromebook, I want a lightweight, fast Windows laptop with a high resolution display and good battery life. However as I hardly use my laptop, it's not something I can justify and cheap windows machines are normally nasty. The better Chromebooks get, the easier it is to make the decision I keep putting off.


I splashed out £400-odd for the Asus C302 and it is an incredible machine that is way, waaaaay faster than any Windows laptop for the price. And the display is high res ( 12.5 inches with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution (which can simulate 2,400 x 1,350 in the OS)) like and the battery life comfortably over 8 hours.  It's a bloody brilliant machine. A Windows laptop for that price would be a dour affair.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 24, 2017)

It looks very nice. Acer also do a lovely looking 14" which also has an HD screen, but let's itself down with no SD card slot, that would be essential.


----------



## editor (Oct 24, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> It looks very nice. Acer also do a lovely looking 14" which also has an HD screen, but let's itself down with no SD card slot, that would be essential.


With the huge pile of dosh you'll be saving maybe buy a wifi SD card/adapter?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 24, 2017)

editor said:


> With the huge pile of dosh you'll be saving maybe buy a wifi SD card/adapter?



I didn't even know such boxes existed. I've heard of the actual cards for cameras, but how do these work? Assume it could also be shared storage for a phone and other devices.

I've had a Google, but get the actual cards.


----------



## editor (Oct 24, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I didn't even know such boxes existed. I've heard of the actual cards for cameras, but how do these work? Assume it could also be shared storage for a phone and other devices.
> 
> I've had a Google, but get the actual cards.


You can get a USB-C adaptor for a fiver USB 3.1 Type C USB-C to SD SDXC Card Reader Adapter - White
Or wi-fi SD cards for £25

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8...18828864:kwd-800466281&ref=pd_sl_6aili91l81_e


----------



## Balbi (Oct 24, 2017)

Kia ora folks.

I'm using an 2013 Lenovo X131e Chromebook, which I've had for just over three years. Mmmmm, chunky.

 

Despite the chunkyness it's a bit beaten up after heavy usage, so I'm looking to get a new one for 2018. I saw further back on the thread people talking about using Skype. I've not managed to get that to work on this one, so if a new one could do that, excellent.

Suggestions? In the low/mid price range.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 25, 2017)

editor said:


> You can get a USB-C adaptor for a fiver USB 3.1 Type C USB-C to SD SDXC Card Reader Adapter - White
> Or wi-fi SD cards for £25
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8...18828864:kwd-800466281&ref=pd_sl_6aili91l81_e



Thanks. USB c adapter of course makes sense. 

What do the wifi SD cards get powered by? I assumed they relied on the power of the device they were connected to.


----------



## editor (Oct 25, 2017)

Just discovered this text editor and it's bloody brilliant for coders:







Caret


----------



## editor (Oct 27, 2017)

Handy selection here:
Android apps for Chromebooks: The essentials


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 22, 2017)

Nice £50 price drop on this Acer. 14" Full HD, Quad Core and 4gb.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-Chromebook-CB3-431-14-Inch-Notebook/dp/B01J3UVWKO?th=1&psc=1


----------



## Chz (Nov 22, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Nice £50 price drop on this Acer. 14" Full HD, Quad Core and 4gb.
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-Chromebook-CB3-431-14-Inch-Notebook/dp/B01J3UVWKO?th=1&psc=1


That's a really good deal, and tempting. But I'm finding it hard to recommend non-touch CBs with Android app support becoming a standard item on them. Most things are fine, but there's always a few that don't play nice with the trackpad.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 22, 2017)

Chz said:


> That's a really good deal, and tempting. But I'm finding it hard to recommend non-touch CBs with Android app support becoming a standard item on them. Most things are fine, but there's always a few that don't play nice with the trackpad.



I know. I'm very torn. I'm not even sure that I want a Chromebook to be honest, but I've an absolute limit of £300 and most windows machines in that price are range are grim, whereas full HD and long battery life are doable on a Chromebook in that price range. 

Thinking about what I need it for, I think I can get away without Android apps. Internet, Google Docs, VNC and maybe the odd torrent. Anything I'll probably do on my phone or desktop.

Apparently you can run Linux on Intel based Chromebooks for the odd app, but the only thing I can think I might want to that for is Calibre.


----------



## editor (Nov 22, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I know. I'm very torn. I'm not even sure that I want a Chromebook to be honest, but I've an absolute limit of £300 and most windows machines in that price are range are grim, whereas full HD and long battery life are doable on a Chromebook in that price range.
> 
> Thinking about what I need it for, I think I can get away without Android apps. Internet, Google Docs, VNC and maybe the odd torrent. Anything I'll probably do on my phone or desktop.
> 
> Apparently you can run Linux on Intel based Chromebooks for the odd app, but the only thing I can think I might want to that for is Calibre.


There's only a couple of Android apps I run on my Chromebook, but I find the touchscreen really useful. The Asus C302 is the best laptop I've ever owned.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 22, 2017)

editor said:


> There's only a couple of Android apps I run on my Chromebook, but I find the touchscreen really useful. The Asus C302 is the best laptop I've ever owned.



They look very nice, but over double the cost. Sadly at this price range there are compromises. Touchscreen would mean less specs elsewhere unless anyone has other suggestions.


----------



## editor (Nov 22, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> They look very nice, but over double the cost. Sadly at this price range there are compromises. Touchscreen would mean less specs elsewhere unless anyone has other suggestions.


If you shop around you can pick one up for around £400...


----------



## Libertad (Nov 22, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> They look very nice, but over double the cost. Sadly at this price range there are compromises. Touchscreen would mean less specs elsewhere unless anyone has other suggestions.



Sorry to keep on about this but La Lib's got one of these and it's fantastic.

ACER Chromebook R 13 13.3" 2 in 1 - Silver


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 22, 2017)

Well I did and I'm typing from it now. As I'm visiting my Dad I took him along to Curry's and he ended up picking up the lower spec version for £179. I'm very impressed so far. Build quality seems far more then it should be for a £250 laptop and the screen is superb. Keyboard is nice to type on, but I just had to Google how to right click!

 I've "needed" a new laptop for ages, but not done it as I can't justify spending much on it, between having a decent phone, a rarely used tablet and a desktop. Obviously going to take a bit of time to get used to not working on windows and using Office, but that's ok. The real test will be my Dad. On paper he's the perfect candidate for a chromebook, his needs are low and his old windows laptop is like treacle. Now just to take all the dam stickers off.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 22, 2017)

Well that's interesting. My Dad is in his 70s and has taken to it straight away and was telling one of his friends who came round how fast it. He'd have probably struggled to set up the printer though if I wasn't there. Comparing the two models side by side I'm bloody glad I didn't get the cheaper one, there is such a massive difference in screen quality and that's far more apparent at home then it was in Currys. 

Does anyone use an alternative File Manager? The one that comes with it seems a little clumsy. Just after a better way to organise my Drive and also keep check on local files. Still did an invoice tonight and Docs does seem perfectly workable. Is there a way to tell it to keep folders synced locally so I know they are there to work on offline rather then just individual files.

Found my first use case for Android Apps which is Spotify and being able to download files. Defaults to tablet mode and works find without touch screen. Need to find a very discreet but big USB memory stick. Hoping that I can then save files from Drive, Spotify and the like to it rather then just other stuff. 

Also not something I'd considered, but I've never owned a laptop so light and find myself just wondering round with it a way that I would never have done with the ancient thinkpad, despite it also being a 14".


----------



## editor (Nov 22, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Well that's interesting. My Dad is in his 70s and has taken to it straight away and was telling one of his friends who came round how fast it. He'd have probably struggled to set up the printer though if I wasn't there. Comparing the two models side by side I'm bloody glad I didn't get the cheaper one, there is such a massive difference in screen quality and that's far more apparent at home then it was in Currys.
> 
> Does anyone use an alternative File Manager? The one that comes with it seems a little clumsy. Just after a better way to organise my Drive and also keep check on local files. Still did an invoice tonight and Docs does seem perfectly workable. Is there a way to tell it to keep folders synced locally so I know they are there to work on offline rather then just individual files.
> 
> ...


I like FX file Explorer, although Solid Explorer File Manager is good too...


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 22, 2017)

editor said:


> I like FX file Explorer, although Solid Explorer File Manager is good too...



I'd not actually thought to use Android Apps to do this, but of course it makes sense.


----------



## Libertad (Nov 22, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Well I did and I'm typing from it now. As I'm visiting my Dad I took him along to Curry's and he ended up picking up the lower spec version for £179. I'm very impressed so far. Build quality seems far more then it should be for a £250 laptop and the screen is superb. Keyboard is nice to type on, but I just had to Google how to right click!
> 
> I've "needed" a new laptop for ages, but not done it as I can't justify spending much on it, between having a decent phone, a rarely used tablet and a desktop. Obviously going to take a bit of time to get used to not working on windows and using Office, but that's ok. The real test will be my Dad. On paper he's the perfect candidate for a chromebook, his needs are low and his old windows laptop is like treacle. Now just to take all the dam stickers off.



Which CB did you go for in the end?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 23, 2017)

The 14" Acer


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 23, 2017)

Just looking at big, but super slim USB sticks to add a bit more storage. Is it possible to keep my Google Drive synced to this, like I do on my Windows machines, so I can work on all my files, even if I don't have internet? The contents of my drive are bigger then the space that my Chromebook has free!


----------



## editor (Nov 23, 2017)

Here's a handy guide:



5 great ways to edit video on your Chromebook


----------



## editor (Nov 23, 2017)

Oh and: https://chromeunboxed.com/news/microsoft-office-lands-on-chromebooks-everywhere/


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2017)

Hmmm. I seem to have hit quite a snag. I can't actually work out how to download any files that I want to work on when I'm away from wifi, other then opening them individually so they appear in offline files. Which is a bit pants really. I was hoping to do some work on my tax return this weekend whilst I'm away in Wales (I've got a few folders with lots of small files, invoices, receipts, etc). I guess I could go through them all and wait for them to load, but bizzarly the easiest way will probably to go to my Google Drive on my Windows machine (where everything is also stored locally) copy them to a USB stick and then plug that it the Chromebook and worry about how I sync it all when I get home.

I get that Chromebooks are aimed at using cloud storage, but Drive on my other machines seemed the best of all world, so it seems just bonkers that Google have crippled it on their own OS. Even on my phone I could at least select the individual files and ask that they are available offline.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2017)

On the plus side ordered one of these, handy for machines without an SD card slot that you want to leave storage permanently attached to. Got the 128gb version, so should be able to load a few films to watch whilst I'm away.


----------



## editor (Nov 24, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Hmmm. I seem to have hit quite a snag. I can't actually work out how to download any files that I want to work on when I'm away from wifi, other then opening them individually so they appear in offline files. Which is a bit pants really. I was hoping to do some work on my tax return this weekend whilst I'm away in Wales (I've got a few folders with lots of small files, invoices, receipts, etc). I guess I could go through them all and wait for them to load, but bizzarly the easiest way will probably to go to my Google Drive on my Windows machine (where everything is also stored locally) copy them to a USB stick and then plug that it the Chromebook and worry about how I sync it all when I get home.
> 
> I get that Chromebooks are aimed at using cloud storage, but Drive on my other machines seemed the best of all world, so it seems just bonkers that Google have crippled it on their own OS. Even on my phone I could at least select the individual files and ask that they are available offline.


Does this help? 

Work on Google Drive files offline on your Chromebook - Chromebook Help

Use your Chromebook offline - Chromebook Help


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2017)

Thanks, appreciate you trying to help.

It appears you can't do it from the file browser or even the Drive webpage, but through Docs etc. It allows me to work offline on .docx but not older .doc formats. Which is a bit odd. I get as I work more and use Googles office tools more it may get easier, but at the moment I've got shed loads of legacy stuff. 

How do you do back ups or do you just trust google? At the moment I've got little program that copies that my files from the drive on my desktop to my server. I guess my worry is that I do more and more work in googles formats, when I do this the files won't be able to be opened from a backup. Guess I need to do some testing to see if this is the case.


----------



## editor (Nov 24, 2017)

This is a bloody bargain for £429

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MU9LS52?tag=androcentr-21&ascsubtag=UUacUdUnU64177


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 26, 2017)

I keep forgetting the Acer only has a Celeron in as it's really quite nippy for most stuff I ask of it. Was playing some video files and got the odd judder, but pretty good. I do like the fact that casting is baked right into the OS, it certainly makes it a doddle to play music and video around the house.


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## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

im considering a chromebook.  ViolentPanda (above) acquired a 'pre owned' at a bargain price and is v happy with it.  What ive noticed is that there are many second hand chrome books for sale out there, often quite recent models. im wondering what it is that explains this?  The impression i have ( ive monitored this for quite some time) is that people seem to buy them, but are subsequently disappointed with them in some way and want to shift them on.  ive also noticed quite a few that have battery issues - why so?

im happy to have my impressions corrected btw, as my enthusiasm is gathering pace, and the dead hand of the Bill Gates' empire is really weighing heavy with me atm.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 27, 2017)

I think if you are considering a chromebook it helps to ask exactly what you want to use it for and does it suit how you do your work (if it's a work machine). I'd say these questions are the most important if it's going to be your main machine.


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## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

It is for surfing, writing (i use libre office), nothing else really.  i dont game, i dont work, im next to the wifi source pretty constantly, and my current laptop (lenovo) has never left the property!

From what ive read here a chrome would be perfect?


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## Libertad (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> im considering a chromebook.  ViolentPanda (above) acquired a 'pre owned' at a bargain price and is v happy with it.  What ive noticed is that there are many second hand chrome books for sale out there, often quite recent models. im wondering what it is that explains this?  The impression i have ( ive monitored this for quite some time) is that people seem to buy them, but are subsequently disappointed with them in some way and want to shift them on.  ive also noticed quite a few that have battery issues - why so?
> 
> im happy to have my impressions corrected btw, as my enthusiasm is gathering pace, and the dead hand of the Bill Gates' empire is really weighing heavy with me atm.



Perhaps people are shifting older CBs that have not been and are unlikely to be Android App enabled?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 27, 2017)

It does sound like it. Might be worth using Google Docs for a bit instead of Libre Office to check you get on with it.


----------



## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> It does sound like it. Might be worth using Google Docs for a bit instead of Libre Office to check you get on with it.



That is a very useful suggestion UnderAn', thankyou.  Do you happen to know whether i could convert libre documents to Googgle - i ask because ive an incomplete 150000 word family memoir in Libre that would need to become a Google doc at some stage?


----------



## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

prompted to do a wiki on Google doc's i came across this in para 3:   "Google has been criticized for its practice of automatically scanning documents for keywords that violate the terms of service, and censoring those documents".

i have to say that if this is the case it would be a massive negative for me.  The idea of some multinational company intruding into personal and sensitive documents, on whatever pretext is offensive..


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> That is a very useful suggestion UnderAn', thankyou.  Do you happen to know whether i could convert libre documents to Googgle - i ask because ive an incomplete 150000 word family memoir in Libre that would need to become a Google doc at some stage?



Save it as a doc and it will definitely open. 



redcogs said:


> prompted to do a wiki on Google doc's i came across this in para 3:   "Google has been criticized for its practice of automatically scanning documents for keywords that violate the terms of service, and censoring those documents".
> 
> i have to say that if this is the case it would be a massive negative for me.  The idea of some multinational company intruding into personal and sensitive documents, on whatever pretext is offensive..



Automated, but still shit.


----------



## mwgdrwg (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> prompted to do a wiki on Google doc's i came across this in para 3:   "Google has been criticized for its practice of automatically scanning documents for keywords that violate the terms of service, and censoring those documents".
> 
> i have to say that if this is the case it would be a massive negative for me.  The idea of some multinational company intruding into personal and sensitive documents, on whatever pretext is offensive..



Wow, unbelievable!

Glad I don't use 'em.


----------



## editor (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> prompted to do a wiki on Google doc's i came across this in para 3:   "Google has been criticized for its practice of automatically scanning documents for keywords that violate the terms of service, and censoring those documents".
> 
> i have to say that if this is the case it would be a massive negative for me.  The idea of some multinational company intruding into personal and sensitive documents, on whatever pretext is offensive..


Where did you see this? 

I could only find this: Google Groups


----------



## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

editor said:


> Where did you see this?
> 
> I could only find this: Google Groups



Apologies for not referencing editor..  its here: Google Docs lockout glitch demonstrates tech giant is monitoring data


----------



## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

Thanks again UnderAnOpen.  At least i now know my docs are transferable to Google, but its unlikely id take that option given the censorship/security questions.

if i do go Chromebook, i'll keep my Microsoft Lenovo Libre for writing, which, as far as i know, remains secure and not subject to company scrutiny..


----------



## editor (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> Apologies for not referencing editor..  its here: Google Docs lockout glitch demonstrates tech giant is monitoring data


I don't think I have a problem with this. That said, if I was working on something super sensitive, I'd use something else. 



> Update: On Tuesday afternoon, Google said that it does not technically read files, but instead uses an automated system of pattern matching to scan for indicators of abuse. Though it can identify clusters of data that might suggest a violation, the system does not pull meaning from the content, according to a company spokesperson.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> Thanks again UnderAnOpen.  At least i now know my docs are transferable to Google, but its unlikely id take that option given the censorship/security questions.
> 
> if i do go Chromebook, i'll keep my Microsoft Lenovo Libre for writing, which, as far as i know, remains secure and not subject to company scrutiny..



If I had a more paranoid hat on I'd probably stay away from Google products. Mind you they already know where I am every miniute of the day and all sorts of other data about me, so I doubt that my documents are very exciting in the grand scale of things.


----------



## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

editor said:


> I don't think I have a problem with this. That said, if I was working on something super sensitive, I'd use something else.


Cheers editor and UnderAnOpen.  i suppose censorship is censorship regardless of who controls it, or their stated intentions.

i dont think its a concern that relates to paranoia really.

History is littered with examples of institutional prying into 'ordinary peoples' private affairs, often carried out under a benign cover story.  At worst such abuse ends up with entire societies becoming crippled by authoritarianism - think Stalin etc.

It a path that needs resisting IMO.  It looks as though Google needs reining in.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> Cheers editor and UnderAnOpen.  i suppose censorship is censorship regardless of who controls it, or their stated intentions.
> 
> i dont think its a concern that relates to paranoia really.
> 
> ...



George Orwell probably never imagined that we would choose to carry our survellience devices. If you want to look at more autheritatrian regimes using tech, then China is fascinating. Their social credit score for example and face identifying cctv can litterally track people across cities, even if they aren't carrying a phone.

Back to the UK it's hard to opt, search engines and mobile phones are just handy...


----------



## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

Its a great point OpenUnder.  The extent to which we buy into forging the chains that begin to bind us.  Of course its an eternal problem (Shelley recognised it before Orwell i think, when he composed Mask of Anarchy).

Vigilance is key (that looks incorrectly spelled)


----------



## redcogs (Nov 27, 2017)

Just realised this thread is about Chromebooks, not censorship or tyranny.  Sorry, i'll move on.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 27, 2017)

Indeed. Google already know everything about it so buying a cheap laptop that runs well wasn't a huge jump...


----------



## editor (Nov 27, 2017)

redcogs said:


> Chromebooks, not censorship or tyranny.


That sounds like an exciting new political party


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 28, 2017)

For anybody who misses the sniping tool function of windows, it's in the OS, but not so obvious.

http://www.omgchrome.com/take-screenshot-chromebook-chromeos/


----------



## Chz (Nov 28, 2017)

Libertad said:


> Perhaps people are shifting older CBs that have not been and are unlikely to be Android App enabled?


Judging by the number of Toshi CB2s, I'd say that's a possibility. They're really good machines, but since Toshiba has completely exited the computer market there's no-one left to certify it for Android apps. Even though the specs say it's obviously capable of it.


----------



## redcogs (Nov 28, 2017)

Chz said:


> Judging by the number of Toshi CB2s, I'd say that's a possibility. They're really good machines, but since Toshiba has completely exited the computer market there's no-one left to certify it for Android apps. Even though the specs say it's obviously capable of it.



There are several acer 11 out there also - maybe its the same issue of Android apps?  im not sure i need android apps.  my mobile has android, but all i use the phone for is bbc iplayer, playing the chess game and an occasional surf on google - presumably these would be available without android.  Sorry if i appear a bit technodim.  it's because i is technodim.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 28, 2017)

redcogs said:


> There are several acer 11 out there also - maybe its the same issue of Android apps?  im not sure i need android apps.  my mobile has android, but all i use the phone for is bbc iplayer, playing the chess game and an occasional surf on google - presumably these would be available without android.  Sorry if i appear a bit technodim.  it's because i is technodim.



An 11" screen is tiny for a machine that doesn't leave the home much (which I think you said, apologies if I'm wrong)

The advantage of using android versions of things like iplayer and spotify is that you can download stuff, but again if you always have internet, that may be less of an issue.

Have you worked out a budget that you can go up to?


----------



## redcogs (Nov 28, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> An 11" screen is tiny for a machine that doesn't leave the home much (which I think you said, apologies if I'm wrong)
> 
> The advantage of using android versions of things like iplayer and spotify is that you can download stuff, but again if you always have internet, that may be less of an issue.
> 
> Have you worked out a budget that you can go up to?



Pretty skint, ferking central heating broke last week and cant afford to get fixed till Ms redcogs gets paid.  i offered someone with an acer11 a swap for my lenovo g505, but they wont bite , which isnt a shock, the leno with windows 10 constantly reorganising my settings etc is utter shit..  Realistically it will be new year before i consider getting one.  Maybe there will be some bargins to be had after xmas presents have been opened and shifted as 'unwanted gifts'. Not spending more than £100, (and want to spend less) You are correct UnderAnOpen (full marx for paying attention btw), the lappo never leaves hame.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 28, 2017)

I've not tried it personally, but apparently you can put Chrome OS on an old laptop

Turn a Windows laptop into a Chromebook for free

Hope you manage to get the heating fixed soon!


----------



## redcogs (Nov 28, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I've not tried it personally, but apparently you can put Chrome OS on an old laptop
> 
> Turn a Windows laptop into a Chromebook for free
> 
> Hope you manage to get the heating fixed soon!



i'll read that later OpenUnder'.  Not confident though, this Lenovo model resists the install of Linux (unless you have boffin status, which i dont)   due to some fucking internal windows jiggerypockery called a uefi or somesuch..  Gotta make tea now, so ill check it out this evening.  Thankyou for advising me though - much appertiated


----------



## editor (Nov 28, 2017)

redcogs said:


> i'll read that later OpenUnder'.  Not confident though, this Lenovo model resists the install of Linux (unless you have boffin status, which i dont)   due to some fucking internal windows jiggerypockery called a uefi or somesuch..  Gotta make tea now, so ill check it out this evening.  Thankyou for advising me though - much appertiated


Thing is, you'll still end up with a shit battery life from an old laptop and it still won't be the full Chromebook experience.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 29, 2017)

Chz said:


> Judging by the number of Toshi CB2s, I'd say that's a possibility. They're really good machines, but since Toshiba has completely exited the computer market there's no-one left to certify it for Android apps. Even though the specs say it's obviously capable of it.



Fkn tell me about it!


----------



## ViolentPanda (Dec 1, 2017)

redcogs said:


> im considering a chromebook.  ViolentPanda (above) acquired a 'pre owned' at a bargain price and is v happy with it.  What ive noticed is that there are many second hand chrome books for sale out there, often quite recent models. im wondering what it is that explains this?  The impression i have ( ive monitored this for quite some time) is that people seem to buy them, but are subsequently disappointed with them in some way and want to shift them on.  ive also noticed quite a few that have battery issues - why so?
> 
> im happy to have my impressions corrected btw, as my enthusiasm is gathering pace, and the dead hand of the Bill Gates' empire is really weighing heavy with me atm.



I'm totally happy with mine.  I use it for surfing, writing, playing my album collection etc.  It's small enough and light enough that it's not a hassle to carry around, whereas my favoured laptops, business-grade Thinkpads, ARE a hassle to carry around.  Oh, and 7-9 hours battery life is great, too!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 1, 2017)

I've also got an old thinkpad (T60) which the chromebook was bought to replace. Despite having the same screen size (14") its a fraction of its weight. 

What I'm also finding is because of this and the fact it comes on instantly from stand by I'm using far more in the house then I imagined, whereas before I'd go upstairs to use the desktop or just use my phone. 

Which is funny really as one of the reasons my budget for a new laptop was so low and so the reason I bought a Chromebook, was that i didn't think there was actually that many times I needed a laptop. 

I'm away this weekend and although have no work to do, have thrown it in the bag so I can watch a film tonight. I'd have never done that with the old one.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 4, 2017)

Anyone had any joy accessing drives on the network to either view stuff or copy it across to the Chromebook? Downloaded the extension, but buggered if I can make it work.


----------



## editor (Dec 31, 2017)

Here's an interesting comparison: 



> *Overall Winner: *Pixelbook (with a qualifier). A great convertible design, good performance, good battery life, and a beautiful display.
> 
> Qualifier: The Chrome OS won't run some popular applications that users demand. As I said above, it now runs Microsoft Office and Microsoft OneDrive but Office is not the full-blown Office you get on the macOS or Windows. And while you can run things like Photoshop Express and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC (and more Photoshop apps are available on the web), the full PhotoShop application isn't available. Of course, applications like iTunes aren't available, though there are workarounds, as Google spells out here.
> 
> ...





> Pixelbook Vs. MacBook Pro 13 (Review): Google Closes The Gap


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 10, 2018)

Doing my tax return at the moment. Finding it really frustrating that you can't store your google drive on an sd card/usb drive and have it keep in sync with your main drive. I'm having to look at lots of documents and even on my fast internet, there still seems to be a bit of a lag doing this. The bizarre thing is that Google have software so you can do this on windows, but not on their own OS.


----------



## editor (Jan 10, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Doing my tax return at the moment. Finding it really frustrating that you can't store your google drive on an sd card/usb drive and have it keep in sync with your main drive. I'm having to look at lots of documents and even on my fast internet, there still seems to be a bit of a lag doing this. The bizarre thing is that Google have software so you can do this on windows, but not on their own OS.


Can't you use any of the many Android accounting apps that sync with everything? What are you using?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 10, 2018)

editor said:


> Can't you use any of the many Android accounting apps that sync with everything? What are you using?



I'm not that sophisticated! I'm just using a spreadsheet and manually do invoices. First year of doing it all, so still working out what works best for me. Using it as a test of Google Office software over Microsoft for the first time properly.


----------



## editor (Jan 16, 2018)

Here's an article that night be worth a look if you're thinking of getting a Chromebook. It's the only laptop I use now.

I used the Google Pixelbook as my only laptop at CES - and it completely converted me


----------



## editor (Jan 16, 2018)

And if you're after a cheapish (£300) but good Chromebook:

ASUS Chromebook Flip C101PA review: The best 10" Chromebook you can buy is also a good Android tablet


----------



## editor (Feb 2, 2018)

A snippet o'tips

Five Chromebook hacks that give your laptop surprising new talents


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 2, 2018)

editor said:


> A snippet o'tips
> 
> Five Chromebook hacks that give your laptop surprising new talents



Google's voice recognition in docs is great. I'm suprised they hadn't implemented it in Gmail.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Feb 2, 2018)

editor said:


> A snippet o'tips
> 
> Five Chromebook hacks that give your laptop surprising new talents



Enable Night Light - bloody marvellous - thanks editor


----------



## Idaho (Feb 5, 2018)

Was thinking of getting one of these for my son for school (his writing is illegible).

ASUS C202 11.6" Chromebook - White & Blue

Any gainsayers?


----------



## editor (Feb 5, 2018)

Idaho said:


> Was thinking of getting one of these for my son for school (his writing is illegible).
> 
> ASUS C202 11.6" Chromebook - White & Blue
> 
> Any gainsayers?


Is there a 4GB version? It's worth the upgrade.


----------



## Idaho (Feb 5, 2018)

£50 premium for the 4gb ram

Asus C202SA-GJ0025 Intel Celeron N3060 4GB 16GB 11.6 Inch Chrome OS Chromebook Laptop - Laptops Direct


----------



## editor (Feb 6, 2018)

Idaho said:


> Was thinking of getting one of these for my son for school (his writing is illegible).
> 
> ASUS C202 11.6" Chromebook - White & Blue
> 
> Any gainsayers?


I just picked up the 4GB Asus Flip C100PA for £185 off eBay. I'm using it as my back up Chromebook for travelling/DJing etc. It's a great machine and stylish for the price too. That said, maybe your son would need a more rugged machine - e.g.

Acer made a rugged Chromebook to withstand student life
HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 EE 1TT13EA#ABU Cel N3350 8GB 64GB 11.6Touch BT CAM Chrome OS


----------



## Idaho (Feb 6, 2018)

Can't see that acer for sale anywhere...


----------



## kabbes (Feb 6, 2018)

I can highly recommend the Acer Chromebook 14 but make sure you get the 1080p 4Gig one and NOT the 720p 2Gig one.  The former is hard to find in this country although I did manage to track one down from Amazon Marketplace for a preposterously cheap £230.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 6, 2018)

kabbes said:


> I can highly recommend the Acer Chromebook 14 but make sure you get the 1080p 4Gig one and NOT the 720p 2Gig one.  The former is hard to find in this country although I did manage to track one down from Amazon Marketplace for a preposterously cheap £230.



I got mine in Currys just before Xmas for that price. Really good bit of kit, very light for a 14" machine. Definitely agree about getting the better spec one, my Dad got the 2gb one and the screen is nowhere near as crisp.


----------



## BoxRoom (Mar 14, 2018)

Long shot, but does anyone have a spare charger for the ASUS C100PA 10.1 inch Chromebook Flip?


----------



## editor (Mar 14, 2018)

BoxRoom said:


> Long shot, but does anyone have a spare charger for the ASUS C100PA 10.1 inch Chromebook Flip?


£13 from here: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TAIFU-C100PA-DB01-C100PA-DB02-C100PA-RBRKT03-C201PA-DS01/dp/B01IN9AXKQ

Or £15
https://www.amazon.co.uk/C201PA-DS0...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A8Q7S9HEYPHJVDAKK7BM


----------



## BoxRoom (Mar 14, 2018)

editor said:


> £13 from here:
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/TAIFU-C100PA-DB01-C100PA-DB02-C100PA-RBRKT03-C201PA-DS01/dp/B01IN9AXKQ
> 
> Or £15
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/C201PA-DS0...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A8Q7S9HEYPHJVDAKK7BM



Cheers! I did start to look into where I could buy one but am well skint at the moment. That 13 quid one would do the trick, will go for that when i can. Ta!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 19, 2018)

I've thought that the voice recognition in google docs was pretty impressive and have been surprised that it wasn't baked into Gmail. At home at watching my Dad very slowly send an email, I had a look online and found a simple extension that adds it.

He's in his 70s and is currently talking to his Chromebook to send an email to a friend.


----------



## kropotkin (Mar 23, 2018)

Thanks for that- just added it.
Email Dictation


----------



## editor (Mar 28, 2018)

Just as Apple try to regain all their lost ground in the education market with a cheaper iPad, out comes a Chromebook tablet. 

Acer Announces Chromebook Tab 10: A Tablet Running Google’s Chrome OS


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 28, 2018)

Screen looks lovely. Seems odd that Google would support two OSs on tablets.


----------



## chandlerp (Mar 28, 2018)

Android is open source though so Google will be wanting this one for themselves.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 28, 2018)

chandlerp said:


> Android is open source though so Google will be wanting this one for themselves.



Can't anyone make a Chromebook then or do they pay Google for the privilege?

Read over of the register that it can be managed like a schools other chromebooks, whereas Android is a bit more a nightmare on mass, so makes a bit more sense.


----------



## Chz (Mar 28, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Screen looks lovely. Seems odd that Google would support two OSs on tablets.


I would say that Android happens to be capable of running on tablets. I wouldn't call what Google does "supporting" it. They can't even bother to make all of their own apps tablet-aware, let alone provide decent hooks for third parties.


----------



## editor (Mar 28, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Screen looks lovely. Seems odd that Google would support two OSs on tablets.


Well this one is for the education market where Chromebook laptops have been cleaning up. I guess now they're looking to wipe out what's left of Apple's share.


----------



## elbows (Mar 28, 2018)

I believe its been rumoured for years that whilst Google dont plan to outright merge chromeOS and Android at this stage, they are interesting in exploiting the overlap and we've already seen things like android apps running on ChromeOS. In this context, the ChromeOS tablet is not surprising, especially as Google know that android tablets, despite successes at various moments, havent really delivered a huge platform with the sort of momentum and foothold that Google would have wanted.


----------



## editor (Mar 28, 2018)

Good piece here. 



> The company guarantees a Chromebook will receive updates for up to seven years after it's first released.
> 
> Even the CR-48, the first Chromebook that was shipped out only to invited testers, continued to get updates up until last May. That's a stark difference from millions of outdated devices that no longer receive needed security updates.
> 
> ...



How Google's Chromebooks became the go-to laptop for security experts


----------



## cybershot (Mar 28, 2018)

elbows said:


> I believe its been rumoured for years that whilst Google dont plan to outright merge chromeOS and Android at this stage, they are interesting in exploiting the overlap and we've already seen things like android apps running on ChromeOS. In this context, the ChromeOS tablet is not surprising, especially as Google know that android tablets, despite successes at various moments, havent really delivered a huge platform with the sort of momentum and foothold that Google would have wanted.



Edit: Too many tabs open and replied to wrong thread.


----------



## editor (Mar 28, 2018)

Good piece here about the C302 which is now my main laptop and an absolute bargain for £400-ish.








> Are Chromebooks for everyone? Absolutely not, but they don't have to be. The ASUS Chromebook Flip C302 is a great laptop for people that can do without legacy desktop applications, or anyone looking for a secondary computer. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of more expensive laptops, but it's fast and has great battery life. It's also built to last - I should know, I've had it for a year.
> 
> While the Pixelbook is still unquestionably the best Chromebook money can buy, the C302 is perhaps the best value Chromebook. More than that, it might be one of the best value laptops _period_.



ASUS Chromebook Flip C302 long-term review: The laptop that brought me back to Chrome OS


----------



## cybershot (Mar 28, 2018)

I still think £400 for a Chromebook compared to a Windows laptop for around the same price is ludicrous.

I mean, this is same price from Currys! : HP 14-bp070sa 14" Laptop - White and there's Lenovo Yogas for around the same price, although without SSDs.


----------



## editor (Mar 28, 2018)

cybershot said:


> I still think £400 for a Chromebook compared to a Windows laptop for around the same price is ludicrous.
> 
> I mean, this is same price from Currys! : HP 14-bp070sa 14" Laptop - White and there's Lenovo Yogas for around the same price, although without SSDs.


Try spending some time using those machines and see which one you prefer using. 

My Chromebook is _miles _faster than my high spec'ed Lenovo Thinkpad and a shitload less hassle to run/update/maintain/boot up etc.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 28, 2018)

cybershot said:


> I still think £400 for a Chromebook compared to a Windows laptop for around the same price is ludicrous.
> 
> I mean, this is same price from Currys! : HP 14-bp070sa 14" Laptop - White and there's Lenovo Yogas for around the same price, although without SSDs.



Cheap Windows laptops are shit though. If I had a proper budget I'd have stuck with Windows, but my Chromebook has totally exceed my expectations and gets used far more then I ever imagined. I'd still not like it as my only PC for many reasons, but it feels like lovely hardware on a budget..


----------



## Chz (Mar 29, 2018)

Yeah, but £400 Windows laptops aren't cheap. I bought the Mrs a Yoga for less than that. It boots in under 10 seconds, I've never seen it be slow at anything, and the joy of a proper branded machine is that the updates are actually tested on them before they go out in the wild. As opposed to one ChromeOS update that borked the boy's Chromebook until we figured out how to boot from the alternate image it very fortunately keeps. At £400, you've left the "HD Ready" nonsense and spinning disks behind and are getting a proper machine.

At that price level, it comes down to whether you prefer to work on ChromeOS or Windows. The other advantages that Chromebooks have at lower price points evaporate. I like Chromebooks, but I'd buy the cheaper Yoga again in a heartbeat over a £400 Chromebook. (Though a large part of that is just finding a 14" form factor easier to work on than a 12" one)

Editing to say that really I blame Toshiba abandoning the PC market for the broken ChromeOS update. But I do expect better from a closed ecosystem.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 29, 2018)

Finding decent 14 inch machines on a budget is harder, which ever OS, but I love it as a balance between portability and function


----------



## editor (Mar 29, 2018)

Currys are selling the updated Asus Flip Chromebook for £199 - which is £100 off its regular price and an absolute bargain. It's a bloody brilliant travel/everyday laptop. I can't recommend it enough. 

















ASUS C101 10.1" 2 in 1 Chromebook - Silver

ASUS Chromebook Flip C101PA   | 2-in-1 PCs | ASUS United Kingdom


----------



## editor (Mar 29, 2018)

editor said:


> Currys are selling the updated Asus Flip Chromebook for £199 - which is £100 off its regular price and an absolute bargain. It's a bloody brilliant travel/everyday laptop. I can't recommend it enough.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And I'm using one right now! It feels and looks like something that costs twice or three times as much.


----------



## BoxRoom (Mar 29, 2018)

editor said:


> And I'm using one right now! It feels and looks like something that costs twice or three times as much.



I'd get that in an instant if I could but even at that great price I can't afford it at the moment


----------



## Chz (Mar 29, 2018)

That is tempting... Do you work for Satan or something, Ed? 

That being said, the original price was a bit ludicrous for something with the same general specs as the Amazon Fire 10".


----------



## editor (Mar 29, 2018)

Chz said:


> That is tempting... Do you work for Satan or something, Ed?
> 
> That being said, the original price was a bit ludicrous for something with the same general specs as the Amazon Fire 10".


This is the new Flip and it's way more versatile and productive than the Fire.


----------



## RoyReed (Mar 30, 2018)

editor How do you run Homesite on your Chromebook? Or do you just use it for other stuff?


----------



## Chz (Mar 30, 2018)

editor said:


> This is the new Flip and it's way more versatile and productive than the Fire.


I don't disagree, but they were selling something with similar internals, with a worse screen in exchange for a keyboard, for 250% of the price. £300 was a bit of cheek. The ChromeOS tablet that's launching has the exact same internals, double the storage, and a vastly better screen in exchange for the keyboard and that's going for ~£280.


----------



## cybershot (Mar 30, 2018)

editor said:


> Currys are selling the updated Asus Flip Chromebook for £199 - which is £100 off its regular price and an absolute bargain. It's a bloody brilliant travel/everyday laptop. I can't recommend it enough.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



For anyone who is tempted you can also claim 10% cash back from curry’s this weekend on quidco. Those that have used quidco thou will know it takes several weeks (sometimes months) to get that cash back.

Then you have to remember to log into quidco and tell them to pay you. 

Also don’t forget you’re also selling your soul to google at the same time. So there’s that hidden price too.


----------



## editor (Mar 30, 2018)

RoyReed said:


> editor How do you run Homesite on your Chromebook? Or do you just use it for other stuff?


I don't use Homesite (most of my web stuff is Wordspress now) but there's loads of capable text editors/FTP clients etc for Chromebooks (and in the Android store).


----------



## editor (Mar 30, 2018)

Chz said:


> I don't disagree, but they were selling something with similar internals, with a worse screen in exchange for a keyboard, for 250% of the price. £300 was a bit of cheek. The ChromeOS tablet that's launching has the exact same internals, double the storage, and a vastly better screen in exchange for the keyboard and that's going for ~£280.


Pretty sure that the Fire had an artificially low price to bolster Amazon's market reach. But the build on a Flip is superb.


----------



## ash (Mar 31, 2018)

editor said:


> Pretty sure that the Fire had an artificially low price to bolster Amazon's market reach. But the build on a Flip is superb.


How do you find the fact that you can’t use word- are word documents easily opened and converted to and from google docs? How is google docs. I use word for work so this is the main fault I can see from reviews and some issues with printing possibly? Otherwise I’m very tempted it looks good value.


----------



## Chz (Mar 31, 2018)

You can always pay for Office 365. Browser Word isn't 100% feature-complete, but it's a lot better than Excel in a browser.


----------



## ash (Mar 31, 2018)

Chz said:


> You can always pay for Office 365. Browser Word isn't 100% feature-complete, but it's a lot better than Excel in a browser.


Oh so office 365 does work is that the annual subscription one- if it is I’ve got that already so should be able to use it.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 31, 2018)

ash said:


> How do you find the fact that you can’t use word- are word documents easily opened and converted to and from google docs? How is google docs. I use word for work so this is the main fault I can see from reviews and some issues with printing possibly? Otherwise I’m very tempted it looks good value.



