Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

[The Boy]

every reply is too good i appreciate all members

Euphemism?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

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

There are a few threads about it going on about it, but basically you'll need a bit of software that does the torrenting and then find a website that hosts the torrents.

Torrenting...would someone be willing to explain this to me?!

I just keep an eye on this thread and don't have a Chromebook, but I believe you can get a torrent client for them which I'm sure someone else can help with.

 

[Libertad]

Euphemism?

A statement of fact I expect and who doesn't appreciate a member?

 

[editor]

If you're after a big screen:

Lust like past entries in Acer’s Chromebook 15 line, this new model still features the iconic 15.6-inch screen size. This is the largest Chromebook currently on the market, and it features an IPS panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Both touch and non-touchscreen options are available, and to make media consumption with that display even more enjoyable, Acer has also included two upward-facing speakers.

The top cover and palm rest on the Chromebook 15 are made out of aluminum for a more premium feel than what , and this year’s model is also thinner and lighter at 0.74-inches thick, and weighs in at 3.79-pounds. The full-size keyboard promises to offer a comfortable typing experience, and writing papers late at night shouldn’t prove to be a problem at all with built-in backlighting for the entire keyboard layout.

Acer says that the Chromebook 15 should be able to get around 12 hours of full use on a single charge, and when it does comes time to re-juice, you’ll top up the device using the USB Type-C port. In addition to this, other I/O includes two USB 3.1 ports, full-sized HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, and an SD card reader that supports up to 128GB SDXC. As for wireless connectivity, Acer has included Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi. The Chromebook 15 will also have access to the Google Play Store, so downloading and using Android apps on it won’t be a hassle at all.

Along with being able to choose between touch and non-touchscreen models, customers will be able to purchase the Chromebook 15 with either Intel Celeron or Pentium processors, 32 or 64GB of eMMC storage, and 4 or 8GB of RAM.

The new Acer Chromebook 15 packs an aluminum design, 12 hours of battery life, and USB Type-C

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Looks good to me.

Like the ability to choose in relation to RAM, touchscreen and processor.

32gb Intel with touchscreen for me please (unless touchscreens rinse batteries, I have no idea)

 

[ViolentPanda]

So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS. Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs? As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.

 

[BoxRoom]

So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS. Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs? As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.

I'd definitely go for the Chromebook. They don't slow down and get clogged up like Windows machines do. The R11 also has Android Apps available to it which is great

 

[Throbbing Angel]

I'd definitely go for the Chromebook. They don't slow down and get clogged up like Windows machines do. The R11 also has Android Apps available to it which is great

seconded

e2a: I've had my Chromebook over 2 years and it runs the same as they day I got it

 

[elbows]

As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.

Looks like VLC is available for Chrome OS so you shouldnt have any problems with different video/file formats of rips etc.

 

[editor]

So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS. Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs? As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.

Chromebook all the way. Imagine this: you open the lid and it's ready to go and it's actually nippy!

 

[ViolentPanda]

Chromebook all the way. Imagine this: you open the lid and it's ready to go and it's actually nippy!

What about updates? People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates. Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?

 

[elbows]

Ah I've just found a lot of complaints on the web about VLC for Chrome OS so probably need someone who actually uses it to say what the reality is on this front.

 

[elbows]

What about updates? People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates. Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?

It has to be better than windows, which seems to have the magical ability to install updates at the worst possible moment.

 

[BoxRoom]

What about updates? People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates. Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?

Updates are a breeze on Chromebooks. They take all of 11 seconds usually. You're not pestered by them either. They download in the background.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

So, good folks, I've been offered an Acer R11 chromebook - 4gb RAM, 32gb SSD in "as new" condition, or an Acer Spin 1 - which is almost identical in spec, but has a Win 10 OS. Familiarity isn't an issue - I've used an Iconia 9" tablet for 3 years, and a Win 10 laptop for 2 - but which do people think will be most beneficial to my way of working in a mobile situation, given that I mostly just surf, and when I write, my preferred way of doing so is on Google Docs? As for memory, if I want to watch films, I usually just stick a USB drive in, with a rip on it.

Low spec windows machines are hateful things to use so just based on that, anything but.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

What about updates? People are selling me on the Chromebook, but I hate updates. Is Chromebook less hassled by them than Windows?

I had to do an update today - all it wanted me to do was close it down or restart it at some point when it suited me. No nag screen, no slowing down, no stuff stopping working. So when I was going to make a brew, I did that - takes about 11 seconds as BoxRoom said.

 

[Libertad]

Chromebook VP, ours has been a joy to use and Android apps have just become available for it.

 

[editor]

Might be of interest to people thinking about a Chromebook: I Used A Google Chromebook For 30 Days, This Is What Happened

 

[Chz]

Low spec windows machines are hateful things to use so just based on that, anything but.

This. I mean, I love my Windows desktop but it's a fuck-off, 4.6GHz, 16GB, 27" screen bastard.

On a £300 laptop, stick with ChromeOS.

