Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

[BoxRoom]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Looks like most Android apps already work well with Chromebooks

Android apps on Chromebook review: Is it ready for mainstream use? | ZDNet

 

[BoxRoom]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Interesting feature:

How Android apps transformed my Asus Chromebook Flip into an entirely new device

 

[editor]

Putting this here as a reminder for myself really!

How to customize your Chromebook launcher

 

[editor]

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]

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]

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.

Seriously, seconds.

About 10 seconds a month.

There's also no malware to worry about. All Chromebook applications are safely sandboxed, all local data encrypted, and verified boot makes sure that nothing dodgy is loaded when the system boots up.

Lost and stolen systems -- something that admins worry about a lot -- are not a problem with Chromebooks. Data is backed up automatically in the background, and in the event that a Chromebook does go missing, not only can it be remotely locked and wiped, but all that's needed to get the person mourning the loss of their device back in the game is hand them a new Chromebook. Migrating all the data and settings to the new system is as simple as just logging into it.

Chromebooks remove almost all of the hassles that plague the Windows ecosystem, and bring benefits at a price point that Apple cannot match with its MacBooks.

Chromebooks are the new "it just works" platform | ZDNet

 

[editor]

And all your messaging needs:
Best Chrome extensions for staying in touch

 

[Chz]

Or just install PushBullet and route everything through there.
I know it's not quite the same, but it's a lot easier.

 

[Nebulous.]

I looked into chromebooks and I decided against it. Laptops are so cheap these days, some are around the same price.

 

[editor]

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.]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Chromebooks are the new "it just works" platform

Same article editor quoted on Friday

 

[editor]

Acer's new 14" Chromebook looks good

Acer Chromebook 14 Review

 

[Throbbing Angel]

looks similar to my Tosh Cbook 2 (13.3in) that - good review -$299 is a steal for that

 

[editor]

Handy if you use Skype: Chromebook Users Can Now Make Voice Calls Via Skype For Web | Androidheadlines.com

 

[editor]

Another handy set of links: How to use your Chromebook offline