It seems to be fine for my quite simple needs and exports as word and pdf for sending to other people. I'm using it increasingly on my desktop now and did my very basic end of year accounting to using sheets just to see what it would be like.


----------



## editor (Mar 31, 2018)

ash said:


> How do you find the fact that you can’t use word- are word documents easily opened and converted to and from google docs? How is google docs. I use word for work so this is the main fault I can see from reviews and some issues with printing possibly? Otherwise I’m very tempted it looks good value.


I have no problem converting, reading, editing and and exporting Word docs on my Chromebook.


----------



## ash (Mar 31, 2018)

editor said:


> I have no problem converting, reading, editing and and exporting Word docs on my Chromebook.


Ok I’m gonna get one : )


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 31, 2018)

ash said:


> Ok I’m gonna get one : )



I use mine way more then I thought I would. Can't believe its got a proper HD screen and nice metal case for the money.

ACER CB3-431 14" Intel® Celeron® Chromebook - 32 GB eMMC, Silver


----------



## kropotkin (Mar 31, 2018)

Yeah, after reading this thread I bought an Asus flip c302, and it is very good.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 2, 2018)

editor said:


> I have no problem converting, reading, editing and and exporting Word docs on my Chromebook.



Do you use the Word Android app editor or what?


----------



## editor (Apr 2, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Do you use the Word Android app editor or what?


I used to but now prefer to write using Google Docs and then save a version  as a .doc file for sending to the newspaper I write for.


----------



## editor (Apr 2, 2018)

kropotkin said:


> Yeah, after reading this thread I bought an Asus flip c302, and it is very good.


It's a bloody great laptop!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 2, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I use mine way more then I thought I would. Can't believe its got a proper HD screen and nice metal case for the money.
> 
> ACER CB3-431 14" Intel® Celeron® Chromebook - 32 GB eMMC, Silver


Do you have the premium 1080p or regular version?  I'm looking at these in curry's now


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 2, 2018)

editor said:


> I used to but now prefer to write using Google Docs and then save a version  as a .doc file for sending to the newspaper I write for.



Me too, usually. However I'm tring to fill a form in from somewhere that is saved in docx using Word 2013.
When I look at it in Google ot Microsoft One Drive there are bits missing.

If I open it in Word on my ipad or phone it looks as it should.

I was hoping that using the Word app on my Chromebook would mean I can fill it in and save it properly formatted.  

My Toshiba Chromebook2 won't run the Play store, so much so I'm thinking of getting a newer Chromebook.  I've ust been to our local Currys to look at the 2 CBooks mentioned above - the Acer UnderAnOpenSky  mentions looks great but the 2 they had in stock are reserved


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 2, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Do you have the premium 1080p or regular version?  I'm looking at these in curry's now



I've got the premium. My Dad bought the more basic. The difference between the two is very noticeable.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 2, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I've got the premium. My Dad bought the more basic. The difference between the two is very noticeable.



Yeah, I noticed the main differences were the RAM, processor and screen (anything else?).

Does yours run the Play Store??   I'm sure it does from what I have read but confirmation is always good


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 2, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Yeah, I noticed the main differences were the RAM, processor and screen (anything else?).
> 
> Does yours run the Play Store??   I'm sure it does from what I have read but confirmation is always good



Those are the main ones. I've not used my Dad's enough to notice the difference in processor and ram, but the screen alone is worth paying the premium for. It feels like a much expensive machine then it is because of it.

It does run play store, although tbh I don't actually use that many Android apps.


----------



## editor (Apr 2, 2018)

I can't imagine using a Chromebook without a touchscreen now - and inevitably end up pointlessly pointing at the screen when using regular laptops!

One thing: make sure your C/book has 4GB of RAM - anything else and it can take a real hit in performance.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 2, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Those are the main ones. I've not used my Dad's enough to notice the difference in processor and ram, but the screen alone is worth paying the premium for. It feels like a much expensive machine then it is because of it.
> 
> It does run play store, although tbh I don't actually use that many Android apps.



Excellent - cheers



editor said:


> I can't imagine using a Chromebook without a touchscreen now - and inevitably end up pointlessly pointing at the screen when using regular laptops!
> 
> One thing: make sure your C/book has 4GB of RAM - anything else and it can take a real hit in performance.



Aye - 4gb is the way to go, definitely.


----------



## editor (Apr 11, 2018)

This looks rather splendid. No UK prices yet but from $599 stateside. The removable tablet part and stylus makes it a real competitor for the iPad Pro.












HP Chromebook x2 packs detachable 12.3-inch screen with 2400 x 1600 res, stylus and Intel Core-Y CPU


----------



## editor (Apr 25, 2018)

Veeeeeeeeery interesting : 






https://liliputing.com/2018/04/it-s...ooks-will-support-some-windows-apps-soon.html


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 25, 2018)

editor said:


> Veeeeeeeeery interesting :
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Maybe. I'm sure it would be dead handy, but most Chromebooks (including mine) are very low spec. Of course the great thing about Chrome OS is this just doesn't matter, I think of mine as a joy to use. Trying to do full fat stuff might bring it home a bit more. 

It was shown to me the other night when I leant it to my other half to work on an epic spreadsheet. I also massively found the limits of Google docs. Breaking formula all over the place. Fortunately I don't have to do this kind of stuff.


----------



## editor (Apr 25, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Maybe. I'm sure it would be dead handy, but most Chromebooks (including mine) are very low spec. Of course the great thing about Chrome OS is this just doesn't matter, I think of mine as a joy to use. Trying to do full fat stuff might bring it home a bit more.
> 
> It was shown to me the other night when I leant it to my other half to work on an epic spreadsheet. I also massively found the limits of Google docs. Breaking formula all over the place. Fortunately I don't have to do this kind of stuff.


I agree but it wouldn't have been handy to be able to run some of the slimmer Windows program sometimes....


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 25, 2018)

editor said:


> I agree but it wouldn't have been handy to be able to run some of the slimmer Windows program sometimes....



I can totally see how that could be handy, although tbf most of the small ones I use, just don't fit with the Chromebook way of working, so try and find alternatives. However I've got a half decent desktop so sometimes that just means leaving it...


----------



## ash (May 1, 2018)

editor said:


> I can't imagine using a Chromebook without a touchscreen now - and inevitably end up pointlessly pointing at the screen when using regular laptops!
> 
> One thing: make sure your C/book has 4GB of RAM - anything else and it can take a real hit in performance.



I’ve got mine now and love it - I agree about the screen swiping thing if I’m working with students on their laptops I must look a bit wierd constantly stroking their screens . 
I was just wondering if using gmail is the best email when using google docs and chrome. I’ve had BT for years and find it very clunky and slow. Is there. A benefit to moving I wonder?


----------



## editor (May 1, 2018)

ash said:


> I’ve got mine now and love it - I agree about the screen swiping thing if I’m working with students on their laptops I must look a bit wierd constantly stroking their screens .
> I was just wondering if using gmail is the best email when using google docs and chrome. I’ve had BT for years and find it very clunky and slow. Is there. A benefit to moving I wonder?


You can get an extension for GMail that works offline. It's excellent: How to Set Up Offline Gmail on Your Chromebook


----------



## ash (May 1, 2018)

editor said:


> You can get an extension for GMail that works offline. It's excellent: How to Set Up Offline Gmail on Your Chromebook


 That looks interesting will have to give it a go thanks .. and maybe gradually move over to gmail. The more I’m using the Chromebook the better it gets especially as I work in quite a few different places and am out and about  a lot. The only problem I am finding is that if I send documents as a google doc some people don’t seem to realise that there is an attachment.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 1, 2018)

ash said:


> That looks interesting will have to give it a go thanks .. and maybe gradually move over to gmail. The more I’m using the Chromebook the better it gets especially as I work in quite a few different places and am out and about  a lot. The only problem I am finding is that if I send documents as a google doc some people don’t seem to realise that there is an attachment.



Yeah, I always make sure I download it as a word or pdf file to be on the safe side.


----------



## Crispy (May 1, 2018)

You can configure gmail to pick up your mail from your other account. Plenty of guides out there if you google em


----------



## ash (May 1, 2018)

Crispy said:


> You can configure gmail to pick up your mail from your other account. Plenty of guides out there if you google em


Ok that sounds useful I will have a look - thanks


----------



## chandlerp (May 2, 2018)

I have gmail picking up stuff from four accounts, it's very useful


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## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

Is a chromebook different from a laptop?
I need to get a new laptop soonish and can't afford more than £350.
I only Internet on laptops, so it doesn't have to be that high spec.


----------



## ash (May 2, 2018)

ash said:


> Ok that sounds useful I will have a look - thanks


When you reply through gmail does the reply go to sender from the original email adress or the gmail one?


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## Idaho (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> Is a chromebook different from a laptop?
> I need to get a new laptop soonish and can't afford more than £350.
> I only Internet on laptops, so it doesn't have to be that high spec.



Honestly. Do you ever change?


----------



## ash (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> Is a chromebook different from a laptop?
> I need to get a new laptop soonish and can't afford more than £350.
> I only Internet on laptops, so it doesn't have to be that high spec.


I’m not an expert but following advice on here have got one. The main difference is that it’s is easier to use google docs on goggle drive than word. I’ve got used to very quickly and I’m a bit of a technophobe. I’m sure there are other things but that’s the main difference I’ve noticed.


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## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

ash said:


> I’m not an expert but following advice on here have got one. The main difference is that it’s is easier to use google docs on goggle drive than word. I’ve got used to very quickly and I’m a bit of a technophobe. I’m sure there are other things but that’s the main difference I’ve noticed.


I don't use either drive or docs so that would be fine. Just want a biggish screen, plenty of memory and for it not to crash all the time.
The chromebooks I've seen on the internet don't seem to have much memory - about the same a phone


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## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

Idaho said:


> Honestly. Do you ever change?


Pardon? I'm trying to change my laptop


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## bemused (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> I don't use either drive or docs so that would be fine. Just want a biggish screen, plenty of memory and for it not to crash all the time.
> The chromebooks I've seen on the internet don't seem to have much memory - about the same a phone



If you're just using it for a browser a chrome book would be fine - why not pop down to pc world and have a play?


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## kabbes (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> Pardon? I'm trying to change my laptop


Have you tried reading this thread?


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

bemused said:


> If you're just using it for a browser a chrome book would be fine - why not pop down to pc world and have a play?


I just want someone to tell me what to buy!
(at Argos)


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

kabbes said:


> Have you tried reading this thread?


Of course not. It's 25 pages of tech talk


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## ash (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> I don't use either drive or docs so that would be fine. Just want a biggish screen, plenty of memory and for it not to crash all the time.
> The chromebooks I've seen on the internet don't seem to have much memory - about the same a phone


I probably worded that badly what I meant was that you probably will end up using google docs rather than word as it is geared up for google drive uploads and saving files rather on the machine as it’s not got much storage (that’s my understanding)


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

ash said:


> I probably worded that badly what I meant was that you probably will end up using google docs rather than word as it is geared up for google drive uploads and saving files rather on the machine as it’s not got much storage (that’s my understanding)


OK. I'll only be storing music and a few pics, so won't be using Google docs or Google drive. I suppose i can store music/films on external USB sticks, but that's a bit of a fiddle. May have to go for a laptop instead.


----------



## editor (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> I don't use either drive or docs so that would be fine. Just want a biggish screen, plenty of memory and for it not to crash all the time.
> The chromebooks I've seen on the internet don't seem to have much memory - about the same a phone


You can stick in a MicroSD card or USB stick so there's plenty of space because Chromebooks don't use hard drive hogging programs and a lot of the stuff goes on the cloud (if you want it to).


----------



## kabbes (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> I just want someone to tell me what to buy!
> (at Argos)


It’s not that straightforward a decision.  They’re different to each other.  It has been explained multiple times already.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

kabbes said:


> It’s not that straightforward a decision.  They’re different to each other.  It has been explained multiple times already.


I don't have the patience/interest/geekness to shop around, so was looking for personal recommendations.


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## Jon-of-arc (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> I just want someone to tell me what to buy!
> (at Argos)



If you want a cheap machine that will basically run an internet browser and do very little else on top (which it sounds like you do) then get a Chromebook.

If you want it to do the many things that pcs do, then don't get a chromebook. 

I'm on my second CB.  They are very good machines.  Fast, easy, nice battery life.  No ton of bells and whistles that you'll never use, like windows has.  Unless I suddenly develop a need for complex specialist software, it will probably cover all my computing needs for the foreseeable.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

Jon-of-arc said:


> If you want a cheap machine that will basically run an internet browser and do very little else on top (which it sounds like you do) then get a Chromebook.
> 
> If you want it to do the many things that pcs do, then don't get a chromebook.
> 
> I'm on my second CB.  They are very good machines.  Fast, easy, nice battery life.  No ton of bells and whistles that you'll never use, like windows has.  Unless I suddenly develop a need for complex specialist software, it will probably cover all my computing needs for the foreseeable.


That's what I want to hear. Cheers. Windows PCs and laptops have so much superfluous stuff on that I never used - the MS Office package for a start.


----------



## editor (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> I don't have the patience/interest/geekness to shop around, so was looking for personal recommendations.


Do you need a big screen/small screen?

For value and portability the Asus Flip 10.1" is fantastic value for £200. For a premium laptop experience, the Asus C302 (with 12" screen) is bloody brilliant. I've got both and can recommend them. There's also bigger screen Chromebooks available.


----------



## kabbes (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> I don't have the patience/interest/geekness to shop around, so was looking for personal recommendations.


The choice between laptop and Chromebook is more than just personal recommendation.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

kabbes said:


> The choice between laptop and Chromebook is more than just personal recommendation.


What's your point? Not everyone has the gumption, aptitude or patience to wade through a huge amount of mostly irrelevant information, so they ask other people with more knowledge and more motivation to recommend things. People come to me for recommendations about books, so I ask a few questions and come up with a few ideas, instead of peering over my glasses contemptuously before sniffily suggesting that that they read lots of books themselves instead of having the gall to ask such an impertinent question.


----------



## kabbes (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> What's your point? Not everyone has the gumption, aptitude or patience to wade through a huge amount of mostly irrelevant information, so they ask other people with more knowledge and more motivation to recommend things. People come to me for recommendations about books, so I ask a few questions and come up with a few ideas, instead of peering over my glasses contemptuously before sniffily suggesting that that they read lots of books themselves instead of having the gall to ask such an impertinent question.


Ok, but I can’t be arsed to type out again what I already said once in this very thread, especially if you can’t be arsed to skim read through to find the useful posts.  It’ll just have to be lost, like tears in rain.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

editor said:


> Do you need a big screen/small screen?
> 
> For value and portability the Asus Flip 10.1" is fantastic value for £200. For a premium laptop experience, the Asus C302 (with 12" screen) is bloody brilliant. I've got both and can recommend them. There's also bigger screen Chromebooks available.


Cheers!
I have a TV with Chromecast, Netflix etc so don't need it for watching owt, but I'd still like a decent sized screen and keyboard so I can see what I'm doing and preferably one without a clit instead of a trackpad.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

kabbes said:


> Ok, but I can’t be arsed to type out again what I already said once in this very thread, especially if you can’t be arsed to skim read through to find the useful posts.  It’ll just have to be lost, like tears in rain.


i can cope if you can. some kinder, better humans than you, who don't have to take every opportunity to show how much cleverer they are than everyone else, have answered my simple question.


----------



## Crispy (May 2, 2018)

Chromebook is bang up your street OU.
They don't have huge internal storage though, so you'll need a memory card or flash drive for your music.
(any idea how big your mp3 collection is?)


----------



## kabbes (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> i can cope if you can. some kinder, better humans than you, who don't have to take every opportunity to show how much cleverer they are than everyone else, have answered my simple question.


No they haven’t.  But good luck with it anyway.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

Crispy said:


> Chromebook is bang up your street OU.
> They don't have huge internal storage though, so you'll need a memory card or flash drive for your music.
> (any idea how big your mp3 collection is?)


Not massive tbh - only about 12gb at the mo - i delete most things i listen to after one listen and keep most of it on my phone.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

kabbes said:


> No they haven’t.  But good luck with it anyway.


they have, here and elsewhere.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

editor said:


> For value and portability the Asus Flip 10.1" is fantastic value for £200.


As it happens, this was also recommended to me: Buy ASUS Chromebook Flip C101.  10.1 Inch 4GB 16GB- Silver at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Chromebook, Laptops and PCs, Technology.


----------



## Crispy (May 2, 2018)

Orang Utan said:


> Not massive tbh - only about 12gb at the mo - i delete most things i listen to after one listen and keep most of it on my phone.


You're laughing then. Just make sure the one you get has an SD card slot. The cards themselves are dirt cheap these days - 64GB for £12!

If you absolutely have to shop at Argos, this is your best bet:

Buy Acer 14 Inch Intel Celeron 4GB 32GB Chromebook - Gold at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Chromebook, Laptops and PCs, Technology.

Big screen, 4GB ram (don't get a 2GB one - it'll be much slower)
Lovely colour


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

Crispy said:


> You're laughing then. Just make sure the one you get has an SD card slot. The cards themselves are dirt cheap these days - 64GB for £12!
> 
> If you absolutely have to shop at Argos, this is your best bet:
> 
> ...


ta! I have a £150 token for Argos, so was kind of hoping to use it. Otherwise, I'll have to wait past the point the one I'm using gives up the ghost. I've just remembered I've got a 'Notebook; (a tiny laptop anyway) in my cupboard I've forgotten about though, so maybe I should wait and save ('ha!' says the devil in me)


----------



## chandlerp (May 2, 2018)

Best advice I can give you Orang Utan is this:  If you can do everything you want to use it for in the Chrome browser or with an Android app it's perfect for you.  Make sure you buy one that runs Android apps though!


----------



## Orang Utan (May 2, 2018)

chandlerp said:


> Best advice I can give you Orang Utan is this:  If you can do everything you want to use it for in the Chrome browser or with an Android app it's perfect for you.  Make sure you buy one that runs Android apps though!


I only every use my (Chrome) browser, anti-virus programmes, and occasionally a video player on my laptop. 
Oh wait, might not be able to use Soulseek, but can crank up an ancient laptop to use that if necessary


----------



## ash (May 2, 2018)

chandlerp said:


> I have gmail picking up stuff from four accounts, it's very useful


When you reply through gmail does the reply go to sender from the original email adress or the gmail one


----------



## chandlerp (May 2, 2018)

ash said:


> When you reply through gmail does the reply go to sender from the original email adress or the gmail one



You can choose


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 2, 2018)

I've got one of these Orang Utan,  It's an Acer with a 14 inch screen which is very nice and proper high def, but despite it, the machine is much more compact then a y budget windows laptops. 4gb of RAM. Metal chassis. Very long battery life. Instant on like a phone.

Buy Acer 14 Inch Intel Celeron 4GB 32GB Chromebook - Gold at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Chromebook, Laptops and PCs, Technology.

Except I've got the silver one.


----------



## Crispy (May 2, 2018)

chandlerp said:


> Make sure you buy one that runs Android apps though!


Power users only. Don't sweat this bit, ou


----------



## ash (May 3, 2018)

chandlerp said:


> You can choose


Great so I can uae it for work emails sounds good


----------



## ash (May 3, 2018)

ash said:


> Great so I can uae it for work emails sounds good


I know that sounds saddo like I want to respond to work emails all the time but being freelance it would be really useful


----------



## Chz (May 3, 2018)

Chromebooks don't offer a lot of customisation, but in terms of what's important to get in order of importance:

1 - 4GB of RAM, not 2. This is important, the rest are nice to have.
2 - Touchscreen over non-touch. (because Android apps are much easier with it)
3 - 1080p+ screen resolution on anything over 12". Under that, it's not such a big deal.
4 - _maybe_ more local storage? I don't know. They *all* come with an SD slot, so far as I've seen, so it's not a big deal at all.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 3, 2018)

Chz said:


> Chromebooks don't offer a lot of customisation, but in terms of what's important to get in order of importance:
> 
> 1 - 4GB of RAM, not 2. This is important, the rest are nice to have.
> 2 - Touchscreen over non-touch. (because Android apps are much easier with it)
> ...



Mine didn't, but I got one of those super small USB sticks and that's fine. 

Tbh local storage is far less an issue then I thought it would be. Same as Android apps. I've found I've just changed the way I do things.


----------



## cybershot (May 8, 2018)

Chromebooks will soon be able to run your favorite Linux apps


----------



## editor (May 8, 2018)

cybershot said:


> Chromebooks will soon be able to run your favorite Linux apps


Announcement here: 



> This year we’re making it possible for you to code on Chromebooks. Whether it’s building an app or writing a quick script, Chromebooks will be ready for your next coding project.
> 
> Last year we announced a new generation of Chromebooks that were designed to work with your favorite apps from the Google Play store, helping to bring accessible computing to millions of people around the world. But it’s not just about access to technology, it’s also about access to the tools that create it. And that’s why we’re equipping developers with more tools on Chromebooks.
> 
> ...


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

Wow, this is huge. I have been on the fence about Chromebooks for a while. They sound almost perfect for me (non-gamer, don't use Windows apps) but the ability to code on them now means they can do literally everything I need.

Do the features that are exclusive to Pixelbooks or whatever the latest machine is eventually trickle down into the other, cheaper Chromebooks available?


----------



## editor (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Wow, this is huge. I have been on the fence about Chromebooks for a while. They sound almost perfect for me (non-gamer, don't use Windows apps) but the ability to code on them now means they can do literally everything I need.
> 
> Do the features that are exclusive to Pixelbooks or whatever the latest machine is eventually trickle down into the other, cheaper Chromebooks available?


I'd say most definitely unless you're on a really ancient machine. Android support started on a select few laptops before being implemented more widely.


----------



## cybershot (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Wow, this is huge. I have been on the fence about Chromebooks for a while. They sound almost perfect for me (non-gamer, don't use Windows apps) but the ability to code on them now means they can do literally everything I need.
> 
> Do the features that are exclusive to Pixelbooks or whatever the latest machine is eventually trickle down into the other, cheaper Chromebooks available?



I think the article I linked too says they will. The disc space potentially becomes an issue depending on what you'd use it for!

Personally, I'd let the feature release, mature, and then purchase if it's meeting the need.


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

editor said:


> I'd say most definitely unless you're on a really ancient machine. Android support started on a select few laptops before being implemented more widely.


Great stuff.

I wouldn't be able to get away with a _really _cheap model, but I also can't afford the actual fancy beast machines. Will definitely be keeping a [closer] eye on these now though


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

cybershot said:


> I think the article I linked too says they will. The disc space potentially becomes an issue depending on what you'd use it for!
> 
> Personally, I'd let the feature release, mature, and then purchase if it's meeting the need.


Oh, definitely.

Not worries about disk space, more power/grunt. If this thing is running a VM (and it is) then that's going to take a non-trivial amount of memory. Some of the cheap Chromebooks can get away with piddly memory because it's so simple - I'd need something a fair bit beefier, but they're all $$$...for now.

Can see this becoming a MacBook replacement for web devs, and if so we'll see a lot more high powered machines being made. Hopefully for less money


----------



## cybershot (May 9, 2018)

It sounds 'docker' esque, in the fact it runs the app in a virtual instance. Makes you wonder if you'll be limited to the apps they make available, when they use the phrase 'favourite linux apps'


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

cybershot said:


> It sounds 'docker' esque, in the fact it runs the app in a virtual instance. Makes you wonder if you'll be limited to the apps they make available, when they use the phrase 'favourite linux apps'


Nope, it's a full version of Debian running in a VM. I don't _think_ it's running in a container, but it's possible. Would make sense if ChromeOS has enough underlying Linux bits to share - I know it is Linux under the bonnet, but it might be stripped down which means it's a full VM needed for this...


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

cybershot said:


> It sounds 'docker' esque, in the fact it runs the app in a virtual instance. Makes you wonder if you'll be limited to the apps they make available, when they use the phrase 'favourite linux apps'


Have just read your link (I read a different link initially) and it seems like it is definitely a full VM rather than Docker or whatever, and my fears about performance are justified:


> Of course, since we're talking about a virtual machine here, performance limitations aren't out of the question. Google is confident that running most Linux apps within Chrome OS shouldn't pose too many issues, but Kan Liu, director of product management for Chrome OS, concedes that running elaborate apps like the GIMP, for image editing, may slow down some less powerful Chromebooks. No wonder the Pixelbook is the first model to officially get Linux app support.


The good news is that means it _is _Linux. Everything will work, not just "your favourite apps".


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 9, 2018)

Any chance I could actually use run Google bloody Drive or rather a Linux a client on Googles own machine? It's the one thing I totally assumed would be there and so didn't check before I bought one.


----------



## editor (May 9, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Any chance I could actually use run Google bloody Drive or rather a Linux a client on Googles own machine? It's the one thing I totally assumed would be there and so didn't check before I bought one.


What do you mean> I use Google Drive OK. 

Work on Google Drive files offline on your Chromebook - Chromebook Help


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 9, 2018)

editor said:


> What do you mean> I use Google Drive OK.
> 
> Work on Google Drive files offline on your Chromebook - Chromebook Help



That doesn't sync your Google drive, just your most recently worked on files. I want it to mirror my drive like it does on my Windows machines.


----------



## editor (May 9, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> That doesn't sync your Google drive, just your most recently worked on files. I want it to mirror my drive like it does on my Windows machines.


I guess that's not going to happen because you'll run out of space rapidly if you got a half ton of stuff in your Drive?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 9, 2018)

editor said:


> I guess that's not going to happen because you'll run out of space rapidly if you got a half ton of stuff in your Drive?



I can see why google don't for that reason, although I bought a 128gb SD card at the same time as the Chromebook kinda assuming if be able to store things locally...Maybe with Linux support I can bodge it with a third party app.


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I can see why google don't for that reason, although I bought a 128gb SD card at the same time as the Chromebook kinda assuming if be able to store things locally...Maybe with Linux support I can bodge it with a third party app.


AFAIK, there's no native Linux GDrive app, and the 3rd party ones that do exist don't do what you want...not automatically, anyway.

It's more of a manual thing. You have to open a terminal and type a command to sync. But then it does do the full thing.

I was looking into this recently, which is how I know, but I didn't look _too _hard, so there might be other options out there.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> AFAIK, there's no native Linux GDrive app, and the 3rd party ones that do exist don't do what you want...not automatically, anyway.
> 
> It's more of a manual thing. You have to open a terminal and type a command to sync. But then it does do the full thing.
> 
> I was looking into this recently, which is how I know, but I didn't look _too _hard, so there might be other options out there.



Yeah, my cursory Google shows there is no native app, hadn't looked into it enough to realise the third party apps didn't work quite like that.

It's not the end of the world or owt, but would be handy from time to time. It's not just in times of no Internet, when Internet is slow it's much nicer to have local files that are updated to the cloud quietly in the background.


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Yeah, my cursory Google shows there is no native app, hadn't looked into it enough to realise the third party apps didn't work quite like that.
> 
> It's not the end of the world or owt, but would be handy from time to time. It's not just in times of no Internet, when Internet is slow it's much nicer to have local files that are updated to the cloud quietly in the background.


I'm sure, being linux, you could just script it.

1) Find a 3rd party GDrive app for Linux
2) Add a cron job to sync every x minutes
3) ??????
4) Profit!!!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I'm sure, being linux, you could just script it.
> 
> 1) Find a 3rd party GDrive app for Linux
> 2) Add a cron job to sync every x minutes
> ...



Yeah. I guess that's why I own a Chromebook.


----------



## Fez909 (May 10, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Yeah. I guess that's why I own a Chromebook.


This one looks decent actually: overGrive - Linux Google Drive Desktop Client | The Fan Club  | dynamic design solutions

$5 for license


----------



## cybershot (May 10, 2018)

Isn't there a Chromebook extension for working offline?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 10, 2018)

cybershot said:


> Isn't there a Chromebook extension for working offline?



Yes, but it doesn't sync all your files.


----------



## Threshers_Flail (May 22, 2018)

Noob question alert. Could I use word/powerpoint, ulpoad mp3's onto my ipod and torrent films etc on a chromebook? I've always had a laptop but I've been playing around with mates' chromebooks and I really like them.


----------



## editor (May 22, 2018)

Threshers_Flail said:


> Noob question alert. Could I use word/powerpoint, ulpoad mp3's onto my ipod and torrent films etc on a chromebook? I've always had a laptop but I've been playing around with mates' chromebooks and I really like them.


Yes: https://lifehacker.com/you-can-now-run-microsoft-office-apps-on-your-chromeboo-1820853304
You can connect USB devices to Chromebooks and move files around like a normal laptop
Don't know about torrenting but this might help: 
How to Download Torrents on a Chromebook


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 22, 2018)

That's not proper office as such though, but the Android version, so I'd definitely want to try it before buying a machine for that purpose. Maybe easier and cheaper to see if Google Docs could be adapted for your needs? 

It's also worth noting that the Chrome OS is fantastically lightweight, that means basic hardware fairly zips along. The downside is that you think it more powerful then it actually is. As we found recently when trying to work on some large spread sheets.

Chrome OS has a file manager, but it's pretty basic compared to other OS, but would do the job I guess for moving tunes to an mp3 player. I don't use an ipod, but don't they need to have special software to upload music to them?


----------



## Threshers_Flail (May 23, 2018)

Cheers for the replies, I'll give the office apps a go but I'm sure they'll be more more than adequate. 

I'm going to wait a few weeks, do a bit of reading, and if I've not changed my mind then I'll be on the chromebook bandwagon!


----------



## kropotkin (May 23, 2018)

I've got one and thoroughly recommend it. No regrets here. I torrent, use Word docs and do everything else with no problems...


----------



## editor (May 23, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> That's not proper office as such though, but the Android version, so I'd definitely want to try it before buying a machine for that purpose. Maybe easier and cheaper to see if Google Docs could be adapted for your needs?
> 
> It's also worth noting that the Chrome OS is fantastically lightweight, that means basic hardware fairly zips along. The downside is that you think it more powerful then it actually is. As we found recently when trying to work on some large spread sheets.
> 
> Chrome OS has a file manager, but it's pretty basic compared to other OS, but would do the job I guess for moving tunes to an mp3 player. I don't use an ipod, but don't they need to have special software to upload music to them?


You can install loads of Android file managers too. As has been said before, you need the 4GB RAM version for any kind of proper work but I'm struggling to think where I've been annoyed with a Chromebook - and the fact my regular one coat just £199 is incredible.


----------



## cybershot (May 23, 2018)

Hands on with Acer's premium Chromebooks and Helios 500


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2018)

Interesting piece: 
Chromebook vs Laptop in 2018: Can it replace your Windows Computer?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 8, 2018)

editor said:


> Interesting piece:
> Chromebook vs Laptop in 2018: Can it replace your Windows Computer?



I've a few things that I find fustrating,  mentioned them before so won't again, but it's getting close. I'd really like a better file browser built in, but that's niggles as well.

The article below about being able to access and reply to your texts is intresting though. Not a feature I use often, but nice to have.


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I've a few things that I find fustrating,  mentioned them before so won't again, but it's getting close. I'd really like a better file browser built in, but that's niggles as well.
> 
> The article below about being able to access and reply to your texts is intresting though. Not a feature I use often, but nice to have.


There's loads of fully featured Android file browsers available, no?


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2018)

I'm seriously tempted to give this a go with my Chromebook for a ultra-compact DJ set up. 
I'll post up a seperate thread about the controller too as I'd like to hear more feedback. 

Reloop Mixtour - Reloop


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 8, 2018)

editor said:


> There's loads of fully featured Android file browsers available, no?



None I've used quite as good as just the basic Windows windows one, but will have another look. What are you using?


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> None I've used quite as good as just the basic Windows windows one, but will have another look. What are you using?


I've got a couple on different phones/machines:

This is my fave

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.solidexplorer2



https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asus.filemanager

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander


----------



## chilango (Jun 8, 2018)

In the market for one this Summer. Anythinfvsoecual in the £200 region?


----------



## editor (Jun 8, 2018)

chilango said:


> In the market for one this Summer. Anythinfvsoecual in the £200 region?


If you can find it on sale for £200, the Chromebook is fantastically good for the price. It's still great at £250. Light, compact and fast. 



https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-C101PA-FS002-10-1-inch-Touchscreen-Chromebook/dp/B073R9CXM2


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 8, 2018)

I got my 14" Acer for about £220 just before Xmas. Price has lept up, but may well come down again. Great bit of kit that balances a useable screen with portablity and battery life. Make sure you get the 4gb model though, the 2gb also has a slower processor and a much inferior screen.

ACER CB3-431 14" Chromebook - Silver


----------



## editor (Jun 16, 2018)

Interesting discussion here for anyone with a Mac thinking about getting a Chromebook:



> *From Macbook to Chromebook*
> 
> I've had my poin2 Chromebook for about a month now, coming from a 2015 Macbook whose battery was dying. So far, I've loved the machine. It's snappy, has the Google play store, and has a touch screen that folds up to make it a sort of tablet.
> 
> I mainly use my laptop for light/moderate productivity and Google Drive/Suite has been amazing. I don't miss my Macbook at all. There hasn't been anything I've wanted to do so far that I couldn't have. All for $350. Incredible. I'm never going back!


----------



## cybershot (Jun 16, 2018)

If you’re buying a MacBook for those things anyway you’ve got more money than sense.


----------



## editor (Jun 16, 2018)

cybershot said:


> If you’re buying a MacBook for those things anyway you’ve got more money than sense.


I'd suggest an awful lot of people do just that. Same could be argued about some people buying high end smartphones.


----------



## cybershot (Jun 17, 2018)

It looks like Google is readying the Pixelbook to run Windows 10


----------



## 2hats (Jun 17, 2018)

If we see Chromebooks officially running Android, 'doze, and in particular, Linux by the end of the year then I think that could be my next laptop sorted out.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 17, 2018)

editor said:


> I'd suggest an awful lot of people do just that. Same could be argued about some people buying high end smartphones.



You get pretty OLED screens on high end smartphones.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 17, 2018)

2hats said:


> If we see Chromebooks officially running Android, 'doze, and in particular, Linux by the end of the year then I think that could be my next laptop sorted out.



I'm sure such a machine could and does exist, but the joy of the a Chromebook is it's OS. Your average chromebooks zips along with Chrome OS. It would just be like any other shit, massively under powered slow windows machine which kept running out of space if it tried to do Windows.


----------



## 2hats (Jun 17, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'm sure such a machine could and does exist, but the joy of the a Chromebook is it's OS. Your average chromebooks zips along with Chrome OS. It would just be like any other shit, massively under powered slow windows machine which kept running out of space if it tried to do Windows.


One of many reasons I use Linux.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 17, 2018)

2hats said:


> One of many reasons I use Linux.



I'd be surprised if you get such a machine in the near future, at least one you don't have to enable developer mode for.


----------



## 2hats (Jun 17, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'd be surprised if you get such a machine in the near future, at least one you don't have to enable developer mode for.


The 8 May Google I/O announcement covered this I think (more details).


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 18, 2018)

2hats said:


> The 8 May Google I/O announcement covered this I think (more details).



Fair enough...did see that. It's running in a Virtual Machine though, so it would be slower? Fine I guess if you are buying a more expensive machine to start with.


----------



## 2hats (Jun 18, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> It's running in a Virtual Machine though, so it would be slower?


I await reports.


----------



## bemused (Jun 18, 2018)

I (hopefully) will be changing jobs soon and the new role will require I keep track of a lot of detail. I'm toying with getting a Samsung tab s3 because of the pen and handwriting function, it also supports onenote which I find very useful. Anyone used the pixel book for handwriting/note taking and is it any good?


----------



## mwgdrwg (Jun 18, 2018)

You could get an iPad and an Apple Pen for about a hundrefd quid cheaper.


----------



## Fez909 (Jun 18, 2018)

This looks like an interesting options bemused 

Never used, it so do some research for reviews etc 

Lenovo Yoga Book is a pocket-size laptop with a secret keyboard


----------



## bemused (Jun 18, 2018)

mwgdrwg said:


> You could get an iPad and an Apple Pen for about a hundrefd quid cheaper.



I'm on android, not sure I want to mix the ecosystems - although I'll look into it.


----------



## editor (Jun 18, 2018)

mwgdrwg said:


> You could get an iPad and an Apple Pen for about a hundrefd quid cheaper.


There's some excellent convertible Chromebooks that comes with a proper keyboard and a stylus, like the Samsung ones.


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2018)

This may useful to some folks thinking of going Chrome 

The best Chromebook 2018: Our pick of the top Chrome OS laptops


----------



## editor (Jun 30, 2018)

I think someone asked about Skype earlier: How to use Skype for Chromebook


----------



## editor (Jun 30, 2018)

And this looks good: Chrome OS is finally getting a proper video editor with Adobe Project Rush


----------



## campanula (Jul 6, 2018)

Grrr, there are always too many (for the tech-averse). Like trainers, all of which look identical to non-wearers but evidently have nuance and detail unseen by me.
 As a  clueless type...who has never knowingly used an app in their life, the listing of add-ons and specs means not very much. I do know about budgets though and would really like to spend not much more than £200 as anymore will start to eat into my garden  stash. Autumn is  my most expensive season.
I only need it to store photos, knitting patterns, bookmarks and stuff. Plus being able to do invoices, email, general browsing and download music/books (although I Have not downloaded stuff on the current dying behemoth I have at the moment). I do watch the odd U-tube (like how to rewind the fucking starter recoil spring on a Husky brushcutter).
And must have a keyboard - don't get on with swiping and prodding at all.
Must not break if it falls on floor(as it will).

I am too ashamed to go to an actual shop and say this since most salespeople truly fail to appreciate my panic and fear when RAM, megabytes, cache and other frightening terminology is used.
And then I get annoyed cos I don't do tech jargon  unless chatting with other obsessives - like referring to tepals, petioles and humulus lupulus - I say petals, stalks and birch tree when talking to non gardening types.

If the perfect (cheap and vaguely functional) machine exists, I would very much like to be spoon-fed suggestions.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 6, 2018)

Start at the basics then. Do you know how big you want it to be? Many Chromebooks are much smaller then regular laptops. Which is great if you value them being portable, but could be frustrating if it's your only computer.

Also be aware that most have very little storage, the idea being you store it with Google, although of course you can keep it on an external hard drive. I've found no easy way to keep the two in sync though, but you could do it manually.


----------



## campanula (Jul 6, 2018)

Would be nice to be able to see flowers, with good resolution...so yep. would pay more for a decent screen and not a titchy tablet sized thing. Don't care about portability - I don't go anywhere apart from the wood...so I would be in a pick-up. Not sure I need loads of memory and have not played a computer game since Daley's Decathlon on my son's Amiga.

Yep,  U.a.O.Sky, it would be my only PC - but if you  could see - or hear (it is groaning and huffing away) what I have at the moment...everything would be an improvement).


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 6, 2018)

How about this one then? Not the most powerfull or sleek, but your budget dictates that, but you still get a decent screen and 4gb Ram.

Refurbished Acer 15 CB3-532-C1ZK Celeron N3160 4GB 32GB 15.6" Chrome OS Chromebook  - Laptops Direct


----------



## campanula (Jul 9, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> How about this one then? Not the most powerfull or sleek, but your budget dictates that, but you still get a decent screen and 4gb Ram.



Thank you, 'Sky...I have just bought it!

Excitement....


----------



## Crispy (Jul 9, 2018)

campanula said:


> I don't go anywhere apart from the wood...so I would be in a pick-up


Do you have wifi? Chromebooks are very limited without a good internet connection.


----------



## editor (Jul 9, 2018)

Crispy said:


> Do you have wifi? Chromebooks are very limited without a good internet connection.


With Android support and loads of offline-enabled Chromebook apps they're no more 'limited' than a phone when offline. 

You can play movies, listen to music, work on documents, write emails, edit photos, add calendar entries, make notes, play games etc etc.  

Use your Chromebook offline - Chromebook Help


----------



## campanula (Jul 9, 2018)

Crispy said:


> Do you have wifi? Chromebooks are very limited without a good internet connection.



I do at home. In the horsebox, I would really be using it as a book reader and music (assuming I can attach it to my little 'mini-rig'). I hope to get a bit more tech know-how too. It is quite shameful that I barely manage to upload a photo (and have no clue at all when it comes to things like 'links').
And sweetheart is even more clueless than myself - I don't believe he has even so much as sent an email.
Neither of us have ever used a smart phone...or a video player (they aren't called that, are they?)
We have no problems at all using ferocious chainsaws, tractors or industrial plant...but I swear, my camera has never moved from it's 'auto' setting and the washing machine has only ever been on one setting for it's entire life...so we have a lot of ground to make up (fed up with being a cliche dense old fart).


