Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

[BoxRoom]

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]

I've been able to throw away my colouring books because I have a touchscreen

 

[editor]

I've been able to throw away my colouring books because I have a touchscreen

What point are you trying to make here?

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Here's an interesting take:

 

[editor]

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]

Best chromebook for under £250 for primarily home use, anyone?

 

[twentythreedom]

Best chromebook for under £250 for primarily home use, anyone?

editor?

 

[felixthecat]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Yes, I'd always look for a 4GB version of any Chromebook.

 

[twentythreedom]

Cheers

Any recommendations from you, editor?

 

[felixthecat]

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]

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]

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]

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]

ok 10 minutes playing around and i think its idiot proof ...

 

[felixthecat]

10 more minutes and I think I'm a convert

It's like using my phone but bigger.​

 

[Magnus McGinty]

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.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Sounds a great solution if you've money to throw at.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

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]

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.

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]

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.

The tanked pound doesn't help of course.