My Chromebook

I am at an event and I am using my Chromebook to write and keep me entertained. I love using my Chromebook. It does everything I need it to do. I know I have written this before, but I want to restate what I feel. With my Chromebook I do all my internet work. I visit my favorite sites, I check on the news, and I do all my blogging on it. I also use it to do some of my writing and all of my editing. For me, my Chromebook is perfect. Now I wish I could do everything on it (like programming and writing music), but it does just about everything I need to do. I also wish it had more offline functionality, but since I am rarely away from WIFI, it is not much of an issue for me. I love the fact that it is so inexpensive to use. I also like that I can do all I need to do for free. For that I am thankful for all the sites and companies that provide free applications and content.

What do you think?

Chromebooks v. Windows laptop

I was reading a review of a new Chromebook model last night. The comments regarding the new device were not what caught my attention. What caught my attention were comments in regards to buying a Windows laptop instead of a Chromebook. The reviewer made the point that buying a $200 Windows laptop would be much better than buying a $200 Chromebook. I disagree. Sure the Windows laptop will allow you to download programs that the Chromebook will not, but the inexpensive Windows laptop will not run anything that would justify owning one. For example, you might be able to download Photoshop but because of the lack of memory and a poor performing main processor you will not be able to do much with it. What you end up owning with the cheap Windows laptop is a cheap Windows laptop that can only do a few more things than a plane Chromebook.

Having owned both types of devices I think the Chromebook is a better value. First, Chromebooks usually have better quality components because in order for Windows laptops to be as cheap as a Chromebook they skimp on quality. Second, Windows laptops are way slower than Chromebooks. Third, Chromebooks marks have double the battery life. Fourth, sure you might have more functionality with the Windows laptop, but you have to pay for it. Once you buy the Chromebook you really never need to pay for anything else. Finally, with a Chromebook you never catch a virus. For me, that is one of the best selling points for owning a Chromebook.

If you're going to buy a $200 laptop, buy a Chromebook. If you want greater functionality then don't buy a $200 Windows laptop. Buy a $500 Windows laptop and spend a little extra money for a better machine. In the end, if all you are going to do is some basic things with a laptop, save yourself the money and buy a Chromebook. I use mine all the time and enjoy it. I think it is the best value for the money market.

What do you think?

Continually surprised by my Chromebook

I am continually surprised by my Chromebook. For example, this weekend I attempted to watch the Super Bowl through AppleTV. Unfortunately, for some reason, the video feed was not working. So all I did was fire up my Chromebook, plug it in through the HDMI port to my big screen TV, and to stream the game through the Internet. Not only was I able to enjoy the game, the picture quality was outstanding, the sound was terrific, and I truly had an enjoyable experience. I was able to do all that on a laptop that cost me less than $200. If it is possible to do that on a laptop that costs less than $200, why are all the other laptops so much more expensive? I know that I lose some functionality by using a Chromebook, but I have yet to run across something that I am not able to work out in someway or fashion. My Chromebook continues to surprise me.

What do you think?

Tim Cook dismisses Chromebooks

There is a story out that Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) dismissed Chromebooks as just cheap “test machines”. I think this is very interesting. The last time a major CEO dismissed Chromebooks was when Steve Ballmer (former CEO of Microsoft) did back in 2009. Since then Chromebook market share has grown. This is especially true in the education sector where Google has estimated that Chromebooks will outnumber all other devices in schools by the end of 2015. Since Steve Ballmer is no longer the CEO of Microsoft, does this mean Tim Cook will eventually be out as well? I think it is not a good idea to underestimate Chromebooks. They fill a need no one else is addressing and thus they will continue to increase market share especially in the education sector where they are well suited.

What do you think?

Chromebooks in the classroom catch on

I just read an article that 50% of technology sales to schools were Chromebooks last quarter. I am not surprised. Chromebooks get the job done and they are all that is needed for schools. They are also inexpensive to buy and use. I think we will see a lot more Chromebooks in the classroom and I think that is a positive trend. We will finally have a generation that knows how to use computers productively (and not just smartphones). Here is the article if you want to look at it:
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/03/googles-chromebooks-make-up-half-of-us-classroom-devices.html
What do you think?

What is a Chromebook good for?