----------



## editor (Jul 9, 2018)

campanula said:


> I do at home. In the horsebox, I would really be using it as a book reader and music (assuming I can attach it to my little 'mini-rig'). I hope to get a bit more tech know-how too. It is quite shameful that I barely manage to upload a photo (and have no clue at all when it comes to things like 'links').
> And sweetheart is even more clueless than myself - I don't believe he has even so much as sent an email.
> Neither of us have ever used a smart phone...or a video player (they aren't called that, are they?)
> We have no problems at all using ferocious chainsaws, tractors or industrial plant...but I swear, my camera has never moved from it's 'auto' setting and the washing machine has only ever been on one setting for it's entire life...so we have a lot of ground to make up (fed up with being a cliche dense old fart).


So long as you have a gmail account (or know how to register!), Chromebooks are ridiculously easy to set up and use. You'll never be bothered with firewall/anti-virus/intrusive system updates. It's the simplest operating system by miles. If you lose your Chromebook - or borrow someone else's - you just log in to the new machine and everything magically returns.


----------



## campanula (Jul 12, 2018)

It has arrived. I am ridiculously thrilled. I have never, in my whole life, had a new PC - or any other tech-y stuff, come to think of it - so I am fondling the sleek exterior and marveling at the (clean and shiny) screen.
Thanks for the heads up, Ed and 'Sky.


----------



## chilango (Jul 12, 2018)

I've just wiped my work chromebook to give back. Gosh that was quick and easy.


----------



## campanula (Jul 12, 2018)

Hooray I am using it now. 
so much better than my old PC - not least because most of the letters on my keyboard had worn off.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 12, 2018)

campanula said:


> It has arrived. I am ridiculously thrilled. I have never, in my whole life, had a new PC - or any other tech-y stuff, come to think of it - so I am fondling the sleek exterior and marveling at the (clean and shiny) screen.
> Thanks for the heads up, Ed and 'Sky.



I think they are great value, especially compared to equivalent windows machines for the price. Still can't get over the size, battery life and screen quality for the price on mine. Battery should last you a while as well!


----------



## cybershot (Jul 13, 2018)

Critical Requirements                                                            | Neverware Install Guide

I just did this on my Mums HP Stream 11.

Took about 40 minutes from downloading the CloudReady installer to having a fully functioning ChromeBook OS on what was a Windows 10 machine.

Oh and she now has 20GB of free space on the internal drive as well as the 32GB on the Mini SD.

Unfortunately, she went on holiday today, so will have to wait a week or so before finding out if she gets on with it. Which I'm sure she will, all the uses the thing for is the Internet! So she says. No doubt she'll suddenly tell me she can't do something or other!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 13, 2018)

cybershot said:


> Install CloudReady															| Neverware Install Guide
> 
> I just did this on my Mums HP Stream 11.
> 
> ...



Does boot far more rapidly now as well?


----------



## cybershot (Jul 13, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Does boot far more rapidly now as well?



14 seconds to get to the login screen. Which is probably slow compared to machines designed for the OS, but will do for her.


----------



## editor (Jul 13, 2018)

Worth a read:

What makes a Chromebook so secure?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 14, 2018)

editor said:


> Worth a read:
> 
> What makes a Chromebook so secure?


I was just reading that before I came over to this thread 

Anywho

Just updated my Chromebook to Version 68.0.3440.59 (Official Build) beta (64-bit) and was met with a "The new Chromebooks are here" splash page  Google Chromebooks

Mine is over three years old now and I would like a newer, shinier thing that will run Android apps and what with Amazon Prime Day coming up on Monday  & Tuesday I was thinking of looking at Chromebooks as I've just been paid.

Any suggestions? Anyone else looking? WHaddabout convertibles? Anyone do a 13in screen that converts? Or are they all 11ish inches?


----------



## editor (Jul 14, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I was just reading that before I came over to this thread
> 
> Anywho
> 
> ...


The Asus c302 is bloody wonderful.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 14, 2018)

Anyone have an opinion on the Acer R13?  Acer Chromebook R13 – Google Chromebooks

I am drawn to:

Clean 13.3” FHD display screen
Up to 12 hours of battery life
360º hinge for tablet and laptop use
Google states from £399 - currently £349 on Amazon and Currys websites


----------



## Libertad (Jul 14, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Anyone have an opinion on the Acer R13?  Acer Chromebook R13 – Google Chromebooks
> 
> I am drawn to:
> 
> ...



I've got one. It's excellent.


----------



## editor (Jul 16, 2018)

Just £99!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-C202S...m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=7YVZWH9YVH9WZ8JRV4WX


----------



## chilango (Jul 19, 2018)

Just picked up a direct replacement for the work Chromebook I had to give back (a basic HP machine) for the princely sum of £130 from Argos. Well, I also had a £100 credit/voucher thing, so I actually only shelled out £30.

It's not a cutting edge Chromebook by any means. You can get better. But it does me for 90% of what I need. For £30.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 19, 2018)

They are super good value! 

How you getting on with yours campanula?


----------



## campanula (Jul 19, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> They are super good value!
> 
> How you getting on with yours campanula?



A bit slowly cos sweetheart is learning to use it too (he is currently writing a wedding speech on google docs). We didn't get a manual either so floundering a bit with touchpads (like sweeping doghairs off it and doing something annoying to the screen). I have downloaded a simplified manual on my old PC (marginally useful) but getting there, more or less. What are apps...and how might I use one? I am really interested in downloading books and music - something I used to do on Pirate Bay and such. I seem to have lost touch with torrents (or whatever is being used now)when I got my crappy ancient Dell,  cos I sort of stopped bothering...but I would like to get maximum use out of my CB.

However, both the dog and grand-daughter have trodden on it and it remains unscathed.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 19, 2018)

campanula said:


> A bit slowly cos sweetheart is learning to use it too (he is currently writing a wedding speech on google docs). We didn't get a manual either so floundering a bit with touchpads (like sweeping doghairs off it and doing something annoying to the screen). I have downloaded a simplified manual on my old PC (marginally useful) but getting there, more or less. What are apps...and how might I use one? I am really interested in downloading books and music - something I used to do on Pirate Bay and such. I seem to have lost touch with torrents (or whatever is being used now)when I got my crappy ancient Dell,  cos I sort of stopped bothering...but I would like to get maximum use out of my CB.
> 
> However, both the dog and grand-daughter have trodden on it and it remains unscathed.



Google docs has some amazing speech recognition built in so worth having a go with that. 

Also worth googling about using the track pad (doghair with standing) as it has more features then your average windows one. 

Apps are typically ones written for a phone that run on the laptop. I tend not to use many as mine is just a portable machine, but I'm sure others can advise, but for me almost everything I need can be done on what it comes with. 

Torrents you can do, although I don't do it on the Chromebook, you can get a torrent client. There's a great private site for books and as you mentioned Pirate Bay gets all sorts. Urban has a few threads on torrents.


----------



## iona (Jul 22, 2018)

I posted a separate thread to ask about internet too, but might as well cross post this since I'm getting directed here anyway..



iona said:


> Assume I know _nothing_ about any of this  Any advice appreciated; specific product recommendations or just suggesting things I might want to/not've thought to consider...
> 
> *Laptop*
> Budget: around £300-400, willing to spend slightly more for something noticeably better
> ...


----------



## editor (Jul 24, 2018)

This file manager is currently free (for one day only I think)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/...agerpro.v2&rdid=com.tohsoft.filemanagerpro.v2


----------



## editor (Jul 31, 2018)

Not the greatest ad but it gets the point across 



And this extension may be of interest to those who like bells'n'whistles

Apple TV Aerial


----------



## cybershot (Jul 31, 2018)

Being nit picky. Browser hijacks that announce your system has a virus and the only way to get rid of the annoying announcement is to force close the browser. (Or click the link if you’re dumb) Chromebooks don’t get those? The advert suggests so. As you certainly still do in the chrome itself on other systems.


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2018)

cybershot said:


> Being nit picky. Browser hijacks that announce your system has a virus and the only way to get rid of the annoying announcement is to force close the browser. (Or click the link if you’re dumb) Chromebooks don’t get those? The advert suggests so. As you certainly still do in the chrome itself on other systems.


Thing is, with a Chromebook you can fix anything with a quick powerwash reboot and everything is back when it boots back up again. Easy peasy.


----------



## cybershot (Aug 1, 2018)

But it still does happen then!  Which makes the advert a tincy wincy bit misleading. In my opinion anyway.


----------



## alcopop (Aug 1, 2018)

cybershot said:


> But it still does happen then!  Which makes the advert a tincy wincy bit misleading. In my opinion anyway.


You also get dodgy extensions with chrome don’t you.


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2018)

alcopop said:


> You also get dodgy extensions with chrome don’t you.


I've never come across one but I dare say if you get in the habit of installing any old crap, you may come across some dodgy ones. But that has little to do with the fact that Chromebooks are easier to maintain and generally safer than any other OS to the average user.



> So, if you want to browse the web and not worry about your system being infected by random malware, the safest thing to do is get a Chromebook. There's nearly zero chance of  it getting infected because the attack surface is really, really small. There's a very low chance of targeted malware evolving because the OS design means there’s no native local data to exploit.
> https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/...kind-of-computer-is-most-secure/#76dd28b61632


----------



## BoxRoom (Aug 1, 2018)




----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2018)

BoxRoom said:


>



Errr... look six posts up!


----------



## BoxRoom (Aug 1, 2018)

editor said:


> Errr... look six posts up!


Oh balls! Sorry 
Not on form today!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 1, 2018)

alcopop said:


> You also get dodgy extensions with chrome don’t you.



Never come across one myself.



editor said:


> I've never come across one but I dare say if you get in the habit of installing any old crap, you may come across some dodgy ones. But that has little to do with the fact that Chromebooks are easier to maintain and generally safer than any other OS to the average user.



this


----------



## alcopop (Aug 1, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Never come across one myself.
> 
> 
> 
> this


Look Out: Chrome Extension Malware Has Evolved


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2018)

alcopop said:


> Look Out: Chrome Extension Malware Has Evolved


Do you own a Chromebook or are you just going to post up random scare stories?

From your own link: 


> The crucial thing you can do to protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions is to *choose what you download carefully and only use extensions from trusted sources*, whether you're in the Chrome Web Store or getting an extension from a specific developer.


So don't install dodgy extensions from dodgy sources. Simples. And it's still the safest platform.


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Never come across one myself.


Me neither and I've been using Chromebooks for years.


----------



## editor (Aug 1, 2018)

Good piece here: 


> Major security flaws for Chrome OS, like ones that would give an attacker complete control, are so rare that Google offers rewards up to $200,000 to anyone who can hack the system.





> "If you want prehardened security, then Chromebooks are it," said Kenneth White, director of the Open Crypto Audit Project. "Not because they're Google, but because Chrome OS was developed for years and it explicitly had web security as a core design principle."


Google Chromebooks are a hit with security experts, and it's not by accident


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 5, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Never come across one myself.



I guess you wouldn't notice a good one.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 5, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I guess you wouldn't notice a good one.



Possibly not - all funds are still in bank account, though.


----------



## Chz (Aug 6, 2018)

Eldest's Toshi CB2 (2014 edition) is dead. I can't tell if it's the screen itself, or the connector to the screen that's toast. I'm not really willing to spend the £50 and effort to get a new screen and find out the connector's toast. To be honest, both ends of it look fried.

Been looking at a Costco deal where you get the Acer CB14 (4GB/1080p version) in a bundle with a carry case and a wireless mouse. £299, and Costco ups the warranty to 2 years. I'm hesitant because it's not a touchscreen, but the Boy (ok, young man) says he doesn't care about that. He definitely wants something in the 12-14" range, watches a lot of media so Full HD. Would like it to not perform worse than the old CB2. (Which sounds obvious, but even that Acer is only 5-10% faster per core. It just has 4 cores instead of 2.) It sort of grates that it's much the same as the old one but now with a metal frame and costing more. But then I don't really see any better deals out there.

Opinions?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 6, 2018)

It's a lovely machine, although the price does seem to have risen on them this year, rather then dropping. The metal chassis certainly gives it a premium feel.


----------



## Chz (Aug 6, 2018)

CPU-wise, it does seem like you need to spend £400 for a Goldmont powered one, while the old Airmont cores are at £300. I don't think they're _that _much faster to justify it. Chromebooks don't seem to go on sale as regularly as other laptops, so I can't just predict when the old ones are getting dumped for cheap. The Acer does seem the best all-rounder at £300 if you want a 1080 screen on it. 

The way the pound's been lately is certainly to blame for the price not dropping.


----------



## cybershot (Aug 6, 2018)

Chz said:


> CPU-wise, it does seem like you need to spend £400 for a Goldmont powered one, while the old Airmont cores are at £300. I don't think they're _that _much faster to justify it. Chromebooks don't seem to go on sale as regularly as other laptops, so I can't just predict when the old ones are getting dumped for cheap. The Acer does seem the best all-rounder at £300 if you want a 1080 screen on it.
> 
> The way the pound's been lately is certainly to blame for the price not dropping.



Not sure if Chromebooks ever get thrown into these things, and I'm certainly not sure what CostCo do, probably nothing, but with August bank holiday upcoming, no doubt electrical stores will be pulling the 'back to school, new term, new laptop etc offers. No doubt Currys/Argos at the very least will have offers, money off codes doing the rounds. Maybe worth waiting? If he of course, can wait that long?


----------



## editor (Aug 10, 2018)

This is a fantastic price for a fantastic Chromebook!







ASUS C302CA-GU010 12.5" Chromebook with Intel Core M3 4GB RAM 64GB HDD in Silver


----------



## cybershot (Aug 10, 2018)

An update on my Mum's converted HP Stream.

She's using it without issue so far, come across nothing she did before that she can't do now. Which in all fairness I'm pretty sure was just use Chrome anyway....

First real test this week was that she purchased a dash cam. The cam saves files in mov format, and I was expecting some problems, but no, insert the SD, double click file and it played it. Showed her to drag and drop the file to get google drive to save it, I doubt she'll remember that bit if we ever do have to get footage off, but she's only a mile away so not the end of the world. 

I probably should have looked into if there's a way to remote desktop, pretty sure there's a chrome extension for that anyway.


----------



## editor (Aug 10, 2018)

cybershot said:


> I probably should have looked into if there's a way to remote desktop, pretty sure there's a chrome extension for that anyway.


Yes, there is!


----------



## editor (Aug 10, 2018)

One for you Linux lovin' types: 28 older Chromebooks now support Linux apps


----------



## editor (Aug 11, 2018)

Handy update: 







Best Chromebook for Students in 2018


----------



## editor (Aug 13, 2018)

Interesting; Google may bring Windows 10 support to multiple Chromebooks


----------



## Chz (Aug 13, 2018)

editor said:


> Interesting; Google may bring Windows 10 support to multiple Chromebooks


If it does need 40GB of local storage, that pretty much rules out 99% of Chromebooks.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 18, 2018)

editor said:


> This is a fantastic price for a fantastic Chromebook!
> 
> ASUS C302CA-GU010 12.5" Chromebook with Intel Core M3 4GB RAM 64GB HDD in Silver



Same price at John Lewis now with a 2 year guarantee - just ordered one. Collecting tomorrow all being well.

Also £399 on Amazon UK but out of stock atm.


----------



## editor (Aug 18, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Same price at John Lewis now with a 2 year guarantee - just ordered one. Collecting tomorrow all being well.
> 
> Also £399 on Amazon UK but out of stock atm.


It's a brilliant machine.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 18, 2018)

editor said:


> It's a brilliant machine.



Aye - am convinced by the reviews.  My current Chromebook won'r run Android apps and I've had it 3.5 years now so I'm up for a refresh.  I was thinking of getting a newer iPad with Pencil for the handwriting conversion but I've decided to try dictation via Android (phone) and learning to type properly instead. So the marrying of my phone and Chromebook via Anroid should make this less painful (I hope).


----------



## editor (Aug 18, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Aye - am convinced by the reviews.  My current Chromebook won'r run Android apps and I've had it 3.5 years now so I'm up for a refresh.  I was thinking of getting a newer iPad with Pencil for the handwriting conversion but I've decided to try dictation via Android (phone) and learning to type properly instead. So the marrying of my phone and Chromebook via Anroid should make this less painful (I hope).


It's been my main machine since I bought it. Fantastic laptop.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 18, 2018)

editor said:


> It's been my main machine since I bought it. Fantastic laptop.



Yeah, your ravings about it helped me splash my wad too - so don't feel left out


----------



## editor (Aug 18, 2018)

This article from Linux Journal may be of interest: The Chromebook Grows Up | Linux Journal


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 19, 2018)

editor said:


> It's a brilliant machine.



Posting from it now - love it - the keyboard is much better than the one on my Toshiba Chromebook2 - which is going down just beautifully with me!  Touchscreen-love it.  Backlit keyboard - love it.  (some) Play store apps - love that!

The speakers are a little quieter but I can live with that.

All good so far.


----------



## Janh (Sep 12, 2018)

Article about messing about with Chromebook settings so that downloads are saved to your Google Drive automatically, instead of locally in the Chromebook memory. Easy.

I like JR's writing about Android, generally.

Crank up your Chromebook's cloud-connecting power


----------



## Libertad (Sep 21, 2018)

Has anyone got a recommendation for a micro SD card for a Chromebook? Could I use a 128GB card? Are there any formatting problems that I should be aware of?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 21, 2018)

Libertad said:


> Has anyone got a recommendation for a micro SD card for a Chromebook? Could I use a 128GB card? Are there any formatting problems that I should be aware of?




I always just look for a deal on HUKD when I need a new or replacement card
Search for "micro sd"

Which Cbook is it?  I'm unaware of size limitations but you never know.

As for formatting - you just shove it in an it sorts  itself out (well mine did anyway).


----------



## Libertad (Sep 21, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I always just look for a deal on HUKD when I need a new or replacement card
> Search for "micro sd"
> 
> Which Cbook is it?  I'm unaware of size limitations but you never know.
> ...



It's an Acer CB5-312T. Acer are notoriously shit at providing product info through their "community" and I've searched everywhere to find out what the maximum capacity SDXC card it can take.


----------



## editor (Oct 4, 2018)

Ooh the latest update has swished things up a bit with rounded corners all over t'shop. Looks great.


----------



## editor (Oct 8, 2018)

Well, this looks rather nice if you're after an upmarket 14" Chromebook for around $599.








> The HP x360 14 comes with a Full HDtouchscreen display and can be configured with 8th Generation Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors with 8GB of RAM and 64GB SSD storage. There are two USB Type-C ports, one USB Type-A port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. All of this is packed inside a body that measures 16mm in thickness.
> 
> HP Launches Its Thinnest Chromebook Convertible | Ubergizmo


----------



## editor (Oct 9, 2018)

And here's the Google Slate







Google Pixel Slate: perfect for work and play


----------



## Crispy (Oct 9, 2018)

Not cheap


----------



## editor (Oct 17, 2018)

Crispy said:


> Not cheap


I think it's more about showing off the potential for the technology, like the outrageously expensive Pixel Chromebook before. 

And on another note https://lifehacker.com/how-to-run-a-windows-app-on-a-chromebook-1829716989


----------



## editor (Oct 20, 2018)

Here's an interesting one with pen support











Acer Chromebook Spin 13 First Impressions - Thurrott.com


----------



## sarahjo (Oct 25, 2018)

Which notebook to opt for Dell or Hp?


----------



## editor (Oct 27, 2018)

For you techie Linux types:


> Linux apps now can run in a Chromebook's Chrome OS environment. However, the process can be tricky, and it depends on your hardware's design and Google's whims.
> 
> It is somewhat similar to running Android apps on your Chromebook, but the Linux connection is far less forgiving. If it works in your Chromebook's flavor, though, the computer becomes much more useful with more flexible options.
> 
> Still, running Linux apps on a Chromebook will not replace the Chrome OS. The apps run in an isolated virtual machine without a Linux desktop.



Another Milestone Achieved: Run Linux Apps on a Chromebook | Reviews | LinuxInsider


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 7, 2018)

today's update to Version 70.0.3538.76 (Official Build) (64-bit) brought me bigger taskbar icons  and this change to the settings/notification area


----------



## editor (Nov 7, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> today's update to Version 70.0.3538.76 (Official Build) (64-bit) brought me bigger taskbar icons  and this change to the settings/notification area
> 
> View attachment 151959


I've had that while. Quite like it. Google Assistant is coming next (if you want it).


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 7, 2018)

editor said:


> I've had that while. Quite like it. Google Assistant is coming next (if you want it).



Yeah?  just noticed that the build is from late October

As for Assistant on my Chromebook - dunno if I'm that bothered - on my phone - love it.


----------



## 74drew (Nov 7, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> today's update to Version 70.0.3538.76 (Official Build) (64-bit) brought me bigger taskbar icons  and this change to the settings/notification area
> 
> View attachment 151959


There's flags to change this stuff back to normal if you don't like.


----------



## 74drew (Nov 7, 2018)

chrome://flags/#enable-message-center-new-style-notification

set to disable...if that's your thing. Plenty of other fun modifications.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 8, 2018)

74drew said:


> chrome://flags/#enable-message-center-new-style-notification
> 
> set to disable...if that's your thing. Plenty of other fun modifications.


Cheeeeeeeeeeeeers


----------



## editor (Nov 8, 2018)

74drew said:


> chrome://flags/#enable-message-center-new-style-notification
> 
> set to disable...if that's your thing. Plenty of other fun modifications.


I love the way that you can tweak so many things on Chromebooks. It's just a few things away from being an OS I can do almost everything on.


----------



## editor (Nov 12, 2018)

Here's a new cheapo 15-inch Chromebook 







https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/asus-15-inch-chromebook-c523-price-270-features-specifications/

ASUS' latest low-cost Chromebooks are available now


----------



## skyscraper101 (Nov 12, 2018)

It's taken a while you know, but the price of these things, and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy X are _really_ starting to tempt me back into Android land again.


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Nov 12, 2018)

My Nexus 7 is slowly getting less reliable. What can I get that is exactly the same?


----------



## editor (Nov 12, 2018)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> My Nexus 7 is slowly getting less reliable. What can I get that is exactly the same?


If you're after an Android tablet this isn't the right thread!

This is a good Android tablet Buy Huawei MediaPad M3 8 Lite 32GB Tablet - Grey | Tablets | Argos

And more here The best Android tablets in 2018: the best slates running Google's OS | TechRadar


----------



## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Nov 12, 2018)

editor said:


> If you're after an Android tablet this isn't the right thread!
> 
> This is a good Android tablet Buy Huawei MediaPad M3 8 Lite 32GB Tablet - Grey | Tablets | Argos
> 
> And more here The best Android tablets in 2018: the best slates running Google's OS | TechRadar


Thanks. 
I think do need to chrome book for my daughter actually so I should probably take a look at this page anyway.


----------



## Chz (Nov 13, 2018)

Do note that the Amazon 10" will probably be on sale again for Black Friday. At its normal price, it's a tough choice between that and the Huawei. On sale, it's pretty much unbeatable value. (And also note the smaller Fires have really gimped internals and aren't all that pleasant to use)


----------



## editor (Nov 14, 2018)

If you're after a desktop Chromebook...



















> *A great Windows replacement at a great price*
> 
> What’s strange about reviewing a Chromebox is there’s no display, battery, keyboard or trackpad to test — you only focus on the meat and potatoes. In this case, it’s an eighth-generation Intel processor that’s more than capable of delivering high performance to a lightweight platform. Anything more than Intel’s ultra-low power mobile processor  would simply be overkill.
> 
> ...


Acer Chromebox CXI3 review: Is this the ideal Windows replacement?


----------



## cybershot (Nov 14, 2018)

Nice, whatever happened to the phones we would just plug into our monitors that would turn into full desktop systems?

This is where Microsoft really dropped the ball with their Windows phones.


----------



## editor (Nov 14, 2018)

cybershot said:


> Nice, whatever happened to the phones we would just plug into our monitors that would turn into full desktop systems?
> 
> This is where Microsoft really dropped the ball with their Windows phones.


Samsung have already done that. But that's not a discussion for this thread. 



Samsung DeX | Apps - The Official Samsung Galaxy Site


----------



## editor (Nov 27, 2018)

I can't say that this floats my boat

Come Touch Google's Bizarre View of Your Computing Future


----------



## Libertad (Nov 27, 2018)

I didn't know you had a boat editor, you kept that quiet.


----------



## editor (Nov 27, 2018)

Libertad said:


> I didn't know you had a boat editor, you kept that quiet.


Yes. I paid for it from the CIA wages. Keeping Da Troof from you all doesn't come cheap. But don't tell Jazzz.


----------



## Libertad (Nov 27, 2018)

editor said:


> Yes. I paid for it from the CIA wages. Keeping Da Troof from you all doesn't come cheap. But don't tell Jazzz.



Good investment move.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Nov 27, 2018)

$199 for the keyboard on that thing, with weird round keys.

LOL


----------



## Chz (Nov 28, 2018)

Jeez, yeah. I thought the Surface Go was bad at £125 for the keyboard, and it looks nicer than Google's one.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 28, 2018)

skyscraper101 said:


> $199 for the keyboard on that thing, with weird round keys.
> 
> LOL




fkn'owmuch?


----------



## skyscraper101 (Nov 28, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> fkn'owmuch?



I know, right? 

Also according to the same article above "The Pixel Slate also works with a $99 stylus pen"

That'll be a no from me then.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 28, 2018)

It was the £99 pen that put me off upgrading my iPad - 
#fknowmuch


----------



## emanymton (Dec 1, 2018)

So I have a couple of very basic Chromebook questions. 

I'm thinking of getting one for my mum, she keeps getting, overpriced little Windows laptops. But all she does is a bit of very basic web browsing and play a couple of simple games like mahjong and Solitaire. She is very, very IT illiterate and keeps messing them up and me or my dad (they are divorced) has to go round and fix it for her. The one she has at the moment is broke and won't charge. I think a dirt cheap Chromebook might be a better option for her than replacing it or paying for repairs. But I want to check a few things out first.

1. Just how easy to use are they?  It's taken a while to get her used to even the basics of windows and I'm a bit worried about switching operating system on her.
2. Since you can now get android apps for them there will be no problem getting the basic games she likes?
3. I assume they work with a normal USB mouse? She won't use a trackpad or touch screen. If she would I'd just get a cheap second hand android tablet.


----------



## Treacle Toes (Dec 1, 2018)

We have basic ones fro. Work for work at home and on the go. The answer to all 3 questions is yes afaik.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 1, 2018)

emanymton said:


> So I have a couple of very basic Chromebook questions.
> 
> I'm thinking of getting one for my mum, she keeps getting, overpriced little Windows laptops. But all she does is a bit of very basic web browsing and play a couple of simple games like mahjong and Solitaire. She is very, very IT illiterate and keeps messing them up and me or my dad (they are divorced) has to go round and fix it for her. The one she has at the moment is broke and won't charge. I think a dirt cheap Chromebook might be a better option for her than replacing it or paying for repairs. But I want to check a few things out first.
> 
> ...



1.  *very* easy to use in my opinion, they just work
2. not all chromebooks can install Android apps - only newer ones - it is processor dependent i think - so a 'dirt cheap' CBook might not do that - but - there are a lot of games that will work in the browser as an extension/plugin/whatever without having to install the Android app - Chrome Store: Chrome Web Store  as opposed to the Play App store
3. Mine doesn't have normal usb ports - newer machine - USB C only (smaller)


----------



## emanymton (Dec 1, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> 1.  *very* easy to use in my opinion, they just work
> 2. not all chromebooks can install Android apps - only newer ones - it is processor dependent i think - so a 'dirt cheap' CBook might not do that - but - there are a lot of games that will work in the browser as an extension/plugin/whatever without having to install the Android app - Chrome Store: Chrome Web Store  as opposed to the Play App store
> 3. Mine doesn't have normal usb ports - newer machine - USB C only (smaller)


Thanks. I know only only new ones can run android apps. I was going to check that out and check what ports it has before buying one. I've tried having a look at the store but I can't even browse it on my phone and I'm out at the moment.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 1, 2018)

Would she use a touchscreen one - that's another consideration.

There are a few Mah Jong extensions in the Chrome store btw - and the other option for the mouse is a Bluetooth one - the chromebooks I've had have all had bluetooth.


----------



## emanymton (Dec 1, 2018)

Well I can be pretty impulsive at times.
I popped into PC world to have a play on one and saw one of these on sale for £129. So now have one on order. 

It looks to be aimed at kids and students but should be OK for her I hope. If not I guess I have a new toy.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-C202S...ebook+C202&dpPl=1&dpID=41fHUQlvQyL&ref=plSrch


----------



## editor (Dec 6, 2018)

If you're after a tough cheap (around £300)  Chromebook, the Lenovo seems to be the one to go for. Comes with a Wacom pen too. 

















Lenovo 500e Chromebook Review - Tough, Fast, Affordable
Lenovo 500e Chromebook review: A true winner


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 6, 2018)

A friend at work has just bought one of those Leno's.

Mainly because of the pen.  He loves it.


----------



## editor (Dec 6, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> A friend at work has just bought one of those Leno's.
> 
> Mainly because of the pen.  He loves it.


If I didn't already have my Asus Flip, I'd take this on the road with me. Would love being able to use the pen.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 7, 2018)

editor said:


> If I didn't already have my Asus Flip, I'd take this on the road with me. Would love being able to use the pen.


 Aye, 11inch screen though, I think i would struggle with that


----------



## richy trinity (Dec 11, 2018)

wow, The needed a new chrome book, so glad I found this thread… Thanks guys


----------



## editor (Dec 11, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Aye, 11inch screen though, I think i would struggle with that


To be honest, I find it pretty easy to do stuff on an 11" screen, but whatever suits you best!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 15, 2018)

There is £100 off the ASUS Chromebook C302ca @ John Lewis again at the moment if anyone's interested
Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 12.5" £399.00 2 year guarantee included 
editor and I both have one - both love it
Bought mine last time it was reduced to this price (August I think)

a quick Google reveals same price @ Currys and Amazon UK atm too

Can recommend  the device - pick your own retailer, caveat emptor and all that


----------



## editor (Dec 17, 2018)

Interesting piece: Why every super paranoid internet user needs a cheap Chromebook


----------



## editor (Dec 17, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> There is £100 off the ASUS Chromebook C302ca @ John Lewis again at the moment if anyone's interested
> Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 12.5" £399.00 2 year guarantee included
> editor and I both have one - both love it
> Bought mine last time it was reduced to this price (August I think)
> ...


It's a fantastic machine!


----------



## editor (Dec 19, 2018)

This is my photo editor of choice 







Best photo editor for your Chromebook in 2018


----------



## editor (Dec 19, 2018)

Looks like it's finally going to happen, but only for higher end models.

Chromebooks May be Able to Run Windows in the New Year | Digital Trends


----------



## chandlerp (Dec 19, 2018)

editor said:


> This is my photo editor of choice
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very nice, but what’s it called?


----------



## editor (Dec 19, 2018)

chandlerp said:


> Very nice, but what’s it called?


Oops! 
Best photo editor for your Chromebook in 2018


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 19, 2018)

editor said:


> Looks like it's finally going to happen, but only for higher end models.
> 
> Chromebooks May be Able to Run Windows in the New Year | Digital Trends



Tbh give me windows file explorer and that would make me mostly happy.


----------



## editor (Dec 19, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Tbh give me windows file explorer and that would make me mostly happy.


Directory Opus and Homesite will do me.


----------



## editor (Dec 20, 2018)

Playing with this: https://canvas.apps.chrome/

Info - https://chromeunboxed.com/news/chrome-canvas-draw-chromebook-google-web-app/


----------



## anjumahmed (Dec 27, 2018)

I have a chromebook (Asus C201) where I've replaced the bootloader with libreboot, and completely replaced Chrome OS and installed Arch GNU/Linux. Was just about 100% Free software.

Was... a few weeks ago I did an upgrade, and bam, it's kinda brick now. I tried to reinstall the OS, but same problem. Tried to install Devuan GNU/Linux, but can only only boot into console mode, no X11, and more pointlessly no networking. I think the wireless hardware is borked or something.


----------



## BoxRoom (Dec 27, 2018)

That's so fascinating.


----------



## editor (Dec 27, 2018)

anjumahmed said:


> I have a chromebook (Asus C201) where I've replaced the bootloader with libreboot, and completely replaced Chrome OS and installed Arch GNU/Linux. Was just about 100% Free software.
> 
> Was... a few weeks ago I did an upgrade, and bam, it's kinda brick now. I tried to reinstall the OS, but same problem. Tried to install Devuan GNU/Linux, but can only only boot into console mode, no X11, and more pointlessly no networking. I think the wireless hardware is borked or something.


You can hardly be surprised if things go wrong if you insist on messing about with the OS!


----------



## anjumahmed (Dec 27, 2018)

editor said:


> You can hardly be surprised if things go wrong if you insist on messing about with the OS!


Or the bootloader... I accept my fate and I don't have anyone to cry to about this.


----------



## editor (Dec 27, 2018)

anjumahmed said:


> Or the bootloader... I accept my fate and I don't have anyone to cry to about this.


Why did you want to switch from Chrome OS anyway? It completely does the job for me (but then I get no thrills from fiddling about with fiddly OSs!).


----------



## Jon-of-arc (Dec 27, 2018)

BoxRoom said:


> That's so fascinating.



Bit harsh...


----------



## anjumahmed (Dec 27, 2018)

editor said:


> Why did you want to switch from Chrome OS anyway? It completely does the job for me (but then I get no thrills from fiddling about with fiddly OSs!).



Here's the backstory: About a year ago, I became very sick of loud laptops. Specifically my old, loud laptop that was getting on with its age with what seemed like a jet engine fan. I realised what my ideal piece of hardware was - something fanless, lightweight, endless battery. Those are what my ideals of modern tech are.

Too many fanless laptops were pricey, was uninterested in Intel hardware because of non-Free microcode and didn't trust their thermal dissipation quality.

I thus narrowed down on to this one piece of hardware, an ARMv7 chip, 1.6ghz, 13 hours of battery, dead quiet, it *just happened* to have it's bootloader well documented, etc. The fact that it was a chromebook, and had chrome os, was a secondary detail.

Now, I think it's been acknowledged in this thread that Chrome OS isn't quite a complete operating system. *So to answer your question* Needed something more than a web browser, need to admin some remote servers, compiler, etc. Had the crazy idea just to go from my old laptop to this new, tiny, peaceful machine and continue my workflow as it was. So I just went out my way to replace the operating system. Yeah.

As it happens, during that time I got a Thinkpad X200T as a backup. Yeah, certainly relying on that now.


----------



## kropotkin (Dec 27, 2018)

editor said:


> This is my photo editor of choice
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Can you use it like lightroom?


----------



## BoxRoom (Dec 27, 2018)

Jon-of-arc said:


> Bit harsh...


Based on previous posts I assumed piss taker/ troll/ spammer


----------



## editor (Dec 27, 2018)

anjumahmed said:


> Here's the backstory: About a year ago, I became very sick of loud laptops. Specifically my old, loud laptop that was getting on with its age with what seemed like a jet engine fan. I realised what my ideal piece of hardware was - something fanless, lightweight, endless battery. Those are what my ideals of modern tech are.
> 
> Too many fanless laptops were pricey, was uninterested in Intel hardware because of non-Free microcode and didn't trust their thermal dissipation quality.
> 
> ...


Chrome is very much more than 'just a web browser' though.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 28, 2018)

editor said:


> Chrome is very much more than 'just a web browser' though.



Seconded


----------



## redcogs (Dec 28, 2018)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Seconded



Can i write documents using chrome book?  ive an ongoing book project which is 120,000 words which i need to continue (its typed on Libre Office writer)?

I am so sick of microsoft and google monitoring every aspect of online life.


----------



## redcogs (Dec 28, 2018)

ive spotted a dell 11 chromebook with something called Crouton (linux i believe) for £125. im tempted.


----------



## editor (Dec 28, 2018)

redcogs said:


> Can i write documents using chrome book?  ive an ongoing book project which is 120,000 words which i need to continue (its typed on Libre Office writer)?
> 
> I am so sick of microsoft and google monitoring every aspect of online life.


Course you can. You can use Google Docs which can import/export in just about any format you need, or there's Word Online or any number of Android word processors like Download Kingsoft Office Applications for Android, office apps .apk download  or even Chrome extensions like this one
ONLYOFFICE Personal


----------



## editor (Dec 28, 2018)

More here Microsoft Office Word Alternatives for Chrome OS - AlternativeTo.net


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 28, 2018)

redcogs said:


> Can i write documents using chrome book?  ive an ongoing book project which is 120,000 words which i need to continue (its typed on Libre Office writer)?
> 
> I am so sick of microsoft and google monitoring every aspect of online life.



You can, but to get the most out of a Chromebook I'd suggest you need to embrace the Google eco system and maybe it wouldn't be the machine for you.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 28, 2018)

Online file Storage - Document Management Software | Zoho Docs
Zoho is another online suite that's free with some limitations.

I use the free version of Writer Writer, the Internet Typewriter  Paid Pro versions available with added vavoom, as is usual these days.

I tried both of WPS Office [Kingsoft ]and OfficeSuite [mobisystems] on my new chromebook - both Android apps - both problematic for me with saving and formatting - ymmv of course

DocsToGo do a free Android friendly app too - used to love that on my Palm TX way back when - haven't tried it on my Chromebook.

FREEoffice TextMaker is supposed to be good also - I know a few people who use that on their devices including  Chromebooks.

Loads to try.

What format(s) do you work in? .docx or others?


----------



## chandlerp (Dec 29, 2018)

I’m not entirely sure that moving to a Chromebook is ideal for somebody complaining about Google monitoring their online life


----------



## editor (Dec 30, 2018)

Here's the Photoshop problem solved A free 'Photoshop' in a browser: Photopea, and it's bloody amazing


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 30, 2018)

Funnily enough I've just acquired a proper camera. I've never had one before and the camera on Nokia 8 is a poor substitute for my S8 I lost in a mine, so I want to play with it more. Going to get an Eye Fi card and see if can get a nice system going to the Chromebook.


----------



## editor (Jan 8, 2019)

Give it up Microsoft! Microsoft tries to take on the Chromebook once more

Loads more Chromebooks coming through 






https://chromeunboxed.com/asus-debuts-a-worthy-successor-the-the-chromebook-flip-c302/





HP Chromebook x360 14 G1 is a premium Chrome OS 2-in-1 w/ 14-inch touchscreen


----------



## greenfield (Jan 8, 2019)

The Asus looks stunning


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 8, 2019)

Crispy said:


> Not cheap



Also had an awful review too...


.


----------



## editor (Jan 10, 2019)

Well this looks rather lovely


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 10, 2019)

Phwoar


----------



## salem (Jan 11, 2019)

Nice, I've got the the old model + still use it daily, take it all over and it has held up very well. It's had a few years of being taken all over and other then a crack on the screen (my fault for shutting a pen in it) it is in perfect condition and still gets comments on how small and nicely formed it is. Holds its own speed wise too. This looks like it's just a refresh in the same mould of thinking so I'll definitely consider it as a replacement.


----------



## editor (Jan 23, 2019)

For you coding types: 

Coding on a Chromebook: I’m all in with Crostini and the Pixel Slate – About Chromebooks


----------



## editor (Feb 5, 2019)

Instant tethering ahoy!



> No need to search for hotspots or set up phone and Chromebook because Instant Tethering allows quick pairing. Future connections can be done with just one click.
> 
> Your Chromebook knows when there is no WiFi network. It can detect available mobile data connection and will inform the user. It is quick-access but it also knows when to give up especially where there is zero activity in the last ten minutes. Auto-disconnecting can save data and power.
> 
> ...


----------



## cybershot (Feb 9, 2019)

Chrome OS update expands Google Assistant and Android Pie support


----------



## editor (Feb 16, 2019)

I didn't know some of these -

*8 Useful Chrome OS Touchpad Gestures*
*Scroll: *Place two fingers anywhere on the touchpad and move them up and down to scroll vertically. To scroll horizontally, move two fingers left and right. Note, your page will scroll the direction your fingers are moving, unlike on Windows 10, which uses inverted scrolling.

*Zoom*: Place two fingers on the touchpad and move them closer and further away from each other to zoom in and out.

*Right-click: *Tap two fingers on the touchpad or place two fingers on the surface and click.






*Back/forward page: *To go back to a previous page, swipe to the left with two fingers. To go forward a page, swipe to the right with two fingers.

*




View all windows:*Swipe up or down with three fingers.

*




Open link in a new tab:*Hover over a link and tap with three fingers.

