[Closed] PSA: Chromebook £120

Nice one Stoner ..... already got 3 in the house but may have to get another at that price.

*Now where's that trigger on the internets I'm meant to pull?

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/a1-refurbished-acer-cb3-111-11.6-hd-white-intel-celeron-processor-n2830-2g-a1-nx.mqnek.001/version.asp?refsource=ldawin&affid=47868

Having said that, the spec isn't as good, I think.

As a complete computer biff at the tisk of sounding a dumbass 😉 could i run garmin connect in one of these and upload my edge? And would ut run memorymap ok too ? My current laptop is very slow and ive deleted loads from it so possibly looking for a faster machine

I only use my laptop for memory map, garmin uploads / route planning and deezer/Googleplay music really

no.

Garmin really is a luddite company. So far behind the times. But unfortunately the "goto gps" manufacturer. Making over priced, poorly implemented junk IMO.

Phew. I needed that.

Google wont work with Garmin so I plug in and upload by file, works fine then.

FWIW. you can use your Garmin with it but not with Garmin Connect - you'd have to upload the file manually just like if it was a USB drive. It will work though.

Google wont work with Garmin

Ahem. Garmin wont work with Google. 🙂

OR rather Garmin wont work with web based apps.

Lol i know stoner my phone seems to work better tbh too but i do like the routing options on the edge touring.

But its a possibility using as you say carl as there seems to be an android play store garmin app too

Will have to investigate further. But i think my memorymap will be dead in the water *another outdated company* but i have full uk maps so useful tbh

I should really investigate sorting my laptop further tbh

We are just about to start shopping for a new laptop for our eldest (12 y/o)
Would a chromebook be suitable for all the usual homework/research type tasks?

We don't do a lot of printing at home and would probably buy a new one if we did so we would aim to get one compatible with google cloud printing whatever that is.

Any advice welcome.

TIA

It really depends on what the homework is - some schools will prescribe excel, word, etc and that's not going to be ideal (though MS Office 360 actually works well on a chromebook IME).

Printing is fine so long as you get a compatible printer or have a windows computer at home connected to a printer in which case you can install cloud print on that.

For research it'll be fine though.

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it's totes amazeballs already happening!

sturdy - chromebook is ideal. The best schools are of course going over to complete google platform/google education and school gdrives etc already 🙂

My two 13y/o girls both got a Chromebook (in white) for their birthday - they love them.

It really depends on what the homework is - some schools will prescribe excel, word, etc and that's not going to be ideal

oh, and if you absolutely have to work on a desktop for some reason you can simply connect using chrome remote desktop (like I did a couple of weeks ago from the back of a boat in the Croatian islands using a 3g mifi. 8)

I have a chromebook, I think it's great for what I got it for but only a fanboi will deny that it has it's limitations compared to a 'proper' laptop.

Docs/sheets/etc are great for simple stuff. They're not a match for excel if I wanted to use it for some of the things I do at work (I don't so it's not a problem). I also find that PDFs created in Docs, don't always work well for everyone (formatting) so CVs and the like require using Word IME. I similarly found that docs downloaded in word format didn't quite work - of course, it may have improved and the beauty of the chromebook is that when it does, the update will happen straight away for everyone using one.

Those may well not be an issue. Or they might be and then it'll be a hassle.

Similarly, I know people who got chromebooks for their kids and found that not being able to install a particular application was a problem. Again a non-issue for many but not all so it pays to check and be aware of the potential for issues before buying.

And I agree that RDP is great but IME non-techy people often find it confusing (though I expect kids would be fine...) and it's only any good if you do have a PC to connect to.

Yes I'm a fanboi, but I'm going to pull you up right there nemesis:

They're not a match for excel if I wanted to use it for some of the things I do at work (I don't so it's not a problem).

I built my career on being an annoying excel "superuser". The jump to google sheets in the early years, for me, was v painful. But over the years since, GSheets functionality is now 95% of that of Excel. Or rather 100% of the needs of 99% of the people who use Excel.

There's even a complete suite of statistical addins much like the XLAddin. Yes, I cant use VBA to do stuff any more, but I wont cry over that 🙂

I still build large, complex models in GSheets but now dont have to worry about back ups, version control, sharing, emailing etc,.

And I agree that RDP is great but IME non-techy people often find it confusing (though I expect kids would be fine...) and it's only any good if you do have a PC to connect to.

Im luck that my brother allocated a slice of one of his VMs for me. Its a back up to handle any silly big/over complicated Excel files I might be sent by clients. Not needed it yet.

But that was exactly what I said - it's fine for many/most but that's no consolation if it doesn't do something you need. Or if you don't have a brother with a spare VM... 😉

given how powerful gsheets has become, perhaps it's better to frame it's limitations by what it [i]can't[/i] do. 🙂

Possibly but there are still limitations and as I said, the lack of installing apps can be an issue.

