Chromebooks outsold Macs for the first time in the US

[epicrayban]

I only bring this up, because I have roughly 110 apps on my S2 and only 3 of them are phone apps (those being MMA Underground, Target and Speedtest.net). However, all 3 look fine and aren't pixeled out like I would get on an iPad. All 3 are still perfectly usable, you just have to be in portrait mode.
If this is the average use case, then approx 2% of apps aren't optimized for Android tablets. Is this significant enough to proclaim that app optimization is a hindrance for Android Tablets? Also considering the apps still look and function fine, albeit in portrait mode? IMO, the answer is no. BTW, in my particular use case, 1 app out of 96 apps on my iPad air 2 was not optimized. So, slightly over 1%.

If Google this year releases a good Nexus tablet, I could see myself exploring Android tablets...

I'm content with my iPad Air. It's mostly just a media, game, and web-browsing consumption device for me. For the simple things, the iPad and iOS are great.

I'd be interested in exploring a well made Nexus tablet if one existed later this year...

 

[tbayrgs]

If Google this year releases a good Nexus tablet, I could see myself exploring Android tablets...

I'm content with my iPad Air. It's mostly just a media, game, and web-browsing consumption device for me. For the simple things, the iPad and iOS are great.

I'd be interested in exploring a well made Nexus tablet if one existed later this year...

Why wait? The Pixel C is probably the nicest piece of hardware Google itself has made (well, maybe along with the Pixel Chromebooks). Unless you were looking for a smaller form factor, you can put the latest beta version of N (seems quite stable on my Nexus 6P) and put Android through its paces on a tablet now. I believe they can still be had for 25% off with the 'developer' promotion (just go to their website and sign up ). I can came this close to picking one up myself but my Air 2/12.9 Pro combo is doing everything I need so never pulled the trigger.

Can't see a better tablet complement for an Android phone, though considering how happy you are with TW on the S7, maybe a Tab S2 would be an ideal fit?

 

[epicrayban]

Why wait? The Pixel C is probably the nicest piece of hardware Google itself has made (well, maybe along with the Pixel Chromebooks). Unless you were looking for a smaller form factor, you can put the latest beta version of N (seems quite stable on my Nexus 6P) and put Android through its paces on a tablet now. I believe they can still be had for 25% off with the 'developer' promotion (just go to their website and sign up ). I can came this close to picking one up myself but my Air 2/12.9 Pro combo is doing everything I need so never pulled the trigger.

Can't see a better tablet complement for an Android phone, though considering how happy you are with TW on the S7, maybe a Tab S2 would be an ideal fit?

Too big, indeed.

I'm hoping for an updated Nexus 7, or perhaps a new Nexus 8 or 9 at the max.

 

[maxsix]

Chromebooks are another example of Google innovation. With almost zero advertising, they prove that people in the market for reasonably priced solutions that make sense, are waiting with wallets in hand.

 

[C DM]

Chromebooks are another example of Google innovation. With almost zero advertising, they prove that people in the market for reasonably priced solutions that make sense, are waiting with wallets in hand.

Are they waiting with wallets in hands?

 

[jamezr]

Chromebooks are another example of Google innovation. With almost zero advertising, they prove that people in the market for reasonably priced solutions that make sense, are waiting with wallets in hand.

yep mostly all the education market and they have spoken with their wallets!

 

[Lloydbm41]

Are they waiting with wallets in hands?

Chromebooks are another example of Google innovation. With almost zero advertising, they prove that people in the market for reasonably priced solutions that make sense, are waiting with wallets in hand.

If they are consumers like me, they aren't waiting until the Chromebook is ready to take over the laptop and tablet space. Which will probably happen over the next year, based off what I saw at Google I/O and the addition of the Play Store to new and upcoming Chromebooks.
The biggest flaw in the current consumer edition of Chromebooks is the lack of RAM. 2GB of RAM is simply not enough. Even 4GB of RAM is barely enough. Open a couple of tabs on Chrome and watch a 2GB Chromebook start to chug, chug, chug along.

I also hate the low res screens that are common on way to many Chromebooks. What we need is a sub $400 Chromebook, with a min of a 1080p bright touchscreen display, 4 to 6GB of RAM, a micro-SD card slot for expansion and a min of 32GB of onboard storage. A backlit keyboard would be icing on the cake.

 

[grahamperrin]

Many children using Chromebooks may be unconcerned by the current flaws.

Looking ahead: when those children become young adults with enough money to purchase a notebook, then there will be fewer flaws (or perceived flaws) in things such as Chromebooks.

 

[admob71]

Chromebooks are $100 dollars and cheap products for the most part while macbooks are $1000....apple can sell one macbook for every 10 chromebooks...sure apple is laughing while heading to the bank.....

I love answers like this, the way folks rush to the defense of the over priced poisoned fruit firm. I doubt you are so happy when the gas prices get hiked tho, why is that?

 

[ozaz]

Chromebooks are another example of Google innovation. With almost zero advertising, they prove that people in the market for reasonably priced solutions that make sense, are waiting with wallets in hand.