*Switch between tabs: *Swipe left and right with three fingers.

*Close tab:* Instead of selecting the "X," you can close a tab by hovering over it and tapping the touchpad with three fingers.  

*Chrome OS Touchpad Settings*
To change your touchpad settings, select the circular icon in the bottom-left corner and search for "Settings." Once you've opened the settings menu, use the search bar or scroll down and press on "Touchpad."

On the next page, you'll be able to enable or disable tap-to-click and tap dragging. You can also select from five different cursor speeds and change to Australian, or inverted, scrolling (a la Windows 10).


Chromebook Touchpad Gestures: How to Navigate Chrome OS Like a Pro


----------



## editor (Mar 17, 2019)

This might be of interest...

https://partnerdash.google.com/apps/simulator/chromebook#?l=en


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 1, 2019)

my Chromebook has been displaying a weird recently.

I'll be doing something in one tab/window and it'll just to another open instance of Chrome.  No idea why.

I generally have a few instance of Chrome open with a few tabs on each.  I also have things on my shelf set to 'open in window', such as Gmail and WhatsApp for example (plus others) and I may have one or two of them open too. I'm running an ASUS Chromebook C302ca, Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 12.5"

I've closed off all my extensions and will reintroduce them one by one but wondered if anyone else had seen similar.

...And... I have/had Adblock, Adblock Plus, Ghostery Privacy Badger and NordVPN installed.  Too much?

I generally don't have Nord running at home - just when out and about - but all the others and some other extensions running.  Any thoughts?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 15, 2019)

Right - more weirdness - *is this the thread to ask?*  I ask due to the dearth of replies last time (post above).

After the weirdness in the post above I did a powerwash and reset everything. All good until yesterday.
The strange behaviour described above stopped after the powerwash - yesterday I saw the top inch or so of the browser webpage stop responding.  By this I mean that I am unable to click on any links in that top inch or so of the page.  I can get around this by using CTRL & + to increase the zoom on the webpage - this takes the links down the page a bit as they enlarge but, as I am sure you can imagine, this is a right royal pain in the butt.

Also if the mouse pointer is in that area, none of the touchpad gestures work.
I have disabled all extensions and apps and this has made no difference.
I can list extensions and apps etc. if any of you think that'd be of use.

Any ideas?

I'm currently trying to force a complete sync of bookmarks, extensions etc. before I perform another powerwash.  I'm considering setting up a new Gmail account just to test if there is summat amiss with my account - can't think what, though.

Help?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 25, 2019)

^^^I sorted this^^^

No idea what caused it - can't remember now if I did a Powerwash - I think I did.


----------



## editor (Apr 29, 2019)

Google have launched this handy page 

How To – Google Chromebooks


----------



## editor (May 1, 2019)

I've had to boot up my Lenovo Yoga laptop after a year or so and fuck me is it rubbish compared to my Chromebook.

I've no idea what it's doing but it's been turned on for ages and it's still fucking about upgrading something or another and demanding endless reboots. 

Chunky hefty GB-hogging OSs like Windows - and I include Mac OS here as that also demands update after update - really are yesterday's technology.

Turn on a Chromebook after a year or whatever and it'll be up and running in minutes and as fast as new. If you need a general purpose laptop, I can't recommend this enough: get a Chromebook!


----------



## editor (May 1, 2019)

It's still fucking updating FFS!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 2, 2019)




----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

Gave up on it yesterday, booted it up half an hour ago and it's still fucking updating shit. I was thinking of using my ThinkPad for DJing  as there's loads of advanced DJ programs/controllers on Windows (I've been using my Chromebook as a back up with CDs but that's essentially with just play/stop controls)  but I'm thinking I'll just stick to my Chromebook at this rate.


----------



## Don Troooomp (May 3, 2019)

editor said:


> It's still fucking updating FFS!



Yep, that's the thing I bloody hate about windows 10.
I still use 8 on my desktop, keep a small W10 tab for when I'm out and about AND need to edit, but my phone is now my main presentation tool.
Chromebooks are on my list of things to take a serious look at next.


----------



## Chz (May 3, 2019)

Does seem a bit fishy. The mrs' Yoga (Stinkpad with a hinge) updated just fine this month. But it's only a year old, so you wouldn't expect too much trouble. Even my main PC, which sometimes has issues due to being one install continually upgraded since Windows 7 was in beta, was okay this month. Sometimes it's just easier to do a fresh "on top" install.


----------



## cybershot (May 3, 2019)

What version of Windows is it? (Home, Enterprise etc)

The problem is 1709 for Home use has gone end of life. So it's forcing 1803 onto you to keep you current. Not sure why it hasn't leap frogged that and gone to 1809, but it's possible your machine has been identified as not ready for 1809 (There's some Intel display driver shit still going on meaning effected machines have a block on 1809)

Feature updates take ages to install, the good news is 1903 will handle this shit better, the bad news, you've got to get to 1903 before you take advantage of it.

Moral of the story is basically, turn on the computer more often or whack another OS on it, but if you're hardly ever using it, even Linux will do this shit to you as well, as Windows essentially just does the same that everyone else has been doing for years now, including ChromeOS. The difference is the ChromeOS footprint is so small, you hardly notice it.

ETA: 1803 goes end of life in November, so expect another feature update being forced upon you at that point.


----------



## Chz (May 3, 2019)

> Windows essentially just does the same that everyone else has been doing for years now


I agree to an extent, but Microsoft has managed to take what's an annoyance elsewhere and make it a proper embuggerance. I don't really understand how either, because they used to be pretty good at the patching thing once upon a time. Now they look like right proper clowns.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

cybershot said:


> What version of Windows is it? (Home, Enterprise etc)
> 
> The problem is 1709 for Home use has gone end of life. So it's forcing 1803 onto you to keep you current. Not sure why it hasn't leap frogged that and gone to 1809, but it's possible your machine has been identified as not ready for 1809 (There's some Intel display driver shit still going on meaning effected machines have a block on 1809)
> 
> ...


I've always found that whenever you boot up a Windows machine that hasn't been booted up for aeons, you're always in for a world of pain. It's running W10 Pro, by the way. I've turned it off a couple of times and it might be on its final download.


----------



## cybershot (May 3, 2019)

editor said:


> I've always found that whenever you boot up a Windows machine that hasn't been booted up for aeons, you're always in for a world of pain. It's running W10 Pro, by the way. I've turned it off a couple of times and it might be on its final download.



yep, sadly only Enterprise and education are now under support for 1709.

Windows 10 - release information - Windows Release Information

Regarding the monthly updates, the screen was a bit weird in that it listed the 02-2019 and 04-2019 cumulative updates, because everything in 02-2019 will be in 04-2019. Part of improving things in that aspect was, that you only get one monthly update come down, even if you've had the computer off for months. The same with Flash and Office if you have them installed as well, but that would have all got eliminated anyway once 1803 is on, because you'll no longer be on 1709 so those updates become void.

For what it's worth, you're not the only one who hates this shit.

ETA: corrected second link: Windows 10 1903 Rolling Out Improved Windows Update Controls


----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

cybershot said:


> yep, sadly only Enterprise and education are now under support for 1709.
> 
> Windows 10 - release information - Windows Release Information
> 
> ...


I keep going on about it, but even a cheap Chromebook feels like it's about five years ahead of its Mac/Windows equivalents. You open it. it turns on. It updates in about two minutes. If you lose your laptop and log in with a new one, all your content and apps return just as quickly as you can download them.


----------



## cybershot (May 3, 2019)

editor said:


> I keep going on about it, but even a cheap Chromebook feels like it's about five years ahead of its Mac/Windows equivalents. You open it. it turns on. It updates in about two minutes. If you lose your laptop and log in with a new one, all your content and apps return just as quickly as you can download them.



ChromeOS just literally has enough OS on it in order run web browser processes essentially. No other services etc etc, but you already know that, hence why it's so freckin fast and can run smoothly on a 16GB eMMC. When you put it into perspective though, ChromeOS still needs minimum 4GB of storage to run the underlying OS and the browser. That's still a lot compared to the days of Windows 3.1!


----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

cybershot said:


> ChromeOS just literally has enough OS on it in order run web browser processes essentially. No other services etc etc, but you already know that, hence why it's so freckin fast and can run smoothly on a 16GB eMMC. When you put it into perspective though, ChromeOS still needs minimum 4GB of storage to run the underlying OS and the browser. That's still a lot compared to the days of Windows 3.1!


Sure, but Chromebooks are about 5,686,585 times faster than a Windows 3.1 machine! 

You'll be surprised just how much you can do on a CBook. Mine certainly covers 99% of my laptop needs.


----------



## cybershot (May 3, 2019)

Sure. My Mums HP Stream was utterly shite running Windows, Updates were specially a pain in the arse. Putting Cloudready ChromeOS on it, it flies, has plenty of storage still and does everything she needs.

Sadly I just do too much other stuff with the likes of Photoshop/Premiere Pro and need decent remote access tools in order to use work VPNs and what not, it's just a no go.

If you were someone that didn't mind 'blowing up' your OS every 18 months and reinstalling your core apps, whack Windows Server evaluation on, and just keep re-arming it. No Windows store bloated crap, and loads better control over reboots.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

No, really. Still.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

It's STILL UPDATING!

(currently 98%)


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 3, 2019)

editor said:


> I've always found that whenever you boot up a Windows machine that hasn't been booted up for aeons, you're always in for a world of pain. It's running W10 Pro, by the way. I've turned it off a couple of times and it might be on its final download.



I used to cable it up to the router (quicker) and leave it to go at the updates overnight - total PITA.
Trouble is the incremental nature of updating innit. It is always easier to do _little & often _rather than skiploads once a year.

Even so - Chromebooks are great for updating - so simple & quick you hardly notice it.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I used to cable it up to the router (quicker) and leave it to go at the updates overnight - total PITA.
> Trouble is the incremental nature of updating innit. It is always easier to do _little & often _rather than skiploads once a year.
> 
> Even so - Chromebooks are great for updating - so simple & quick you hardly notice it.


It's STILL updating!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 3, 2019)




----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

It's now at 3%. Three per fucking cent.


----------



## BoxRoom (May 3, 2019)

editor said:


> It's now at 3%. Three per fucking cent.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2019)

BoxRoom said:


> View attachment 169724


Now at 84%.

Understatement of the year from Windows: "This will take a while."


----------



## cybershot (May 3, 2019)

Does this machine have an SSD?


----------



## Don Troooomp (May 4, 2019)

editor said:


> Now at 84%.
> 
> Understatement of the year from Windows: "This will take a while."



That's exactly why I can no longer use a W 10 machine for work. 
It's about time the silly sods at Microsoft woke up and realised computers are for users, not for their operating system.


----------



## editor (May 4, 2019)

cybershot said:


> Does this machine have an SSD?


Yep!


----------



## cybershot (May 4, 2019)

editor said:


> Yep!



Jesus! It would have been quicker to wipe, clean install and install all apps and settings again. Might be worth disabling your AV during the next feature update tbh I suspect it’s being overly cautious scanning every single file before allowing the change. The nerd in me would have loved to have seen what performance manager was showing.


----------



## editor (May 9, 2019)

Wow!






Chromebooks Make Big Strides In Sales Numbers in Q4 of 2018


----------



## cybershot (May 15, 2019)

Not sure a Chromebook is for you?

Worry not, you can now buy one, and still get a full refund after 90 days.

Read the T&Cs and participating retailers. (which is only actually currys pc world by the looks of it)

Home - Google Chromebook 90 day trial


----------



## editor (Jun 13, 2019)

Interesting! 
https://gizmodo.com/i-played-doom-on-a-chromebook-1835425057


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 13, 2019)

Hi editor how is the space bar holding up on your Asus? Any issues?


----------



## editor (Jun 13, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Hi editor how is the space bar holding up on your Asus? Any issues?


None at all, I'm happy to report. What's gone wrong with yours?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 13, 2019)

editor said:


> None at all, I'm happy to report. What's gone wrong with yours?



Best way to describe it is a bit unreliable I think.
There's a few people on Reddit reporting the same thing.
I mainly notice it when using my right thumb/right hand side of the spacebar (there was supposed to be a space in space bar just then). It doesn't happen on every stroke, but enough to be annoying.

I only ask as I know you have the same model of Asus Chromebook.

e2a: I reckon that side of the space bar isa (again!) little bit lower that the left hand side too. Or, it is now - don't think it was on purchase.


----------



## editor (Jun 13, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Best way to describe it is a bit unreliable I think.
> There's a few people on Reddit reporting the same thing.
> I mainly notice it when using my right thumb/right hand side of the spacebar (there was supposed to be a space in space bar just then). It doesn't happen on every stroke, but enough to be annoying.
> 
> I only ask as I know you have the same model of Asus Chromebook.


Is this with the C302 or 101 Flip?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 13, 2019)

My receipt says
ASUS Chromebook C302ca, Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 12.5" 

bought from John Lewis in August last year, so there shouldn't be an issue if I need to return it - but - they don't sell this model any more


----------



## editor (Jun 13, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> My receipt says
> ASUS Chromebook C302ca, Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 12.5"
> 
> bought from John Lewis in August last year, so there shouldn't be an issue if I need to return it - but - they don't sell this model any more


The update to the C302 looks veh veh veh nice






https://chromeunboxed.com/asus-debuts-a-worthy-successor-the-the-chromebook-flip-c302/


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 13, 2019)

editor said:


> The update the C302 looks veh veh veh nice



go on.....?


----------



## editor (Jun 13, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> go on.....?


Tis  a beaut!

Asus Chromebook Flip C434


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 13, 2019)

editor said:


> Tis  a beaut!
> 
> Asus Chromebook Flip C434



Ahh, I wondered if you meant that model.
I was just looking at that on the JohnLewis website (£50off atm making it £550  )
Didn't know/realise it was an update to the flip.


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2019)

Here's how you can get yourself a full on desktop thang with a Chromebook



The desk is completely over the top!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 21, 2019)

Think I'd rather just have a proper PC.


----------



## chandlerp (Jun 25, 2019)

Basically open a chrome browser and nothing else


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 25, 2019)

chandlerp said:


> Basically open a chrome browser and nothing else



Well you can do a bit more. The fact it's so lightweight makes it fantastic for laptops, but I'm not really sure the benefit compared to a full fat desktop other then maybe price.


----------



## chandlerp (Jun 25, 2019)

I wasn't being entirely serious


----------



## editor (Jun 25, 2019)

chandlerp said:


> Basically open a chrome browser and nothing else


You know that Chromebooks can run zillions of Android apps too, right?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 25, 2019)

editor said:


> You know that Chromebooks can run zillions of Android apps too, right?



⬆️⬆️⬆️ this⬆️⬆️⬆️


----------



## chandlerp (Jun 25, 2019)

Yes, I do.  I already pointed out I wasn't serious.


----------



## Red Cat (Jun 28, 2019)

My Toshiba Chromebook is no more, the screen is broke. So, I need a new one, looking to spend around the same, it was £270 ish from John Lewis. I watch TV, use Google docs a lot,  don't do anything fancy, don't play games. Recommendations please!


----------



## editor (Jul 3, 2019)

Red Cat said:


> My Toshiba Chromebook is no more, the screen is broke. So, I need a new one, looking to spend around the same, it was £270 ish from John Lewis. I watch TV, use Google docs a lot,  don't do anything fancy, don't play games. Recommendations please!


This is ace:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-C101P...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VRZ7NT4QHN3J50G546SZ

And this is bloody brilliant (but costs more) 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-C302CA-GU010-Rotatable-Touchscreen-Chromebook/dp/B01MU9LS52


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 3, 2019)

For a bigger screen the Acer is fab, but you need the 4gb model as it also a higher resolution screen and faster CPU.

Acer Aspire CB3-431 Chromebook - Chromebooks at Ebuyer


----------



## cybershot (Jul 3, 2019)

Always worth a look on Argos eBay page where they sell all their refurbs. Lots of chrome books no doubt get returned because people don’t know what they are buying. As well the windows 10 32GB Emmc drives which are totally useless for windows. Seen some of those going for £70 if you want to put never ware’s cloud ready on and manually turn them into chrome books.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 21, 2019)

Has anyone got Tails running on an Intel powered Chromebook?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 21, 2019)

I haven't but might be interested.  Google says 'yes'....


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 21, 2019)

Must have used a slightly different search term, but I found very little with concrete examples, which I'd expect. Guess it's just something I have to try.


----------



## editor (Jul 25, 2019)

If more ports are desired 
Best Docking Stations for Chromebooks in 2019


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 14, 2019)

So I went through various online guides for running a live linux distro on my chromebook and I kept getting asked for things that weren't in any of the guides....

Anyway abandoning the project for now. Except I can't restore the bloody usb drive. Deleted the linux distro in the chromebook recovery tool that I used to make it, but it's still not showing in files. Very frustrating, especially as it's a relatively expensive very compact one I use as the Acer doesn't have an SD card slot.

Edit: It's back. Most odd.


----------



## editor (Aug 14, 2019)

Vaguely amusing promo


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 14, 2019)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> So I went through various online guides for running a live linux distro on my chromebook and I kept getting asked for things that weren't in any of the guides....
> 
> Anyway abandoning the project for now. Except I can't restore the bloody usb drive. Deleted the linux distro in the chromebook recovery tool that I used to make it, but it's still not showing in files. Very frustrating, especially as it's a relatively expensive very compact one I use as the Acer doesn't have an SD card slot.
> 
> Edit: It's back. Most odd.




Which Chromebook andwhich Distro's UnderAnOpenSky ??  I am interested in using LibreOffice, so Debian derivatives I suppose

Jesus - this fucking space bar - I'm sendingthis in for repair - what a pain in the ass [Asus C302ca]


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 14, 2019)

I was trying to get tails up and running.

Not done it, but some Chromebooks have an option to run Linux apps now, have you tried that?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 14, 2019)

No - an option where?

I'd assumed you had to install or run from USB to do this


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 14, 2019)

Go to settings and there is an option to enable Linux, it runs the programmes in a virtual machine, so you don't need to install linux. I belive you then use sudo to get what you want.

Linux apps on Chrome OS: An easy-to-follow guide


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 14, 2019)

Fuck sake


----------



## RoyReed (Aug 23, 2019)

Anyone with a Chromebook crashed up against the AUE yet?

Buying a Chromebook? Don't forget to check that best-before date • The Register


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 18, 2019)

Anyone using CrossOver to run Windows software on their Chromebook?

CrossOver Chrome OS | Run Windows programs and games on Google Chromebook.

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

I never had any luck with Wine on Linux so am wondering if I can be bothered with this.  I'm only interested in M$ Word and Excel which I already have on a DVD.  The 365 apps aren't all that, I've paid for Office already,  and find there are a few things I can't quite do with Google Docs.  I'd rather use one machine if I can and this might be a solution.

SO - anyone with an opinion/experience of this?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 18, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Anyone using CrossOver to run Windows software on their Chromebook?
> 
> CrossOver Chrome OS | Run Windows programs and games on Google Chromebook.
> 
> ...



None I'm afraid. I think my machine might show its limitations.

I'm interested in what you say re 365 apps though. I was contemplating it last night as it would go on the tax return, get a bit fed up of having to save my documents seperately as office format when using Docs.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 18, 2019)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> None I'm afraid. I think my machine might show its limitations.
> 
> I'm interested in what you say re 365 apps though. I was contemplating it last night as it would go on the tax return, get a bit fed up of having to save my documents seperately as office format when using Docs.



More than anything I object to the subscription model and have found using the Office apps on my chromebook a _lesser_ experience than using the full app/program.  I have access to 365 through work and I find that, like with Google Docs, I can do most things, but not everything (occasionally). And I can't use that for my own stuff anyway.


----------



## cybershot (Sep 18, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> More than anything I object to the subscription model and have found using the Office apps on my chromebook a _lesser_ experience than using the full app/program.  I have access to 365 through work and I find that, like with Google Docs, I can do most things, but not everything (occasionally). And I can't use that for my own stuff anyway.



Depending on your works office 365 sub, you could be entitled to install the full fat software on your home device too. I can for example install office on upto 5 devices. Since I only use one for work. I can whack it on 4 of my own machines. You just need to log into office 365 and see if the option to download full client is somewhere in your options. 

Obviously you’ll need to get the crossover thing working for it to work on a chrome book and have enough disk space.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 18, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> More than anything I object to the subscription model and have found using the Office apps on my chromebook a _lesser_ experience than using the full app/program.  I have access to 365 through work and I find that, like with Google Docs, I can do most things, but not everything (occasionally). And I can't use that for my own stuff anyway.



Thanks. Probably enough to put me off for now. I do most actual document stuff on the desktop anyway and drive can make do.

I totally distrust having everything in docs format as there seems no easy way to keep it backed up.


----------



## editor (Sep 18, 2019)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Thanks. Probably enough to put me off for now. I do most actual document stuff on the desktop anyway and drive can make do.
> 
> I totally distrust having everything in docs format as there seems no easy way to keep it backed up.


For what it's worth I used to use Word on my Chromebook but switched to Google Docs and then just convert when I have to send stuff off to clients who still use it. I find Doc miles better for my writing.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 18, 2019)

editor said:


> For what it's worth I used to use Word on my Chromebook but switched to Google Docs and then just convert when I have to send stuff off to clients who still use it. I find Doc miles better for my writing.



Tbh my needs on document editing aren't complex. It's my concern about backups (and converting back everytime is a bit of a faf). 

Also on my desktop if I need to look back over loads of files I find opening lots of files in Docs a fair bit slower then using Word.


----------



## editor (Oct 25, 2019)

Five star review 


Google Pixelbook Go review | TechRadar


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 25, 2019)

*Lenovo C630 15.6" Yoga Chromebook In Midnight Blue - Touchscreen / 1080p / i5-8250U / 128GB / 8GB RAM £499.99 With Code @ Lenovo*
£499.99 instead of£649.99 23% off Lenovo
 UK Deals


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 26, 2019)

Sale on over at Lenovo
The C630, £500 instead of 650 using the code on HUKD


Lenovo C630 15.6" Yoga Chromebook In Midnight Blue - Touchscreen / 1080p / i5-8250U / 128GB / 8GB RAM £499.99 With Code @ Lenovo - hotukdeals

Yoga Chromebook | Lenovo UK


----------



## editor (Oct 31, 2019)

Has anyone given Crossover a go? If I can an old version of Photoshop and one or two other programs on my Asus C302 I'll be well stoked!

CrossOver Chrome OS | Run Windows programs and games on Google Chromebook.


----------



## editor (Oct 31, 2019)

I really hope that Asus release an update of the Flip c101 (2nd Gen). The one I use every day only cost me £199 and I ruddy love the thing - it's perfect for travelling light and tours - but as I'm also using it for DJing via Spotify downloads I need more internal storage (Spotify won't use the SD card).

Take my money Asus!


----------



## ash (Oct 31, 2019)

editor said:


> I really hope that Asus release an update of the Flip c101 (2nd Gen). The one I use every day only cost me £199 and I ruddy love the thing - it's perfect for travelling light and tours - but as I'm also using it for DJing via Spotify downloads I need more internal storage (Spotify won't use the SD card).
> 
> Take my money Asus!



 Have you got the smaller notebook one- I have that and it’s great. I just wonder if a bigger screen might be a good idea next time I buy?!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 31, 2019)

editor said:


> Has anyone given Crossover a go? If I can an old version of Photoshop and one or two other programs on my Asus C302 I'll be well stoked!
> 
> CrossOver Chrome OS | Run Windows programs and games on Google Chromebook.




I've downloaded it but haven't got around to installing Word and Excel 2007, yet.

Same here, though. I'd be very impressed if it works well.


----------



## editor (Oct 31, 2019)

ash said:


> Have you got the smaller notebook one- I have that and it’s great. I just wonder if a bigger screen might be a good idea next time I buy?!


I've actually got two: the tiny Asus Flip 10.1" which is the one I take on tour/holiday and DJ with, and the slightly bigger C302 which I use for my writing work.


----------



## ash (Oct 31, 2019)

editor said:


> I've actually got two: the tiny Asus Flip 10.1" which is the one I take on tour/holiday and DJ with, and the slightly bigger C302 which I use for my writing work.


Ah thanks - I might need to invest in the bigger one for work at some point I will have a look.


----------



## editor (Oct 31, 2019)

ash said:


> Ah thanks - I might need to invest in the bigger one for work at some point I will have a look.


I can type just fine on the small one but the backlit keys are bloody ace.


----------



## ash (Oct 31, 2019)

editor said:


> I can type just fine on the small one but the backlit keys are bloody ace.


 Will have a look- Cheers


----------



## Badgers (Nov 7, 2019)

LENOVO IdeaPad S340 14" Intel® Celeron™ Chromebook - 64 GB eMMC, Black

Got this today ^ and it is great for the price (£179 on expenses #haggle)


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 7, 2019)

Badgers said:


> LENOVO IdeaPad S340 14" Intel® Celeron™ Chromebook - 64 GB eMMC, Black
> 
> Got this today ^ and it is great for the price (£179 on expenses #haggle)



What's the keyboard like?


----------



## Sir Belchalot (Nov 7, 2019)

Badgers said:


> LENOVO IdeaPad S340 14" Intel® Celeron™ Chromebook - 64 GB eMMC, Black
> 
> Got this today ^ and it is great for the price (£179 on expenses #haggle)



Could have got it for £161 up until last night via their Ebay site with a 10% off code.  ChromebookJaack10 code might still give 10% off on their website as well.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 7, 2019)

New ASUS 14" Chromebook Flip C433 - £399 using code @ Currys PC World
£100 off
see HUKD
Chromebook Deals ⇒ Cheap Price, Best Sales in UK - hotukdeals

Badgers S340 deal is on there too


----------



## editor (Nov 13, 2019)

Here's a handy list 
22 worthwhile ways to use Google Assistant on a Chromebook


----------



## Badgers (Nov 13, 2019)

Throbbing Angel said:


> What's the keyboard like?


Better than current one tbf


----------



## editor (Nov 13, 2019)

This is an intriguing number, but I'm not convinced yet:










A Second Screen for Your Smartphone!


https://chromeunboxed.com/turn-your-phone-into-a-folding-chrome-os-tablet-meet-castaway/


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 13, 2019)

editor said:


> This is an intriguing number, but I'm not convinced yet:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Just seems a bit of a bodge really and a missed opportunity that Google havnt been able to merge the OSs


----------



## editor (Nov 13, 2019)

What a twat!

Apple’s Phil Schiller says kids with Chromebooks in classroom are ‘not going to succeed’


----------



## editor (Nov 15, 2019)

Here's another great web photo editor 
Photo Editor : Pixlr.com - free image editing online


----------



## Badgers (Nov 18, 2019)

Finally got round to setting up my new Chromebook which is shiny and fast  

Couple of questions... 

I had been plugging in an old Dell (VGA connection) monitor into my old Chromebooks HDMI port but the new one does not have said port. So I got a VGA to USB adaptor which I don't think is working. Either that I need some drivers or something  am a bit lost here and really need two screens for work. 

Also is there any software that I can call (via an Android mobile?) from the desktop with a Bluetooth headset?


----------



## Crispy (Nov 18, 2019)

Badgers said:


> I got a VGA to USB adaptor which I don't think is working. Either that I need some drivers or something


USB -> VGA (analogue monitor standard) is  not a standard connection, so that cable relies on software to send the right signals. No such software exists for Chrome OS. It also doesn't look like your chromebook has Displayport (the digital monitor standard) on any of its USB sockets, so I'm afraid you're basically screwed wrt monitor support.


----------



## Badgers (Nov 18, 2019)

Crispy said:


> USB -> VGA (analogue monitor standard) is  not a standard connection, so that cable relies on software to send the right signals. No such software exists for Chrome OS. It also doesn't look like your chromebook has Displayport (the digital monitor standard) on any of its USB sockets, so I'm afraid you're basically screwed wrt monitor support.


FFS but cheers


----------



## editor (Nov 18, 2019)

Crispy said:


> USB -> VGA (analogue monitor standard) is  not a standard connection, so that cable relies on software to send the right signals. No such software exists for Chrome OS. It also doesn't look like your chromebook has Displayport (the digital monitor standard) on any of its USB sockets, so I'm afraid you're basically screwed wrt monitor support.


According to the specs on the site he linked to:
*Video connections* DisplayPort x 2

Edit: more here Ideapad S340 Can't Connect to 2 External Monitors? - Lenovo Community

Solution: 





> There are several USB Type-A based docking solutions that apparently allow this. Just look around Amazon for a USB Type-A docking station with multiple video outputs.



Maybe see if you can take the Chromebook back and get one that can definitely support 2 monitors?


----------



## Crispy (Nov 18, 2019)

Hmm.
The Curry's site is the only one I can find that says this model has Displayport.
Photos of the connectors show no D symbol for Displayport.
There are some "USB C - HDMI" adpaters on amazon that say they support Chrome OS which might be worth a punt?


----------



## Badgers (Nov 18, 2019)

Crispy said:


> Hmm.
> The Curry's site is the only one I can find that says this model has Displayport.
> Photos of the connectors show no D symbol for Displayport.
> There are some "USB C - HDMI" adpaters on amazon that say they support Chrome OS which might be worth a punt?


It seems daft that a device would not have a display port in this age, which is what is making me think I am doing this wrong. 

It charges via USB C so I could get another adaptor I suppose. 

Curry's is some distance away  guess I can call them and hope to get lucky


----------



## Chz (Nov 18, 2019)

USB-C, if it's proper USB 3.1 Gen2 PlusPlusRamalamadingdong or whatever the standard is, should be able to break out into a display port or HDMI or DVI (interesting note, HDMI was originally just DVI plus audio and content management - the video feed is 100% compatible). I've got a Dell here running two displays and other things and the only thing that's plugged into it is a single USB-C connector.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 18, 2019)

spec sheet for this model says USB 3.1 Gen1, which doesn't support displayport

USB C is super confusing, so never say never, but my hopes are not high


----------



## Badgers (Nov 18, 2019)

Appreciate your time on this chaps. 

Annoying as I would assume any half decent machine would include this as a standard in this streaming age.


----------



## editor (Nov 18, 2019)

Maybe this will help: 

To create a dual-display setup you’ll need the following:

A Chromebox that supports DisplayPort
Two monitors with an HDMI connection
One USB C to HDMI adapter
Two HDMI leads
How to connect two monitors to your Chromebox with a Dual display setup


----------



## editor (Nov 21, 2019)

I might do a bit of selling and saving to get the Pixelbook Go - maybe there will be a Black Friday deal? It looks fantastic. 

Pixelbook Go second opinion review: My new favorite laptop

Google Pixelbook Go review | TechRadar

Pixelbook Go, the Chromebook made to move - Google Store


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 21, 2019)

editor said:


> I might do a bit of selling and saving to get the Pixelbook Go - maybe there will be a Black Friday deal? It looks fantastic.
> 
> Pixelbook Go second opinion review: My new favorite laptop
> 
> ...



You could buy a decent real computer for that. 

Joking aside if it's your main machine then I can see how having a premium version would be very nice.


----------



## editor (Nov 21, 2019)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> You could buy a decent real computer for that.
> 
> Joking aside if it's your main machine then I can see how having a premium version would be very nice.


I'll probably sell my Thinkpad Windows machine which has been untouched for years and my other Chromebook. It's the lack of faff and battery life that appeals most - that lets me get on with my writing work.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Nov 21, 2019)

I like the sound of the 'Hush' keyboard.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 21, 2019)

I'd kind of assumed that if you spent that much on a windows machine these days you'd get comparable battery life. I mean they both have i5s.


----------



## editor (Nov 21, 2019)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'd kind of assumed that if you spent that much on a windows machine these days you'd get comparable battery life. I mean they both have i5s.


12 hour battery life is still mighty rare on a Windows machine, and even rarer around the £600 mark if you're looking for a touchscreen/awesome keyboard.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 21, 2019)

editor said:


> 12 hour battery life is still mighty rare on a Windows machine, and even rarer around the £600 mark if you're looking for a touchscreen/awesome keyboard.



My bad. I assumed they were more then that, was looking at the i5 speced ones.


----------



## BoxRoom (Nov 21, 2019)

editor said:


> I'll probably sell my Thinkpad Windows machine which has been untouched for years and my other Chromebook. It's the lack of faff and battery life that appeals most - that lets me get on with my writing work.


If you're selling your Flip I'd be interested! I managed to break mine and I can't afford a new one.


----------



## editor (Nov 21, 2019)

BoxRoom said:


> If you're selling your Flip I'd be interested! I managed to break mine and I can't afford a new one.


I've actually got an original Flip C101, boxed and hardly used. How does £120 sound?


----------



## BoxRoom (Nov 21, 2019)

editor said:


> I've actually got an original Flip C101, boxed and hardly used. How does £120 sound?


That's a great price! Will get back to you on this as soon as possible but my situation is wildly shit at the moment so will see if I can do that. 
Many thanks!


----------



## editor (Nov 22, 2019)

Thought this might be useful 

These are the best Chromebooks to buy this Black Friday


Dell durabilityell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1
Best Overall:Lenovo Chromebook C340 (11.6")
Upgrade pick:ASUS Chromebook Flip C434
Google's latest:Google Pixelbook Go
Best for students:ASUS Chromebook Flip C214
Best tablet:HP Chromebook X2
Best big-screen Chromebook:Lenovo Chromebook C340 (15.6")
Sleek stylus savvy:Samsung Chromebook Plus V2
Workforce workhorse:Acer Chromebook 514
Value pick:Lenovo Chromebook C330


----------



## editor (Nov 26, 2019)

£170!

Get this Lenovo Chromebook for only £169 on Amazon



> For the money, the Lenovo Chromebook S330 is simply one of the best budget laptops you can buy (and arguably the absolute best cheap Chromebook you can lay your hands on right now). It’s light, reasonably well-built, and delivers a capable performance for the budget. Given some extra Black Friday price-cutting, this could be an amazing machine for those who don’t have much money to spend on a portable.


Lenovo Chromebook S330 – should I buy one? | TechRadar







Wait! £160!






Lenovo Chromebook S330 | 14" Student Laptop with IPS Display | Lenovo UK


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 26, 2019)

Bargain.

Updates for that model have been extended to June 2025.


----------



## editor (Dec 5, 2019)

Handy: 
How to enable external SD card storage support for Android apps like Netflix or Plex on your Chromebook (Update: One more step)


Doesn't work with Spotify yet, but it'll be bloody great when it does as space is tight on my wee Asus Flip (I use Spotify as a back up when I'm DJing on the Flip with a USB soundcard and it does a grand job).


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 8, 2019)

editor said:


> Has anyone given Crossover a go? If I can an old version of Photoshop and one or two other programs on my Asus C302 I'll be well stoked!
> 
> CrossOver Chrome OS | Run Windows programs and games on Google Chromebook.




I've just installed the Windows .NET framework and got  yWriter7 up and running in my Chromebook.

This was an exercise to see if it worked more than anything as Scrivener requires .NET 4.6.2 too.  So the next experiment will be installing the 30 day free trial of Scrivener.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 14, 2019)

Success!

I am now running a 30 day trial of Scrivener on my motherhumping Chromebook via CrossOver.  How good is that?


editor


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 16, 2020)

Bollocks - I had to return my Chromebook [ASUS C302ca, Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 12.5"] same as
editor ‘s due to a few dead pixles and the right hand side of the space bar collapsing a bit and making typing (my main use) a right pain in the arse.

John Lewis have just called me saying that they can’t repair it and ‘Do I want a refund or what?’
 I paid 399.99 when it was in the sale - a ton off the usual price - about 15 months ago [2 year warranties FTW]

So - what’s the good stuff atm Chromebook-wise?? Haven’t been looking of late as I was expecting to get this one back - instead I have 400 to put towards a new machine.

Suggestatron is go!


----------



## editor (Jan 16, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Bollocks - I had to return my Chromebook [ASUS C302ca, Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 12.5"] same as
> editor ‘s due to a few dead pixles and the right hand side of the space bar collapsing a bit and making typing (my main use) a right pain in the arse.
> 
> John Lewis have just called me saying that they can’t repair it and ‘Do I want a refund or what?’
> ...


The Pixelbook Go is great but pricey, and the Asus 434/433 are good too. If you're after a larger screen, the Lenovos look good too. If I had the cash I'd get the Pixelbook and then the 434.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 16, 2020)

editor said:


> The Pixelbook Go is great but pricey, and the Asus 434/433 are good too. If you're after a larger screen, the Lenovos look good too. If I had the cash I'd get the Pixelbook and then the 434.


Hmmm, the entry level Pixelbook Go is 629 - the only real improvement to the spcs over the Asus is another 4gb or RAM, hopefully better speakers and maybe a slightly better m3 processor.  Doesn’t tent or convert to a tablet either.  Am I missing anything??  Is the processor that much improved?

I’ve said in the past that payong over 500 for a chromebook seems daft but it seems to be becoming the norm unless you want the less able end of the range(s).

I was thinking of getting a refurbed Thinkpad recently before the Asus crapped out - summat like an X1 Carbon, 250quid ish with a 1yr warranty.  Main attraction being a better keyboard and being able to run Word, Scrivener and summat else I can’t install on a chromebook.  So if I channeled that cash into a chromebook I suppose I have 600-ish to play with - but I want a great keyboard.

Any ideas?


----------



## editor (Jan 16, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Hmmm, the entry level Pixelbook Go is 629 - the only real improvement to the spcs over the Asus is another 4gb or RAM, hopefully better speakers and maybe a slightly better m3 processor.  Doesn’t tent or convert to a tablet either.  Am I missing anything??  Is the processor that much improved?
> 
> I’ve said in the past that payong over 500 for a chromebook seems daft but it seems to be becoming the norm unless you want the less able end of the range(s).
> 
> ...


You can run Word on a Chromebook and there's that app that lets you install Windows programs that I posted about before - it seems to work for some people. To be honest, the Chromebook I use every single day is the £200 Asus Flip which I bloody love (I even DJ off it!).

I've got a snazzy touchscreen Windows Thinkpad that flips over like my Chromebook but I haven't used it in months. You might be in for a shock when you realise how fucking clunky and slow a Windows machine is compared to a CBook!

Oh and the Pixelbook is supposed to have one of the best keyboards on any machine!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 16, 2020)

editor said:


> You can run Word on a Chromebook and there's that app that lets you install Windows programs that I posted about before - it seems to work for some people. To be honest, the Chromebook I use every single day is the £200 Asus Flip which I bloody love (I even DJ off it!).
> 
> I've got a snazzy touchscreen Windows Thinkpad that flips over like my Chromebook but I haven't used it in months. You might be in for a shock when you realise how fucking clunky and slow a Windows machine is compared to a CBook!
> 
> Oh and the Pixelbook is supposed to have one of the best keyboards on any machine!



Aye, I’ve used CrossOver to get Windows stuff working on my Asus just before I returned it.  It works OK. I do worry about buying Windows software to use on a Chrome device and lack of support if I can’t do summat I should be able to do.

What appeals to me is a good keyboard and being able to just get on with what I need to do.  I think I’ve moaned on this thread before about that ast 5% of stuff that I was unable to get done on a Chromebook in Docs or Sheets which meant having to send it over to a Eindows machine to fionish it off.

Chromebooks are ace - I recommend them all the time. But the are a cut down experience in my view, not much, but cut down nevertheless.  Depends what you need though I suppose.

So how come you use your Flip over your newer Chromebook?

And - I’m off to look for reviews about the Pixelbook Go’s keyboard - feel free to link me up - anything on Wirefresh on that?


----------



## editor (Jan 16, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> So how come you use your Flip over your newer Chromebook?


I just like it - it's small enough to sling in any bag and I like the fact it doesn;t hog half the table if I'm in a cafe!



Throbbing Angel said:


> And - I’m off to look for reviews about the Pixelbook Go’s keyboard - feel free to link me up - anything on Wirefresh on that?


Wirefresh is on an extended snooze at the mo, but: 


> Regardless, when it comes to premium Chromebooks, the Pixelbook Go is mostly unmatched in its particular benefits and features it offers, such as super long battery life, a 1080p webcam and one of the best keyboards we’ve ever had the pleasure of using on a laptop.











						Google Pixelbook Go review
					

The best Chromebook for the rest of us




					www.techradar.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 17, 2020)

Asus Flip 436 is coming......








						[UPDATED] The new flagship ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 gets an official price tag thanks to Google
					

When it comes to CES 2020, there are really 3 devices we're all talking about after leaving Las Vegas: The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook, Lenovo Chromebook Duet, and ASUS Chromebook Flip C436. Each of these new Chromebooks brings something special to the table and each seemed to be a clearly...




					chromeunboxed.com
				




No UK pricing yet - $799, though it seems


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 21, 2020)

Anyone using Office 365 on their chromeboook? Downloaded apps rather than the web clients.
Just wondering what the experience is like if you're happy to comment...