I've got a Chromebook which will need replacing shortly as it's showing signs of wear and tear - whilst I agree about much of what Stoner said about Garmin I have few issues using my 510 and GpsMap62 on the Chromebook. Fewer still if I set them auto upload from my connected phone

Not tried memory map though but Viewranger works OK and the OS thing isn't any worse than the PC version although that's not a glowing recommendation by any means.

FWIW, my chromebook has been bombproof. My son pushed it down the stairs by mistake and it bounced/spun the whole way down and then hit the wall leaving a dent in the plaster. Not a mark on the chromebook... (HP 14)

[quote=Stoner said]. Yes, I cant use VBA to do stuff any more, but I wont cry over that

But you can use google script 🙂

They seem to sell quite cheaply on ebay too if you prefer to take more of a gamble.

Have you ever tried google scripts ATP?

I cant even work out where to start. It's v alien to me.

[quote=Stoner said]Have you ever tried google scripts ATP?

Not seriously.

There's some tutorials/examples here -> http://www.google.com/script/start/

Custom spready functions -> https://developers.google.com/apps-script/guides/sheets/functions

Have you ever tried google scripts ATP?

I cant even work out where to start. It's v alien to me.

I like my chromebook (toshiba), it's pretty light generally quite quiet (when the fans start up it sounds like it's taxiing) . Great for browsing. I do find a few issues though, e.g. chromecast - it's great unless you want to browse at the same time at which point the video can get a bit jittery (unless it's a site that chromecast can make it's own connections to...).
Running ubuntu in a chroot on it is pretty rad too, especially with the chrome addons that let you copy & paste been OS's. However it can't really handle anything remotely heavy in it, android studio struggles but it's no surprise really...

Or for the same money an Asus netbook running windows. 12hr battery life. £125 refurbished or £160 new on Amazon.

Gets a good review.

http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/asus-eeebook-x205ta

😛

Edit: I do actually rate chrome books and that vid is very tongue in cheek

Nice, but I'm just busy setting up a Lenovo x121e I got on ebay for £100 - same size as one of those, but an i3 and W7 (so I can upload my Garmin, and lots of other stuff you can't do on a Chromebook which I often to get up to - am hugely looking forward to having a native Windows machine as my primary again after a few months of only having a VM - currently on Fedora).

[quote=Stoner ]The best schools are of course going over to complete google platform/google education and school gdrives etc already

We've thought about it (our email is now via Gmail, which is a huge amount better than the crappy system they used before), but I'm loathe to push it as I still have concerns about the privacy of data, and what country it gets stored in! Instead I've agreed (almost enthusiastically 😯 ) that Macbooks (refurb ones, a lot cheaper than normal price) make financial sense to replace the Windows laptops.

heathen.

so your mail is on google servers, but you spite yourself with satan's hardware for "privacy" reasons? 😉

Well I did wonder about the e-mail, but then I'd never rely on e-mail being confidential if you don't encrypt, whatever servers you use - I certainly wouldn't have relied on it with the previous system (trying to remember what it was called, but must have purged all memories of the hellish thing)

Thinkpads? "Satan's hardware"? OK, the X121's got a Wrong Keyboard, and a Right Keyboard is half the point of having a Thinkpad, but still…

(Sitting next to four Thinkpads here, total cost under £300. Love 'em.)

Macbooks

Wrong Keyboard?

Sadly the Macbooks will be replacing Thinkpads.

I may be slightly obsessed with having PgUp/PgDn/Home/End/Delete in their rightful places 🙂

Thinkpad keyboard plus Linux compose keys is just joy. One flaw: I wish the Fn/Ctrl keys were the other way round. But I can live with that.

Ah - you get used to it - it's replacing an X100e with similar layout. All KBs on 11" machines have compromises, and otherwise it's still far better than most of them.

There is a patch to swap the Fn and Ctrl keys (though you get used to that as well - I tend to hit the wrong one on a conventional keyboard).

<apologies for the Lenovo thread hijack>

11" is a bit wee for me. I replaced my netbooks with X60/X61s. Very similar size (ok, apart from the 9" one I had first), but light years apart in terms of ease of input. Only now moving over to an X200s…

I also have an X200 here, and there's barely any difference in width (KB, screen or case), though all a bit taller/deeper, and the X200 does somehow manage to fit in a normal KB layout.

Big fan of Chromebooks and they have some advantages, speed of boot up and battery life being 2.
Given the limitation of web based Office apps and the fact that it wont work well (obviously) with Onedrive means it is becoming more limiting for me however.
The falling price of low end laptops make full fat operating systems still attractive and given the fact that there will be limitations for almost every user really means that Chromebooks are less attractive.

