Chromebook

[Nick]

Anyone seen these Google Chromebooks? I'm very intrigued by it. I'm a huge consumer of the various Google services (voice, gmail, talk, docs, music, reader, maps, etc.).

Basically it's a laptop that does everything in the browser, I don't even know if you can actually install non-web based programs on it. But I love that it boots in 10 seconds and lasts 8 - 10 hours on a charge, and has 3g built in (although I'm not a fan of paying extra for another device data plan).

I just recently bought an Asus Transformer tablet which I like a lot too, it's wifi only but I have been tethering with my phone. I like that as well because of the keyboard attachment, and it lasts about 16 hrs with the keyboard attached.

Better for travel and trips than my laptop, which normally dies about 45 minutes into a movie :roll:

On the downside though with the Chromebook you can't put MS word on it for example, and while processing in Google Docs works pretty good there are times where I have functionality that I really can't replicate (particularly around formatting) with Docs. Also I occasionally use other software like FTP clients, etc., and I'm not sure what exists at that developer kind of level in the Chromebook world.

Curious though if anyone has one / is thinking of getting one. I think they have an alternative pricing model that's like $28 a month flat fee, but that might be for business use only.

Review from USA Today

Yeah.... I'm kind of a techy nerd

 

[o3jeff]

Get a Mac!

 

[Nick]

I've never been a mac fan. I tried it once and didn't like it Dunno why exactly. Maybe it was the lack of right click

I have a buddy who is a huge Linux guru, all his PC's are Ubuntu, I think. I've played around with it a bit (largely as a result of Android being on Linux but also because of web services typically being a LAMP stack). But I have a very superficial level of knowledge.

 

[Glenn]

Don't feel bad...I cruise the tech blogs at lunch. ; )

I'll be interested in seeing how this does. It's priced the same as a decent laptop, so it'll have some competition in the marketplace.

I think Google puts out some good products. The only downfall is if you can't install much on it. But as with anything, I'm sure the price drop quite a bit over time.

My wife and I have a wifi iPad. The portability of the device is outstanding. I can see why a lot of others are jumping into the tablet market.

 

[o3jeff]

I've never been a mac fan. I tried it once and didn't like it Dunno why exactly. Maybe it was the lack of right click

I have a buddy who is a huge Linux guru, all his PC's are Ubuntu, I think. I've played around with it a bit (largely as a result of Android being on Linux but also because of web services typically being a LAMP stack). But I have a very superficial level of knowledge.

There is actually a Macbook Pro sitting next to my desk, figured I would give an Apple a try.

[/IMG]

 

[MR. evil]

There is actually a Macbook Pro sitting next to my desk, figured I would give an Apple a try.

[/IMG]

we have a Macbook Pro also, very nice computer! The Mac OS is very fast

 

[bvibert]

I had a chance to buy a chromebook before it came out. I passed. Seemed too limited to me.

 

[o3jeff]

I had a chance to buy a chromebook before it came out. I passed. Seemed too limited to me.

Did you get to use one?

 

[gmcunni]

There is actually a Macbook Pro sitting next to my desk, figured I would give an Apple a try.

[/IMG]

i have an older mac book pro. i used to love it now i don't use it. great for editing video.

 

[bvibert]

Did you get to use one?

No. I was just going based on what I found for specs.

I need a new computer. As much as having a small simple device just for surfing the web appeals to me, what I really need is something powerful to edit videos and pictures. Ideally I'd have a kick-ass desktop, powerful laptop, and some sort of tablet or netbook type device. But I can only have one. I'll probably end up getting a decent laptop that can do editing at some point. I'm not likely to use a desktop very often as I've gotten used to the portability of a laptop at home.

 

[o3jeff]

No. I was just going based on what I found for specs.

I need a new computer. As much as having a small simple device just for surfing the web appeals to me, what I really need is something powerful to edit videos and pictures. Ideally I'd have a kick-ass desktop, powerful laptop, and some sort of tablet or netbook type device. But I can only have one. I'll probably end up getting a decent laptop that can do editing at some point. I'm not likely to use a desktop very often as I've gotten used to the portability of a laptop at home.

Cool, we might actually get to see the video of the 2008 bump or bust contest!

I don't think I could live with a desk top anymore, also gotten use to the portability and enjoy sitting out on the swing at night surfing the net.

 

[Glenn]

We still have a desktop at home. But I don't see replacing it with another desktop. We'll probably still keep the monitor and keyboard...just in case we ever want to plug the laptop into them.

 

[Nick]

I had a chance to buy a chromebook before it came out. I passed. Seemed too limited to me.

Did you get that same Gilt Grouppe email or whatever that I got?

They spammed the shit out of me... very annoying.

 

[Nick]

I've got a desktop at home I use for power work. I really like it since I need to sit down, in an office, to do real work - photo processing, video editing, web design crap, whatever. For web browsing or light document work a laptop is fine.

 

[gmcunni]

I've got a desktop at home I use for power work. I really like it since I need to sit down, in an office, to do real work - photo processing, video editing, web design crap, whatever. For web browsing or light document work a laptop is fine.

i'd be embarrassed to give a complete inventory of the computers in my house but will say a desktop makes a convenient scan/print/file server.

 

[Nick]

Yeah I also have a D-link DNS-323 NAS at home so I'm not tied down on files. I store pretty much nothing locally, I can access everything from any computer in the house, so it's easy to move from desktop to laptop, etc., as I need to.

 

[bvibert]

Did you get that same Gilt Grouppe email or whatever that I got?

They spammed the shit out of me... very annoying.

I don't know, it was something my wife got for whatever reason.

 

[bvibert]

i'd be embarrassed to give a complete inventory of the computers in my house but will say a desktop makes a convenient scan/print/file server.

Yeah, that was my plan too. Just never got around to actually doing it. My recently wife went out and bought a new printer that hooks into the network directly. I guess she got tired of waiting for me. :lol:

 

[gmcunni]

i just saw a Verizon commercial that said the average home had 4 devices connected to the internet. that number is low in my opinion.

 

[bvibert]

i just saw a Verizon commercial that said the average home had 4 devices connected to the internet. that number is low in my opinion.

We have 6 if you count our smart phones. 2 laptops, Wii, and PS3 are connected to our home network. The printer is too, but I don't consider that connected to the internet. We also still have the desktop setup, but it hasn't been turned on in probably over a year.