A Chromebook is essentially an internet terminal. In other words, a Chromebook uses the internet like a terminal uses a server. So what ever you can do on the internet, you can do on a Chromebook. It turns out that you can quite a bit on the internet. You can create all forms of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can do basic photo and video editing. You can write music. You can build web pages. You can write code. You can do just about everything you can imagine. Is using Chromebook just as good as using a regular laptop or desktop? No, but it comes close enough. The best part is that you can own a Chromebook for less that $200 and do all I mention basically for free. You can also do all that without worrying about getting a virus or malware.

So I guess you can say that a Chromebook is good for just about anything.

What do you think?

The Future of Chromebooks

I can't say anything definitive on this because I do not work for Google and have absolutely no knowledge on what is truly going to happen. I do have an opinion though.

There are rumors that Chrome OS will be merged in some way with Android. Now that is a distinct possibility, but I am not sure it will happen. Chromebooks have not taken off as a consumer device. They are not the hottest thing on the market and the fact is, they do not pose much of a threat to Windows machines or Macs. They do have a small market share, and that is nice, but I do not think it will expand that much in the future. That is just reality.

But there is one market where Chromebooks are doing very well, which is in the K-12 education market. More and more K-12 schools are adopting Chromebooks, and sales are growing. There are several reason for this. First, Chromebooks are inexpensive to buy and inexpensive to use. Second, software is all web based and inexpensive to use. Because Chromebooks are web based, they are easier to control from an administrative point of view, especially at the school site. I think this is the most important reason why Chromebooks are making nice inroads in the education market.

Smartphones are the new curse of education. Why? Because they are cool and you can do some really fun things with them. You can text, surf the internet, and you can especially download play many of the most popular games on them. How can any teacher compete with that? Now, schools are doing their best to overcome the distraction, but if you give a kid a device that can do all the cool things smartphones can, they will immediately load them with games and all the other things that they love to do. Then you will not only have to deal with the curse of the smartphone, you have to deal with the curse of the device provided by the school itself! At least with Chromebooks, there are fewer distraction wile still being a functional computing device.

So, because of the education market, I think Chrome OS and Chromebooks have a good future. Since I like using my Chromebook, that is good news for me.

What do you think?

Chromebook Vs. Windows 8

I had a class assignment that required the use of Java to complete (I had to build a web page with a java applet on it). Unfortunately Java does not run on Chromebooks. So I powered up my Windows machine to do the work I needed. Unfortunately I never got to it. My Windows machine was so slow and full of bugs I couldn't even get a browser to work right. I ended up having to re-install Windows. Since that takes a few hours on the machine I have, I will have to find another way to do my assignment (since it is due soon).

Though I would love to have Java on my Chromebook, I am glad I don't. Why? Because of what happened to my Windows 8 machine. The machine was so full of bugs and problems that I had to start from scratch with it. In the two years I have been using Chromebooks (I am on my second one now) I have never had any of the problems I have had with my Windows machine. I have had no viruses. I have had no crashes. I have had no issues when I boot up. I have so speed problems. In fact, I am writing right now on my Chromebook as my Windows machine is re-installing the operating system!

So, though I would like to have Java, I love my Chromebook so much more the way it is. I would rather not have any problems and live without Java (and anything else I can't do), than live with the mess Windows (and sometimes Mac) ends up being.

Cheaper Chromebooks

Over the past couple of weeks there has been an announcement that there will be 2-3 Chromebooks becoming available that will be selling for about $150. Now they will be using a slower chip and will not have the highest of quality components, but they will be running Chrome OS and will do so efficiently. I have read a couple of reviews and no one is terrible disappointed with the new cheaper Chromebooks.

What do I think? I think if you can afford an extra $50 buy a Chromebook that's a bit faster with better components. On the other hand, if you are strapped for cash or you need to buy a truckload of laptops, then you might want to give a look at the cheaper Chromebooks. Them seem to run well (though not as fast), and they do everything a Chromebook is supposed to do (which is not everything to start with). I wonder how much lower will things go? Will we eventually have a usable laptop for $99? I think that might be possible one day, but I am not sure how much you will be able to do with it. It is great to know that prices are going down rather than up (in spite of inflation).

Using the MS Word app on a Chromebook.

I just started using the MS Word app on my Chromebook. Up to now I have used Google drive and a couple of other apps. I started using the MS Word app because it is the only one that I can use on the WIFI network at work. The school district I work for blocks all Google sites (must be because they have a contract with Microsoft for much of their IT).

So far I like what the app can do. First, it's free, which is great. Second, it is a web application, so you need access to the internet and it doesn't work offline like Google Drive does. Since I have a robust WIFI network at home and a decent one at work, I have no issues with being online (other than not having Google access from work). I also have a hotspot on my iPhone, so I am never without some kind of access to the internet. Third, it is a full functioning word processor, but it does not have all the functions found in a full version of MS Word. That does not bother me as well since I do not use all the functions anyway.