So it looks like this is the favoured device of the young sturdyladdette

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/acer-cb5-571-15-6-chromebook-white-10119797-pdt.html

Anyone more in tune with tech than me got an opinion on it?
I'm very much thinking a Chromebook is the way to go, does everything she NEEDS it to do, using either office 365 or Google docs, and most of the things she WANTS it to do.

Thoughts please from the ever knowledgeble hive

There's really not much to choose - they are all good. See if you can compare screens in real life. Also - a bigger screen isn't necessarily better because it makes it more awkward to carry about. The 11.6 one my wife has is like carrying a magazine.

However if your kid wants it there's no issue with it.

Thanks Mol, hopefully I'll get chance to go hands on with one in PCW tomorrow.

On a side note, I went into John Lewis last week hoping to get someone who knew about Chromebooks and any drawbacks... 1st thing the guys says... No you can't use any office type applications on a CBook, no way no how and you can't open a word doc in Google Docs etc
****in' muppet.
I bet it's "help" like this that stops Chromebooks taking off

I bet it's "help" like this that stops Chromebooks taking off

A CB is still quicker than a quick W10 laptop, I would wager. Plus more secure, and cannot be screwed up by installing rubbish or installation corruption.

The "not being able to screw it up by installing rubbish" to be one of the big advantages.
As a young teen finding her way on the interweb I'm always worried about her killing her machine by mistake!

Won't slow down either and she then won't "need a new one cos this one's got slow".

as an owner of 3x Chromebooks and a Chromebox, it's interesting how, unlike Android, the ChromeOs products are far more resilient to updates and dont suffer from hardware obsolescence.

I have had 2x Nexus 4 and 2x Nexus 7 all slowly die and keep over after years of Android updates and moving from KitKat to Lollipop. Whereas my original Samsung Series 3 chromebook is still running a charm (and arguably better than a later HP). My colleague has just given his Series 5 to his 80yr old dad to keep in contact. And He will go and get an Acer or Asus to replace it.

Stoner, are you using a Nexus phone still? I'm thinking of a 5 or 6 to replace my ageing iphone

Does Netflix run on Chromebook?

no, I've gone for a Chinese OEM phone called a Jiayu S3 advanced. There's been a few threads in here, and some other people have done the same.

Its a great phone, my only problem was I got it absolutley soaked through while walking in France a few weeks ago. I revived it, but it wont charge when ON, only when OFF. That's not as bad as it sounds, as I use the Auto OFF/ON scheduler to power it down at midnight when it charges, and wakes automatically in the morning. I also have spare batteries and a dock charger for them as well.

I think Allthepies, djglover and bob-summers got one, and at least one other forumite.

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/what-was-that-chinese-mobile-with-the-great-spec

tiggs, yeah, I've netflixs and spotify on mine, although you'll have less luck with Eurosport unfortunately, as their player needs installing (and you can't do that on a chromebook)

I ditched Eurosport for being such a bunch of luddites they still use Silverlight - a platform not even it's developers support anymore!

I found that ITV player worked fine in France to catch le tour this year anyway.

Cheers nickc - might give one a go.

Netflix works as does Amazon Instant Video.

Got an ASUS chromebox, lovely bit of kit - fit and forget mainly - only gripe is printing, google cloud print by no means reliable, been through 3 different printers, they've all had problems connecting (also need a windows/mac/linux machine to set it all up in the first place IME).

I collected ours yesterday and set it up for Jnr last night.
I'm really impressed, to steal the phrase from another tech company...It just works!

I need to dig around it a little more to find out how to see the file explorer equivalent works and how to save things locally and to the cloud, but first impressions count for a lot and I like! (perhaps of equal importance, so does our new teenager!)

Thanks for all the pointers

I've got an acer 720. Fantastic, and couldn't recommend it more. 120 quid and no windows, bargain.

(also need a windows/mac/linux machine to set it all up in the first place IME).

You really don't. My canon Google cloud printer worked a charm out of the box.

cloud printing is proper black magic... 😯

anyone know if Kodi installs/runs on ChromeOS then? i'm close to pulling the trigger...

Can you do it on the desktop version of the Chrome browser? If so, yes, if not (without some hacking) probably not - general guidance for what you can and can't do on a chromebook.

Only now moving over to an X200s…

Have one of those as my err.. security monitoring laptop. Lovely bit of kit, been very reliable and see no reason to upgrade. Except a Yoga 260 has just appeared that needs testing ....

Must get a Chromebook to play with. I ended up giving junior #1 a Win10 Samsung netbook the SSD was fast but 60Gb so bugger all use for work, figured he'd have to get used to Windows sooner or later.