----------



## editor (Jan 21, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Anyone using Office 365 on their chromeboook? Downloaded apps rather than the web clients.
> Just wondering what the experience is like if you're happy to comment...


Sorry I can't help - I switched to Google Docs and never looked back (I just export/import .doc files with no problem).


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 21, 2020)

Chromebooks will now get up to eight years of updates (Update: Two eligible so far)
					

The greatest long-term issue with Chromebooks is their fixed lifespan — unlike PCs, where operating system updates are not tied to specific devices,




					www.androidpolice.com
				




All new Chromebooks to get 8 years of OS updates!


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## fucthest8 (Jan 22, 2020)

So looks like Amazon are still doing the S330 for £170 but quite a few comments about it being the 64 bit processor with 32 bit OS, but all from the last quarter of 2019 ... I primarily want this as something nice and lightweight for travel, that I can stick on my lap to write on (i.e. use Docs), maybe stream the odd film, surf the web.

Opinions?


----------



## editor (Jan 22, 2020)

fucthest8 said:


> So looks like Amazon are still doing the S330 for £170 but quite a few comments about it being the 64 bit processor with 32 bit OS, but all from the last quarter of 2019 ... I primarily want this as something nice and lightweight for travel, that I can stick on my lap to write on (i.e. use Docs), maybe stream the odd film, surf the web.
> 
> Opinions?


It's ridiculously cheap and this site seemed to rate them very highly indeed  Lenovo Chromebook S330 – should I buy one?


----------



## fucthest8 (Jan 24, 2020)

editor said:


> It's ridiculously cheap and this site seemed to rate them very highly indeed  Lenovo Chromebook S330 – should I buy one?



Cock, went to buy it today as I've been paid, back up to £205!


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 24, 2020)

fucthest8 said:


> Cock, went to buy it today as I've been paid, back up to £205!



Still £170 @ John Lewis fucthest8  2 year guarantee,


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 24, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Still £170 @ John Lewis fucthest8  2 year guarantee,
> 
> 
> View attachment 196553


Ordered one myself.
 Nearest John Lewis is miles away but they have a deal with Booths Supermarkets so I'll have it tomorrow.
Sweeeeeeet.


----------



## editor (Jan 24, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Still £170 @ John Lewis fucthest8  2 year guarantee,
> 
> 
> View attachment 196553


Pretty minimal bezels too. Incredible value!


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 25, 2020)

editor said:


> Pretty minimal bezels too. Incredible value!



I am really liking the keyboard on this S330.  Unboxing to posting?  About 6 minutes.
Everything's synced - everything's there.
Gotta love them Chromebooks.
Bargain too.



Throbbing Angel said:


> Testing new Chromebook camera - not that I'll ever use it, like.
> View attachment 196631


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 28, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I am really liking the keyboard on this S330.  Unboxing to posting?  About 6 minutes.
> Everything's synced - everything's there.
> Gotta love them Chromebooks.
> Bargain too.



Being the fussy fucker that I am I ordered another Chromebook that got reduced after I'd ordered the S330. [also from John Lewis]

S345 for only another thirty notes  - same (I think) keyboard - which I like.
Better screen & Better processor and Better speakers - more ports - Micro sd slot instead of SD, ummmm - looks a little less utilitarian - same thin bezels - loving it
Both screens are matte and I have been used to gloss so that's a little odd - last 2 Chromebooks were shiny screened
Gone from having a touch screen I didn't think I used to not having a touch screen - seems I did use it a little - but hardly at all really
Lenovo Chromebook S345-14AST AMD A4 Processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 14” Full HD, Mineral Grey £199.99 [that's £50 off]


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 28, 2020)

....and the battery life - jeez - just brill - I know it's new but hey - long may it continue (I hope)


----------



## editor (Jan 28, 2020)

I've very much used to having a touchscreen laptop. Using a non touchscreen laptop now feels like a real step back, like using Windows XP or something!


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 28, 2020)

editor said:


> I've very much used to having a touchscreen laptop. Using a non touchscreen laptop now feels like a real step back, like using Windows XP or something!



I know what you mean to some degree - but in all honesty, I hardly used the touchscreen on the Asus before it went wonky. Used it in tablet mode a handful of times. A 12.5in tablet is too much.  Hardly ever used the touch screen in laptop mode either unless I was showing someone else summat and the laptop was between us - then it is easier to point and drag.  You live and learn.  I have an iPad and will use that for those 'touchy' moments I suppose.  I mainly read/browse/write on my Chromebooks so I'm not missing much I reckon.

  Just tried the Word app. Utter shite.

£5.99 per month!
Cut down interface version - fuck off!
Cancelled and uninstalled in under 15 minutes.


----------



## editor (Jan 28, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I know what you mean to some degree - but in all honesty, I hardly used the touchscreen on the Asus before it went wonky. Used it in tablet mode a handful of times. A 12.5in tablet is too much.  Hardly ever used the touch screen in laptop mode either unless I was showing someone else summat and the laptop was between us - then it is easier to point and drag.  You live and learn.  I have an iPad and will use that for those 'touchy' moments I suppose.  I mainly read/browse/write on my Chromebooks so I'm not missing much I reckon.
> 
> Currently installing LibreOffice 5.4.7.2 via that CrossOver app - so will have a Word-like wp installed.  Just tried the Word app. Utter shite.
> 
> ...


I switched to Google Docs and have never looked back. Can't be arsed with third part apps, although I also use Keep and Simplenote for making notes.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 28, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I know what you mean to some degree - but in all honesty, I hardly used the touchscreen on the Asus before it went wonky. Used it in tablet mode a handful of times. A 12.5in tablet is too much.  Hardly ever used the touch screen in laptop mode either unless I was showing someone else summat and the laptop was between us - then it is easier to point and drag.  You live and learn.  I have an iPad and will use that for those 'touchy' moments I suppose.  I mainly read/browse/write on my Chromebooks so I'm not missing much I reckon.
> 
> Currently installing LibreOffice 5.4.7.2 via that CrossOver app - so will have a Word-like wp installed.  Just tried the Word app. Utter shite.
> 
> ...



Does it play nice with Google Drive. As in it easy enough to open and save docs there without extra faff. 

I'm actually quite tempted. Would prefer a different word processor to docs, but am not paying for Office and didnt get far with the Linux mode.


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 28, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Does it play nice with Google Drive. As in it easy enough to open and save docs there without extra faff.
> 
> I'm actually quite tempted. Would prefer a different word processor to docs, but am not paying for Office and didnt get far with the Linux mode.




Have just discovered that CrossOver only works with Intel processors - so Libre office won't work - it installed but I couldn't see the program - just a black&white window with interferebce in it - like when your graphics card failed.

My old Asus had an M3 intel processor - this is AMD and the S330 was a Mediatek so it wouldn't work with that either.

Gonna try WPS office and Polaris Office from the play store - both free

I haven't tried the Linux Mode yet - will look into that, though.


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 28, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Does it play nice with Google Drive. As in it easy enough to open and save docs there without extra faff.
> 
> I'm actually quite tempted. Would prefer a different word processor to docs, but am not paying for Office and didnt get far with the Linux mode.



WPS lets you add various other cloud locations as the default save location so no extra faff UnderAnOpenSky


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 28, 2020)

Polaris office is the same as ^^^

struggling to find the spell checker, though, and the FAQ's suggest it is only available on a phone/tablet when using the Android version - which is weird.


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 30, 2020)

fucthest8 said:


> Cock, went to buy it today as I've been paid, back up to £205!



S330 £145 on eBay - high quality refurbished it says 

“This is a customer cancelled order return which will have had very little use. The item will have been tested and where required may be professionally refurbished by our engineers. Will come with at least 12 months warranty.”

Seller is Techsave2006 | eBay Shops - not a recommendation - never used them


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## fucthest8 (Jan 31, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> S330 £145 on eBay - high quality refurbished it says
> 
> “This is a customer cancelled order return which will have had very little use. The item will have been tested and where required may be professionally refurbished by our engineers. Will come with at least 12 months warranty.”
> 
> Seller is Techsave2006 | eBay Shops - not a recommendation - never used them



I should have said, got one last week, found a returned one on Amazon that was in perfect condition for £170 again. Was surprised to see when it arrived that it really _was_ perfect condition! Thanks for the heads-up though 

As you said above, battery life is excellent - from full charge I've used it for an hour or two every day for six days and it still reckons it has about 5 hours left (as of yesterday lunchtime)
Screen is as good as I expected/needed.
So simple to start up and use.
I'm really, really happy with it.


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 31, 2020)

fucthest8  glad you like it


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## Throbbing Angel (Feb 2, 2020)

In lieu of being able to install *CrossOver *as my new Cbook doesn't have in intel processor, I looked into other solutions for a _proper_ offline word processor.
This was exacerbated by my being unable to get wifi at a creative writing thing I go to at the weekend - no wifi - no access to the umptillion bits and pieces I have in google docs, ho-hum (yes , I know I can use gdocs offline but I don't want 500+ docs on my machine, that's what the cloud is for).

I tried Word and it's not worth the price imho.  Uninstalled and subscription (sub-fkn-scription!) cancelled.

So, I have enabled Linux Beta on the Chromebook and then looked around for summat suitable and I have found LibreOffice 5 which I have used in Windows just fine.

I followed the instructions *here*  and it works brilliantly. Near Word experience, free, offline, docx's, pdf's etc etc.

You can't save directly to the Chromebook's file system or the sd card (unless there is a way I haven't found) you have to save to the Linux partition/bit/thing... but...
if you search from the Chromebook on the document name from My Files - it locates the document!  I can just drag it to the sd card then and it copies it over - no problems at all. So I will prefix/suffix all docs with zzz or summat so that they are easy to locate

Loving it so far.

*Set up Linux (Beta) on your Chromebook*

tagged: UnderAnOpenSky as you've mentioned wanting another WP and trying Linux mode


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 2, 2020)

Thanks. Will definitely look at that  

Actually I've found no decent way to sync my Google Drive to my Chromebook. I'd be very happy with the whole lot local as well as the cloud. Yes I can download the whole lot to a SD/USB, but not synced. I can do it on Windows, but not Chrome OS. Which is fustrating as even if an alternative office suite works, I still want it to play nice with my desktop and at a push my phone.


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## editor (Feb 2, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Thanks. Will definitely look at that
> 
> Actually I've found no decent way to sync my Google Drive to my Chromebook. I'd be very happy with the whole lot local as well as the cloud. Yes I can download the whole lot to a SD/USB, but not synced. I can do it on Windows, but not Chrome OS. Which is fustrating as even if an alternative office suite works, I still want it to play nice with my desktop and at a push my phone.


Google Docs syncs perfectly.


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## ash (Feb 2, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Thanks. Will definitely look at that
> 
> Actually I've found no decent way to sync my Google Drive to my Chromebook. I'd be very happy with the whole lot local as well as the cloud. Yes I can download the whole lot to a SD/USB, but not synced. I can do it on Windows, but not Chrome OS. Which is fustrating as even if an alternative office suite works, I still want it to play nice with my desktop and at a push my phone.


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## ash (Feb 2, 2020)

Google drive is basically what my chrome book is I can’t see how you can’t sync it once you’ve signed in??


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## Throbbing Angel (Feb 3, 2020)

editor said:


> Google Docs syncs perfectly.



Aye - it should do this.

What's *not* happening UnderAnOpenSky ?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 3, 2020)

editor said:


> Google Docs syncs perfectly.



I'm talking about for offline use, maybe I wasn't clean, but thought it was obvious from the rest of my post. 

Yes you can download indervidual documents There's no way to do what it does on Windows and keep a local copy of everything and have it sync back when you get Internet again. We've talked about this before, but if its changed I'd be happy to hear about it.


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## BoxRoom (Feb 3, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'm talking about for offline use, maybe I wasn't clean, but thought it was obvious from the rest of my post.
> 
> Yes you can download indervidual documents There's no way to do what it does on Windows and keep a local copy of everything and have it sync back when you get Internet again. We've talked about this before, but if its changed I'd be happy to hear about it.



You should be able to. Check the settings in Google Drive, there's a checkbox to work on Google Docs etc offline.


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## Throbbing Angel (Feb 3, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'm talking about for offline use, maybe I wasn't clean, but thought it was obvious from the rest of my post.
> 
> Yes you can download indervidual documents There's no way to do what it does on Windows and keep a local copy of everything and have it sync back when you get Internet again. We've talked about this before, but if its changed I'd be happy to hear about it.




if you visit *chrome://extensions/* and look for the  Google Docs Offline  extension is that turned on?



apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs here


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## editor (Feb 5, 2020)

Down to just £200











						ASUS Chromebook C423NA (Silver) (Intel Celeron N3350, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, 14 Inch HD Screen, Chrome OS): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
					

Buy ASUS Chromebook C423NA (Silver) (Intel Celeron N3350, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, 14 Inch HD Screen, Chrome OS) at Amazon UK. Free delivery and return on eligible orders.



					www.amazon.co.uk


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## Throbbing Angel (Feb 15, 2020)

first time I've seen this on a Chromebook...


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## Throbbing Angel (Mar 5, 2020)

I am now Chromebook-less.
Back on Win10 on a Thinkpad.
I will probably go back to a Chromebook at some point.
I wasn't prepared to pay what they want for a decent enough machine.
The 2 cheaper machines I tried were OK but not good enough for me ultimately so back they went after some weeks of not feeling completely happy.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 6, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I am now Chromebook-less.
> Back on Win10 on a Thinkpad.
> I will probably go back to a Chromebook at some point.
> I wasn't prepared to pay what they want for a decent enough machine.
> The 2 cheaper machines I tried were OK but not good enough for me ultimately so back they went after some weeks of not feeling completely happy.



All the newer decent machines do seem to have crept up in price...


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## Throbbing Angel (Mar 6, 2020)

I know!  Expected I suppose as they became more mainstream but that does tend to go hand in hand with the basic models getting better specs.

The machine that failed was an Intel M3 and dropping down to a Mediatek processor was very noticeable from a performance POV - so I swapped that for an AMD A4 (was it?) model which was a bit better but still noticeably slower generally.  Plus all the other stuff they can't do as well (Android Apps, running Linux and Windows apps).

C'est la vie.  Going backward was always going to be problematic I suppose.  But I didn't have another £2-£300 lying around to get the better machines.

I may get a Pixelbook Go if/when the price drops - the keyboard is great - as it is on this Thinkpad - but they are completely different.

Keep on Chroming.


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## editor (Mar 6, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> All the newer decent machines do seem to have crept up in price...


But you can still got shockingly cheap machines that are more than capable for everyday tasks and about a zillion times faster than an equivalent Windows machine.


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## bemused (Mar 16, 2020)

I picked up a i5/8gb pixelbook go in January and its easily the best laptop I've ever owned. If it wasn't the lack of good audio/video editing options in the cloud I'd never buy a mac or windows pc again. It doesn't have some weird omissions like lack of biometric login but for 90% of what I do online it is perfect.

In May (I hope) the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is launched which I'll also pick up.


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## Throbbing Angel (Apr 23, 2020)

bemused said:


> In May (I hope) the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is launched which I'll also pick up.




Watched a couple of videos on the Duet last night.  Looks good.  Might be tempted if the keyboard is any good.


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## editor (Apr 23, 2020)

bemused said:


> I picked up a i5/8gb pixelbook go in January and its easily the best laptop I've ever owned. If it wasn't the lack of good audio/video editing options in the cloud I'd never buy a mac or windows pc again. It doesn't have some weird omissions like lack of biometric login but for 90% of what I do online it is perfect.
> 
> In May (I hope) the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is launched which I'll also pick up.


I'm so tempted by the Go. It's a lovely looking machine.


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## Throbbing Angel (Apr 23, 2020)

editor said:


> I'm so tempted by the Go. It's a lovely looking machine.



I know.  £629 for the cheapest of the the models available, though.  And all the reviews I've seen are for the middle unit.  i3 I think. Over £800. ☹️


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 23, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I know.  £629 for the cheapest of the the models available, though.  And all the reviews I've seen are for the middle unit.  i3 I think. Over £800. ☹



It's bonkers. I like my Chromebook, but for £800 you could get a Windows machine with few compromises.


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## Big Bertha (Apr 23, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> It's bonkers. I like my Chromebook, but for £800 you could get a Windows machine with few compromises.


You could get a good secondhand Microsoft  Surface for that kind of money


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## Chz (Apr 23, 2020)

I figured I might get the wee one a CB if the schools stay shut much longer. Looked around, found one I liked... turns out it's Currys exclusive and they're out of stock! Bah! (Acer CB314 Touch. The Touch model is a DSG exclusive)


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## editor (Apr 23, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> It's bonkers. I like my Chromebook, but for £800 you could get a Windows machine with few compromises.


True, but a Windows machine would still be slower to start up, more faff and still needing anti-virus and those endless fucking updates! I'm interested in the Go because it has what some have described as the best keyboard in the business.


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## chandlerp (Apr 23, 2020)

I got a secondhand Surface Book i7, 512Gb SSD, 16Gb RAM, 2 graphics processors (1Gb Intel in the removeable screen and 2Gb Nvidia in the keyboard) and 2 batteries (one in screen, one in keyboard) giving me lots of battery life for £810 from CEX.  They're doing the same one for £740 now.    It starts from cold and gets me to the desktop after identifying me with the infrared camera in a little over 10 seconds.  That's fast enough for me.


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## editor (Apr 23, 2020)

chandlerp said:


> I got a secondhand Surface Book i7, 512Gb SSD, 16Gb RAM, 2 graphics processors (1Gb Intel in the removeable screen and 2Gb Nvidia in the keyboard) and 2 batteries (one in screen, one in keyboard) giving me lots of battery life for £810 from CEX.  They're doing the same one for £740 now.    It starts from cold and gets me to the desktop after identifying me with the infrared camera in a little over 10 seconds.  That's fast enough for me.


That's great if it works for you.  Chromebooks are quite different to Windows (I use both every day) and I prefer the speed and simplicity of CBooks over Windows laptops every time when I'm out and about. My £199 CBook takes about 3 seconds to start up and the battery lasts longer than I've ever needed it to!


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## Throbbing Angel (Apr 24, 2020)

bemused said:


> In May (I hope) the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is launched which I'll also pick up.



A Duet listing (in Dutch)  299Euro






						Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook Tablet 64GB- ZA6F0027NL - Coolblue - Voor 23.59u, morgen in huis
					

Bestel de Lenovo Chrome Tablet 64GB- ZA6F0027NL bij Coolblue. Voor 23.59u? Morgen gratis bezorgd. Coolblue: alles voor een glimlach.




					www.coolblue.nl


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## Chz (May 2, 2020)

Decided to get the boy a Lenovo C340-11", since Lenovo still had some in stock and were willing to ship.
Nice little bit of kit for £299. I got the 64GB version to account for his rather broad taste in Android games. On an 11" screen, the 1366x768 resolution doesn't seem so limiting as on a larger machine. Plus it's mostly for homework and games, not media consumption.

One disappointment is that you can't activate the Linux subsystem while under parental control. I suppose you could subvert the controls with Linux access, but quite frankly if he manages that then he deserves to have control over it! It only really matters because the only way to play Minecraft on ChromeOS is to use Linux to do it.


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## Chz (May 4, 2020)

The one place the cost-cutting really shows is the size. Yes, it's an 11" screen. But the package as a whole is the same depth and maybe 2cm narrower than my 13" Latitude. It's got huge bezels!


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## bemused (May 7, 2020)

I've had my pixel go since it was released and it's converted me to chromeos as my daily personal device, I use a Mac for work and don't really have a choice although the 15inch mbp weights a fuckton compared to my pbg.

I've been thinking of getting a tablet because I'm hanging around a lot and want it for media (books, video, comics etc) so have been very keen to get hold of the Lenovo IdeaPad duet which looks to be a bargain.

Lenovo has a UK product page up now, no price yet.





__





						IdeaPad Duet Chromebook | 2-in-1 Chromebook
					

Meet the IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, a 2-in-1 Chromebook for fun and business, with detachable full-sized keyboard.



					www.lenovo.com


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## editor (May 7, 2020)

bemused said:


> I've had my pixel go since it was released and it's converted me to chromeos as my daily personal device, I use a Mac for work and don't really have a choice although the 15inch mbp weights a fuckton compared to my pbg.
> 
> I've been thinking of getting a tablet because I'm hanging around a lot and want it for media (books, video, comics etc) so have been very keen to get hold of the Lenovo IdeaPad duet which looks to be a bargain.
> 
> ...


I'm not really a fan of the detachable tablet/keyboard combo (I had two Asus Android ones and found I hardly ever used the tablet on its own) but the Lenovo one looks a good option.


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## Chz (May 7, 2020)

Here's hoping it's not too pricey, given they've opted for a 3 generations old CPU. I'm sure it's still fast _enough_, but it bugs me when they charge the moon for design and put crummy internals in it.

(The Mediatek inside has A73s as the "Big" cores. We've had A75, A76, and A77 since then and, if nothing else, they're all more efficient with power as well as quicker)


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## Throbbing Angel (May 7, 2020)

One of the selling points they've been mentioning is that this unit & keyboard will be cheaper than the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad.

Whether that means just the US pricing, I dunno.

Aha - found the article:  Lenovo's new detachable Chromebook costs less than Apple's Magic Keyboard


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 7, 2020)




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## Throbbing Angel (May 8, 2020)

_*from *_$279 in the US - $299 @ BestBuy








						Lenovo Chromebook Duet - Google Chromebooks
					

It is time to un-laptop and go.




					www.google.com
				






			https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-duet-chromebook-10-1-tablet-128gb-with-keyboard-ice-blue-iron-gray/6401727.p?skuId=6401727
		


so UK pricing will be similar  - around £300 I reckon


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## editor (May 19, 2020)

This is getting very very good reviews











> With that in mind, this is the closest to perfection that I’ve ever seen from a $300 laptop-slash-tablet. If you’re looking for a fun device for kids that can also handle homeschooling work, or a portable 2-in-1 for watching Netflix and sending emails on the go, the Duet should do just fine. It’s a solid midrange 2-in-1 Chromebook that has no business being as cheap as it is.











						Lenovo Chromebook Duet review: this has no business costing so little
					

Finally, a Chrome OS tablet you should actually buy




					www.theverge.com


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## Badgers (May 22, 2020)

I need a Chromebook suggestion please  

For a kid starting senior school 
Primarily for schoolwork  but no doubt loads of video streaming and such. 
Needs to be hard wearing as it will be lugged around on school buses, sports fields and such.  
Would be a big plus if it had the capability to plug into a monitor/screen. 

Cheap is good (kid will probably break it ) and they said the top budget is £200

Are there any education grants or schemes they could use? I had a search and found some (like this) but not an area I know.


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## Chz (May 22, 2020)

Even Chromebooks are pretty shit at £200. I'd try and push it out to £250 for something a bit more modern.

That being said, this isn't a bad buy at £200:




__





						ASUS Chromebook C223, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 11.6", Grey
					

Buy ASUS Chromebook C223, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 11.6", Grey from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.



					www.johnlewis.com


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## Badgers (May 22, 2020)

Found this one (refurb) which looks alright  








						HP 14-ca050sa 14" AMD A4 Chromebook - 32 GB eMMC, Grey  | eBay
					

We're here to help! Collections direct from our warehouse are not available. The right of cancellation does not apply in the following circumstances Not available for non pristine appliances. Security features:Kensington NanoSaver security lock.



					www.ebay.co.uk
				




I have had two Lenovo Chromebooks myself and they have been excellent but assume HP or other similar will be fine


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## editor (May 22, 2020)

Chz said:


> Even Chromebooks are pretty shit at £200. I'd try and push it out to £250 for something a bit more modern.
> 
> That being said, this isn't a bad buy at £200:
> 
> ...


The machine I use most (normal) days is a £199 Chromebook and it's ace!


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## Badgers (May 22, 2020)

editor said:


> The machine I use most (normal) days is a £199 Chromebook and it's ace!


Linky?


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## editor (May 22, 2020)

Badgers said:


> Linky?


It's gone up in price now but there seems to be regular cheapo sales. It's the Asus C101 Flip. I use it when I'm on the road, for DJing, for writing and watching movies. Love it!


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## Chz (May 22, 2020)

Chromebooks have been selling well in lockdown, so probably no sales for some time.


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## Sasaferrato (May 29, 2020)

Can anyone tell me how to set vlc as the default music player on an Acer CB3 series Chromebook? The 'supplied' player won't play .flac format.


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## Sasaferrato (May 29, 2020)

Chz said:


> Here's hoping it's not too pricey, given they've opted for a 3 generations old CPU. I'm sure it's still fast _enough_, but it bugs me when they charge the moon for design and put crummy internals in it.
> 
> (The Mediatek inside has A73s as the "Big" cores. We've had A75, A76, and A77 since then and, if nothing else, they're all more efficient with power as well as quicker)


We have had Lenovo tablets for a while, they are fast, very fast, faster than my Acer Chromebook in fact.


----------



## editor (May 29, 2020)

Sasaferrato said:


> Can anyone tell me how to set vlc as the default music player on an Acer CB3 series Chromebook? The 'supplied' player won't play .flac format.


This help? 



> To set VLC as your default player, head into your File browser on your system and find a video or audio file—any media file will do. Right-click on your selection, and instead of selecting “Open with Video Player,” tap “More actions…” This will bring up a prompt to select your video player. Select VLC from this menu, and VLC will open. Before your video begins playing, you’ll receive a prompt similar to the default app menu on Android, asking you to open the video with a specific player. Tap on “VLC,” and tap “Always” if you want to use VLC as your default media player, or “Just Once” if you don’t want VLC to be your default. If you find a new file type you’re trying to open in VLC instead of Chrome’s Video Player, just follow the same steps to open the file through VLC.











						How To Use VLC on Your Chromebook
					

Most people understand how Windows or MacOS uses applications; you open an executable file, which installs the application onto your machine's hard drive. Once the application is installed, you can open and use it as you like. Chrome OS




					www.techjunkie.com
				



.


----------



## Sasaferrato (May 29, 2020)

editor said:


> This help?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you very much.


----------



## editor (May 30, 2020)

Another glowing review. It is outrageously cheap for what you get. 









						Lenovo Chromebook Duet Review: unreal value
					

Let's get this out of the way up front: Chrome OS on tablets has been pretty bad up to this point. Whether it was the lack of a proper tablet UI, the poorly considered first attempt at a new tablet UI on the Slate, or simply the fault of slow, cheap hardware, the overall experience...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## editor (Jun 9, 2020)

Looks like Lenovo have hit another ace here. It's 'coming soon' to the UK.



> *To put it simply, buy this Chromebook.* It has already become my go-to recommendation for anyone looking at a mid-range Chromebook that feels way more like a high-end device than it ought to. It is fast, it looks good, it feels great, it has all day battery, it gets updates for 8 years, and it is affordable. *There’s just not much more I need to say, here.*



















						Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook Review: the new measuring stick
					

Chromebooks have come a long way in the decade they have existed. In the early days, it was all about delivering a cheap, affordable device to house Chrome OS on since the software really wasn't up to the task of being a full-blown replacement for something like Windows, Linux or MacOS. In a lot...




					chromeunboxed.com
				








__





						IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook | Powerful 13" Chromebook
					

When inspiration strikes, grab your IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook. With next-gen Intel® processing, up to 10 hours of battery life, and super fast WiFi and Internet connectivity.



					www.lenovo.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 10, 2020)

editor said:


> Looks like Lenovo have hit another ace here. It's 'coming soon' to the UK.



The Flex5 looks great - could be a contender to replace my b0rked ASUS C302ca.    

The Duet looks great but would be too small for my needs at 10.1 inch.


----------



## Chz (Jun 10, 2020)

Given what CCDs cost these days, these 720p cameras they keep shipping are an annoyance. You don't need a 16MP camera for video chat, but 720p is just taking the piss. It's quite noticeably lower quality than using my phone. (From the budget, 11" version of the Flex 5)


----------



## NoXion (Jun 11, 2020)

Fuck Chromebooks. Yet another tentacle of the Google/Alphabet monopoly monster. I hope it withers and dies.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jun 11, 2020)

NoXion said:


> Fuck Chromebooks. Yet another tentacle of the Google/Alphabet monopoly monster. I hope it withers and dies.


As opposed to the Microsoft monopoly monster, or the Apple monopoly monster?


----------



## Chz (Jun 11, 2020)

Maybe they're waiting for the Year of Linux on the Desktop. Which will be here with affordable fusion power and flying cars.


----------



## chandlerp (Jun 11, 2020)

NoXion said:


> Fuck Chromebooks. Yet another tentacle of the Google/Alphabet monopoly monster. I hope it withers and dies.



thanks for that helpful, insightful post.


----------



## NoXion (Jun 11, 2020)

Sorry if that wasn't helpful. Google was advertising its own system on its own platform for the umpteenth time, despite me making it clear at every opportunity that I will never buy a single one of the damn things, and it was getting on my nerves. I should have posted that in a venting thread.

If you're not gaming or trying to run a large business, then why not run Linux on a laptop? I hear Ubuntu is pretty user-friendly these days, and the Linux community in general seems to be increasingly willing to provide pre-compiled programs rather than leaving newbies to figure it all out on their own. Why pay to be spied on when there's an alternative that costs nothing (hardware aside) and is more secure? There are even ways of trying out a Linux distro on your current hardware, by downloading one onto a thumbstick drive that you can slot into a USB port before booting. I dunno if Chromebooks allow for that kind of functionality, though. Possibly not, on account of Chrome OS's use of cloud technology.

Gaming is the only reason I've stuck with Windows. Things have improved gaming-wise on Linux, but there are still considerable disadvantages as I understand the situation. I'm not happy with the cloud-based features of Windows 10, and I choose to lock them down as much as I can. The functionalities the OS loses as a result are acceptable to me. I can find my own alternatives.

Chrome OS is a heavily cloud-based system, and that has security and privacy implications. It's probably as safe as Windows or macOS from malicious third parties, perhaps more so given it's a Linux-based OS. But it's not really third parties I think one should be concerned about, it's Google, the guys who built Chrome OS. The guys who are still being criticised by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for not taking the privacy of school students seriously. Google are taking advantage of the law's inability to keep pace with Big Tech, and they're not going to leave this Chromebook project of theirs out of such shenanigans. 

The cloud thing really worries me. I would hate to see this kind of system become normalised. It's another shift away from the end user of the locus of control. I know it's something that's been going on before Chromebooks and even before Google, but _that's what worries me_, this isn't just an isolated thing but part of a pattern. The potential near-to-mid future of tech looks depressing.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jun 11, 2020)

NoXion said:


> If you're not gaming or trying to run a large business, then why not run Linux on a laptop?


Because, in spite of what Linux gurus will tell you, it's still a bit of a mess. People want to turn on their machine and have it work.


----------



## editor (Jun 11, 2020)

NoXion said:


> If you're not gaming or trying to run a large business, then why not run Linux on a laptop?


Oh for fuck's sake, not the Linux fanboy lecture in a thread ABOUT CHROMEBOOKS.

If people wanted Linux, they'd install it. If it was such a wonderful OS, everyone would use it. But they don't. 

Why do you think Chromebooks have become so popular?  It's because they're fast, attractive, accessible easy to use, and most of all cheap. And people like them. They're unbelievably simple it use.

If you have concerns about cloud computing (which EVERY platform uses to different extents) then don't get a Chromebook, store everything locally and have fun installing Linux on a laptop and hope you can find the right hardware drives. That's your choice.

But coming in here and trotting out the usual anti Chromebook arguments and trying to tell people that they should be using a system they don't want is plain rude


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jun 11, 2020)

Is that Lenovo Duo actually available to buy  It looks ideal for my kids as a web/netflix/schoolwork gizmo.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 11, 2020)

NoXion said:


> Sorry if that wasn't helpful. Google was advertising its own system on its own platform for the umpteenth time, despite me making it clear at every opportunity that I will never buy a single one of the damn things, and it was getting on my nerves. I should have posted that in a venting thread.
> 
> If you're not gaming or trying to run a large business, then why not run Linux on a laptop? I hear Ubuntu is pretty user-friendly these days, and the Linux community in general seems to be increasingly willing to provide pre-compiled programs rather than leaving newbies to figure it all out on their own. Why pay to be spied on when there's an alternative that costs nothing (hardware aside) and is more secure? There are even ways of trying out a Linux distro on your current hardware, by downloading one onto a thumbstick drive that you can slot into a USB port before booting. I dunno if Chromebooks allow for that kind of functionality, though. Possibly not, on account of Chrome OS's use of cloud technology.
> 
> ...



I'm not a total tech head, but I certainly know my way around computers better then many people and can fix basic problems on most peoples windows machines. And yet everytime I've tried linux, there has been something small, but ultimately frustrating, that's made me give up. I think the last time was when I bought a home server. It's made by HP and yet I tried several distros and I couldn't get the bloody onboard graphics to play nice. I've had issues with wifi cards and all sorts in the past. And I've got years invested in widows and frankly I can't be arsed to try and learn a new OS. You shouldn't have to really in 2020 which is where chomebooks win.

Mine frustrates me, but it's light and has excellent battery life. And any windows machines with a similar spec would run like an absolute dog. I got a similar model for my old man who never really got computers and yet I've had no issues from him in a couple of years. Most users don't want control. They just want the dam thing to work and their files not to be lost if they spill their coffee on it.


----------



## editor (Jun 11, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'm not a total tech head, but I certainly know my way around computers better then many people and can fix basic problems on most peoples windows machines. And yet everytime I've tried linux, there has been something small, but ultimately frustrating, that's made me give up. I think the last time was when I bought a home server. It's made by HP and yet I tried several distros and I couldn't get the bloody onboard graphics to play nice. I've had issues with wifi cards and all sorts in the past. And I've got years invested in widows and frankly I can't be arsed to try and learn a new OS. You shouldn't have to really in 2020 which is where chomebooks win.
> 
> Mine frustrates me, but it's light and has excellent battery life. And any windows machines with a similar spec would run like an absolute dog. I got a similar model for my old man who never really got computers and yet I've had no issues from him in a couple of years. Most users don't want control. They just want the dam thing to work and their files not to be lost if they spill their coffee on it.


The best bit about Chromebooks is when you get a new one, you just put in your password and - bosh - EVERYTHING comes back on to your machine.  No installing programmes bollocks, no firewall/anti-virus bollocks and no hefty updates/nags with lengthy rebooting sessions. Oh, and if a machine completely fucks up: a quick hard reset and you're up and running in minutes.  

In many areas, Windows and Mac look positively antiquated in comparison, IMO.


----------



## Chz (Jun 11, 2020)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Is that Lenovo Duo actually available to buy  It looks ideal for my kids as a web/netflix/schoolwork gizmo.


If you're serious about them using it for schoolwork, it might be better to get the 11" C340. The keyboard is much, much more workable than those 10" tablet flap thingies. IMO, of course. It's not as good in tablet mode, due to being bigger and heavier, but seems good enough. I suppose it depends on what you see the _primary _use as.


----------



## editor (Jun 11, 2020)

Chz said:


> If you're serious about them using it for schoolwork, it might be better to get the 11" C340. The keyboard is much, much more workable than those 10" tablet flap thingies. IMO, of course. It's not as good in tablet mode, due to being bigger and heavier, but seems good enough. I suppose it depends on what you see the _primary _use as.


Yeah, the C340 seems hugely popular and is tough enough for kids.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jun 11, 2020)

Chz said:


> If you're serious about them using it for schoolwork, it might be better to get the 11" C340. The keyboard is much, much more workable than those 10" tablet flap thingies. IMO, of course. It's not as good in tablet mode, due to being bigger and heavier, but seems good enough. I suppose it depends on what you see the _primary _use as.


Hmmm. I think at the moment the tablet side would likely get more use, the keyboard would be more for just tapping out a few emails and doing basic (primary level) projects/writeups and so on.


----------



## editor (Jun 15, 2020)

Lenovo are doing great things in the Chromebook sector

The ThinkPad Flex 5 is picking up rave reviews: 
















						Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook review: Everyday champion - TalkAndroid.com
					

Lenovo's latest entry in the Chromebook market is the IdeaPad Flex 5. It promises a better experience than some cheaper Chromebooks thanks to a better design




					www.talkandroid.com
				




And the Duet is getting even more positive reviews














						Lenovo Chromebook Duet review: this has no business costing so little
					

Finally, a Chrome OS tablet you should actually buy




					www.theverge.com


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 15, 2020)

I can't actually think of enough use to justify one, but they look great for the price!


----------



## mack (Jun 15, 2020)

editor said:


> Lenovo are doing great things in the Chromebook sector
> 
> The ThinkPad Flex 5 is picking up rave reviews:
> 
> ...



Giving serious consideration to the i5 8gb version of the flex as my first foray into the world of chromebooks.

Just hope it's released sooner rather than later.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jun 15, 2020)

I'm tempted by that Duet thing.


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2020)

So the answer to the question: What's the best cheap Chromebook to buy?









						Lenovo C340 review: The best cheap Chromebook of 2020
					

If you want a $300-ish Chromebook, this is the one to buy




					www.androidpolice.com
				














£269, often cheaper if you shop around 




__





						Lenovo Chromebook C340-11 | 11" slim and fast Chromebook | Lenovo UK
					

Meet the Lenovo Chromebook C340-11 with Intel® processing




					www.lenovo.com


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2020)

And for your photo editing work:









						How to open and edit photos on a Chromebook
					

Chromebooks can edit photos just as easily as any laptop, especially if all you need to do is just crop a photo or tweak something you took on your phone. Here are just a few of the ...




					www.androidcentral.com
				












						Best Photo Editor For Chromebooks in 2022
					

Polarr Photo Editor is the best way to edit photos on your Chromebook. In fact, it's one of the best Chrome apps available and an example of just how good they can be done.




					www.androidcentral.com


----------



## Chz (Jun 22, 2020)

editor said:


> So the answer to the question: What's the best cheap Chromebook to buy?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My only complaint is that those chunky bezels make it bigger than you'd expect. But they have used that space on the other half to give a pretty good keyboard for a screen that size. Superb connectivity (2xUSB-A, 2x-USB-C) for a budget device.


----------



## editor (Jun 22, 2020)

Chz said:


> My only complaint is that those chunky bezels make it bigger than you'd expect. But they have used that space on the other half to give a pretty good keyboard for a screen that size. Superb connectivity (2xUSB-A, 2x-USB-C) for a budget device.


Yes. But a super fast, versatile laptop for £270? A Windows machine for that price would be an absolute dog!


----------



## likesfish (Jun 28, 2020)

I like my Chromebook as I use it for web surfing and writing it's fine.

Don't game on it or use other high power programmes .
Now if I could turn safe search off again thin s would be grand.


----------



## editor (Jun 29, 2020)

The Duet tablet is now available in the UK, pricier than expected.









						LENOVO IdeaPad Duet 10.1" 2 in 1 Chromebook - MediaTek P60T, 128 GB eMCP, Blue & Grey
					

Chrome OS; MediaTek P60T Processor; RAM: 4 GB / Storage: 128 GB eMCP; Full HD touchscreen; Battery life:  Up to 10 hours




					www.currys.co.uk


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 29, 2020)

editor said:


> The Duet tablet is now available in the UK, pricier than expected.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Oh bum.

Being out of work is no fun


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jun 29, 2020)

Aye - bit pricey


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2020)

If it's anywhere near as cheap as the US price then this is a bloody incredible bargain 











						Lenovo IdeaPad 3 review: The little ($169) Chromebook that could [Video]
					

When I drove down to our local Walmart to pick up my online order, I gotta be honest, I wasn't expecting much. For under $200, I don't recall very many Chromebooks that deliver any kind of real-world performance. I certainly can't think of any devices in that price range that I'd actually...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2020)

This is a better price for the Duet - £280










__





						IdeaPad Duet Chromebook | 2-in-1 Chromebook | Lenovo UK
					

Meet the IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, a 2-in-1 Chromebook for fun and business, with detachable full-sized keyboard.




					www.lenovo.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 6, 2020)

editor said:


> This is a better price for the Duet - £280
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Upgrading my iPad is becoming more and more unjustifiable (financially).