Finally, the app works well. I like all I can do with it. I also like how it saves my documents to the cloud automatically. I can also access my documents from several of my other systems and edit or add to them. Having this app on my Chromebook makes it highly functional. One of the biggest drawbacks to using a Chromebook is not having access to many of the standard software packages (Like Office and the like). This app is a fully functioning version of MS Word, so that is one software package that is not an issue in using a Chromebook.

So, can you use MS Word on a Chromebook? You sure can and it's free!

Using my Chromebook

I have had my new Acer Chromebook 11 for about three weeks so far. Today was a banner day in using it. First, I used it at work to take attendance. I teach Jr. High music and we take attendance on a web based service. I use a USB ethernet connection to hook up to the internet at work (though there is WIFI, the attendance system can not be accessed through it). While online I checked my email. I had no problem checking all my accounts (all 3 of them). When I had breaks I did some internet surfing and I also did some writing using Google Docs. On my lunch break I finished up creating a web page for my web development class. I used the text editor Caret to create HTML and CSS code. When I was done I used an ftp extension in Chrome to upload my files to the college server. Everything worked flawlessly. At the end of my day I took my car in to get serviced at the local Toyota dealer. I spent about an hour listening to music on Rhapsody and I also did some reading for a class (my text is an ebook). Finally, I spent some time playing solitaire and tetris as the night wore on.

Now I did this all on my Chromebook and I did not have to charge the battery at any time. I am able to do all I do and still have plenty of battery left. The battery life on the Chromebook is awesome (6-8 hours). I am continually surprised at all I can do on my Chromebook Considering that I paid less than $200 and I did not pay for anything else I use, the Chromebook is a great machine!

Chromebook 11 v C720 update

I have now spent a couple of weeks using my new Acer Chromebook 11. So far I am well pleased. Battery life is as good (or better) than my Acer C720. The issue with build quality (it's not as nice as my C720) has not been an issue at all. In fact, it is nice to have a lighter laptop to carry around. My Chromebook 11 is all white and I thought it might get dirty quickly, but it has not. I have had no issues running all my favorite apps. I still think my Chromebook 11 is a tad bit faster, but it is imperceptible most of the times. I look back and see that I had my C720 for about a year and a half without any issues (in fact it still is working perfectly). I can see myself having my Chromebook 11 just as long (unless I have money to burn on a new one next year).

My recommendation? If you can get a good price on an Acer C720, pick one up. But, if you can get an Acer Chromebook 11 for less, it's a good deal.

Acer C720 vs. Acer Chromebook 11

I just went out and picked up an Acer Chromebook 11. I had some money from my birthday and I decided to get a new Chromebook. I have an Acer C720 which I used for over a year, and bought a new one not because I needed to (the C720 is still working perfectly), but only because I had some money and had nothing else I wanted to spend it on. I think that is what's great about Chromebooks. You can go a buy one with your birthday money (hey, my family is cheap, what can I say).

Here are my first impressions. I bought the Acer Chromebook 11 (CB-11) for about $20 less than I originally paid for the C720. Unfortunately, when I went to boot the new laptop up, it would not boot and I had to return it to the store and get another one, which is working well. Moving all my old files over from the C720 to the CB-11 took just a few minutes. Making sure all the apps I use where downloaded took a few more. Making an image of the OS took about 20 minutes and that was all I needed to do to have my new Chromebook up and running with everything I had on the older one.

The build quality of the CB-11 is not a good as the C720. The CB-11 is lighter, but the C720 is sturdier. The keyboard and trackpad also feel sturdier on the C720. When it come to performance though, the CB-11 feels slightly faster. Also, the quality of the screen seems better to me. So which one is better? If you want something sturdier, try and pick up a C720 (or stick with the one you own). If you want something lighter, just a bit faster, and with a better quality screen, then pick up the Chromebook 11.

So far I am disappointed that the Chromebook 11 does not have the same build quality, but then again, it is faster, lighter, and with a better screen quality. I also paid just a few dollars less for it, so I guess I can say that I am getting what I paid for. In the end, I enjoy using Chromebooks, and I am not disappointed with the Chromebook 11 in that regard.

Just a note, I would not recommend the Acer Chromebook 11 for school use. I doubt they would survive the abuse. Now the C720 probably could and I would recommend it as a possibility.