Chrome OS

Bomshika

This post has been deleted.

niallb

No you can't.
The chromebook is all about the cloud - though you can also work with it offline.
Dreamweaver or notepad++ require windows, which is not the operating system installed on the chromebook.

Overheal

unless its available on the chromebook appstore, you aint doing ****.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/home?utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-et-na-us-oc-webstrapp&utm_medium=et

Torqay

Well, it is possible to install Ubuntu on the Acer Chromebook, so theoretically you can run Dreamweaver and Notepad++ (via WINE) on it.

Kenny Logins

You could use this code editor - https://codeanywhere.net/

riclad

http://www.elara.ie/productdetail.aspx?productcode=ECE2360466
if you ,r buying a netbook ,
ITS better to buy from an irish shop,or website.
Chrome os, is designed for constant online connection,
its very limited ,re off line apps.
Check re ram upgrade options,on this before you buy it.
OBviously ,theres 1000s of windows programs that,ll run on win 7.

I Don,t think chrome os is suitable for use by a student.

retaildarren

I've been using a Chromebook as my main computer for about three weeks now. I'm a big, big Google fan and even beforehand I was using Chromium OS partitioned alongside Ubuntu 12.10 and Windows 7.

What can I say? The Chromebook is an amazing machine and the best mobile productivity tool around. Yes, everything is in the cloud, but that's where everything needs to be these days.

A Chromebook comes with 100GB FREE Google Drive storage for two years (that costs around €240 in itself) so what you're getting is all that storage and then a beautiful computer running an operating system that boots up at lightning speeds all for a few extra euro.

Here's what I mean:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S95J5BowMmk

Eathrin

Surely lifetime storage couldn't be too much to ask for given that you mightn't even have a hard drive?

retaildarren

It does have a Hard Drive, just a small one. And the beauty about all of Google's 3 main future products (Glass, Chrome and Android), is that they sync seamlessly across, and when one kicks the bucket, you can be safe in the knowledge that everything is safe in the cloud - and when you get a new Chromebook the cycle continues!

Torqay

And after two years you're f***ed. Google is holding your data for ransom and you'll be paying 600 dollar per year or kiss your data good-bye... you've got to be kidding me.

Every Reason Not to Buy the Google Chromebook

retaildarren

Torqay wrote: »

And after two years you're f***ed. Google is holding your data for ransom and you'll be paying 600 dollar per year or kiss your data good-bye... you've got to be kidding me.

Every Reason Not to Buy the Google Chromebook

And you think that the likes of Apple don't? Chrome descends from Chromium, an open source community of white hats looking to make the internet more accessible to everyone, supported by Google. Google Drive is your own private realm, as is Keep and Calendar and Gmail and all of those other amazing Google applications across all devices. That's just scaremongering.

Torqay

retaildarren, make an appointment to see your GP and insist you are seen today. Do not take No for an answer. Best wishes and speedy recovery.

mordeith

retaildarren wrote: »

Google Drive is your own private realm, as is Keep and Calendar and Gmail and all of those other amazing Google applications across all devices. That's just scaremongering.

I think he's had a visit from this guy :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aZ2bdnG97A

yoyo

Any more personal abuse/Google v Apple etc. will result in infractions handed out.

mordeith

yoyo wrote: »

Any more personal abuse/Google v Apple etc. will result in infractions handed out.

Apologies. No malice intended.
(I use a lot of Google products myself)

Torqay

You can hardly go online anymore and not using Google one way or another... but "your private realm of amazing Google applications" is a little bit too much, sry.

Overheal

Chrome redundancy is nice and all but you see this same level of cloud connectivity in computers as well. Between drop box skydrive icloud carbonite etc the chromebook can't really claim to be all that superior. My other toys have the same access to cloud based programs without the handicapped lack of regular software compatibility. MS office is in the cloud now too, you can run word excel etc from a web browser, no installation required.