The frickin' _magic_ keyboard for iPad costs more that this unit complete. That seemed to be Lenovo's big statement in the US, this costs less than the iPad keyboard. [$279 vs $299, same here now in £ if you buy from Lenovo as above]

Different devices I know, I know - and I do like my iPad a lot.  I want to go and play with one of these Duets somewhere but no high street sellers seem to have them in stock/on shelf. (near me anyway)


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 6, 2020)

editor said:


> The Duet tablet is now available in the UK, pricier than expected.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ahhh, seems the price difference in this and the one Ed more recently linked to is the difference between the 64gb and the 128gb models - they don't seem to have the 128 in stock @ Lenovo atm.  Not expandable either this model so no sticking a micro sd in to triple your mileage.

Designed for cloud back up anyway so not too much of an issue - depending on how you use things of course.


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Ahhh, seems the price difference in this and the one Ed more recently linked to is the difference between the 64gb and the 128gb models - they don't seem to have the 128 in stock @ Lenovo atm.  Not expandable either this model so no sticking a micro sd in to triple your mileage.
> 
> Designed for cloud back up anyway so not too much of an issue - depending on how you use things of course.


The cheapo Asus Flip I've been using for 3 years has a miserly 16GB and if I wasn't using it for DJing and filling it up with Spotify files, it would be more than enough storage. I wish there was a newer 64GB version though. I'd buy it in an instant.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 6, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Ahhh, seems the price difference in this and the one Ed more recently linked to is the difference between the 64gb and the 128gb models - they don't seem to have the 128 in stock @ Lenovo atm.  Not expandable either this model so no sticking a micro sd in to triple your mileage.
> 
> Designed for cloud back up anyway so not too much of an issue - depending on how you use things of course.



My Chromebook doesn't have a SD slot either. I got a super slim line large USB stick which does the same job.




			https://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Ultra-Flash-Drive-Read/dp/B07855LJ99/ref=asc_df_B07855LJ99/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310829205597&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10969691515592114205&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007118&hvtargid=pla-420863762609&psc=1&th=1


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2020)

I set up my friend's  ASUS Chromebook C523 yesterday. Well, I say 'set up' but with Chromebooks it takes a few minutes and he was ready to go.
It's an amazing looking machine for the price. The screen is huge!


----------



## sideboob (Jul 17, 2020)

Help!.  Can someone reccomend a free Word or Word-like app. to use with chromebook.  I only need to do really basic like flyers.  TIA


----------



## chandlerp (Jul 17, 2020)

It's a chromebook, surely you would use Google Docs for that?









						Google Docs: Online Document Editor | Google Workspace
					

Use Google Docs to create, and collaborate on online documents. Edit together with secure sharing in real-time and from any device.




					www.google.co.uk


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2020)

sideboob said:


> Help!.  Can someone reccomend a free Word or Word-like app. to use with chromebook.  I only need to do really basic like flyers.  TIA


Google Docs is every bit as good (I prefer it actually), but you can use Office: How to run Microsoft Office on Chromebook?.
Most Chromebooks let you download Android apps and there's loads of design apps in the store.

My advice: use photopea - it's as good as Photoshop and totally free 




__





						Photopea | Online Photo Editor
					

Photopea Online Photo Editor lets you edit photos, apply effects, filters, add text, crop or resize pictures. Do Online Photo Editing in your browser for free!




					www.photopea.com


----------



## sideboob (Jul 17, 2020)

Thanks all for the advice.  I`m new to chromebook, coming from Windows7 so still trying to figure everything out.  Will try Google Docs, but should I watch tutorial first or is it fairly self explanetory?.


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2020)

sideboob said:


> Thanks all for the advice.  I`m new to chromebook, coming from Windows7 so still trying to figure everything out.  Will try Google Docs, but should I watch tutorial first or is it fairly self explanetory?.


It's a lot like Word really. 

What Chromebook have you got and what kind of flyers do you need to design?

Here's a good online tool




__





						Vectr - Free Online Vector Graphics Editor
					

Free vector graphics editor. A simple yet powerful web and desktop cross-platform tool for everyone.




					vectr.com
				












						How to get Photoshop on a Chromebook
					

Want to edit images on a Chrome OS computer? Here is a quick look at how to get Photoshop on Chromebooks! It isn't easy, but it's possible!




					www.androidauthority.com
				




There's loads of Android apps that make it really easy 








						Poster Maker Flyer Maker - Apps on Google Play
					

Make a poster with poster maker. 10000+ graphic design templates. Quick & Easy.




					play.google.com
				











						Flyer Maker & Poster Creator - Apps on Google Play
					

Free Flyer Maker & Poster Creator for Graphic Design. 5000+ templates.




					play.google.com


----------



## sideboob (Jul 17, 2020)

editor said:


> What Chromebook have you got and what kind of flyers do you need to design?


Acer 15 chromebook, purchased a few months ago.    Most of the stuff I make is clipart with some script, I have no computer skills 😦
Thats a good selection of apps, should keep me busy for a while.

Thanks again for the  quick reply.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 17, 2020)

Have always brought cheap ones (which have been fine) but at some point soon I will need one with more clout for things like Photoshop and video editing and generally just more clout. Any recommendations?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 17, 2020)

Badgers said:


> Have always brought cheap ones (which have been fine) but at some point soon I will need one with more clout for things like Photoshop and video editing and generally just more clout. Any recommendations?



Whislt its possible to do this on a chromebook (How to get Photoshop on a Chromebook?) I can't help but think if your paying proper money, buy a different tool for the job.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 17, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Whislt its possible to do this on a chromebook (How to get Photoshop on a Chromebook?) I can't help but think if your paying proper money, buy a different tool for the job.


Think so? Am not adverse to that. Would want Windows not Apple though. 

Guess there is a lot of choice there?


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2020)

Badgers said:


> Think so? Am not adverse to that. Would want Windows not Apple though.
> 
> Guess there is a lot of choice there?


What's your budget and what kind of video editing/Photoshoppery do you need? For basic stuff PhotoPea is near identical to earlier versions of Photoshop. If you're after heavy duty video editing, I wouldn't recommend a Chromebook.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 17, 2020)

editor said:


> What's your budget and what kind of video editing/Photoshoppery do you need? For basic stuff PhotoPea is near identical to earlier versions of Photoshop. If you're after heavy duty video editing, I wouldn't recommend a Chromebook.


Cheers Ed. I need to some stuff with design agency. They are using Photoshop so want to work on that. Also am going to be editing (HD) filming of seminars and such for upload to websites and YouTube. 

Generally just doing more media work to complement event content. Also it would be nice to have a machine that could stream HD content like sports and films on the laptop rather than my currently buffering Dell laptop or £200 Chromebook. 

Budget is flexible but would rather keep it £500 or close to if possible


----------



## Chz (Jul 17, 2020)

Editing video is still pretty beastly in its requirements and there are very few good software options (all Windows/Mac, to my knowledge). It's one of the few things where I wouldn't even think of a Chromebook.

It's not even something where it's easy to get by with a £500 laptop. You _need_ a decent sized SSD, and a quad core CPU would be nice. Cheapest thing I saw on the Currys site was £529: HP 14s-dq1504sa 14" Laptop - Intel® Core™ i5, 256 GB SSD, Silver


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2020)

Badgers said:


> Cheers Ed. I need to some stuff with design agency. They are using Photoshop so want to work on that. Also am going to be editing (HD) filming of seminars and such for upload to websites and YouTube.


Ah, then a Chromebook is not for you! Get a s/hand Thinkpad (there's a thread dedicated to Windows machines in this forum) - ask there.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 17, 2020)

Chz said:


> Editing video is still pretty beastly in its requirements and there are very few good software options (all Windows/Mac, to my knowledge). It's one of the few things where I wouldn't even think of a Chromebook.
> 
> It's not even something where it's easy to get by with a £500 laptop. You _need_ a decent sized SSD, and a quad core CPU would be nice. Cheapest thing I saw on the Currys site was £529: HP 14s-dq1504sa 14" Laptop - Intel® Core™ i5, 256 GB SSD, Silver


Cheers Chz that sounds reasonable to me. I could go a bit higher with the budget. Would rather not of course but would prefer a machine that lasts a couple or few years at least. 


editor said:


> Ah, then a Chromebook is not for you! Get a s/hand Thinkpad (there's a thread dedicated to Windows machines in this forum) - ask there.


Could be good. I have some funding for this and they want a receipt and warranty and such. Know I can get this with a refurbished model but if being paid for I might as well get a new model. 

Should take this to the laptop recommendations thread


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 17, 2020)

Silly question maybe Badgers but does it have to be a laptop? You can get much more powerful machines for the money if you don't and they don't even have to be that large. Obviously useless if you do need to carry it around, but the cheap chromebook and an old but fairly powerful desktop as a as a combo works best for me and the total price is still less then I'd have paid for a top spec laptop.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 17, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Silly question maybe Badgers but does it have to be a laptop? You can get much more powerful machines for the money if you don't and they don't even have to be that large. Obviously useless if you do need to carry it around, but the cheap chromebook and an old but fairly powerful desktop as a as a combo works best for me and the total price is still less then I'd have paid for a top spec laptop.


Yeah. Needs to be a laptop. Design agency in London SE1, employer in Brighton and events in ExCel. Also at the shows I run it is usually 5-7 days at the venue + in a hotel.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 17, 2020)

Badgers said:


> Yeah. Needs to be a laptop. Design agency in London SE1, employer in Brighton and events in ExCel. Also at the shows I run it is usually 5-7 days at the venue + in a hotel.



Fair. The new AMD chips are supposed to be great. How about ones of these with a Ryzen 7 and 16gb if the budget would stretch that far? 





__





						IdeaPad 5 (14",AMD) | 14" powerful and affordable laptop | Lenovo UK
					

The IdeaPad 5 (14",AMD) brings you more for less, by blending affordability and luxury with sleek design and feel, Dolby Audio™, and powerful AMD® processing options.




					www.lenovo.com


----------



## Chz (Jul 17, 2020)

Yeah, the downside to the new Ryzen 4000 series is that I haven't seen an R5 or better for under £600. And the old 3000-series had some downsides that made Intel a better bet in the laptop space. 

The problem with video editing is that there's really no limit to "more is better". I reckon you can _get by_ with 8GB and quad core (which is just at your budget), but 16GB and 6 or 8 cores is even better and budget-blowing.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 17, 2020)

Chz said:


> Yeah, the downside to the new Ryzen 4000 series is that I haven't seen an R5 or better for under £600. And the old 3000-series had some downsides that made Intel a better bet in the laptop space.
> 
> The problem with video editing is that there's really no limit to "more is better". I reckon you can _get by_ with 8GB and quad core (which is just at your budget), but 16GB and 6 or 8 cores is even better and budget-blowing.



Yeah that one I linked to comes out at £650 with 16gb and if I was spending that much I'd probably want to blow another 40 on a R7.

That said Badgers hasn't said how hardcore his video editing is. I've managed to do some short films for my partners business just using phone footage from my PC and I've done it on a 4th gen i5 desktop and it hasn't really broken a sweat. Obviously if I was marking a Hollywood blockbuster it would be a different story


----------



## sideboob (Jul 18, 2020)

editor said:


> It's a lot like Word really.
> 
> What Chromebook have you got and what kind of flyers do you need to design?
> 
> ...



Tried Google Docs but ended up using the Flyers and Posters app on google play.  Very simple to use with great results.  Good recomendation


----------



## Threshers_Flail (Jul 26, 2020)

Quick question! I have an Acer R11 and I'm having issues using Zoom/Skype. I've always put it down to the dodgy internet connection in my house but was wondering whether part of the problem could be the CPU struggling with the larger calls? Anyone else have such issues or should I get onto my broadband provider?


----------



## editor (Jul 26, 2020)

Threshers_Flail said:


> Quick question! I have an Acer R11 and I'm having issues using Zoom/Skype. I've always put it down to the dodgy internet connection in my house but was wondering whether part of the problem could be the CPU struggling with the larger calls? Anyone else have such issues or should I get onto my broadband provider?


It should be able to handle it OK but have you tried making the calls with your phone or another PC? 

This may possibly help 8 Ways to Speed up your Chromebook (Guaranteed!) - 2020 | Platypus Platypus


----------



## Threshers_Flail (Jul 26, 2020)

editor said:


> It should be able to handle it OK but have you tried making the calls with your phone or another PC?
> 
> This may possibly help 8 Ways to Speed up your Chromebook (Guaranteed!) - 2020 | Platypus Platypus



Thanks that's really useful.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 27, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Fair. The new AMD chips are supposed to be great. How about ones of these with a Ryzen 7 and 16gb if the budget would stretch that far?
> 
> 
> 
> ...








						Ideapad Laptops & Ultrabooks | Lenovo UK
					

Explore Lenovo IdeaPad Laptops & Ultrabooks with wide range of leading-edge designs featuring latest processor, graphics, display, and audio technology.




					www.lenovo.com
				




Ideapad 5 sounds okay for now at least but that link is dead. Sorry to be a techidiot but is there a link to another around £650 from a UK retailer or an alternative model on the Lenovo website guys?


----------



## Badgers (Jul 27, 2020)

The only ones I can find are 8GB


----------



## editor (Jul 27, 2020)

When I get a minute I'll shunt these Windows laptops posts into an appropriate forum.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 27, 2020)

editor said:


> When I get a minute I'll shunt these Windows laptops posts into an appropriate forum.


Sorry mate, was following the flow


----------



## Badgers (Jul 27, 2020)

Let me know where that is when time allows


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 27, 2020)

Collabora Office for Chromebooks.
From the people who did Libre office.









						Collabora Office available on Chromebooks
					

Collabora Office, now running on Chromebooks, gives users a richly featured office app respecting users digital rights and privacy.




					www.collaboraoffice.com


----------



## editor (Jul 27, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Collabora Office for Chromebooks.
> From the people who did Libre office.
> 
> 
> ...


Handy for those trying to escape the data hugging clutches of Google.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 27, 2020)

editor said:


> Handy for those trying to escape the data hugging clutches of Google.



Aye - or the WiFi bereft - away from home, etc.


----------



## editor (Aug 2, 2020)

Argos is currently offering the 64GB Chromebook Duet tablet for £279.99  Bargain-tastic!








						Buy Lenovo 10in MediaTek 4GB 64GB 2-in-1 Convertable Chromebook | Chromebooks | Argos
					

Buy Lenovo 10in MediaTek 4GB 64GB 2-in-1 Convertable Chromebook at Argos. Thousands of products for same day delivery £3.95, or fast store collection.




					www.argos.co.uk


----------



## editor (Aug 2, 2020)

Big listing of all the Chromebook shortcuts 



> Tab shortcuts: *Ctrl + T* opens a new tab, *Ctrl + Shift + T* reopens the last closed tab, and *Ctrl + W* closes the currently selected tab.
> Options menu: *Alt + E* open options menu, the three-dot menu in Google Chrome and Google Files. This shortcut does not work in Android apps.
> Cursor selection and movement: *Shift + arrow keys* selects text in the direction you move the cursor, and *Ctrl + arrow keys* moves the cursor one word to the left or right or to the beginning of the line above or below. Using _Shift + Ctrl + arrow keys*_ allows you to select larger portions of text quickly.
> Screenshot: *Ctrl + Overview (the button that looks like a stack of windows)* takes a screenshot of your current full Chromebook screen, and whether you need this for capturing the result you got on a web quiz, how a homework module is misbehaving, or capturing something funny that someone said in a group chat, it's an essential shortcut to know.
> ...











						20 Chromebook keyboard shortcuts every student should know
					

They're like cheat codes for your homework.




					www.androidcentral.com


----------



## Badgers (Aug 9, 2020)

Chromebook Users Exclusive Deals - Claim 3 month Free Disney Plus, 100GB Google One and 100GB of Dropbox - hotukdeals
					

If you are a Chromebook user log into the above link with your Google Chromebook credentials and you see a number of exclusive offers.Currently they are offerin




					www.hotukdeals.com


----------



## editor (Aug 18, 2020)

This may be of interest to some 









						NVIDIA GeForce NOW is finally available on Chromebooks
					

It's been a long time coming and, frankly, I'd shelved it as a 'may never happen' scenario, but as of 9am EST this morning, NVIDIA GeForce NOW actually works on Chromebooks, completely via the web, and far - FAR - better than I would have initially expected it to. Just yesterday, NVIDIA teased...




					chromeunboxed.com
				












						I just played 3 flawless rounds of Fortnite on my Chromebook with the GeForce NOW Android App
					

A few months back when NVidia took the wraps off of GeForce NOW and offered it to the public, I signed up immediately. I've had the Shield TV for a long time and have always been impressed by the streaming game quality available through the Android TV app. As a matter of fact, that service...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## editor (Aug 19, 2020)

Here it is


----------



## editor (Aug 29, 2020)

Lenovo Duet vs iPad









						Which hybrid tablet is best for the back-to-school crowd?
					

Hybrid tablets can save your life on campus, but which is right for you?




					mashable.com


----------



## Aladdin (Sep 24, 2020)

Can youtube be disabled in a chromebook? 
Asking for a teacher
😁


----------



## editor (Sep 24, 2020)

Sugar Kane said:


> Can youtube be disabled in a chromebook?
> Asking for a teacher
> 😁








__





						How to block Youtube from my daughters Chromebook - Chromebook Community
					





					support.google.com


----------



## Aladdin (Sep 24, 2020)

editor said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks 👍


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 30, 2020)

editor said:


> Argos is currently offering the 64GB Chromebook Duet tablet for £279.99  Bargain-tastic!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Same price @ John Lewis but with a* 3 *year warranty at the moment.




__





						Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey
					

Buy Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.



					www.johnlewis.com
				




seen on HUKD


----------



## mack (Oct 3, 2020)

Ordered an Acer 713 from currys - hoping to pick up today - can't wait to finally sell my entire soul to google 😁


----------



## editor (Oct 3, 2020)

Possibly of interest to some:


*



			My favorite sketching app is Artflow.
		
Click to expand...

*


> For me, this mimics most of the features I used to use on my Windows PC with Photoshop for sketching and painting. It has layers, layer adjustments, a color wheel, a slick size and thickness slider for your pencil or brush and the entire layout feels very familiar, yet simple. *Artflow (and Infinite Painter, to name a few) can also open and edit Photoshop Document files (PSD!)* Having used Photoshop for many years, this felt like a natural fit.
> 
> Sketchbook Pro is another app with similar functionality and is provided by Autodesk. If you’re looking to hand painted or acrylic art, smart shapes or just a well-rounded piece of software, you may want to check out Infinite Painter. Google has also gone through great lengths to partner with this app’s developer for promotional advertisement with Chromebooks. Though these are among the best, there are thousands of apps available on the Google Play Store. We won’t be talking much about Krita or Linux art software today as those deserve their very own discussion.
> 
> One incredible, new app which uses smart shapes and has a great set of brushes, not to mention a really cool color wheel animation, is Concepts. If you’re a parent, a lot of children like to use MediBang to create anime or cartoon style pieces, though the app is not exclusively used by that age group. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention here that Photoshop Sketch was also available, but for some reason, I haven’t really cared much for it compared to the others I’ve mentioned. Like I said, everyone has their preferences!














						The artist’s guide to sketching and drawing on a Chromebook
					

Chromebooks have evolved a lot over the past few years and along with them, users have too. Having once simply used Google's laptops for data entry and web browsing, many people are now getting comfortable with them and want to explore new ways that they can fit into their technological...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 3, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Aye - or the WiFi bereft - away from home, etc.



Yes. I'm not that fussed about Google having my data. I do on the other hand find this a pain from time to time.


----------



## mack (Oct 3, 2020)

Absolutely loving this chromebook, the speed, the screen, the keyboard, the trackpad (i usually hate them) - the way it can hook up to your phone easily.

At work at the moment so can't try out everything but looking forward to seeing whats possible!

Will be testing the dodgy footie streams later


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 5, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Same price @ John Lewis but with a* 3 *year warranty at the moment.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



...and a possible £20 off your spend if you follow these instructions

*£20 off £120 spend - My John Lewis offer @ John Lewis & Partners*









						John Lewis Discount Code ➡️ Get £60 Off, October 2022 | 93 Deals
					

John Lewis discount codes & deals for October 2022 ▶️ Verified and tested UK voucher codes ☑️ Get the best price and save money - hotukdeals.




					www.hotukdeals.com


----------



## souljacker (Oct 6, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Same price @ John Lewis but with a* 3 *year warranty at the moment.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I need to get one for my kid. This looks ace. I assume it can do all the google play stuff?


----------



## editor (Oct 6, 2020)

souljacker said:


> I need to get one for my kid. This looks ace. I assume it can do all the google play stuff?


Yep. Most apps work with Chromebooks but it might be worth double checking if there's one your kid particularly wants to use/play.


----------



## Chz (Oct 6, 2020)

Yeah, there are some that refuse to play with Chromebooks due to market segregation. I'm looking at you, Minecraft.
(You can play Minecraft Java by unlocking the Linux subsystem, but it disables parental controls to do so)


----------



## editor (Oct 6, 2020)

Chz said:


> Yeah, there are some that refuse to play with Chromebooks due to market segregation. I'm looking at you, Minecraft.
> (You can play Minecraft Java by unlocking the Linux subsystem, but it disables parental controls to do so)


I know zero about  Minecraft but would this be any use




__





						Minecraft Education for Chromebook | Minecraft Education Edition
					

Use Minecraft Education for Chromebooks to unlock a new way to learn in class. Schools can now use Chromebooks to provide immersive learning for grades K-12.,Use Minecraft Education for Chromebooks to unlock a new way to learn in class. Schools can now use Chromebooks to provide immersive...




					education.minecraft.net
				




and if anyone wants to do the Java thing you mentioned









						How to Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook
					

Learn how to install and play Minecraft on Chromebook in this guide. You do not require Developer Mode to install Minecraft in Chrome OS.




					beebom.com


----------



## Chz (Oct 6, 2020)

Oh now that is new and helpful. Thanks!


----------



## cybershot (Oct 7, 2020)

Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Oct 7, 2020)

cybershot said:


> Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?


Yes, there’s an app to download from the Chrome store


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 7, 2020)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Yes, there’s an app to download from the Chrome store











						How to Use Zoom on a Chromebook With Our New Progressive Web App (PWA)
					

Here are step-by-step instructions and tips for teachers and students to best download, join, and use Zoom on a Chromebook.




					blog.zoom.us
				






cybershot said:


> Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?



It ran fine on mine earlier this year - no longer have a Chromebook


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 7, 2020)

cybershot said:


> Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?



I've not been able to get the sound to play nice. I'm sure I'll get there, but I just used something else at the time. So it's worth checking it works properly before hand.


----------



## cybershot (Oct 7, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I've not been able to get the sound to play nice. I'm sure I'll get there, but I just used something else at the time. So it's worth checking it works properly before hand.



thanks. Yeah we have a corporate license at work so I’ll set up a test one with her on Friday.


----------



## editor (Oct 12, 2020)

mack said:


> Absolutely loving this chromebook, the speed, the screen, the keyboard, the trackpad (i usually hate them) - the way it can hook up to your phone easily.
> 
> At work at the moment so can't try out everything but looking forward to seeing whats possible!
> 
> Will be testing the dodgy footie streams later


How are you getting on with it now? This reviewer seemed to like it








						Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review: High-end performance for entirely too cheap
					

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is one of the best and most affordable high-performance Chrome OS devices, perfect for developers and power users.




					9to5google.com
				




Elsewhere, the Lenovo C340 11.6" remains the go-to option for a small, cheapo CBook. 








						Lenovo Chromebook C340 (11.6") review: This pretty laptop is practically perfect for the price
					

Want a Chromebook that looks good, can keep up with you when you’re in the middle of a manic Monday morning shift, and will last for years to come? Meet the new best Chromebook: the ...




					www.androidcentral.com


----------



## mack (Oct 12, 2020)

editor said:


> How are you getting on with it now? This reviewer seemed to like it



Lovin it!

So some things to note - the wifi 6 seems much more stable at home and work - and actually getting 200mb speeds - my old laptop was topping out about >100.
I've enabled linux so that I could use a few apps such as soulseek and bittorrent, this was pretty easy to do.

The bundled video and music players are pretty shit - some I've downloaded mx/vlc players.

Its easy to connect to my Synology box via smb file sharing.

The only thing i'm still working out is how I'm going to sort my music library. The current set up was a copy on my synology linked to Sonos, then a copy on my win laptop using musicbee to sort and a further copy on my phone all synced to each other.

I've been testing an sd card in the chromebook and using poweramp but there is a known issue with the card mounting/dismounting itself randomly.  So i'm still thinking this one through.


----------



## editor (Oct 12, 2020)

If I decide to upgrade my Chromebook, this is definitely on my list: 



















						New ThinkPad™ C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise™ Delivers Premium Distinctive Style with Chrome OS Agility - Lenovo StoryHub
					

The ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise is a portable, efficiency boosting laptop with the cloud-based simplicity offered by Google® Chrome Enterprise.




					news.lenovo.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 13, 2020)

editor said:


> If I decide to upgrade my Chromebook, this is definitely on my list:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Mine too now.

Blimey.  Looks great.

I went from a Chromebook to a ThinkPad and I just love the keyboard, so much so I sent two Chromebooks back because I couldn't stand the keyboards after being spoilt by the ThinkPad..

Prices always come into the mix, be interesting to see how close it is to the US pricing.

/Creates Google alert


----------



## chilango (Oct 13, 2020)

Missed out on a Prime Day deal to pick up an Acer 311 touchscreen.

Any other deals out there for c.£200 or less?


----------



## editor (Oct 28, 2020)

For you Office users



> Within the next two weeks, Google will begin rolling out a feature that is long overdue – Office files will now _automatically_ open in ‘Office Editing Mode’ by default on the web! Office Editing Mode allows you to work on Microsoft Office files directly in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Drawings without converting them and retains their formatting nicely too. It also comes with an expanded set of tools for manipulating the document and the ability to collaborate in real-time with others while auto-saving after each keystroke.











						At long last, Google is fixing the biggest reason people return their Chromebooks
					

Within the next two weeks, Google will begin rolling out a feature that is long overdue - Office files will now automatically open in 'Office Editing Mode' by default on the web! Office Editing Mode allows you to work on Microsoft Office files directly in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## editor (Oct 28, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Mine too now.
> 
> Blimey.  Looks great.
> 
> ...


A bit more about the ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook.











1. USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C (power in)
2. 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A
3. Headphone / mic combo
4. MicroSD card reader
5. Speaker
6. Speaker
7. Power button
8. Volume toggle
9. HDMI 2.0
10. USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C
11. Kensington lock slot
12. Optional garaged pen



> Like all ThinkPad laptops, the C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise is tested against 12 military-grade requirements and more than 200 quality checks. From the Arctic wilderness to desert dust storms, from zero-gravity to spills and drops, you can trust these laptops to handle whatever life throws your way.











						Lenovo’s new AMD-powered ThinkPad C13 Yoga comes with yet another first for Chromebooks
					

Earlier this month, Lenovo unveiled their new Chromebook geared towards the enterprise in the ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook. It is - as the name implies - a convertible laptop in the ThinkPad family that comes equipped with some standout, unique features for the Chrome OS ecosystem. Just as we...




					chromeunboxed.com
				












__





						ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook | Enterprise 2 in 1 Laptop
					

Buy the Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise for 2 in 1 for business. AMD Processor, 360-degree flexibility & cloud-based manageability. FREE SHIPPING.



					www.lenovo.com
				




Consider my appetite whetted! (unless the price is sky high). Update: this site says: " The device will cost $579 in the US, putting it in a pretty affordable price-class. "








						First business chromebook in blue: The Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook
					

Chromebooks with Google's ChromeOS have been enjoying some popularity in the education sector. It seems that Google is making inroads in the business sector as well now, as some companies transition to the simpler Google OS. Lenovo's answer to this development: The new ThinkPad C13 Chromebook...




					www.notebookcheck.net


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 12, 2020)

editor said:


> For you Office users
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Now that is handy.


----------



## sideboob (Nov 13, 2020)

Internet/wifi trouble.            For the 3rd time this week my chromebook is suddenly unable to connect to the net.  The previous 2 times a powerwash seemed to fix it, temporarily obviously.  Running diagnostics tells me the following.  Any ideas or suggestions welcome at this point


----------



## editor (Nov 13, 2020)

sideboob said:


> Internet/wifi trouble.            For the 3rd time this week my chromebook is suddenly unable to connect to the net.  The previous 2 times a powerwash seemed to fix it, temporarily obviously.  Running diagnostics tells me the following.  Any ideas or suggestions welcome at this point
> View attachment 238629View attachment 238631
> View attachment 238632


Are you connecting to the same wi-fi? Is the CBook updated?


----------



## sideboob (Nov 13, 2020)

editor said:


> Are you connecting to the same wi-fi? Id the CBook updated?


I was connecting to the one in the photo ending in 17-g.  I`m now connected to one ending in 17-a on the same rounter.  I believe it was updated when I powerwashed it last.  Is there a way to check for updates?.   Thanks.


----------



## editor (Nov 13, 2020)

sideboob said:


> I was connecting to the one in the photo ending in 17-g.  I`m now connected to one ending in 17-a on the same rounter.  I believe it was updated when I powerwashed it last.  Is there a way to check for updates?.   Thanks.


You need to try and connect to a different router first to eliminate that.


----------



## sideboob (Nov 13, 2020)

Thanks for that.  I`ll try to connect to the net when I get home.


----------



## AnnO'Neemus (Nov 14, 2020)

chilango said:


> Missed out on a Prime Day deal to pick up an Acer 311 touchscreen.
> 
> Any other deals out there for c.£200 or less?


Asus Chromebook £199 in this list of Black Friday deals.









						These are the best laptop deals that are on the internet right now
					

Shop the best laptop deals for 2022. From Apple MacBooks to Chromebooks, gaming laptops and more.  Find out how to get the best laptop deals and how much you need to pay for your laptop.




					www.hellomagazine.com


----------



## tony.c (Nov 17, 2020)

I have an Acer Chromebook 14. Is there a printer, preferably with scanner, that can be easily connected?


----------



## editor (Nov 17, 2020)

tony.c said:


> I have an Acer Chromebook 14. Is there a printer, preferably with scanner, that can be easily connected?


Would be easiest to get a wireless printer otherwise just plug any one in and you should be fine. 








						How to print from a Chromebook
					

Directions on how to print wirelessly using a Chromebook




					www.theverge.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 23, 2020)

__





						Print from Chrome - Computer - Google Chrome Help
					

You can print from Chrome with your computer or mobile device. Migrate from Cloud Print Google Cloud Print will be deprecated in December 2020. Before the end of 2020: We recommend that you find



					support.google.com
				




"Google Cloud Print, Google's cloud-based printing solution will no longer be supported as of 31 December 2020. Beginning 1 January 2021, devices across all operating systems will not be able to print using Cloud Print. We recommend that you find an alternative print solution with your respective platform's printing infrastructure."


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 23, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's a bit shit of Google. Especially as they are sold as so easy to use.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 6, 2020)

Chromebook 2 in 1 tablet deal @ Currys

£349  for  LENOVO IdeaPad Duet 10.1" 2 in 1 Chromebook & JBL Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones Bundle - MediaTek P60T, 128 GB eMCP, Blue & Grey









						LENOVO IdeaPad Duet 10.1" 2 in 1 Chromebook & Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones Bundle - MediaTek P60T, 128 GB eMCP, Blue & Grey
					

Chrome OS; MediaTek P60T Processor; RAM: 4 GB / Storage: 128 GB eMCP; Full HD touchscreen; Battery life:  Up to 10 hours




					www.currys.co.uk
				



.

Seen on *Techradar*


----------



## souljacker (Dec 6, 2020)

Throbbing Angel said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...



FFS Google. They are seemingly on a mission to drop all the stuff I really like about Google/Android.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 6, 2020)

How much do you guys actually print?


----------



## souljacker (Dec 8, 2020)

Do chromebooks work okay with wireless mice? Daughter wants an external mouse for hers so I was going to go wireless. Any recommendations?


----------



## Badgers (Dec 8, 2020)

souljacker said:


> Do chromebooks work okay with wireless mice? Daughter wants an external mouse for hers so I was going to go wireless. Any recommendations?


Mine is fine with any Bluetooth mouse


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 8, 2020)

souljacker said:


> Do chromebooks work okay with wireless mice? Daughter wants an external mouse for hers so I was going to go wireless. Any recommendations?



Had a few cheap generic ones for my Dad and they all seem to work.


----------



## cybershot (Dec 16, 2020)

This is a really great tool. Hopefully it now doesn’t end up in the google graveyard in a couple of years time.









						Google acquires CloudReady OS that turns old PCs into Chromebooks w/ plans to make official offering
					

Neverware lets you turn old PCs and Macs into Chromebook-esque devices through its CloudReady OS. Google acquires CloudReady OS...




					9to5google.com


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 17, 2020)

I see that Google have acquired Cloud Ready OS, which enables you to put Chrome OS on other computers. I won't be rushing to run it on my desktop, but can certainly see its use.









						Google acquires CloudReady OS that turns old PCs into Chromebooks w/ plans to make official offering
					

Neverware lets you turn old PCs and Macs into Chromebook-esque devices through its CloudReady OS. Google acquires CloudReady OS...




					9to5google.com


----------



## Chz (Dec 17, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I see that Google have acquired Cloud Ready OS, which enables you to put Chrome OS on other computers. I won't be rushing to run it on my desktop, but can certainly see its use.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Did you see it "Yesterday at 3:48 AM"?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Dec 17, 2020)




----------



## editor (Dec 17, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I see that Google have acquired Cloud Ready OS, which enables you to put Chrome OS on other computers. I won't be rushing to run it on my desktop, but can certainly see its use.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Be perfect for old Windows laptops.


----------



## mack (Dec 17, 2020)

Can honestly say in the 2 months or so of Chromebook use that I've only needed to fire up the doze laptop twice.


----------



## editor (Dec 19, 2020)

Good price for a great laptop! 






						Laptops - Cheap Laptop Deals | Currys
					

Take advantage of amazing deals on our Laptops range here at Currys. Shop online and get free delivery or order & collect in store.




					www.currys.co.uk


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Dec 20, 2020)

mack said:


> Can honestly say in the 2 months or so of Chromebook use that I've only needed to fire up the doze laptop twice.


I found the exact same


----------



## editor (Jan 9, 2021)

This looks a nice one - coming soon


----------



## Chz (Jan 10, 2021)

It's a nice device and all, but Samsung still want to charge ~$500 for a Celeron with 4GB. There's no end of Chromebooks at that spec level that are _half_ the price, and clever design only goes so far.

Though I suppose it looks like a steal compared to their last $1000 Chromebook.


----------



## mack (Jan 10, 2021)

editor said:


> This looks a nice one - coming soon




Looks nice but I'd be wary buying it on release - the last one they did had such shite battery life according to some.


----------



## editor (Jan 10, 2021)

mack said:


> Looks nice but I'd be wary buying it on release - the last one they did had such shite battery life according to some.


I'm more interested  the Thinkpad one, tbh.


----------



## editor (Jan 14, 2021)

Pretty hefty discount here. £399 for the cheaper model 









> You can currently pick for either a Core i3 or Core i5 Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM and take £150.00 off of the retail price. That brings the Core i5, 8GB/128GB model with the 300 nit display down to a very reasonable £499.00. If that deal isn’t sweet enough for you, Curry’s is also throwing in a sleek Lenovo backpack and wireless mouse to use with your snazzy new Chromebook. The bag retails for around $22 here in the states but it is a nice looking backpack that will protect your new investment. The wireless mouse uses a USB dongle to instantly pair with your Chromebook or any other PC you hook it up to and that’s the kind of peripherals we like.











						UK Deals: £150.00 off of the Core i5/8GB Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook
					

Earlier this week, I received a Facebook message from a reader in the UK who was looking for the best deal on a Chromebook in the €500 - €600 range. I nearly had to admit defeat as most of the premium Chromebooks in the United Kingdom are priced so high that they simply aren't worth...




					chromeunboxed.com
				










						- Cheap Deals | Currys PC World
					






					www.currys.co.uk


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 21, 2021)

Not really in the spirit of Chromebooks, but.....

I've been impressed by how light weight and well made my little Acer is with excellent battery and good 1080p screen. When ever I've looked at getting something similar in a Windows/Linux format, they cost much much more. However they can be quite be quite limiting and it's good to have a proper OS to use sometimes. I've been banished from our spare room/office as my OH is working from home and I'm trying to study. We don't have room for a full second desktop set up in the house, but I recently scored a cheap as chips i7 desktop from ebay.

I'm using the remote desktop app into from the comfort of the sofa and it now feels like I'm using a pretty high end laptop.


----------



## Orang Utan (Jan 22, 2021)

Anyone know why you can’t watch NowTV on a Chromebook?


----------



## BoxRoom (Jan 22, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> Anyone know why you can’t watch NowTV on a Chromebook?


Because NowTV is a pile of bollocks. It looks like this is a long running issue.


----------



## Orang Utan (Jan 22, 2021)

BoxRoom said:


> Because NowTV is a pile of bollocks. It looks like this is a long running issue.


It’s great on my PS4 but don’t see why I’m not allowed to watch it on my laptop


----------



## BoxRoom (Jan 22, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> It’s great on my PS4 but don’t see why I’m not allowed to watch it on my laptop


Annoying, innit!


----------



## fishfinger (Jan 22, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> It’s great on my PS4 but don’t see why I’m not allowed to watch it on my laptop


Have you downloaded the NowTV windows app?
Otherwise it's probably due to Digital Rights Management.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jan 22, 2021)

fishfinger said:


> Have you downloaded the NowTV windows app?
> Otherwise it's probably due to Digital Rights Management.


Can't do that on a Chromebook, alas.


----------



## fishfinger (Jan 22, 2021)

BoxRoom said:


> Can't do that on a Chromebook, alas.


That's DRM for you


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 22, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> Anyone know why you can’t watch NowTV on a Chromebook?



Give us a clue.  Any errors, what does it do/not do.  I used to have a Chromebook and I am sure I watched TV from various places on it including NowTV.
Might be a memory fail, though.


----------



## Orang Utan (Jan 22, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Give us a clue.  Any errors, what does it do/not do.  I used to have a Chromebook and I am sure I watched TV from various places on it including NowTV.
> Might be a memory fail, though.


It just won’t play. It’s not a fault or an error.


----------



## fishfinger (Jan 22, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> It just won’t play. It’s not a fault or an error.


It won't play on the Chromebook because NowTV don't support it. You'll have to use your PS4 or a Windows machine using the NowTV app.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 22, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> It just won’t play. It’s not a fault or an error.



from What devices can I use to watch NOW TV?
"*Not supported at the moment: *Chromebook"

Dunno if that's just the Chrome Browser or the devices themselves.  It will also stop working on Win10/8 devices soon unless they download a NowTV player

which is what the app fishfinger  mentions above is, I suppose.


----------



## editor (Jan 26, 2021)

Handy for artists and only $70











						Introducing the One by Wacom – the first fully compatible graphics tablet for Chromebooks
					

If you recall in my article titled 'The artist's guide to sketching and drawing on a Chromebook', I drove home the point that Wacom's graphics tablets weren't able to be used with Chromebooks due to their reliance on software drivers which were only compatible with Windows and macOS. Instead...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 26, 2021)

*Medium *size tablet is £49.99 and *Small *is currently £35.99 at Wacom UK.  My daughter may be interested in these so I've had a look.

Annoyingly the more expensive is 1p under their free shipping spend  but the checkout says that UPS standard is£0.00 




Just in case you needed to know.


----------



## editor (Jan 27, 2021)

I'd like one please. Thank you. 



It's not cheap - £620 - but Lenovo sometimes do hefty discount deals.  I certainly wouldn't pay that much for a CBook. 









						Product
					

Insight Product |




					www.uk.insight.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jan 30, 2021)

editor said:


> I'd like one please. Thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This is *the* model I have my eye on.
Hopefully there will be price drops later this year.


----------



## editor (Feb 13, 2021)

Chromebook sales are miles above MacOS now. Impressive for a relatively new OS. 











						Chromebook growth continues, overtakes MacOS in Q4 2020 notebook sales
					

Back in November, we reported on how in Q3 of 2020 Chrome OS growth was exploding across the globe. Now, the newest report by Strategy Analytics has shown that this impressive growth has continued throughout Q4, to the point that Chrome OS has overtaken MacOS' #2 slot with 16.4% of the global...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Feb 13, 2021)

I haven't read the article fully, yet, but I can't help wondering if Lockdown is partially behind this surge.

I work for a local authority and we've bought dozens and dozens of Chromebooks and loads more Windows laptops for families that needed them.  And we're just one Council.   Multiply that across the globe and I'm sure it adds up to a massive chunk of hardware.

Chromebooks have primarily been going to kids under secondary school age.


