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Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

I (hopefully) will be changing jobs soon and the new role will require I keep track of a lot of detail. I'm toying with getting a Samsung tab s3 because of the pen and handwriting function, it also supports onenote which I find very useful. Anyone used the pixel book for handwriting/note taking and is it any good?
 
Grrr, there are always too many (for the tech-averse). Like trainers, all of which look identical to non-wearers but evidently have nuance and detail unseen by me.
As a clueless type...who has never knowingly used an app in their life, the listing of add-ons and specs means not very much. I do know about budgets though and would really like to spend not much more than £200 as anymore will start to eat into my garden stash. Autumn is my most expensive season.
I only need it to store photos, knitting patterns, bookmarks and stuff. Plus being able to do invoices, email, general browsing and download music/books (although I Have not downloaded stuff on the current dying behemoth I have at the moment). I do watch the odd U-tube (like how to rewind the fucking starter recoil spring on a Husky brushcutter).
And must have a keyboard - don't get on with swiping and prodding at all.
Must not break if it falls on floor(as it will).

I am too ashamed to go to an actual shop and say this since most salespeople truly fail to appreciate my panic and fear when RAM, megabytes, cache and other frightening terminology is used.
And then I get annoyed cos I don't do tech jargon unless chatting with other obsessives - like referring to tepals, petioles and humulus lupulus - I say petals, stalks and birch tree when talking to non gardening types.

If the perfect (cheap and vaguely functional) machine exists, I would very much like to be spoon-fed suggestions.
 
Start at the basics then. Do you know how big you want it to be? Many Chromebooks are much smaller then regular laptops. Which is great if you value them being portable, but could be frustrating if it's your only computer.

Also be aware that most have very little storage, the idea being you store it with Google, although of course you can keep it on an external hard drive. I've found no easy way to keep the two in sync though, but you could do it manually.
 
Would be nice to be able to see flowers, with good resolution...so yep. would pay more for a decent screen and not a titchy tablet sized thing. Don't care about portability - I don't go anywhere apart from the wood...so I would be in a pick-up. Not sure I need loads of memory and have not played a computer game since Daley's Decathlon on my son's Amiga.

Yep, U.a.O.Sky, it would be my only PC - but if you could see - or hear (it is groaning and huffing away) what I have at the moment...everything would be an improvement).
 
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Crispy said:
Do you have wifi? Chromebooks are very limited without a good internet connection.
Click to expand...

I do at home. In the horsebox, I would really be using it as a book reader and music (assuming I can attach it to my little 'mini-rig'). I hope to get a bit more tech know-how too. It is quite shameful that I barely manage to upload a photo (and have no clue at all when it comes to things like 'links').
And sweetheart is even more clueless than myself - I don't believe he has even so much as sent an email.
Neither of us have ever used a smart phone...or a video player (they aren't called that, are they?)
We have no problems at all using ferocious chainsaws, tractors or industrial plant...but I swear, my camera has never moved from it's 'auto' setting and the washing machine has only ever been on one setting for it's entire life...so we have a lot of ground to make up (fed up with being a cliche dense old fart).
 
campanula said:
I do at home. In the horsebox, I would really be using it as a book reader and music (assuming I can attach it to my little 'mini-rig'). I hope to get a bit more tech know-how too. It is quite shameful that I barely manage to upload a photo (and have no clue at all when it comes to things like 'links').
And sweetheart is even more clueless than myself - I don't believe he has even so much as sent an email.
Neither of us have ever used a smart phone...or a video player (they aren't called that, are they?)
We have no problems at all using ferocious chainsaws, tractors or industrial plant...but I swear, my camera has never moved from it's 'auto' setting and the washing machine has only ever been on one setting for it's entire life...so we have a lot of ground to make up (fed up with being a cliche dense old fart).
Click to expand...
So long as you have a gmail account (or know how to register!), Chromebooks are ridiculously easy to set up and use. You'll never be bothered with firewall/anti-virus/intrusive system updates. It's the simplest operating system by miles. If you lose your Chromebook - or borrow someone else's - you just log in to the new machine and everything magically returns.
 
campanula said:
It has arrived. I am ridiculously thrilled. I have never, in my whole life, had a new PC - or any other tech-y stuff, come to think of it - so I am fondling the sleek exterior and marveling at the (clean and shiny) screen.
Thanks for the heads up, Ed and 'Sky.
Click to expand...

I think they are great value, especially compared to equivalent windows machines for the price. Still can't get over the size, battery life and screen quality for the price on mine. Battery should last you a while as well!
 
Critical Requirements | Neverware Install Guide

I just did this on my Mums HP Stream 11.

Took about 40 minutes from downloading the CloudReady installer to having a fully functioning ChromeBook OS on what was a Windows 10 machine.

Oh and she now has 20GB of free space on the internal drive as well as the 32GB on the Mini SD.

Unfortunately, she went on holiday today, so will have to wait a week or so before finding out if she gets on with it. Which I'm sure she will, all the uses the thing for is the Internet! So she says. No doubt she'll suddenly tell me she can't do something or other!
 
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cybershot said:
Install CloudReady | Neverware Install Guide

I just did this on my Mums HP Stream 11.

Took about 40 minutes from downloading the CloudReady installer to having a fully functioning ChromeBook OS.

Oh and she now has 20GB of free space on the internal drive as well as the 32GB on the Mini SD.

Unfortunately, she went on holiday today, so will have to wait a week or so before finding out if she gets on with it. Which I'm sure she will, all the uses the thing for is the Internet! So she says. No doubt she'll suddenly tell me she can't do something or other!
Click to expand...

Does boot far more rapidly now as well?
 
editor said:
Worth a read:

What makes a Chromebook so secure?
Click to expand...
I was just reading that before I came over to this thread :hmm:

Anywho

Just updated my Chromebook to Version 68.0.3440.59 (Official Build) beta (64-bit) and was met with a "The new Chromebooks are here" splash page Google Chromebooks

Mine is over three years old now and I would like a newer, shinier thing that will run Android apps and what with Amazon Prime Day coming up on Monday & Tuesday I was thinking of looking at Chromebooks as I've just been paid.

Any suggestions? Anyone else looking? WHaddabout convertibles? Anyone do a 13in screen that converts? Or are they all 11ish inches?
 
Throbbing Angel said:
I was just reading that before I came over to this thread :hmm:

Anywho

Just updated my Chromebook to Version 68.0.3440.59 (Official Build) beta (64-bit) and was met with a "The new Chromebooks are here" splash page Google Chromebooks

Mine is over three years old now and I would like a newer, shinier thing that will run Android apps and what with Amazon Prime Day coming up on Monday & Tuesday I was thinking of looking at Chromebooks as I've just been paid.
Click to expand...
The Asus c302 is bloody wonderful.
 
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