Google Chromebook pitfalls?

sebastianj

Dear all,
What is wrong with the Google Chrome book? I ask this question because Androids are in fashion but people seem to avoid chrome book, have I missed something?
sebastian:mad:

juno

It always updates. They sell this as a good thing, but it means you actually have no idea how to use the flipping thing. They have a nonstandard keyvboard and in a year they've chnaged the capslock shortcut 3 times - no warning, just one day it doesn't work any more. Many other things have changed too.

They have a common problem of charging port breaking. Mine has twice in less than a year.

Splott

And without internet access they're only good for being a doorstop.

And no you can't install Windows on them because they use an ARM CPU.

adamc260

Surely you should install Linux/Ubuntu on there though which is pretty functional?

sebastianj

Many thanks Juno, splott and adamc260,
I did not know you can't connect it to internet but with the Androids you can connect to Internet. I know nothing about Linux/Ubunt, I think it is too much to take on. Many thanks for this education.
sebastian

bod1467

Erm ... they said you HAVE to connect it to the internet otherwise it is useless.

sebastianj

Sorry bod1467, I thought that the chrome book cannot connect to the internet, don't we have to do this with all laptops though? I mean we need to connect it to access the internet.
thanx any way.
seb

Mat_Lock

Chromebook OS uses an always on internet connection to operate. Everything is basically a Chrome browser window and everything functions within that. If you don't have an internet connection the chromebook cannot obtain your information, apps etc. It's basically a massive portable tablet with a keyboard.

Splott

adamc260 wrote: »

Surely you should install Linux/Ubuntu on there though which is pretty functional?

You can but it'll be one compiled for ARM so you'll not be able to go to somewhere like Playdeb.net and download stuff on there because it is compiled for a x86/x64 compatible CPU which an ARM CPU isn't.

You will find you need to do a fair bit of compiling from source code which takes an age to do and involves a fair bit of knowledge. Its hardly point and click.

kwikbreaks

They aren't all ARM based. Not that I see any point in buying a Chromebook and then installing Linux on it anyway. Chromebooks are aimed at a niche market - if you don't fit that market then look elsewhere.

zzzLazyDaisy

I love my chromebook, but it a substitute for my old netbook, which I used to use away from home, and to that extent it is more useful as I do tend to pick it up for internet use at home, as it is lightweight and has a long battery life.

But it is not a replacement for my main laptop, which I use when I am working on word documents.

You also cannot use a portable hard-drive with it (which I didn't realise when I bought it), so this has limited my use because everything that is on my laptop is backed up to my portable hard-drive, which I would then take with me if I went somewhere with my netbook.

Now, I would have to make sure everything I needed was uploaded to the cloud, or transferred to a memory stick or SD card. All of which is doable, but requires planning and a different way of working.