The only current claim to fame of chrome is how seamless its sync is, compared to the other choices. Check out 'chrome maze' and bring your smartphone along for the ride. Its a crazy awesome tech demo, but still not enough to make me jump on the chrome browser bandwagon

yoyo

mordeith wrote: »

Apologies. No malice intended.
(I use a lot of Google products myself)

No ones to blame was just a warning :-)

Nick

Kenny Logins

Torqay wrote: »

And after two years you're f***ed. Google is holding your data for ransom and you'll be paying 600 dollar per year or kiss your data good-bye... you've got to be kidding me.

Every Reason Not to Buy the Google Chromebook

That's the incredibly expensive 'Pixel' model, read on -

The Chromebook as an idea is a splendid idea: a cheap laptop that gives you exactly your money's worth. Affordable computing. Simple computing. These are all good ideas. But the Pixel is a self-contradiction, an absurdity, a Kia with rims, a waste of your time. To say nothing of money.

Torqay

If you're happy with "simple computing" and paying Google a small fortune for online storage then a Chromebook is worth considering. But also keep in mind that you do need a permanent internet connection or else your Chromebook ain't much more than a 300 Euro paperweight.

For little more you'll get a real laptop which can do all the stuff you can do with a chromebook (such as exploring "your private realm of amazing Google applications") and then some, even offline. For example the ASUS Vivobook S200, 12" touchscreen, faster processor, a real operating system (not just a web browser), plenty storage, etc, costs just over 400 yoyos. The extra costs you'll save in no time when Google is charging you for their cloud.

Overheal

Gotta go with Torq on this one. There is nothing exclusive to a chromebook that cant be run on a regular PC. Hell, you can even play a game of Counterstrike from right inside your chrome browser window these days. Don't need to have a google chromebook to do it, either.

Chromebooks are viable as a low cost solution for people who just want a netbook-sized laptop for doing web-based stuff. Beyond that, even spending an extra fifty bucks can land you, not a Great PC laptop, but something that is far more capable.

Torq I had a lady come in the other day thinking she wanted a Chromebook to run her business... in the end she wound up with the Surface Pro It was a toss between that an the XPS 12 but she was big on the pen for signing contracts.

Torqay

It's their third attempt with Chrome OS. The first two failed mainly because of the lacking offline-capabilities. Rather than learning from this mistake and improving the offline-capability (beyond Angry Birds) they're now telling potential customers how cool it is to pay for the Google cloud. Me thinks they don't want it to become a sucess. As for the Pixel, this surely has to be the pinnacle of incompetence: a laptop with a 3:2 display, 32 GB storage, outdated BT 3.0 and no USB 3.0 or HDMI... for a staggering 1,300 dollar! WTF???

Oh, and grats for your first Surface Pro sale, shall we revive the other thread for celebrations?

Overheal

Nah. lol. Let the surface ride out for a few months, I kinda wanna see what they do with second-gen models. Fellow student already has the Samsung Atom model, works fairly well but it feels a lot more cheap because its physically just an 11.9" 16:9 Samsung Galaxy body. Very plastic.

We will no doubt see the Pixel in store over the coming weeks and I'll get back to yous when I see it. IME computer hardware is typically priced with relative market fairness, owing to the high volume of competition, but I'd like to manhandle the thing myself and see what $1300 is really offering.

Kenny Logins

I agree, the Pixel is a joke but I can think of plenty of good reasons for using a Chrome netbook or laptop. It's not not for everyone, but I can think of at least half a dozen light users I know personally that would find that this system is ideal.

Torqay

I would rather buy a MacBook Air. (Ooops... what did I just say??)

Overheal wrote: »

and see what $1300 is really offering.

Well, you know that already: pretty much maintenance free, you don't need to backup, you can change from on Google device to another and all your stuff is there and synched (if you have blind faith in the cloud, which I certainly don't have). But I can't see 1 TB online storage for 600 Euro per year selling like hot cake when one can get a hard drive of the same capacity for 60 yoyos.

P.S.: The Surface Pro has yet to surface in Europe.

Overheal

Torqay wrote: »

P.S.: The Surface Pro has yet to surface in Europe.

