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Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

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.
 
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...
 
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 :D - 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 :)
 
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 :D - 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 :)
Click to expand...

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.
 
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? :confused:
(I know she'd choose that one, just for the colour options ' :cool: ' :rolleyes: :D )

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!
 
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)
 
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 :thumbs:
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 :D - 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! :D
 
Anyone expecting them to announce the Play Store for the previously listed devices tonight? I really hope this is the day they do it.
 
Pixel Chromebooks now removed from Google Store.
Flip's still there though, which is good because it is awesome :)
 
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.
 
Look at this bad boy:

Samsung-Chromebook-Pro-06.jpg
​

nexus2cee_Samsung-Chromebook-Pro-728x320.png


Samsung-Chromebook-Pro-12.png



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.
Click to expand...
This is the Samsung Chromebook Pro, and it comes with a PEN
 
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
 
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