Chromebooks - latest news and discussion

[editor]

Collabora Office for Chromebooks.
From the people who did Libre office.

Collabora Office available on Chromebooks

Collabora Office, now running on Chromebooks, gives users a richly featured office app respecting users digital rights and privacy.

www.collaboraoffice.com

Handy for those trying to escape the data hugging clutches of Google.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Handy for those trying to escape the data hugging clutches of Google.

Aye - or the WiFi bereft - away from home, etc.

 

[editor]

Argos is currently offering the 64GB Chromebook Duet tablet for £279.99 Bargain-tastic!

Buy Lenovo 10in MediaTek 4GB 64GB 2-in-1 Convertable Chromebook | Chromebooks | Argos

Buy Lenovo 10in MediaTek 4GB 64GB 2-in-1 Convertable Chromebook at Argos. Thousands of products for same day delivery £3.95, or fast store collection.

www.argos.co.uk

 

[editor]

Big listing of all the Chromebook shortcuts

• Tab shortcuts: Ctrl + T opens a new tab, Ctrl + Shift + T reopens the last closed tab, and Ctrl + W closes the currently selected tab.
• Options menu: Alt + E open options menu, the three-dot menu in Google Chrome and Google Files. This shortcut does not work in Android apps.
• Cursor selection and movement: Shift + arrow keys selects text in the direction you move the cursor, and Ctrl + arrow keys moves the cursor one word to the left or right or to the beginning of the line above or below. Using Shift + Ctrl + arrow keys* allows you to select larger portions of text quickly.
• Screenshot: Ctrl + Overview (the button that looks like a stack of windows) takes a screenshot of your current full Chromebook screen, and whether you need this for capturing the result you got on a web quiz, how a homework module is misbehaving, or capturing something funny that someone said in a group chat, it's an essential shortcut to know.
• Screen zoom: Ctrl + + zooms in and magnifies the current tab of Chrome, while Ctrl + - zooms out and shrinks the current tab of Chrome. If you want to quickly return to 100% default zoom, you can do so with Ctrl + 0.
• Hide your game/tab: Alt + - will minimize the current window. If you have multiple windows open, then hitting Alt + - again will minimize the next open window. If you only have one window open on your Chromebook, hitting Alt + - again will restore that minimized window once your teacher, little brother, or parent has left and the coast is clear.
• Split-screening windows: Alt + [ pins the current window to the left side of the screen and Alt + ] pins the current window on the right side of the screen, making it far, far easier to reference your notes while you write your history report or write helpful technology articles. Alt + = will make a window full-width again without making it fullscreen, which hides the address bar, tabs, and toolbars.

20 Chromebook keyboard shortcuts every student should know

They're like cheat codes for your homework.

www.androidcentral.com

 

[Badgers]

Chromebook Users Exclusive Deals - Claim 3 month Free Disney Plus, 100GB Google One and 100GB of Dropbox - hotukdeals

If you are a Chromebook user log into the above link with your Google Chromebook credentials and you see a number of exclusive offers.Currently they are offerin

www.hotukdeals.com

 

[editor]

This may be of interest to some

NVIDIA GeForce NOW is finally available on Chromebooks

It's been a long time coming and, frankly, I'd shelved it as a 'may never happen' scenario, but as of 9am EST this morning, NVIDIA GeForce NOW actually works on Chromebooks, completely via the web, and far - FAR - better than I would have initially expected it to. Just yesterday, NVIDIA teased...

chromeunboxed.com

I just played 3 flawless rounds of Fortnite on my Chromebook with the GeForce NOW Android App

A few months back when NVidia took the wraps off of GeForce NOW and offered it to the public, I signed up immediately. I've had the Shield TV for a long time and have always been impressed by the streaming game quality available through the Android TV app. As a matter of fact, that service...

chromeunboxed.com

 

[editor]

Here it is

 

[editor]

Lenovo Duet vs iPad

Which hybrid tablet is best for the back-to-school crowd?