----------



## editor (Feb 13, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I haven't read the article fully, yet, but I can't help wondering if Lockdown is partially behind this surge.
> 
> I work for a local authority and we've bought dozens and dozens of Chromebooks and loads more Windows laptops for families that needed them.  And we're just one Council.   Multiply that across the globe and I'm sure it adds up to a massive chunk of hardware.
> 
> Chromebooks have primarily been going to kids under secondary school age.


Oh it definitely is. Kids/offices need decent computers to work from home and Chromebooks are perfect for the job. Easy to use, fast and no fuss.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 16, 2021)

That they are often a fraction of the price probably helps.


----------



## cybershot (Feb 17, 2021)

More on the sales figures.









						Chromebooks outsold Macs worldwide in 2020, cutting into Windows market share
					

New numbers show 2020 was the first year that Chromebooks outsold Macs, posting impressive market share gains at the expense of Windows. Computers powered by Google’s Chrome OS have outsold… Read More




					www.geekwire.com


----------



## editor (Feb 17, 2021)

cybershot said:


> More on the sales figures.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The attempts by Microsoft to cash in on Chromebooks with cut down versions of  Windows have been lamentable. Can't believe that my Chromebook only cost £199 seeing how much I use it.


----------



## cybershot (Feb 17, 2021)

Pandemic is perfect situation for chromebooks. People need laptops. Need them quick and need them cheap. Without pandemic the figures probably wouldn’t be as impressive.

google now have to not drop the ball. Which is probably the biggest challenge but they’ve managed to not fuck up Android so they might not fuck this up either.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Feb 17, 2021)

editor said:


> The attempts by Microsoft to cash in on Chromebooks with cut down versions of  Windows have been lamentable. Can't believe that my Chromebook only cost £199 seeing how much I use it.



Oh, tell me about it.  We had an HP Stream a few years back - piss poor


----------



## editor (Feb 17, 2021)

cybershot said:


> Pandemic is perfect situation for chromebooks. People need laptops. Need them quick and need them cheap. Without pandemic the figures probably wouldn’t be as impressive.
> 
> google now have to not drop the ball. Which is probably the biggest challenge but they’ve managed to not fuck up Android so they might not fuck this up either.


To be fair, Chromebooks had been on an impressive upward trajectory before the pandemic, mainly fuelled by the education sector who realised that they're far better value and practical than an iPad.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 18, 2021)

Also many people have poor experiance with cheap Windows laptops and puts them off the platform. I can't belive how many machines are still sold with 4gb, but yet similar hardware is great for a chromebook.


----------



## editor (Feb 18, 2021)

Good looking upgrade for the Lenovo Flex 5



*LENOVO FLEX 5 CHROMEBOOK KEY SPECS*

10th-gen Intel Core i3
Up to 8GB RAM
Up to 128GB SSD
13.3-inch FHD IPS touch display at up to 300 nits
WIFI 6
Bluetooth 5
USI stylus compatible
2 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, MicroSD and 3.5mm audio jack
Upward firing dual speakers
360-degree form-factor
720P webcam with privacy shade
Spill-resistant keyboard
2.97 lbs
AUE: June 2028
From £480 US, no UK pricing yet.









						The upgraded Lenovo Flex 5 is putting serious pressure on Samsung’s new Galaxy Chromebook 2
					

Just this week, Lenovo rolled out an upgraded version of their very popular Flex 5 Chromebook that brings a fix to most of the lacking parts of the original's experience. You see, despite the low MSRP of $409 right off the bat, we've always wished there could be a slightly upgraded version of...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## Chz (Feb 19, 2021)

Why is it that I can buy a £60 mobile phone with a 5MP selfie camera on it, but the laptop manufacturers - all of them - keeping shipping these shitty little 720p cameras that make you look like you've filmed yourself on a mobile phone from 2002?


----------



## editor (Feb 19, 2021)

Chz said:


> Why is it that I can buy a £60 mobile phone with a 5MP selfie camera on it, but the laptop manufacturers - all of them - keeping shipping these shitty little 720p cameras that make you look like you've filmed yourself on a mobile phone from 2002?


You can always stuck in a hi-def USB one if it's that important but I'd rather have a cheaper laptop with an average webcam.  Not sure why 720p isn't enough for work video calls anyway.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Feb 19, 2021)

Chz said:


> Why is it that I can buy a £60 mobile phone with a 5MP selfie camera on it, but the laptop manufacturers - all of them - keeping shipping these shitty little 720p cameras that make you look like you've filmed yourself on a mobile phone from 2002?



What is it you do, again?


----------



## Chz (Feb 19, 2021)

editor said:


> You can always stuck in a hi-def USB one if it's that important but I'd rather have a cheaper laptop with an average webcam.  Not sure why 720p isn't enough for work video calls anyway.


In a £250 Chromebook, sure. Macbook Pros still come with that as standard equipment though. I'd be content with it for work video calls, but I'd prefer something nicer for family and friends. I end up using my phone most of the time instead. The difference is night and day, even without factoring in that the phone's sensor has better low-light capabilities.

Again, we're talking about an item that's better in a sub-£100 phone. It's not going to add a tremendous amount to the bottom line.


----------



## editor (Feb 19, 2021)

Chz said:


> In a £250 Chromebook, sure. Macbook Pros still come with that as standard equipment though. I'd be content with it for work video calls, but I'd prefer something nicer for family and friends. I end up using my phone most of the time instead. The difference is night and day, even without factoring in that the phone's sensor has better low-light capabilities.
> 
> Again, we're talking about an item that's better in a sub-£100 phone. It's not going to add a tremendous amount to the bottom line.


I  didn't know this:

" As most video call services run at 720p, the webcams included on most Chromebooks follow suit and ship at a measly 720p max resolution. "

There's some hope CBooks might improve at some point though:









						Chromebook photo quality could vastly improve with ‘Compass Camera IQ’
					

Let's face it: photos captured on Chromebooks are hot garbage. They are useful only in the most basic sense of image capture and even then, it sometimes feels like no image at all would simply be better. This is due, in part, to a few factors. First, most Chromebooks have a single camera that is...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## Chz (Feb 19, 2021)

editor said:


> I  didn't know this:
> 
> " As most video call services run at 720p, the webcams included on most Chromebooks follow suit and ship at a measly 720p max resolution. "
> 
> ...


That's a poor excuse, because it's easily demonstrable that taking, eg, a 4MP picture and downsizing it to 1MP (which is roughly 720p) looks _vastly_ better than a native 1MP photo. Anyone who's ever skyped or whatnot on their phone can probably verify that it looks better than a laptop. It's even a thing with the primary sensors these days - all those 64MP phones by default shoot 16MP photos. The extra pixels improve the fidelity of the final image even when 3/4s of them get binned.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 19, 2021)

It's not even like you can buy a half decent web cam cheaply at the moment....


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Feb 21, 2021)

How to use your smartphone as a webcam

not ideal, I know, but kinda resolves your grainy issue Chz


----------



## editor (Mar 2, 2021)

This is a very nice looking machine  (go to 4 mins to get past the waffle)


----------



## rutabowa (Mar 18, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'm using the remote desktop app into from the comfort of the sofa and it now feels like I'm using a pretty high end laptop.


ohh this is interesting, I was thinking of getting a chromebook to mainly write essays on the go and maybe do some other google stuff but thought I might sometimes encounter stuff I needed to do but couldn't (not sure what but who knows)... but I have a desktop PC, if I could sometimes remote access that then it would solve the last issue... what do you use to do it?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 18, 2021)

rutabowa said:


> ohh this is interesting, I was thinking of getting a chromebook to mainly write essays on the go and maybe do some other google stuff but thought I might sometimes encounter stuff I needed to do but couldn't (not sure what but who knows)... but I have a desktop PC, if I could sometimes remote access that then it would solve the last issue... what do you use to do it?



I'm using two products. I'm using MS own apps for when at home, it's a slightly slicker experience. However I'm not confident enough to set it up remotely just yet.

Google have their own version which makes it stupidly easy, you just need the Chrome add one on the machine you want to use, you don't even need that on the machine your connecting from, just login to your Gmail and put the extra pin in. Quality depends on net connection, but it's pretty good. I even use it from work.


----------



## rutabowa (Mar 18, 2021)

awesome, I was probably going to go for one anyway but that is an extra bonus.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 18, 2021)

rutabowa said:


> awesome, I was probably going to go for one anyway but that is an extra bonus.



I'm not a total evangalsit like some, there's still some things I find frustrating, but they really excel at amazing battery life and speed at price points where Windows laptops would be dogs. 

This has been super handy. Just remember to turn off hibernation on your desktop, caught me out the other day.


----------



## mack (Mar 18, 2021)

Had to fire up the windows laptop for the first time in months at the weekend (doing some raspberry pi stuff)

I think it would have and is possible to do it on the chromebook but i was getting tangled up with mounting sd cards and installing a few linux programs.

But day to day the chromebook is all I use - and i'm liking the almost daily updates and new features that they add - such as the phone hub thing.


----------



## editor (Apr 2, 2021)

Now this has got me interested (if it's cheap enough) 










						Chromebook｜Laptops For Home｜ASUS Global
					

Running on Chrome OS, ASUS Chromebooks are fast and streamlined with all-day battery life, built-in security and automatic updates from Google.




					www.asus.com


----------



## Chz (Apr 3, 2021)

editor said:


> Now this has got me interested (if it's cheap enough)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A great looking piece of hardware with the Amazon Fire processor inside it. 
As with most things, there's no such thing as a bad product, just a bad price. So it will be interesting to see what they try and sell it for. I mean, the Fire 10" is a good product at its regular £110 sale price, but I expect this to be a fair bit more.


----------



## editor (Apr 3, 2021)

Chz said:


> A great looking piece of hardware with the Amazon Fire processor inside it.
> As with most things, there's no such thing as a bad product, just a bad price. So it will be interesting to see what they try and sell it for. I mean, the Fire 10" is a good product at its regular £110 sale price, but I expect this to be a fair bit more.


I've ben using the original Asus Flip 101 for 5 years or something now and it's a got a rubbish CPU but it's been ding the job just fine for me. My main problem has been storage but this one comes with up to 128GB which is what interests me.  Anything up to £300 and I'm interested....


----------



## rutabowa (Apr 7, 2021)

Could I have a recommendation for a chromebook around £250? min specs 4gb ram, 64gb ssd, webcam. please!

Is this ok? Acer Chromebook 3 AMD A4-9120C 4GB 64GB 15.6 Inch Chrome OS - Silver - Laptops Direct


----------



## Orang Utan (Apr 7, 2021)

rutabowa said:


> Could I have a recommendation for a chromebook around £250? min specs 4gb ram, 64gb ssd, webcam. please!
> 
> Is this ok? Acer Chromebook 3 AMD A4-9120C 4GB 64GB 15.6 Inch Chrome OS - Silver - Laptops Direct


I have that one I think which hasn't let me down so far. The 7 key keeps popping out, but that's my fault for kneeling on it.


----------



## rutabowa (Apr 7, 2021)

Nice. I will try not and kneel on it.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Apr 22, 2021)

editor said:


> Now this has got me interested (if it's cheap enough)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice looking.

All manner of Flips:  Chromebook Flip - All Models｜Laptops & 2-in-1 PCs For Home｜ASUS United Kingdom

*This article *suggests that the screen might not be all that on the 12" model
_"There is one surprise, however, at least to me.
Since the smaller 10.5-inch detachable CM3 will have a 1920 x 1200 screen resolution, I figured for sure the convertible model would have the same. It’s a larger screen after all. But…. no.  The 12-inch display isn’t FullHD+ like I thought. Instead it’s a 1366 x 912 panel. I’m not sure what to say about that other than “ugh”. At least that will keep the price down?"_


----------



## editor (May 5, 2021)

Look at Chromebook sales go!











						Chromebook sales continue to surge in Q1 of 2021, up 275%
					

Comparing Chromebooks sales year-over-year is normally a fine metric to judge by. This past quarter, however, makes that comparison a tad bit odd. According to information from Canalys data, Chromebook shipments grew a staggering 275% when stacked side-by-side with data from Q1 of last year. In...




					chromeunboxed.com


----------



## rutabowa (May 5, 2021)

I'm happy with that cheap Acer one I got, does exactly what I need fast. The screen is huge, it is pretty awful for colours though but fine for my purposes... I wouldn't get it for watching films though! But for college type stuff it's great, lots of space for different windows.


----------



## Waterwheel (May 23, 2021)

I am thinking of getting the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. The screen is brilliant quality. But the sound is a bit too low. But I suppose it would be OK with blue tooth speakers or headphones. The keyboard is very cramped but I suppose I could get used to it. And it comes with a massive 128 gigabytes of memory! It is currently now only 250 pounds at John Lewis.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 23, 2021)

Waterwheel said:


> I am thinking of getting the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. The screen is brilliant quality. But the sound is a bit too low. But I suppose it would be OK with blue tooth speakers or headphones. The keyboard is very cramped but I suppose I could get used to it. And it comes with a massive 128 gigabytes of memory! It is currently now only 250 pounds at John Lewis.



Seems a good price, but 128 is pretty tiny in terms of storage. I mean it's ok if you use cloud and have an SD card, but just be aware.


----------



## editor (May 23, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Seems a good price, but 128 is pretty tiny in terms of storage. I mean it's ok if you use cloud and have an SD card, but just be aware.


Depends on what you're using the CBook for. My 4 year old Asus Flip - which I use every day and even doubles up for DJ back up duties - only has 16GB!

That said, I really could use more storage space but 128GB would really be more than enough. I can't think what I'd need any more for, tbh.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (May 23, 2021)

editor said:


> Depends on what you're using the CBook for. My 4 year old Asus Flip - which I use every day and even doubles up for DJ back up duties - only has 16GB!
> 
> That said, I really could use more storage space but 128GB would really be more than enough. I can't think what I'd need any more for, tbh.



I tend to agree. There is a tendency for _more is better_ or for _just in case_ storage. But do you actually need it?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 23, 2021)

All fair enough. Just pointing out 128gb is not a gigantic amount of storage.


----------



## Chz (May 24, 2021)

It is on a Chromebook, where your local storage needs are quite modest and most of your large data will be media that works just fine on an SD card.


----------



## editor (May 24, 2021)

Chz said:


> It is on a Chromebook, where your local storage needs are quite modest and most of your large data will be media that works just fine on an SD card.


To be honest, I'd be absolutely fine with the 16GB on my old Asus Flip apart from the fact Spotify can't access the SD card - but then most sensible people don't use extra cheap Chromebooks for DJing.  😂


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2021)

Currently down to £229






						Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook 10.1 Inch FHD 2-in-1 Laptop - (MediaTek P60T, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB eMCP, Chrome OS) - Amazon.co.uk
					

Buy Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook 10.1 Inch FHD 2-in-1 Laptop - (MediaTek P60T, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB eMCP, Chrome OS)



					www.amazon.co.uk
				




#bargain


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 21, 2021)

editor said:


> Currently down to £229
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm trying had not to look at the Prime sales at the moment!


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2021)

A dedicated version of Opera has been released. Looks great but hoe the hell do I reduce the huge text size?
Adjusting text size in settings does nothing









						Opera becomes first alternative Android browser optimized for Chromebooks
					

Chromebooks are centered around the Google Chrome web browsing experience, but there are alternative browsers available as Android applications. Opera launched a new version of its app that has some Chrome OS optimized features.




					www.zdnet.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 5, 2021)

editor said:


> A dedicated version of Opera has been released. Looks great but hoe the hell do I reduce the huge text size?
> Adjusting text size in settings does nothing
> 
> 
> ...


CTRL and - usually


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> CTRL and - usually


Tried that but got a 'nope'


----------



## tony.c (Jul 26, 2021)

I currently have a Acer 14" Chromebook which is 4 years old. It seems to breaking down a bit, for instance facebook pages aren't  automatically translated and I can't get the google translate function. Not a huge problem but I think it might indicate that it might be on it's way out.

I just got an email offer of a hp 11" laptop for £99 (usually £169). Is it a good buy?


----------



## editor (Jul 26, 2021)

tony.c said:


> I currently have a Acer 14" Chromebook which is 4 years old. It seems to breaking down a bit, for instance facebook pages aren't  automatically translated and I can't get the google translate function. Not a huge problem but I think it might indicate that it might be on it's way out.
> 
> I just got an email offer of a hp 11" laptop for £99 (usually £169). Is it a good buy?
> 
> View attachment 280591


That is incredibly cheap but it is a cheap model to start off with. One thing: have you tried a 'powerwash' of your old Chromebook? Thst usually fixes everything.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 26, 2021)

editor said:


> That is incredibly cheap but it is a cheap model to start off with. One thing: have you tried a 'powerwash' of your old Chromebook? Thst usually fixes everything.


⬆️⬆️⬆️ This


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Jul 26, 2021)

tony.c said:


> I currently have a Acer 14" Chromebook which is 4 years old. It seems to breaking down a bit, for instance facebook pages aren't  automatically translated and I can't get the google translate function. Not a huge problem but I think it might indicate that it might be on it's way out.
> 
> I just got an email offer of a hp 11" laptop for £99 (usually £169). Is it a good buy?
> 
> View attachment 280591


Check how long it'll get updates for here




__





						Auto Update policy - Chrome Enterprise and Education Help
					

Overview Chrome devices (e.g. Chromebook, Chromebox, Chromebase, Chromebit) receive automatic updates that enhance both the device and its software. Device updates provide the latest features and kee



					support.google.com


----------



## tony.c (Jul 26, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Check how long it'll get updates for here


Thanks. It should get updates until June 2022.


----------



## tony.c (Jul 26, 2021)

editor said:


> That is incredibly cheap but it is a cheap model to start off with. One thing: have you tried a 'powerwash' of your old Chromebook? Thst usually fixes everything.


I've done the Powerwash thing, but I'm still not getting auto translate on fb, and difficulty getting the google translation.
I''ll think about getting the £99 hp chromebook. I don't need anything too advanced, I only use it for emails, browsing forums and online buying. 
A smaller model might be easier to carry around. I did have a 11" hp laptop before the acer chromebook which was ok.


----------



## editor (Jul 26, 2021)

tony.c said:


> I've done the Powerwash thing, but I'm still not getting auto translate on fb, and difficulty getting the google translation.
> I''ll think about getting the £99 hp chromebook. I don't need anything too advanced, I only use it for emails, browsing forums and online buying.
> A smaller model might be easier to carry around. I did have a 11" hp laptop before the acer chromebook which was ok.


I'm struggling to think how that might be a Chromebook related problem.  Have you tried using the Opera browser? 
(but if you just fancy a new laptop go for it!)


----------



## Sweet FA (Jul 26, 2021)

Old, wheezing macbook is now gasping its last so I need to get a chromebook for daughter...

Is this the sort of thing I'm looking for? 





__





						Acer Laptops, Desktops, Chromebooks, Monitors & Projectors | Acer United Kingdom
					

Shop the latest Acer products, from Chromebooks, laptops, monitors, desktop PCs, and projectors for office, home, and entertainment use.




					www.acer.com
				







__





						Acer Chromebook 314 (C933/C933T) | Acer United Kingdom
					

Designed for working in bright-light conditions, the large 14” display of the Acer Chromebook 314 is ideal for greater productivity. With a long battery life, a fast Intel® CPU and fast Wi-Fi 5 connection it gets users online in an instant.




					www.acer.com
				











						ASUS Chromebook C523NA | Chromebook | ASUS United Kingdom
					

ASUS Chromebook Enterprise unlocks the business capabilities of Chrome OS and empowers cloud workers, making it the best laptop for on-the-go productivity. ASUS offers several lightweight, versatile options to meet the needs of various industries and suit any workspace.




					www.asus.com


----------



## Chz (Jul 26, 2021)

Acer 314 > 514. The Asus comes in a variety of specs, some better, some the same as the Acer - but it is a larger (15" vs 14") device.
If you can swing it, a touchscreen is more useful on a Chromebook than on other laptops due to Android app support.
It doesn't help narrow down your choices any, but Lenovo have a wide range of CBs to cover most needs. You do have to know what you want though, in terms of size, speed, touch-capable, etc.


----------



## Sweet FA (Jul 26, 2021)

Thanks - will start narrowing down...


----------



## tony.c (Jul 27, 2021)

tony.c said:


> I currently have a Acer 14" Chromebook which is 4 years old. It seems to breaking down a bit, for instance facebook pages aren't  automatically translated and I can't get the google translate function. Not a huge problem but I think it might indicate that it might be on it's way out.
> 
> I just got an email offer of a hp 11" laptop for £99 (usually £169). Is it a good buy?
> 
> View attachment 280591


HP are saying today that yesterday's email was a mistake and the hp Chromebook 11 is still £169.99.


----------



## chandlerp (Jul 27, 2021)

A typo isn't a technical glitch FFS.  Somebody listing it at £99.99 isn't a technical glitch, it's a mistake, they are not the same thing.


----------



## editor (Jul 27, 2021)

I've just bought one of these, refurbished in 'Grade A' condition for £280 which seems a good price. I'll still be using my Asus Flip that I've had for half a decade or whatever, but I needed backlit keys and more memory (it comes with 128GB compared to the 16GB I was struggling with) for some jobs.


Will report back when it arrives!









						LENOVO IdeaPad Flex 5 13.3" 2 in 1 Chromebook - Intel® Core™ i5, 128 GB SSD, Grey
					

Chrome OS; Intel® Core™ i5-10210U Processor; RAM: 8 GB / Storage: 128 GB SSD; Full HD touchscreen; Battery life:  Up to 10 hours




					www.currys.co.uk


----------



## Chz (Jul 28, 2021)

editor said:


> I've just bought one of these, refurbished in 'Grade A' condition for £280 which seems a good price. I'll still be using my Asus Flip that I've had for half a decade or whatever, but I needed backlit keys and more memory (it comes with 128GB compared to the 16GB I was struggling with) for some jobs.
> 
> 
> Will report back when it arrives!
> ...


Seems a great deal!


----------



## Sir Belchalot (Jul 28, 2021)

editor said:


> I've just bought one of these, refurbished in 'Grade A' condition for £280 which seems a good price. I'll still be using my Asus Flip that I've had for half a decade or whatever, but I needed backlit keys and more memory (it comes with 128GB compared to the 16GB I was struggling with) for some jobs.
> 
> 
> Will report back when it arrives!
> ...


If you're buying from Currys ebay store, make sure that you check the specs when it arrives, I bought an Asus laptop from them a couple of months ago that was worth about half the value of the one that I ordered.


----------



## editor (Jul 28, 2021)

Sir Belchalot said:


> If you're buying from Currys ebay store, make sure that you check the specs when it arrives, I bought an Asus laptop from them a couple of months ago that was worth about half the value of the one that I ordered.


I did double check and took a screen grab but I'll be sending it straight back if it's not up to scratch!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 28, 2021)




----------



## Sir Belchalot (Jul 28, 2021)

editor said:


> I did double check and took a screen grab but I'll be sending it straight back if it's not up to scratch!


If you do have to send it back, check the Royal Mail label that you print out from Ebay as mine was too little value for the weight of the laptop.  To be fair Currys did then arrange a courier pickup & refunded me pretty pronto.


----------



## editor (Jul 29, 2021)

Happy to confirm that the laptop arrived today exactly as ordered and in brand new condition. It's the i3 model (I knew that when I ordered it - I don't need any power than that) and it comes with 128GB storage which was what I was after. Seems a bit of a bargain for £280.


----------



## editor (Aug 4, 2021)

This looks like a very handy thing - Chromebooks gain continuous dictation right from the shelf with Chrome OS 92 update


----------



## dawducan (Aug 5, 2021)

yeah it is, thank you dude!


----------



## editor (Aug 13, 2021)

Just to update y'all on the Lenovo Chromebook I bought - I'm happy to report I'm super chuffed with it. It offers ridiculously good value for £280, is fast as fuck, has crisp bright screen, backlit keyboard and has genuine premium looks. Can't recommend it enough!


----------



## Hassan I Sabha (Aug 21, 2021)

Can anyone recommend a Chromebook that is stylus compatible? I want to get away from writing notes on paper then reviewing at the end of the day and writing them up. Happy if the answer is a tablet but would prefer a flip format that I could fold over for note taking move but also have the facility to have it in keyboard mode

I am thinking about something like this






						Acer Chromebook Spin 311 CP311-3H - (MediaTek 8183, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 11.6 inch HD touchscreen display, Chrome OS, Silver) - Acer
					

Buy Acer Chromebook Spin 311 CP311-3H - (MediaTek 8183, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 11.6 inch HD touchscreen display, Chrome OS, Silver) at Amazon.



					www.amazon.co.uk


----------



## Chz (Aug 21, 2021)

Hassan I Sabha said:


> Can anyone recommend a Chromebook that is stylus compatible? I want to get away from writing notes on paper then reviewing at the end of the day and writing them up. Happy if the answer is a tablet but would prefer a flip format that I could fold over for note taking move but also have the facility to have it in keyboard mode
> 
> I am thinking about something like this
> 
> ...


Depends on what you're looking for. Very few (if any) of the cheap ones support an active stylus. That's the sort that measures angle and pressure, and is what you need for decent drawing and the like.
But a simple capacitive stylus is probably good enough for writing, and anything with a touchscreen will support that.


----------



## Hassan I Sabha (Aug 21, 2021)

Chz said:


> Depends on what you're looking for. Very few (if any) of the cheap ones support an active stylus. That's the sort that measures angle and pressure, and is what you need for decent drawing and the like.
> But a simple capacitive stylus is probably good enough for writing, and anything with a touchscreen will support that.


I am just looking to take notes during calls and meetings, nothing artsy


----------



## Hassan I Sabha (Aug 29, 2021)

I went for the Flip 311 in the end with the free Wacom pen, so far very impressed. Just need to work out how to get the best out of it. £253 in Curry's.

At the moment I cannot work out how to insert a space using the pen


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 29, 2021)

Hassan I Sabha said:


> I went for the Flip 311 in the end with the free Wacom pen, so far very impressed. Just need to work out how to get the best out of it. £253 in Curry's.
> 
> At the moment I cannot work out how to insert a space using the pen



Which app are you note taking in?


----------



## Hassan I Sabha (Aug 29, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Which app are you note taking in?


Sheets, I assume (maybe incorrectly) that the interface for the pen is standard across all apps though


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Aug 29, 2021)

Hassan I Sabha said:


> Sheets, I assume (maybe incorrectly) that the interface for the pen is standard across all apps though



Probably is across all the Google apps.

I dunno if this will work in sheets, but in Word the way to insert a gap or space into a word where there wasn't a space was to draw a line downwards at the point you want the space

So ThrobbingAngel would become Throbbing Angel if you inserted a down stroke between the g and A  like this Throbbing⬇️Angel.

It might be to do with you working in Sheets, though - number based innit.  When using Word or Docs the system seemed to just insert spaces as needed. I think you naturally leave one as if you were writing on paper and the handwriting 'engine' is somewhat intelligent so would recognise Throbbing as a word and expect a space, comma or full stop after it.

Try Docs


----------



## Hassan I Sabha (Aug 30, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Probably is across all the Google apps.
> 
> I dunno if this will work in sheets, but in Word the way to insert a gap or space into a word where there wasn't a space was to draw a line downwards at the point you want the space
> 
> ...


Docs or Sheets is the same a down stroke just inserts a lowercase L


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 14, 2021)

Dunno what else to suggest Hassan I Sabha    Sorry


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 14, 2021)

ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise down to £449/£499 depending on which model you're after (down from £610/£690).





__





						ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise | 2-in-1 powered by AMD
					

The Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise features renowned ThinkPad durability, 360-degree flexibility, and cloud-based manageability.



					www.lenovo.com
				




More savings can be had if you trade summat qualifying in and join Lenovo's PRO programme.

Very well-reviewed model.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 16, 2021)

They're shit really. If you have a smart phone just use that.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

Magnus McGinty said:


> They're shit really. If you have a smart phone just use that.


nonsense. loads of stuff you can’t do on a phone that you can do on a chromebook.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 16, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> nonsense. loads of stuff you can’t do on a phone that you can do on a chromebook.


True. You probably can't do Xcel stuff on a phone. But what can you do that's interesting on a chromebook? They're literally hamstrung.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

Magnus McGinty said:


> True. You probably can't do Xcel stuff on a phone. But what can you do that's interesting on a chromebook? They're literally hamstrung.


dunno what you mean but they are certainly not literally hamstrung. they don’t have hamstrings for a start. 
watch things, write things, read things - phones are too small and awkward for doing these things intensively


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 16, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> dunno what you mean but they are certainly not literally hamstrung. they don’t have hamstrings for a start.
> watch things, write things, read things - phones are too small and awkward for doing these things intensively


Fair point. But capable of the same. And many do use their phones for those reasons.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 16, 2021)

Not that I thought you were diminishing those that do.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 16, 2021)

Magnus McGinty said:


> True. You probably can't do Xcel stuff on a phone. But what can you do that's interesting on a chromebook? They're literally hamstrung.



Office type stuff. Which is what a lot of people use computers for. 

To me the main reason was price. Cheap Windows machines are an atrocioity, which is bonkers in 2021, where as the low system requirements of Chrome OS means you get decent performance and battery life for a fair bit less.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

you wouldn’t want to apply for a job on a phone, for example, or watch tv, or write a long email, or sort your finances, etc


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 16, 2021)

Fair-ish points although I think I’ve been using my phone to sort my finances for close to a decade. Literally the most convenient way to do so.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Sep 16, 2021)

Magnus McGinty said:


> Fair-ish points although I think I’ve been using my phone to sort my finances for close to a decade. Literally the most convenient way to do so.


Phones are good, but there’s a whole range of tasks where a proper keyboard and large screen make much more sense.

If all you ever use a laptop for is email, web browsing, “office” tasks (word processing, spreadsheets etc) and watching content, then a chrome book is pretty much a no brainer. It’s only when you start getting into specific/specialist software requirements that they become less useful.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Phones are good, but there’s a whole range of taste where a proper keyboard and large screen make much more sense.
> 
> If all you ever use a laptop for is email, web browsing, “office” tasks (word processing, spreadsheets etc) and watching content, then a chrome book is pretty much a no brainer. It’s only when you start getting into specific/specialist software requirements that they become less useful.


aye, that’s why i got one. i don’t want to be thumb typing all the time on a tiny screen.


----------



## chandlerp (Sep 16, 2021)

You can use Google's own versions of office software or you can use Office 365 on office.com


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 16, 2021)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Phones are good, but there’s a whole range of tasks where a proper keyboard and large screen make much more sense.
> 
> If all you ever use a laptop for is email, web browsing, “office” tasks (word processing, spreadsheets etc) and watching content, then a chrome book is pretty much a no brainer. It’s only when you start getting into specific/specialist software requirements that they become less useful.


^^^THIS^^^


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

chandlerp said:


> You can use Google's own versions of office software or you can use Office 365 on office.com


i have never had issues with saving those files later as Word documents.


----------



## Hollis (Sep 16, 2021)

I'm thinking of buying this mainly for using kindle app/web browsing and the occasional note taking..

One thing i have read in reviews it that Android tablets aren't that good with alot of apps compared to ipad.. .  I don't recall it being a problem last time I owned a android tablet 4-5 years ago.

Lenova IdeaPad duet

I know there's the Fire HD which is loads cheaper, but I definitely want access to google apps.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Sep 16, 2021)

Hollis said:


> I'm thinking of buying this mainly for using kindle app/web browsing and the occasional note taking..
> 
> One thing i have read in reviews it that Android tablets aren't that good with alot of apps compared to ipad.. .  I don't recall it being a problem last time I owned a android tablet 4-5 years ago.
> 
> ...


iPads are the best tablets available. They just are. However, if you don't actually need the latest all singing all dancing tech/apps etc, there's loads of much cheaper android options that will do the job just fine.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 16, 2021)

And the kindle is the best for kindle reading.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 16, 2021)

Hollis said:


> I'm thinking of buying this mainly for using kindle app/web browsing and the occasional note taking..
> 
> One thing i have read in reviews it that Android tablets aren't that good with alot of apps compared to ipad.. .  I don't recall it being a problem last time I owned a android tablet 4-5 years ago.
> 
> ...



The Duet is a Chrome OS tablet, not an Android tablet - similar but different.

From memory, there is a Kindle app for ChromeOS.  The articles & reviews I've just googled say it can access the Google Play Store.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet review: this has no business costing so little
Great Price and nowhere near as hobbled as a Kindle tablet will be.  The Kindle app on Android and iPad is just fine. I use it all the time on my phone and iPad.

I found Kindle tablets pretty frustrating to use for anything other than using Amazon based stuff, and that's for a reason innit (buy our stuff). Browsing was a right pain as their browser (Silk) is shit.


----------



## 2hats (Sep 16, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> The Duet is a Chrome OS tablet, not an Android tablet - similar but different.


It runs Android apps natively (and Linux; is more than sufficient for me as a lightweight backup work device - ssh to key servers - or to take on rambles whilst working in the field).


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

I didn't know that, Throbbing Angel - have only managed to access the Kindle Cloud Reader on Android in the past


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 16, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> I didn't know that, Throbbing Angel - have only managed to access the Kindle Cloud Reader on Android in the past


 On what device?  Kindle is on the app store.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 16, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> On what device?  Kindle is on the app store.


here   Kindle – Apps on Google Play


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> here   Kindle – Apps on Google Play


can’t find on my Chromebook. 
I had a Huawei a couple of years ago and couldn’t get the Kindle app


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 16, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> can’t find on my Chromebook.
> I had a Huawei a couple of years ago and couldn’t get the Kindle app


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


>


if i click on your link on my Chromebook, it tells me my device isn’t compatible


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 16, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> if i click on your link on my Chromebook, it tells me my device isn’t compatible


Older model of Chromebook?


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 16, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> Older model of Chromebook?


dunno, had it a couple of years


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 16, 2021)

I did buy a stripped down laptop once with the idea of being able to control my desktop from anywhere. Great idea but kind of need 5G to be fully implemented and matured for it to actually work.


----------



## Hollis (Sep 16, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> dunno, had it a couple of years


This seems to summarise the problem -older chromebooks may not be compatible with the android app store.

How to install Amazon Kindle on a Chromebook | Chrome Ready


----------



## Hollis (Sep 16, 2021)

There's part of me which when I look at all this thinks just pay another £100 and get an ipad..


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Sep 17, 2021)

Hollis said:


> There's part of me which when I look at all this thinks just pay another £100 and get an ipad..


If you can afford it, then do so.


----------



## Chz (Sep 17, 2021)

The iPad exists sort of in its own little niche. Just like a screwdriver is the best thing for twisting screws, the iPad is the best thing for doing iPad things. I realise that's a bit unhelpful, but the fact of the matter is that what the iPad is _best_ at is things that really only work on the iPad. A Chromebook is a better office app device, a Fire or Android tablet is - well, not a _better _media consumption device, but a fuckload cheaper and just as good. A PC is better at running legacy apps and having access to the guts of things. Most of the iPad's killer apps are either exclusives, or work _very _differently on the iPad.

So whether you should buy an iPad comes down to whether you want to do iPad things. Either that or you've got a lot of money to spare for a media consumption device that's prettier than the Fire 10HD. (I realise you can get a keyboard and use an iPad for office shit, but that's literally more expensive than most capable laptops)


----------



## editor (Sep 17, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> if i click on your link on my Chromebook, it tells me my device isn’t compatible


Have you tried this? Kindle Cloud Reader









						How to Read Kindle Books Offline on a Chromebook - OMG! Chrome!
					

Kindle readers have long been able to read book purchases online, on tablets and on a PC or Mac for a while. But how does one go about reading Kindle books on a Chromebook?




					www.omgchrome.com


----------



## Chz (Sep 17, 2021)

FWIW, that's the great strength of Amazon's ecosystem. I've tried syncing across multiple devices with a Kobo and it blows goats.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 17, 2021)

editor said:


> Have you tried this? Kindle Cloud Reader
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yeah, i’ve been using that, but would like the offline option too


Orang Utan said:


> I didn't know that, Throbbing Angel - have only managed to access the Kindle Cloud Reader on Android in the past


----------



## Guineveretoo (Sep 17, 2021)

Slightly off topic, but I am hoping for some advice here. I was wondering about buying a Chromebook for my 91 year old father. He is not exactly computer literate - I spend far more time than I want to trying to help him sort out computer problems over the phone - but I do think he may need a new laptop because his is slow and bits of it just don't work. It runs Windows 10, but he has never grasped what he is doing anyway, so it is not like he will have to relearn anything. 

Those of you who have Chromebooks - is it easy for someone to send emails and write documents? Would he be able to access all his Word documents, or would they need to be converted?

He already uses Chrome for web searches, although he keeps ending up with some search engine other than google, and I have never managed to work out why - I change it back whenever I visit, but I don't visit often. 

Anyway - thoughts?


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 17, 2021)

if he used Chrome already on a smartphone, it wouldn’t be too much of a challenge for him. I’d present it to him as essentially a big smartphone with a proper keyboard and a decent size screen. It’s not as involved as using a Windows PC - way fewer updates and installations that can confuse people.
I’ve used the Open Office version of Word and never had any trouble converting, though it does warn you elements may be lost - this hasn’t happened to me but i’ve only been dealing with pure text documents


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Sep 17, 2021)

Guineveretoo said:


> Slightly off topic, but I am hoping for some advice here. I was wondering about buying a Chromebook for my 91 year old father. He is not exactly computer literate - I spend far more time than I want to trying to help him sort out computer problems over the phone - but I do think he may need a new laptop because his is slow and bits of it just don't work. It runs Windows 10, but he has never grasped what he is doing anyway, so it is not like he will have to relearn anything.
> 
> Those of you who have Chromebooks - is it easy for someone to send emails and write documents? Would he be able to access all his Word documents, or would they need to be converted?
> 
> ...


Sounds ideal for him tbh


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 17, 2021)

(btw I don’t use Google on my Chrome browser, I’ve found DuckDuckGo to be just as good and not as nosey, but wouldn’t want to complicate things if Google works for him)


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 17, 2021)

Chz said:


> The iPad exists sort of in its own little niche. Just like a screwdriver is the best thing for twisting screws, the iPad is the best thing for doing iPad things. I realise that's a bit unhelpful, but the fact of the matter is that what the iPad is _best_ at is things that really only work on the iPad. A Chromebook is a better office app device, a Fire or Android tablet is - well, not a _better _media consumption device, but a fuckload cheaper and just as good. A PC is better at running legacy apps and having access to the guts of things. Most of the iPad's killer apps are either exclusives, or work _very _differently on the iPad.
> 
> So whether you should buy an iPad comes down to whether you want to do iPad things. Either that or you've got a lot of money to spare for a media consumption device that's prettier than the Fire 10HD. (I realise you can get a keyboard and use an iPad for office shit, but that's literally more expensive than most capable laptops)



iPad and Google Docs or Pages or any other free word processor  +  a £20ish Bluetooth keyboard = Office Shit

I think the iPad is great for Non iPad Things as you call them and use it for NiT all the time/every day. Thing is, most things are available on the iPad.

I got a BT Apple keyboard (older model) for £22 in CEX, currently a tenner!  And away you go.  I have a BT mouse but I can't be bothered setting that up with the iPad.


----------



## Chz (Sep 17, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I think the iPad is great for Non iPad Things


Certainly. But it's not better than the alternatives and quite a lot dearer in most cases. You wouldn't buy one with the purpose of using it that way. You lock yourself into the ecosystem because you want the stuff that it does best.

I can hook a BT keyboard up to the Fire tablet and use it to edit my spreadsheets. But I don't. Because it would suck compared to doing it on the laptop next to it or the PC downstairs. The iPad *Pro *might be alright at that, but that plus a new keyboard would cost more than the laptop and PC put together. And it still wouldn't be _better_ at it.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 17, 2021)

Chz said:


> Certainly. But it's not better than the alternatives and quite a lot dearer in most cases. You wouldn't buy one with the purpose of using it that way. You lock yourself into the ecosystem because you want the stuff that it does best.
> 
> I can hook a BT keyboard up to the Fire tablet and use it to edit my spreadsheets. But I don't. Because it would suck compared to doing it on the laptop next to it or the PC downstairs. The iPad *Pro *might be alright at that, but that plus a new keyboard would cost more than the laptop and PC put together. And it still wouldn't be _better_ at it.



I'd largely agree with that.  

Anything with a proper keyboard+mouse/trackpad just makes stuff easier imho. That was one of the reasons I bought my first Chromebook in 2015 (I think) mainly for writing on and was something with a larger screen and was very light compared to most laptops at the time. A Think & Light laptop that is a fast as a Chromebook is still an expensive item by comparison.