 

[editor]

Chunky but cheap'n'tough:

In our CNET streaming battery test, it ran a little less than 12 hours. Its standby time is also great. I fully charged the laptop and left it sleeping for an entire weekend. When I returned to it, its battery life had barely been depleted.

Nothing about the Lenovo Flex 11 is incredibly special. Yet, if you want an affordable and tough laptop with a touchscreen, it's one of the cheapest you can get. If the keyboard isn't a deal-breaker, the Flex 11's attractively low price makes up for most of its shortcomings.

Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook review

 

[Part 2]

Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).

He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.

He doesn't want anything too small or with detachable keyboard.

Any current recommendations?
What should I be looking for and what else is there to consider?
Is it easy enough getting used to online working?

Probably looking at £3-400 max though it seems it's possible to spend much less.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).

He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.

He doesn't want anything too small or with detachable keyboard.

Any current recommendations?
What should I be looking for and what else is there to consider?
Is it easy enough getting used to online working?

Probably looking at £3-400 max though it seems it's possible to spend much less.

What does school use and does it need to play nice with that? Does he care about what OS he uses? If these two aren't important then you will certainly get more bang buck then with a windows laptop.

 

[BoxRoom]

Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).

He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.

He doesn't want anything too small or with detachable keyboard.

Any current recommendations?
What should I be looking for and what else is there to consider?
Is it easy enough getting used to online working?

Probably looking at £3-400 max though it seems it's possible to spend much less.

Just a quick point (don't have a current rec in mind, I've got a Flip and reckon that'd be smaller than he'd like), online working is very easy to get into but Chromebooks work well offline too. There's plenty you can do now that doesn't require an internet connection.

 

[Part 2]

What does school use and does it need to play nice with that? Does he care about what OS he uses? If these two aren't important then you will certainly get more bang buck then with a windows laptop.

I'm not sure tbh, he's there to get his timetable tomorrow so will get him to ask. I've used the same 2009 macbook for ages and have never got on with Windows due to virus etc.

The laptop he has hardly gets used so I'm fairly sure everything he needs can be done with quite a low spec machine, I imagine all he'll need to do is write essays, research online and watch stuff.

 

[BoxRoom]

I'm not sure tbh, he's there to get his timetable tomorrow so will get him to ask. I've used the same 2009 macbook for ages and have never got on with Windows due to virus etc.

The laptop he has hardly gets used so I'm fairly sure everything he needs can be done with quite a low spec machine, I imagine all he'll need to do is write essays, research online and watch stuff.

A Chromebook would be perfect for that. You can use the native Docs to write essays and you can save it, and work on it, in Word document format too. It's pretty nifty, innit.

 

[Libertad]

Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).

He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.

He doesn't want anything too small or with detachable keyboard.

Any current recommendations?
What should I be looking for and what else is there to consider?
Is it easy enough getting used to online working?

Probably looking at £3-400 max though it seems it's possible to spend much less.

La Liberette got herself one of these and it is excellent, now app ready:

ACER Chromebook R 13 13.3" 2 in 1 - Silver

 

[cybershot]

Considering a Chromebook for my son who's starting college next week doing A levels (English, Film Studies, Media so no big expectatiosn in terms of software I woudln't imagine).

He has a big old Dell laptop that he managed to break the hinges on so figured I don't want to spend loads and he's not the biggest lad so doesn't want something too heavy to carry. I thought a Chromebook would fit the bill as laptop prices seem to have suffered from the Brexit result.

He doesn't want anything too small or with detachable keyboard.

Any current recommendations?
What should I be looking for and what else is there to consider?
Is it easy enough getting used to online working?

Probably looking at £3-400 max though it seems it's possible to spend much less.

Might be worth double checking that media section of the course, it wouldn't surprise me if there's going to be some sort of video editing element to that. It's likely the college probably has specialist Apple Macs or decent Windows devices with Adobe Premiere on for this bit which he'll have to book onto, but it might be worth having something that can at least handle some of the freebie movie editing software should he/colleagues prefer to work on it from home or together in a break out room, or this ends up becoming the thing he enjoys the most (It is great fun once you figure out how to use Premiere Pro and After Effects, and surprisingly easy to pick up!)

 

[editor]

I bought a second hand Asus C302. It's ruddy magnificent.

 

[Part 2]

Might be worth double checking that media section of the course, it wouldn't surprise me if there's going to be some sort of video editing element to that. It's likely the college probably has specialist Apple Macs or decent Windows devices with Adobe Premiere on for this bit which he'll have to book onto, but it might be worth having something that can at least handle some of the freebie movie editing software should he/colleagues prefer to work on it from home or together in a break out room, or this ends up becoming the thing he enjoys the most (It is great fun once you figure out how to use Premiere Pro and After Effects, and surprisingly easy to pick up!)

Aye, just been looking into the course content and hadn't realised there was a bit of practical stuff in both film studies and media courses so I'm gonna get him to check out things with tutors tomorrow.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Bought the R11 "as new" for a hundred beer tokens, and it's been a pleasure to take for a spin, so far. Incredibly light too!