Hybrid tablets can save your life on campus, but which is right for you?

mashable.com

 

[Aladdin]

Can youtube be disabled in a chromebook?
Asking for a teacher

 

[editor]

Can youtube be disabled in a chromebook?
Asking for a teacher

How to block Youtube from my daughters Chromebook - Chromebook Community

support.google.com

 

[Aladdin]

How to block Youtube from my daughters Chromebook - Chromebook Community

support.google.com

Thanks

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Argos is currently offering the 64GB Chromebook Duet tablet for £279.99 Bargain-tastic!

Buy Lenovo 10in MediaTek 4GB 64GB 2-in-1 Convertable Chromebook | Chromebooks | Argos

Buy Lenovo 10in MediaTek 4GB 64GB 2-in-1 Convertable Chromebook at Argos. Thousands of products for same day delivery £3.95, or fast store collection.

www.argos.co.uk

Same price @ John Lewis but with a 3 year warranty at the moment.

Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey

Buy Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

seen on HUKD

 

[mack]

Ordered an Acer 713 from currys - hoping to pick up today - can't wait to finally sell my entire soul to google

 

[editor]

Possibly of interest to some:

My favorite sketching app is Artflow.

For me, this mimics most of the features I used to use on my Windows PC with Photoshop for sketching and painting. It has layers, layer adjustments, a color wheel, a slick size and thickness slider for your pencil or brush and the entire layout feels very familiar, yet simple. Artflow (and Infinite Painter, to name a few) can also open and edit Photoshop Document files (PSD!) Having used Photoshop for many years, this felt like a natural fit.

Sketchbook Pro is another app with similar functionality and is provided by Autodesk. If you’re looking to hand painted or acrylic art, smart shapes or just a well-rounded piece of software, you may want to check out Infinite Painter. Google has also gone through great lengths to partner with this app’s developer for promotional advertisement with Chromebooks. Though these are among the best, there are thousands of apps available on the Google Play Store. We won’t be talking much about Krita or Linux art software today as those deserve their very own discussion.

One incredible, new app which uses smart shapes and has a great set of brushes, not to mention a really cool color wheel animation, is Concepts. If you’re a parent, a lot of children like to use MediBang to create anime or cartoon style pieces, though the app is not exclusively used by that age group. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention here that Photoshop Sketch was also available, but for some reason, I haven’t really cared much for it compared to the others I’ve mentioned. Like I said, everyone has their preferences!

The artist’s guide to sketching and drawing on a Chromebook

Chromebooks have evolved a lot over the past few years and along with them, users have too. Having once simply used Google's laptops for data entry and web browsing, many people are now getting comfortable with them and want to explore new ways that they can fit into their technological...

chromeunboxed.com

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Aye - or the WiFi bereft - away from home, etc.

Yes. I'm not that fussed about Google having my data. I do on the other hand find this a pain from time to time.

 

[mack]

Absolutely loving this chromebook, the speed, the screen, the keyboard, the trackpad (i usually hate them) - the way it can hook up to your phone easily.

At work at the moment so can't try out everything but looking forward to seeing whats possible!

Will be testing the dodgy footie streams later

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Same price @ John Lewis but with a 3 year warranty at the moment.

Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey

Buy Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

seen on HUKD

...and a possible £20 off your spend if you follow these instructions

£20 off £120 spend - My John Lewis offer @ John Lewis & Partners

John Lewis Discount Code ➡️ Get 20% Off + Deals, March 2023 | hotukdeals

John Lewis discount codes & deals for March 2023 ▶️ Verified and tested UK voucher codes ☑️ Get the best price and save money - hotukdeals.

www.hotukdeals.com

 

[souljacker]

Same price @ John Lewis but with a 3 year warranty at the moment.

Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey

Buy Lenovo Duet ZA6F0025GB Chromebook Detachable Laptop, MediaTek Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 10.1" Full HD, Ice Blue/Iron Grey from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

seen on HUKD

I need to get one for my kid. This looks ace. I assume it can do all the google play stuff?

 

[editor]

I need to get one for my kid. This looks ace. I assume it can do all the google play stuff?

Yep. Most apps work with Chromebooks but it might be worth double checking if there's one your kid particularly wants to use/play.