It is always going to be very subjective and there's no singular 'right' depending on user needs and usage patterns.    /work mode


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 17, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I'd largely agree with that.
> 
> Anything with a proper keyboard+mouse/trackpad just makes stuff easier imho. That was one of the reasons I bought my first Chromebook in 2015 (I think) mainly for writing on and was something with a larger screen and was very light compared to most laptops at the time. A Think & Light laptop that is a fast as a Chromebook is still an expensive item by comparison.
> 
> It is always going to be very subjective and there's no singular 'right' depending on user needs and usage patterns.    /work mode



Absolutely this. When I bought mine a few years ago it would have 3 to 4 times the price for a similar form factor and battery life Windows machine that didn't run like a dog. Unlike some on this thread I actually prefer Windows, but I didn't use a laptop enough to justify such a purchase when I do most of what I need on a desktop and phone.


----------



## Hollis (Sep 17, 2021)

Chz said:


> The iPad exists sort of in its own little niche. Just like a screwdriver is the best thing for twisting screws, the iPad is the best thing for doing iPad things. I realise that's a bit unhelpful, but the fact of the matter is that what the iPad is _best_ at is things that really only work on the iPad. A Chromebook is a better office app device, a Fire or Android tablet is - well, not a _better _media consumption device, but a fuckload cheaper and just as good. A PC is better at running legacy apps and having access to the guts of things. Most of the iPad's killer apps are either exclusives, or work _very _differently on the iPad.
> 
> So whether you should buy an iPad comes down to whether you want to do iPad things. Either that or you've got a lot of money to spare for a media consumption device that's prettier than the Fire 10HD. (I realise you can get a keyboard and use an iPad for office shit, but that's literally more expensive than most capable laptops)


I'm put off the Fire HD 10 because I had a Fire 8 afew years ago - and its the only device I've ever bought and really not liked - also I want to have access to google apps - not the amazon version.

The thing with Chromebooks - not that I've ever had one - is that this thread seems to be alot about workarounds to do stuff with them - whereas - you can go elsewhere and buy a device that just does it..  

(ETA: I don't mean that to sound snarky btw)


----------



## editor (Sep 17, 2021)

Hollis said:


> I'm put off the Fire HD 10 because I had a Fire 8 afew years ago - and its the only device I've ever bought and really not liked - also I want to have access to google apps - not the amazon version.
> 
> The thing with Chromebooks - not that I've ever had one - is that this thread seems to be alot about workarounds to do stuff with them - whereas - you can go elsewhere and buy a device that just does it..
> 
> (ETA: I don't mean that to sound snarky btw)


I don't know. I use my Chromebook every day and it's the most effortless machine I've ever used.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 18, 2021)

Hollis said:


> I'm put off the Fire HD 10 because I had a Fire 8 afew years ago - and its the only device I've ever bought and really not liked - also I want to have access to google apps - not the amazon version.
> 
> The thing with Chromebooks - not that I've ever had one - is that this thread seems to be alot about workarounds to do stuff with them - whereas - you can go elsewhere and buy a device that just does it..
> 
> (ETA: I don't mean that to sound snarky btw)



You can remove the Amazon stuff and put Google on which makes them great value when they have a sale.


----------



## Hamann (Sep 19, 2021)

What are chromebook users experience with their device after their end of life?

How usable are chromebooks after updates and support stop?


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

Hamann said:


> What are chromebook users experience with their device after their end of life?
> 
> How usable are chromebooks after updates and support stop?


Plenty of options here: 

Continue Like Normal​It’s the end of life of your Chrome OS, not the end of the world. While it’s no doubt that you can forget about any bug fixes, security updates, or other improvements to your operating system, it’s still possible to keep on using your Chromebook just the way you were before. In fact, you can use it as long as you can, up until the very moment that the device breaks down itself. This is why there’s a high degree of uncertainty here because it’s very well understood that your system could stop working at any moment.

That’s not the case with everyone, however. People have used their Chromebooks for long beyond their update expiry date. One helpful tip that can increase your Chrome OS’s longevity is browsing safely and being wary of what you install. Phishing scams, malware, buggy applications are teeming on the Internet, the Play Store, and even the Chrome Web Store. Keep an eye out for danger, and you’ll do just fine.

Upgrade​The prompt that says your device is no longer supported by Google obviously hints towards purchasing a newer, better Chromebook. Out of every other option, you can take this road upfront and treat yourself to a brand-spanking-new Chrome OS. To save big bucks and get amazing value for your money, we suggest waiting for shopping holidays such as Black Friday, Christmas, or any other occasion for grabbing great deals.

Moreover, a newer model will ensure that you’re secure with your purchase for a good amount of time.  The latest Samsung Galaxy Chromebook, for one, has an AUE date of June 2028. Google has made this policy to constantly provide updates to an already up to speed system, only for the betterment of the overall experience, and to make it certain that users don’t use outdated models for an exceedingly long duration.

Reinvigorate your Chromebook With Ubuntu Linux​You might already be familiar with the small-scale Linux Terminal on your Chromebook. It’s great to install powerful applications such as GNU and find yourself a substitute for mainstream programs like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat. However, under this heading, we do not refer to this Linux, rather the Ubuntu Linux downloadable on your Chromebook through a program called Crouton.

This is one of the many Linux distributions that power your Chromebook in quite a unique way. Moreover, you can easily go back and forth between Ubuntu Linux and Chrome OS using Crouton, so there’s a plus. This new operating system breathes freshness into your device and lets you benefit from a highly refined interface instead. However, do note that before proceeding with installing anything of the like, you will need to enable the Developer Mode.

Download and Install CloudReady​CloudReady is a standalone operating system that’s used to run Chrome OS on Windows and Mac devices. Although it differs fairly well from a Chromebook’s native OS, there are several similarities. Nonetheless, as you install CloudReady on your device, not only you’ll start to receive regular updates for your device, but your musty old Chromebook will have something new to begin working with.

The process might get hefty at times, and you might even run into some bugs and glitches along the way, but the result is what makes all the endeavor worth it. CloudReady has its own distinct interface that resembles Chrome OS very much at times, but what matters the most is getting your device back to full functionality, and it does just that.









						What to Do With a Chromebook's End of Life? | Chrome Ready
					

In this article, not only we'll show you how to check your Chromebook's AUE date, but what to do when your device's time is up as well. Keep on reading for detail in spades.




					chromeready.com


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

what do they mean by ‘end of life’? is it not indefinite?


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> what do they mean by ‘end of life’? is it not indefinite?


Like all phones/laptops etc you don't get updates for infinity.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

editor said:


> Like all phones/laptops etc you don't get updates for infinity.


do you need updates though? i avoid them usually


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> do you need updates though? i avoid them usually


The updates on Chromebook are the least intrusive updates you'll ever come across. The usually take less than a minute to install and update. And yes, you should update for new features and security.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

editor said:


> Like all phones/laptops etc you don't get updates for infinity.



Like phones. Not like computers. You'd need to find some pretty ancient hardware that won't run Win 10, even if perhaps you can, maybe you shouldn't.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> do you need updates though? i avoid them usually



Yes. Chromebooks are pretty secure, but generally its a good idea with tech to install them as they patch vulnerabilities.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

Kind of fustratingly, despite being x86 rather then Arm, it appears my Acer is a bugger to get Linux on, which is what I'd planned to do with it when it got end of life. I've been given a very posh work laptop, so was going to bring the project forward, but it really looks like way to much ball ache.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

editor said:


> The updates on Chromebook are the least intrusive updates you'll ever come across. The usually take less than a minute to install and update. And yes, you should update for new features and security.


don’t updates wipe your saved files?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> don’t updates wipe your saved files?



No, but the ethos of a chromebook is that anything important should be in your drive.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> No, but the ethos of a chromebook is that anything important should be in your drive.


aye, that’s why i am always reluctant to update as it will be wiped


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> aye, that’s why i am always reluctant to update as it will be wiped



I've never had it happen and I've had mine a few years. That said on any computer if you have data you can't live without if it breaks or gets nicked tomorrow, then it should be backed up! The joy of Google drive is means if you wipe a chromebook, it takes seconds to pick up where you left off.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I've never had it happen and I've had mine a few years. That said on any computer if you have data you can't live without if it breaks or gets nicked tomorrow, then it should be backed up! The joy of Google drive is means if you wipe a chromebook, it takes seconds to pick up where you left off.


aye, i have that but haven’t found out how to backup to it automatically


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 19, 2021)

Does the browser still receive Chrome updates after eol?


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 19, 2021)

Also available, Chromium OS





__





						Chromium OS
					





					www.chromium.org


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> aye, i have that but haven’t found out how to backup to it automatically



Just make sure everything is saved in drive and not in downloads.


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> aye, that’s why i am always reluctant to update as it will be wiped


The updates don't touch your files.


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> No, but the ethos of a chromebook is that anything important should be in your drive.


And that's where it will be automatically, unless you've fiddled around with default settings. 
That's one of the best things about Chromebooks: if someone nicks yours you can guy/borrow another one, log in and everything comes back - files, programs, apps, photos - the lot!


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

editor said:


> The updates don't touch your files.


ah phew, was always reluctant in case it did


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Just make sure everything is saved in drive and not in downloads.


not sure how to do that, but my Google Drive doesn’t have much space


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> No, but the ethos of a chromebook is that anything important should be in your drive.


sorry but do you mean the hard drive or the cloud?


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> sorry but do you mean the hard drive or the cloud?


The cloud. Everything gets saved there by default. You might have to buy a bit more space off Google at some point but it's worth it.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

editor said:


> The cloud. Everything gets saved there by default. You might have to buy a bit more space off Google at some point but it's worth it.


do you know if there’s an option to pay a one off fee rather than a monthly charge for any cloud storage?


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> do you know if there’s an option to pay a one off fee rather than a monthly charge for any cloud storage?


You can pay yearly, but there's no option I can see for unlimited storage time for a one-off fee.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> do you know if there’s an option to pay a one off fee rather than a monthly charge for any cloud storage?



If you have an Office subscription you have storage included with that.  You get 5gb for free via OneDrive. But it's another place to go to retrieve stuff, so a pain if you 'live' in the Google ecosystem.

100gb is £16 a year on Google One

Good ist here: Free Online Storage


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

I think I pay £1.50 a month for a 100gb. Not just because of the chromebook. It also backs up all my important stuff from my PC and syncs it with my chromebook and other devices. Can even get to it from my phone. Bargain tbh.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I think I pay £1.50 a month for a 100gb. Not just because of the chromebook. It also backs up all my important stuff from my PC and syncs it with my chromebook and other devices. Can even get to it from my phone. Bargain tbh.


i tried that but it always came out of my bank account when it was empty, so had to stop 
i still use it cos it’s the only way for me to transfer music files from the Chromebook to my iphone as you can’t download directly onto an iphone, but there’s not enough capacity for the music files i want to keep


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> sorry but do you mean the hard drive or the cloud?



Ah sorry. On Google drive. Chromebooks basically look at anything local as disposal.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Ah sorry. On Google drive. Chromebooks basically look at anything local as disposal.


aye this is why i avoided the updates


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> i tried that but it always came out of my bank account when it was empty, so had to stop
> i still use it cos it’s the only way for me to transfer music files from the Chromebook to my iphone as you can’t download directly onto an iphone, but there’s not enough capacity for the music files i want to keep


I think you get 5gb of iCloud storage for free - which you might have if you have an icloud account - which you should if you have an iDevice


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I think you get 5gb of iCloud storage for free - which you might have if you have an icloud account - which you should if you have an iDevice


 that’s not enough though. and would rather store my files in one place


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> i tried that but it always came out of my bank account when it was empty, so had to stop



That fair enough. How important is this data? You can get 64gb usb sticks/sd cards for £5 to £7. Obviously you need to swap them to ensure the data is safe. 



Orang Utan said:


> aye this is why i avoided the updates



Updates dont do this. Its more a general principal that data that is stored in one place, on any medium, not just chromebooks could be gone tomorrow, which is why a backup of some kind is so important. If your skint I totally get that drive isn't for you, but it's honestly the best thing to happen to most users, because they just don't have to think about it.


----------



## editor (Sep 19, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> aye this is why i avoided the updates


The updates have absolutely nothing to do with how much space you're using, neither do they affect downloaded files in any way at all.


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> That fair enough. How important is this data? You can get 64gb usb sticks/sd cards for £5 to £7. Obviously you need to swap them to ensure the data is safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Updates dont do this. Its more a general principal that data that is stored in one place, on any medium, not just chromebooks could be gone tomorrow, which is why a backup of some kind is so important. If your skint I totally get that drive isn't for you, but it's honestly the best thing to happen to most users, because they just don't have to think about it.


i’m not skint, just crap at having money in my account at fixed dates. i store films and things in USB sticks but my music is a day to day thing so they’re not right for that


----------



## Orang Utan (Sep 19, 2021)

editor said:


> The updates have absolutely nothing to do with how much space you're using, neither do they affect downloaded files in any way at all.


that’s a relief, ta


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 20, 2021)

Orang Utan said:


> do you need updates though? i avoid them usually


The problem is when either there's security updates you need or if the apps you use update to a later operating system you can't use them with. Otherwise, not really.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Sep 20, 2021)

Turn off auto updates on apps (not sure that's a Chrome thing; you need to do that on phones/tablets though if they stop the OS updates).


----------



## chandlerp (Sep 20, 2021)

The OneDrive space included with Office 365 is actually 1tb per account and you can have up to 6 accounts on one subscription so you can have up to 6tb storage, if you register all the accounts you can with the sub, and share access to the drives with each one.


----------



## Chz (Sep 20, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Like phones. Not like computers. You'd need to find some pretty ancient hardware that won't run Win 10, even if perhaps you can, maybe you shouldn't.


A PC can run Windows 10 and still not qualify for all the security patches.  Some older hardware will run the OS, but not have updates for the actual hardware any more. Most older Intel chips will never get a Spectre mitigation. The reason why Android phones run out of updates so early is to avoid this sort of nonsense. They could conceivably continue to update the OS, but the vendor (Qualcomm) no longer supports the SoC with updates. So they take an all or nothing approach to it.


----------



## Hamann (Sep 22, 2021)

editor said:


> Plenty of options here:
> 
> Continue Like Normal​It’s the end of life of your Chrome OS, not the end of the world. While it’s no doubt that you can forget about any bug fixes, security updates, or other improvements to your operating system, it’s still possible to keep on using your Chromebook just the way you were before. In fact, you can use it as long as you can, up until the very moment that the device breaks down itself. This is why there’s a high degree of uncertainty here because it’s very well understood that your system could stop working at any moment.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the helpful info, good to know I have some options after EOL.


----------



## Cloo (Oct 1, 2021)

Oldest child's chromebook screen, though not physically broken, has gone awry, see below. She insists she didn't drop it and it didn't fall off anything (unlike the last two  ). My other half says a circular shaped fuzzy bit on the top centre of screen suggests an impact of something, but most of the problem looks like it may be caused by connection problem between keyboard and screen. The machine is just over a year old.

Regardless of how it was caused, does anyone know if likely to be fixable?


----------



## Orang Utan (Oct 1, 2021)

nope


----------



## Cloo (Oct 1, 2021)

You don't know, or doesn't look salvageable?


----------



## Orang Utan (Oct 1, 2021)

Cloo said:


> You don't know, or doesn't look salvageable?


i once posted a picture on here of my laptop screen looking like that after bouncing it off my bed when sitting down. I got told unanimously it was borked
I had to get a new laptop. iirc i could have replaced the inverter and possibly the screen, which would have cost more
than i paid for it as it was a piece of shit


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Oct 1, 2021)

Cloo said:


> Oldest child's chromebook screen, though not physically broken, has gone awry, see below. She insists she didn't drop it and it didn't fall off anything (unlike the last two  ). My other half says a circular shaped fuzzy bit on the top centre of screen suggests an impact of something, but most of the problem looks like it may be caused by connection problem between keyboard and screen. The machine is just over a year old.
> 
> Regardless of how it was caused, does anyone know if likely to be fixable?
> 
> View attachment 290860


That’s definitely had an impact of some sort.


----------



## Cloo (Oct 1, 2021)

She's still insistent nothing happened to it, but she said that of the last-but-one machine where I saw it on the floor after after seen it placed slightly precariously by her on a chair. 

I'm going to dig that out and see if screen can be replaced (it was a half decent machine so might be worth the cost). The 2nd one she broke was a cheap POS that we shared and I hated using so wasn't too bothered when she dropped it while running down the stairs with it open, despite having been told multiple times not to walk around with it opened. This latest was bought for her exclusive use assuming she'd learned her lesson. If I can fix my old one, she'll get this POS I'm typing on, and it will live on her desk and _nowhere else. _


----------



## wtfftw (Oct 1, 2021)

I know you're not asking really but is there a reason she doesn't have a desktop?


----------



## chandlerp (Oct 6, 2021)

Maybe not an impact but a flex of some sort in her bag maybe.


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Oct 6, 2021)

wtfftw said:


> I know you're not asking really but is there a reason she doesn't have a desktop?


Or do you have an external monitor you can hook the Chromebook up to?  Keyboard and mouse too.


----------



## Hollis (Oct 8, 2021)

I've bought a Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 - 11.6" screen - mainly for doing stuff on the move - though it's abit of an indulgence really.  Err, I'm quite impressed with it so far!


----------



## mx wcfc (Oct 9, 2021)

Hi.  We've had to rearrange the house a bit for various reasons and my trusty old HP all in one desktop is no longer as accessible as it was.  I need a laptop, and I think I've decided a 14" Chromebook is the way to go.   the desktop is still available when I need it, I just want something to internet on. 

Anyone got one of these?  Any good?  Are Acer any good generally?  Reviews seem OK.





__





						Acer 314 Chromebook Laptop, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 14",  Pure Silver
					

Buy Acer 314 Chromebook Laptop, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 14",  Pure Silver from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.



					www.johnlewis.com
				




I went and played with an Acer 514 at Curry's at £239., and this just looks like the John Lewis version.  

The price is right, but I'd pay £50 more for something that was a lot better.  They all look much of a muchness to me though. 

I read something that said the Intel Celeron processor is fine for running one or two tabs, but I generally have 4 or 5 open.(Urban/twitter/FB/email)  Is this likely to be a real problem or just a theoretical one?  I don't do gaming.  

Sorry - I'm hopeless at this, and the thought of a new device terrifies me.  This isn't going to break the bank, but I don't want to end up with something that doesn't work for me.

Thanks


----------



## Chz (Oct 9, 2021)

Celeron is fine, it's RAM you need for multiple tabs. But I don't think there are many 2GB ones left out there - 4 is quite adequate.

The one thing I'd pay extra for is a touchscreen, as it does help with some Android apps.


----------



## mx wcfc (Oct 9, 2021)

Chz said:


> Celeron is fine, it's RAM you need for multiple tabs. But I don't think there are many 2GB ones left out there - 4 is quite adequate.
> 
> The one thing I'd pay extra for is a touchscreen, as it does help with some Android apps.


Thanks. 

I don’t really know what an Android App is and generally struggle with touchscreens. I can just about cope with this phone, but I haven’t really got the hang of it!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 9, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Hi.  We've had to rearrange the house a bit for various reasons and my trusty old HP all in one desktop is no longer as accessible as it was.  I need a laptop, and I think I've decided a 14" Chromebook is the way to go.   the desktop is still available when I need it, I just want something to internet on.
> 
> Anyone got one of these?  Any good?  Are Acer any good generally?  Reviews seem OK.
> 
> ...



Looks like an update of mine which is still serving well after a good few years. The only thing I'd comment is to get a 1080p screen if you can. My Dad got a similar one to me at the same time with the 720 display and the difference was huge


----------



## Chz (Oct 10, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I don’t really know what an Android App is and generally struggle with touchscreens. I can just about cope with this phone, but I haven’t really got the hang of it!


Basically, any modern Chromebook will run most (but strangely not all, looking at you Minecraft) phone apps. If that's useless to you, then a touchscreen is neither here nor there.


----------



## rutabowa (Oct 10, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Hi.  We've had to rearrange the house a bit for various reasons and my trusty old HP all in one desktop is no longer as accessible as it was.  I need a laptop, and I think I've decided a 14" Chromebook is the way to go.   the desktop is still available when I need it, I just want something to internet on.
> 
> Anyone got one of these?  Any good?  Are Acer any good generally?  Reviews seem OK.
> 
> ...


I have that. I have lots of tabs open and it works fine. The screen is a bit shit for colors, and the track pad and keyboard feels a bit cheap but I am v happy with it for college stuff. Will be fine for general internet.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 10, 2021)

Thinking of selling mine whilst it still has a bit of value. I've been given a laptop by work so seems silly having two portable machines. I still can't knock what good value it was though. Took me getting a laptop near a £1000 to compete in terms of form factor and battery life.


----------



## mx wcfc (Nov 24, 2021)

Having sought advice here, I got the Acer 314 from John Lewis just aver a month ago.  It has packed up.  Just won't turn on at all.  I have entered the Kafkaesque world of Customer "Support".  

People kindly warned me about various shortcomings above.  I can confirm that
a) it can be a bit slow
b) the screen resolution isn't brilliant
c)  the sound is awful.

I guess you get what you pay for and I only paid £200.  Bit of a shame it didn't last very long.


----------



## BoxRoom (Nov 24, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Having sought advice here, I got the Acer 314 from John Lewis just aver a month ago.  It has packed up.  Just won't turn on at all.  I have entered the Kafkaesque world of Customer "Support".
> 
> People kindly warned me about various shortcomings above.  I can confirm that
> a) it can be a bit slow
> ...


Should have lasted a bit longer than a month! Does John Lewis have a good returns policy/ warranty thing? I can't afford to shop so I don't know. 
I miss having a chromebook and would have another one in a flash if I could. I've had a few over the years that all lasted a very long time but my rough treatment of them done them in, in the end.


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Nov 24, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Having sought advice here, I got the Acer 314 from John Lewis just aver a month ago.  It has packed up.  Just won't turn on at all.  I have entered the Kafkaesque world of Customer "Support".
> 
> People kindly warned me about various shortcomings above.  I can confirm that
> a) it can be a bit slow
> ...



Well you’ll be covered by warranty. Is the sound still crap with headphones?


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Nov 24, 2021)

BoxRoom said:


> Should have lasted a bit longer than a month! Does John Lewis have a good returns policy/ warranty thing?



I’m fairly certain that if they don’t, trading standards would have something to say about it.


----------



## mx wcfc (Nov 24, 2021)

Magnus McGinty said:


> Well you’ll be covered by warranty. Is the sound still crap with headphones?


Yes, covered by warranty, haven't tried headphones.  Good shout.


----------



## mx wcfc (Nov 24, 2021)

BoxRoom said:


> Should have lasted a bit longer than a month! Does John Lewis have a good returns policy/ warranty thing? I can't afford to shop so I don't know.
> I miss having a chromebook and would have another one in a flash if I could. I've had a few over the years that all lasted a very long time but my rough treatment of them done them in, in the end.


Yeah, I'm covered. Their policies are meant to be good.  Never had to actually claim under a policy before though


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Nov 24, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Yes, covered by warranty, haven't tried headphones.  Good shout.



Yeah at that price the speakers won’t be good. Even if you spend over 2k on a laptop they won’t be amazing. But I imagine the sound will be fine through headphones.


----------



## editor (Nov 24, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Having sought advice here, I got the Acer 314 from John Lewis just aver a month ago.  It has packed up.  Just won't turn on at all.  I have entered the Kafkaesque world of Customer "Support".
> 
> People kindly warned me about various shortcomings above.  I can confirm that
> a) it can be a bit slow
> ...


John Lewis are usually one of the best for customer service and Chromebooks should definitely work longer than a month!

For what it's worth, I've been using a £199 Chromebook for DJing and it's always sounded great.  The speakers are what you might expect for the price though...


----------



## Magnus McGinty (Nov 24, 2021)

Or Bluetooth speakers or whatever.


----------



## Orang Utan (Nov 24, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Having sought advice here, I got the Acer 314 from John Lewis just aver a month ago.  It has packed up.  Just won't turn on at all.  I have entered the Kafkaesque world of Customer "Support".
> 
> People kindly warned me about various shortcomings above.  I can confirm that
> a) it can be a bit slow
> ...


What do you mean the sound was awful? Through external speakers or through the laptop speakers? If the latter, then you need to get some external speakers as the sound is useless for playing music/films on any laptop


----------



## Throbbing Angel (Nov 24, 2021)

editor said:


> John Lewis are usually one of the best for customer service and Chromebooks should definitely work longer than a month!
> 
> For what it's worth, I've been using a £199 Chromebook for DJing and it's always sounded great.  The speakers are what you might expect for the price though...



This - they've taken back 2 x Chromebooks I just didn't like (after a day or three)  and 1 that became faulty after about 18 months with no issues whatsoever.
The faulty one I walked into the Trafford Centre for a repair - which wasn't possible - full refund a week later.
The other two I walked back into Booths after having them for a day or so and deciding they weren't good enough/not for me.

Top Customer Service in my experience.


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 24, 2021)

mx wcfc said:


> Yes, covered by warranty, haven't tried headphones.  Good shout.


FWIW the speakers in the Toshiba Chromeobok I had were fab and the next one was an ASUS and they were v.good. £350 and £500 machines respectively, a few years back.


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## MBV (Nov 24, 2021)

Just recommended this to my mum. Anyone got one who can comment?






						HP Chromebook x360 14a-ca0005na Laptop, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC Storage, 14" Full HD Touchscreen, Mineral Silver
					

Buy HP Chromebook x360 14a-ca0005na Laptop, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC Storage, 14" Full HD Touchscreen, Mineral Silver from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.



					www.johnlewis.com


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 24, 2021)

MBV said:


> Just recommended this to my mum. Anyone who can comment?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your Mum's great


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## MBV (Nov 24, 2021)

Very good Throbbing Angel . Anyone used the linked Chromebook?


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 24, 2021)

MBV said:


> Very good Throbbing Angel . Anyone used the linked Chromebook?


Sorry, no, haven't used that model.

Have used a couple of Celeron powered Chromebooks and found them underpowered for my liking. They weren't HP, though. Quite a few of the reviews class this as entry level. So depends on your Mum's needs I suppose.

What's she going to be doing, browsing and email?


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 24, 2021)

Also, check the model out here to see how long it'll get updates for






						Auto Update policy - Chrome Enterprise and Education Help
					

Overview Chrome devices (e.g. Chromebook, Chromebox, Chromebase, Chromebit) receive automatic updates that enhance both the device and its software. Device updates provide the latest features and kee



					support.google.com


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## Chz (Nov 25, 2021)

editor said:


> John Lewis are usually one of the best for customer service


In person, they're still fairly good. But John Lewis's online/phone service is carving out a pretty dire reputation for itself. I've removed from from my list of places where I'll buy something even if it's a touch more expensive to get better service. (It's a short list, I can't even remember past Richer Sounds, Scan and Costco right now) I don't even think saying they're good in person is doing them any favours - I can say the same for Curry's!


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## passenger (Dec 3, 2021)

I just spent my last pennies on a Chromebook (14 a 0007) I just panicked bought it
on some black Friday deal, for £239 was £279 it's smaller than my last
laptop, just getting used to it, the cap lock thing was funny, so hard
to get used to, so far so good it is so fast compared to the old one.


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## editor (Jan 12, 2022)

Well, this is handy 









						Just like that, Nearby Share on Chromebooks is pretty fantastic
					

It wasn't that long ago that we wrote about HP's new Quick Drop app and how seamless the usage was when the app was installed on both your phone and Chromebook. I distinctly remember thinking to myself as we made a video about the feature that I really wished Nearby Share would work just as...




					chromeunboxed.com


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## Red Cat (Jan 17, 2022)

I just got an HP, £269 from JL. I only use it for browsing and watching tv and films, google docs. I like it a lot so far, nice keyboard, and the speakers are actually very good. My last one was an Acer and the speakers were on the bottom.


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## Janh (Feb 15, 2022)

What I don't like about my Chromebook - and I'm really scraping the barrel - is there is no on-screen, or on-bezel indicator for bluetooth being on. It's hidden in the settings shelf. Not a biggie, but can't be a big deal to sort out.

The other thing I find very confusing on this operating system is where to find files. Hard to say if they are local, on my Chromebook, or in the cloud on Google Drive, at times.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 15, 2022)

Janh said:


> What I don't like about my Chromebook - and I'm really scraping the barrel - is there is no on-screen, or on-bezel indicator for bluetooth being on. It's hidden in the settings shelf. Not a biggie, but can't be a big deal to sort out.
> 
> The other thing I find very confusing on this operating system is where to find files. Hard to say if they are local, on my Chromebook, or in the cloud on Google Drive, at times.



Yes. After all these years the file explorer is still appalling. I know you can download them from the app store, but most of them aren't great either. Basically they just want you to think and store everything in the Cloud.


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## Throbbing Angel (Feb 15, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Yes. After all these years the file explorer is still appalling. I know you can download them from the app store, but most of them aren't great either. Basically they just want you to think and store everything in the Cloud.



^^^this^^^ and it is easier if you do _imho_


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## cybershot (Feb 16, 2022)

Neverware's Cloudready, becomes Chrome OS Flex after Google acquired them.

Let's hope this one doesn't end up quietly dropped by Google in 2 years time!









						Google's New Chrome OS Flex Will Rescue Your Old PC or Mac
					

The successor to CloudReady is now in early access with a full rollout expected in the coming months.




					gizmodo.com


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## Chz (Feb 16, 2022)

cybershot said:


> Neverware's Cloudready, becomes Chrome OS Flex after Google acquired them.
> 
> Let's hope this one doesn't end up quietly dropped by Google in 2 years time!
> 
> ...


No Android App Store though. Really reduces the potential for it.


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## editor (Feb 16, 2022)

Chz said:


> No Android App Store though. Really reduces the potential for it.


Still, it'll work wonders on a low power old laptop that's been gathering dust for years, no?


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## skyscraper101 (Feb 16, 2022)

Google Wants to Turn Your Old Mac into a Chromebook With Chrome OS Flex
					

Google has announced early access to Chrome OS Flex, a method of replacing the operating system on older PCs and Macs "within minutes" to...




					www.macrumors.com
				




I liked one of the comments _"It'd be nice if they'd let me use my 5 year old Chromebook as a Chromebook!"_


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## editor (Feb 16, 2022)

skyscraper101 said:


> Google Wants to Turn Your Old Mac into a Chromebook With Chrome OS Flex
> 
> 
> Google has announced early access to Chrome OS Flex, a method of replacing the operating system on older PCs and Macs "within minutes" to...
> ...


You still can.


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## skyscraper101 (Feb 16, 2022)

editor said:


> You still can.



I presumed it was a comment about slowing speeds etc.


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## editor (Feb 16, 2022)

skyscraper101 said:


> I presumed it was a comment about slowing speeds etc.


The one thing Chromebooks don;t do is slow down. My cheapo Asus Flip must be five years old and it's still lightning fast compared to a cheap Windows machine of that vintage. The comment was referring to support running out for older CBooks - which sucks - but they're still totally usable.


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## rutabowa (Feb 16, 2022)

I just discovered chromebooks have the old PC "snipping tool" on a keyboard shortcut, it is awesome


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## Orang Utan (Feb 16, 2022)

MIne must be either nearly 5 years old or over 5 years old and it has slowed down big time, esp if you're downloading files, with a few tabs opened


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## editor (Feb 16, 2022)

Orang Utan said:


> MIne must be either nearly 5 years old or over 5 years old and it has slowed down big time, esp if you're downloading files, with a few tabs opened


Have you tried a hard reset and clearing out unneeded downloads/apps? Sorted mine out sharpish. Can't see how download speeds would be affected, to be honest. 









						The 20-minute Chromebook tune-up
					

Make your Chromebook faster, smarter, and more pleasant to use with these easy-to-follow annual steps.




					www.computerworld.com


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## Orang Utan (Feb 16, 2022)

editor said:


> Have you tried a hard reset and clearing out unneeded downloads/apps? Sorted mine out sharpish. Can't see how download speeds would be affected, to be honest.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


i didn't say it had slowed download speeds. I was complaining that, like me, it's getting worse at multitasking and is slow when required to do more than one thing at a time


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## Orang Utan (Mar 4, 2022)

How long do Chromebooks last when the cunts no longer update your software?


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## Throbbing Angel (Mar 4, 2022)

Last? 
As long as the hardware. You just aren't receiving security or some app updates.

It will work forever it just might not be safe depending on what you're visiting.

One way to get around this is to install another browser that will receive updates, such as Firefox.

Does your Chromebook have access to the Android app store? If not you might struggle/find this a total pain in the area.

Install Linux? (Don't)


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## Chz (Mar 4, 2022)

In theory, indefinitely. In reality, you probably have about 5 years after the cut-off before the Play Store tells you you're too old to install anything.
Even then, any apps that don't insist on being the latest version will work. It's not too dissimilar to people still using Windows 7.


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## Orang Utan (Mar 4, 2022)

Ah ok, ta, as long as I don’t have to panic buy a new one in June as I’m too skint to


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## MBV (Jul 15, 2022)

Just picked up an A grade Acer 314 for £100 and I'm pretty happy with it. It won't have a hard life as it will mainly be used for browsing, emails, controlling spotify connect and watching YouTube.


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## editor (Jul 15, 2022)

You can install ChromeOS on knackered old PC/Apple machines now








						Get ChromeOS Flex for PC or Mac - Chrome Enterprise
					

Install ChromeOS Flex now on your existing hardware and experience the benefits of ChromeOS on your organization's current fleet of PCs or Macs.




					chromeenterprise.google


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## Chz (Jul 26, 2022)

If you've ever wondered whether having a high spec Chromebook makes sense, we have a deal for you:





						Lenovo Yoga Aluminium Touch Screen Chromebook C630i, Intel i7-8550U, 15.6" IPS 2160p UHD, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB eMMC @ Lenovo Education Store | hotukdeals
					






					www.hotukdeals.com
				




Processor is several generations old, but still wildly more powerful than most Chromebooks and you get a 4k touchscreen.
£333.89


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## emanymton (Aug 29, 2022)

So I got myself a cheep Chromebook a while ago. And in general it is fine and does exactly what I need it to. But a times it drives me up the wall as something that should be simple become needlessly complicated, and I want to vent about one.

I tend to access my Google Drive files though the "files" app which Is fine, but there is is no way to create a new docs or sheet file directly. The best option I could find was to create a new file in Chrome (the editor is chrome is way better than the dedicated docs or sheets app for some reason) and then move it to the correct folder. I Just want something similar to a PC where it is just right click and create new. It is not a huge issue but I want to create quite a few new files so I thought I would try and find an easier option. 

I tried the actual Google Drive app and yep there I can create a new files directly in the app. The problem was if I open them from drive they default to the docs app rather than Chrome. Well that should be an easy fix I just use open with and select Chrome. Expect when I try that I get and error saying it can't open PDF file (maybe try the right file type Chrome?). To make matters worse because I am an idiot I made open in Chrome the default option and now there is no way to change it. From searching online to change the default app you go the the file in the files app and use the down arrow next to the open button. Expect there is no such option for doc and sheet file types!! So I'm stuck. Just to annoy me even more, I only changed the default for docs but it affected sheets as well.

I can still open them fine from the files app, but I have spent ages trying to figure out something that is so easy on a PC and made no progress at all.


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## chandlerp (Aug 30, 2022)

emanymton said:


> So I got myself a cheep Chromebook a while ago. And in general it is fine and does exactly what I need it to. But a times it drives me up the wall as something that should be simple become needlessly complicated, and I want to vent about one.
> 
> I tend to access my Google Drive files though the "files" app which Is fine, but there is is no way to create a new docs or sheet file directly. The best option I could find was to create a new file in Chrome (the editor is chrome is way better than the dedicated docs or sheets app for some reason) and then move it to the correct folder. I Just want something similar to a PC where it is just right click and create new. It is not a huge issue but I want to create quite a few new files so I thought I would try and find an easier option.
> 
> ...



Can you use twitter on this cheep Chromebook.


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## emanymton (Aug 30, 2022)

chandlerp said:


> Can you use twitter on this cheep Chromebook.


Probably, but I don't use twitter


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## Throbbing Angel (Aug 30, 2022)

chandlerp said:


> Can you use twitter on this cheep Chromebook.



Is just a web page so I don't see why not.

Newer models have access to the Play store so I suppose you can download the Twitter app (???) I no longer have a Chromebook but used Twitter in the browser all the time.


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## kabbes (Aug 30, 2022)

emanymton said:


> Probably, but I don't use twitter


Poor chandlerp , the pun has gone unloved. Don’t worry, it got a vague raise of the corner of the mouth from me.


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## emanymton (Aug 30, 2022)

kabbes said:


> Poor chandlerp , the pun has gone unloved. Don’t worry, it got a vague raise of the corner of the mouth from me.


Oh sorry chandlerp.  Dyslexic here.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 30, 2022)

emanymton said:


> Oh sorry chandlerp.  Dyslexic here.



I had also missed that


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## chandlerp (Aug 30, 2022)

emanymton said:


> Oh sorry chandlerp.  Dyslexic here.


my apologies then, I wasn't intending to demean you.


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## emanymton (Aug 30, 2022)

chandlerp said:


> my apologies then, I wasn't intending to demean you.


Don't worry, didn't take it that way.


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## editor (Sep 12, 2022)

I liked this error message (I'd deleted the file earlier)


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## MBV (Sep 12, 2022)

Google canceled its next Pixelbook and shut down the team building it
					

The next Google Chromebook was supposed to come next year — now it’s not coming at all.




					www.theverge.com
				




Not a huge loss now there's plenty of companies making them at different price points.


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## cybershot (Sep 30, 2022)

So the HP Steam 11 that my Mum has is now on GoogleOS Flex but it can't run Play apps, and slow round of applause here for Zoom who will now only support the Play Apps version so she's been unable to do her weekly online quiz night for a few weeks and only told me today.

Is this really the upto list of devices that support the Play Store?






						Chrome OS Systems Supporting Android Apps - The Chromium Projects
					

Home of the Chromium Open Source Project




					sites.google.com


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## editor (Oct 11, 2022)

Oh bugger. I slipped and fell quite heavily on my way to a gig on Saturday night. The Chromebook lid has a small dent but it appears to have taken out the WiFi. 

Given the cheap nature of these things I'm thinking I'd be better off just getting another s/hand one rather than attempting a fix (I've tried the usual hard reset options unless anyone has any bright ideas?)


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## editor (Oct 11, 2022)

Actually I could buy a little WiFi dongle thing, couldn't I? And recommended ones?


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## mack (Oct 13, 2022)

editor said:


> Oh bugger. I slipped and fell quite heavily on my way to a gig on Saturday night. The Chromebook lid has a small dent but it appears to have taken out the WiFi.
> 
> Given the cheap nature of these things I'm thinking I'd be better off just getting another s/hand one rather than attempting a fix (I've tried the usual hard reset options unless anyone has any bright ideas?)



When you say hard reset, do you mean you've tried opening up the cb and reseated the wifi card?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 13, 2022)

editor said:


> Actually I could buy a little WiFi dongle thing, couldn't I? And recommended ones?



I think you might have driver issues. That said I bought on recently for a PC desktop and can trying plugging it in to my old Chromebook this evening for you and seeing what happens.


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## elbows (Oct 13, 2022)

Theres a load of vague info on the net about this, with mixed opinions. It appears there were signs in development logs back in 2018 of Chrome OS wifi dongle support being improved. Perhaps searching for wifi dongles for your specific model of chromebook might yield better results than I had with a more general search.


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## editor (Oct 13, 2022)

Tried this again and it's working!

Hard reset your Chromebook​For most Chromebooks, follow the steps below:


Turn off your Chromebook.
Press and hold Refresh 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 + tap Power 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
When your Chromebook starts up, release Refresh


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## editor (Nov 18, 2022)

This has proved to be a really, really good text editor, It's free and it also runs on Windows and Macs (via Chrome)











						Caret
					

Professional text editing for Chrome and Chrome OS




					chrome.google.com


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 19, 2022)

editor said:


> This has proved to be a really, really good text editor, It's free and it also runs on Windows and Macs (via Chrome)
> 
> View attachment 352011
> 
> ...




  this is a result of Google stopping support for Progressive Web Apps I believe


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## editor (Nov 20, 2022)

Throbbing Angel said:


> this is a result of Google stopping support for Progressive Web Apps I believe
> 
> View attachment 352151


It works ok on my windows machine. I'll be miffed if it stops working


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 20, 2022)

editor said:


> It works ok on my windows machine. I'll be miffed if it stops working



Yeah, I would be too.

I'll recommend Writer from BigHugeLabs, runs in a browser, very light, free and paid versions.  Or installing Notepad++ on Windows.  Both great, both free


----------