Thats sad. Hopefully other 8 Pro tablets make it over. Samsung Ativ is my favorite runner up even though it feels cheap, because it offers the same pen functionality. the Lenovo Lynx is a lot like the ASUS Transformer series though, in that you can get a docking keyboard for it, and then you have that HP X2 yoke.

galwayjohn89

I'm seriously considering getting one. I know of around 15 people in college with the and all love it. It does need a few more apps but its really handy.

Torqay

Vuzuggu wrote: »

I'm seriously considering getting one. I know of around 15 people in college with the and all love it. It does need a few more apps but its really handy.

The Acer C7 Chromebook is a pretty good deal indeed. A dual core celery and 1366x768 display for $199 beats any Atom netbook hands down. And unlike with other Chromebooks, it's possible to install Ubuntu (dual boot). Upgrading the hardware is also an option (up to 16 GB RAM and SSD). Not too shabby...

Peanut

I think there's something here that people are missing, and it's the fact that manufacturers don't need to use an x86-compatible CPU in Chromebook hardware, so the cost/weight/battery life ratio can be much better.

So you could say the same about some iOS/Android devices, but having a real keyboard does make a difference, and 3rd party add-ons are still fiddly, not to mention that these devices are still primarily designed as touchscreens, and for all of the touchscreen hype, it's just not as efficient for some tasks that need mouse pointer + keyboard.

Check out the battery life for the Samsung ARM chromebook - 6.5/7 hours typical usage for something that weighs 1kg and equipped with an above-average keyboard.

That's quite compelling if you're happy enough with the other limitations and are possibly using it as a 2nd computer.

Torqay

Peanut wrote: »

I think there's something here that people are missing, and it's the fact that manufacturers don't need to use an x86-compatible CPU in Chromebook hardware, so the cost/weight/battery life ratio can be much better.

Ah, that's not entirely true. Some sub-€300 ASUS Eee PC netbooks featured 9-10 hrs battery life at the same weight with x86 architecture. And the new generation of Atom CPUs is boasting even better power efficiency.

Peanut

Torqay wrote: »

Ah, that's not entirely true. Some sub-€300 ASUS Eee PC netbooks featured 9-10 hrs battery life at the same weight with x86 architecture. And the new generation of Atom CPUs is boasting even better power efficiency.

Is it this one ?

It seems to have been discontinued, and the newer model is twice the $ price of the Samsung.

Torqay

Yep the HA and the PE have a particularly great battery life.

Although netbooks are no more it isn not true that the "cost/weight/battery life ratio" can't be achieved with x86. Also keep in mind, that there is no Windows Tax on chromebooks (although Microsoft does get its share, they receive up to $15 per Android licesnse, which is a lot more than Google makes on advertising per user).

And Intel is aiming at Android with the new line of Atom CPUs.

Khannie

Torqay wrote: »

(although Microsoft does get its share, they receive up to $15 per Android licesnse

WHAAATT???!?!

How come? Licensed technologies?

Torqay

Khannie wrote: »

WHAAATT???!?!

How come? Licensed technologies?

BIG TIME!

World's most profitable Android company? Microsoft!

Microsoft makes more money from Android than Windows Phone

Behind Microsoft's $15 Samsung Android royalty claim

Microsoft adds new scalp to its Android licensee collection

Apple doesn't shy from extorting their piece of the action:

Apple and Microsoft could make 600% more from Android than Google in 2013

Peanut

Torqay wrote: »

And Intel is aiming at Android with the new line of Atom CPUs.

They finally made some sort of fanless operation possible with the new Atoms, but it's a little late to the Android party.

I still think that the market reflects the realities of high battery efficiency devices, and that market is currently overwhelmingly ARM based. That Asus HA model is both heavier and has a smaller screen compared to the Samsung.

Maybe Intel can play catchup but I think it's a poor bet to believe that x86 will become widespread in smartphones/tablets etc.

Torqay

Acer's new C7 Chromebook has 6 hours battery life (as the Samsung) using a fully fledged dual core Celeron (yes, x86) with twice the power of a shabby Atom processor, never mind ARM.