 

[Chz]

Yeah, there are some that refuse to play with Chromebooks due to market segregation. I'm looking at you, Minecraft.
(You can play Minecraft Java by unlocking the Linux subsystem, but it disables parental controls to do so)

 

[editor]

Yeah, there are some that refuse to play with Chromebooks due to market segregation. I'm looking at you, Minecraft.
(You can play Minecraft Java by unlocking the Linux subsystem, but it disables parental controls to do so)

I know zero about Minecraft but would this be any use

Minecraft Education for Chromebook | Minecraft Education Edition

Use Minecraft Education for Chromebooks to unlock a new way to learn in class. Schools can now use Chromebooks to provide immersive learning for grades K-12.,Use Minecraft Education for Chromebooks to unlock a new way to learn in class. Schools can now use Chromebooks to provide immersive...

education.minecraft.net

and if anyone wants to do the Java thing you mentioned

How to Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook

In this guide, learn how to install and play Minecraft Bedrock and Education Editions on your Chromebook with Android and Linux support.

beebom.com

 

[Chz]

Oh now that is new and helpful. Thanks!

 

[cybershot]

Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?

Yes, there’s an app to download from the Chrome store

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Yes, there’s an app to download from the Chrome store

How to use Zoom on a Chromebook with our progressive web app (PWA)

Here are step-by-step instructions and tips for teachers and students to best download, join, and use Zoom on a Chromebook.

blog.zoom.us

Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?

It ran fine on mine earlier this year - no longer have a Chromebook

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Sorry if already asked. Do chrome books run zoom ok? Mum has been done for speeding and the course has to be on zoom and I’ve no idea if it works ok on a chromebook?

I've not been able to get the sound to play nice. I'm sure I'll get there, but I just used something else at the time. So it's worth checking it works properly before hand.

 

[cybershot]

I've not been able to get the sound to play nice. I'm sure I'll get there, but I just used something else at the time. So it's worth checking it works properly before hand.

thanks. Yeah we have a corporate license at work so I’ll set up a test one with her on Friday.

 

[editor]

Absolutely loving this chromebook, the speed, the screen, the keyboard, the trackpad (i usually hate them) - the way it can hook up to your phone easily.

At work at the moment so can't try out everything but looking forward to seeing whats possible!

Will be testing the dodgy footie streams later

How are you getting on with it now? This reviewer seemed to like it

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review: High-end performance for entirely too cheap

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is one of the best and most affordable high-performance Chrome OS devices, perfect for developers and power users.

9to5google.com

Elsewhere, the Lenovo C340 11.6" remains the go-to option for a small, cheapo CBook.

Lenovo Chromebook C340 (11.6") review: This pretty laptop is practically perfect for the price

Want a Chromebook that looks good, can keep up with you when you’re in the middle of a manic Monday morning shift, and will last for years to come? Meet the new best Chromebook: the ...

www.androidcentral.com

 

[mack]

How are you getting on with it now? This reviewer seemed to like it

Lovin it!

So some things to note - the wifi 6 seems much more stable at home and work - and actually getting 200mb speeds - my old laptop was topping out about >100.
I've enabled linux so that I could use a few apps such as soulseek and bittorrent, this was pretty easy to do.

The bundled video and music players are pretty shit - some I've downloaded mx/vlc players.

Its easy to connect to my Synology box via smb file sharing.

The only thing i'm still working out is how I'm going to sort my music library. The current set up was a copy on my synology linked to Sonos, then a copy on my win laptop using musicbee to sort and a further copy on my phone all synced to each other.

I've been testing an sd card in the chromebook and using poweramp but there is a known issue with the card mounting/dismounting itself randomly. So i'm still thinking this one through.

 

[editor]

If I decide to upgrade my Chromebook, this is definitely on my list:

New ThinkPad™ C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise™ Delivers Premium Distinctive Style with Chrome OS Agility - Lenovo StoryHub

The ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise is a portable, efficiency boosting laptop with the cloud-based simplicity offered by Google® Chrome Enterprise.

news.lenovo.com