Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

[felixthecat]

10 more minutes and I think I'm a convert

It's like using my phone but bigger.​

I've found a downside It doesn't like Skype.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I've found a downside It doesn't like Skype.

Hasn't Skype been shit for ages? It stopped working for me at one point anyway.

 

[felixthecat]

I use it a fair bit and it's been fine

 

[salem]

I run skype as an android app - it's generally OK but I don't seem to get notifications beyond a little dot on the icon which I tend to miss.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I use it a fair bit and it's been fine

No idea why it wouldn't work on your chrome book then. Have you checked the specs?

 

[Chz]

The tanked pound doesn't help of course.

Even with the low pound, it should work out to price parity at worst.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

I've found a downside It doesn't like Skype.

Yeah, i struggle with the web version of Skype on my Chromebook too.

 

[editor]

Interesting piece here


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/13/technology/google-education-chromebooks-schools.html

 

[editor]

Looks like they're making inroads in the UK now too:

After evaluation, Arnold and his team chose G Suite for its functionality and flexibility. The team relied on Netpremacy, a Google Cloud partner, to train 300 staff members to educate colleagues on how to use G Suite. Within months, 5,500 corporate users and 11,500 schools users had been set up with G Suite accounts. “Without the support of Netpremacy, we wouldn't have been able to implement as rapidly as we did,” says Arnold. “They recognised the cultural challenges. There was skepticism at first, but users really took the tools to heart when they could see the benefits.”

From different locations across the region, staff began working collaboratively on Docs and Sheets and inviting others to join. The team saved money by switching to Chromebooks and Arnold and his colleagues started using Hangouts to join meetings to stay synced on daily work.

Even firefighters, who were reluctant to try out Hangouts at first, started using it regularly. “Firefighters now use Hangouts at the scene of fires to communicate with central command, monitor the fire, and decide how many vehicles they need,” says Arnold. “The chief fire officer doesn't have to get in his car and drive out to the scene to help — he can do it all from wherever he is.”

English county council saves millions switching to G Suite and Chromebooks

 

[editor]

More machines have got Android support:

Google on Thursday updated its list of Chromebooks that now have official support, and 16 new machines have been added. They include:

• Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731, C731T)
• Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-532)
• Asus Chromebook C202SA
• ASUS Chromebook C300SA/C301SA
• CTL NL61 Chromebook
• Dell Chromebook 11 (3180)
• Dell Chromebook 11 Convertible (3189)
• Dell Chromebook 13 (3380)
• HP Chromebook 11 G5 EE
• HP Chromebook 13 G1
• Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook
• Lenovo N23 Yoga Chromebook
• Lenovo N22 Chromebook
• Lenovo N23 Chromebook
• Samsung Chromebook 3
• Mercer Chromebook NL6D

Chrome OS Systems Supporting Android Apps - The Chromium Projects

 

[editor]

Nice:

 

[elbows]

I hadnt realised samsung stopped selling computers in the uk! Have to import the chromebook plus if you want one in the uk apparently.

 

[Crispy]

I was waiting for Android-on-Chrome to be official before considering a chromebook, but it looks like I'll be waiting a bit longer for that, so I can return it to a UK retailer if it's busted.

 

[editor]

I was waiting for Android-on-Chrome to be official before considering a chromebook, but it looks like I'll be waiting a bit longer for that, so I can return it to a UK retailer if it's busted.

I'm not sure why you need the 'official' bit - I've been using Android apps on my Chromebook for ages and they all work very well.

 

[Libertad]

I'm not sure why you need the 'official' bit - I've been using Android apps on my Chromebook for ages and they all work very well.

Apps from Google Play or the Chrome Web Store?

 

[Crispy]

I'm not sure why you need the 'official' bit - I've been using Android apps on my Chromebook for ages and they all work very well.

That's an x86 machine though. Makes more sense (and should be more efficient) to stick to ARM if running android apps

 

[editor]

That's an x86 machine though. Makes more sense (and should be more efficient) to stick to ARM if running android apps

All the Android apps I use work just fine.

 

[editor]

Apps from Google Play or the Chrome Web Store?

From Google Play. I use the Chromebook Flip. Best £199 I ever spent on a computer.

 

[Libertad]

From Google Play. I use the Chromebook Flip. Best £199 I ever spent on a computer.

Ah right. No one likes a show off though.

 

[editor]

Ah right. No one likes a show off though.

You can still pick them up for around that sum if you shop around. I saw a refurb going for £200 recently

 

[Libertad]

You can still pick them up for around that sum if you shop around. I saw a refurb going for £200 recently

La Lib has just got herself an Acer R13 which is a great machine but would benefit from Google Play apps. It's Beta tested so things may change soon.

 

[editor]

La Lib has just got herself an Acer R13 which is a great machine but would benefit from Google Play apps. It's Beta tested so things may change soon.

Google is rumoured to be producing a new fabbo Chromebook soon. I'd love the Samsung Chromebook Pro/Plus or Acer Flip C302 but can't really justify paying £450-odd when my current model still does the job. I'd love a backlit keyboard though.

 

[Poot]

My elderly Chromebook gave up the ghost on Thursday so rather than mess about I simply bought a replacement for £140, logged in and all of my stuff immediately came back. I love you Chromebook <3

I have been utterly bereft without it.

I have no technical knowledge at all but the ease with which my sweated-over documents came back to me very nearly made me cry tears of joy.

 

[editor]

My elderly Chromebook gave up the ghost on Thursday so rather than mess about I simply bought a replacement for £140, logged in and all of my stuff immediately came back. I love you Chromebook <3

I have been utterly bereft without it.

I have no technical knowledge at all but the ease with which my sweated-over documents came back to me very nearly made me cry tears of joy.

One you've got used to a Chromebook, it seems almost medieval to have individually reinstall programs and settings when you get a new laptop.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

One you've got used to a Chromebook, it seems almost medieval to have individually reinstall programs and settings when you get a new laptop.

It does - my daughter's HP stream came back from repair last week - it always was inferior in my opinion - but getting it back clean again and having to set it up from scratch made me realise just how much of a pain in the arse all that stuff is. Windows 10 on a 32gb ssd (or whatever it is) does not make for a happy user - she is always asking to borrow my Chromey, as she calls it, instead of using her own laptop.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

question for the Chromebook users out there...

Changed car, no longer have a CD player in car, need to convert loads of CDs to mp3 so I can play the over BT from my phone or from a usb stick in the car.

I'll need an external CD drive and some software to do this on my Chromebook.

Suggestions are go!

 

[UnderOpenSky]

question for the Chromebook users out there...

Changed car, no longer have a CD player in car, need to convert loads of CDs to mp3 so I can play the over BT from my phone or from a usb stick in the car.

I'll need an external CD drive and some software to do this on my Chromebook.

Suggestions are go!

Unless they are very esoteric then just torrent them.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Unless they are very esoteric then just torrent them.

Most of them aren't - never torrented - go on...... suggest away

 

[nancyjohnson454]

every reply is too good i appreciate all members

 

[Libertad]

every reply is too good i appreciate all members