How do you deduce that people are waiting with wallets in hand?

From the OP "Chromebooks are still largely a US K-12 story"

Presumably this means sales are mainly driven by schools buying them in bulk, rather than significant numbers of people choosing to spend their own money on them as personal devices?

 

[maxsix]

How do you deduce that people are waiting with wallets in hand?

From the OP "Chromebooks are still largely a US K-12 story"

Presumably this means sales are mainly driven by schools buying them in bulk, rather than significant numbers of people choosing to spend their own money on them as personal devices?

Amazon has reported recently that Chromebooks became their biggest selling laptop.

Now I do realize Amazon is a small relatively unknown company but...

 

[ozaz]

Amazon has reported recently that Chromebooks became their biggest selling laptop.

Now I do realize Amazon is a small relatively unknown company but...

Was that just transiently?

When I look at the current top 20 selling laptops on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk I see:

Amazon.com: 15 Windows laptops (including top 4 spots), 3 Macbooks, 2 Chromebooks (in 5th & 6th spots)

Amazon.co.uk: 14 Windows laptops (including top 3 spots), 3 Macbooks, 3 Chromebooks (in 4th, 5th, and 20th spots)

 

[C DM]

I love answers like this, the way folks rush to the defense of the over priced poisoned fruit firm. I doubt you are so happy when the gas prices get hiked tho, why is that?

Probably because a watch from the dollar store is even close to being as good/reliable as one that costs $20 (let alone a few hundred if not more), right?

 

[jamezr]

Probably because a watch from the dollar store is even close to being as good/reliable as one that costs $20 (let alone a few hundred if not more), right?

But if both fit your needs and do what you need them to do....why over spend? If a $1 item does what you need it do do why spend $20 unless it is for the label or emblem? Would you overspend just for brand loyalty?

 

[I7guy]

But if both fit your needs and do what you need them to do....why over spend? If a $1 item does what you need it do do why spend $20 unless it is for the label or emblem? Would you overspend just for brand loyalty?

I would spend (overspend is a judgement) for the brand if there was value that I believed I was getting for my money.

 

[jamezr]

I would spend (overspend is a judgement) for the brand if there was value that I believed I was getting for my money.

gotcha.......good for you. There are 2 items that do the same thing. One cost $1 and has a generic label. The other cost $20 and has an Apple label. So you would spend the $20 for the label and brand loyalty. I think we all already knew that. But thanks for confirming.

 

[C DM]

But if both fit your needs and do what you need them to do....why over spend? If a $1 item does what you need it do do why spend $20 unless it is for the label or emblem? Would you overspend just for brand loyalty?

If they truly fit your needs then sure no problem. That said, it wasn't the part of it that I was responding to with that.

 

[grahamperrin]

@jamezr that's exaggeration; I wouldn't pay two thousand percent of the price. And I doubt that @I7guy would, either. But I am loyal to some brands.

 

[smacrumon]

Apple are foolish for not servicing the low end.

 

[DJLC]

My only comment — I'm a K12 decision maker and we chose iPad Air over Chromebook.

iPad can do more. iPad is more durable. iPad retains more value. iPad wins. We bought one for every student in 4th grade and up. And in 4 years we'll be able to sell them off for a good price and move onto the next device.

 

[Blaze4G]

My only comment — I'm a K12 decision maker and we chose iPad Air over Chromebook.

iPad can do more. iPad is more durable. iPad retains more value. iPad wins. We bought one for every student in 4th grade and up. And in 4 years we'll be able to sell them off for a good price and move onto the next device.

Nit sure how true this statement will be once Chrome OS gets full support for all Android apps which is coming soon. In 4 years you would have still lost more money due to depreciation vs throwing away the old chromebooks and buying new ones.

 

[gotluck]

I don't manage Chromebooks or iPads on any kind of scale like a school but from what I read admins will thank you if you choose Chromebooks too. Less people can admin more Chromebooks comparatively, again to go along with the edu market

I wouldn't want to type middle school and up papers on a virtual keyboard either

 

[grahamperrin]

Less people can admin more Chromebooks comparatively

Are you sure? There are some slick approaches to administering groups of Macs.

 

[gotluck]

Are you sure? There are some slick approaches to administering groups of Macs.

Can't say I'm sure no, but with the way Google apps and docs scales it's easy for me to believe

School techs also can't really repair iPads and Chromebooks are quite friendly there

 

[Lloydbm41]

I don't manage Chromebooks or iPads on any kind of scale like a school but from what I read admins will thank you if you choose Chromebooks too. Less people can admin more Chromebooks comparatively, again to go along with the edu market

I wouldn't want to type middle school and up papers on a virtual keyboard either

This is true. In fact, 1 person can handle well over 100 Chromebooks per day. Basically, it takes 2 minutes to completely wipe and restore a Chromebook to like new status at the end of each day, but it only takes the admin roughly 5 seconds to start the process. Unlike the iPad, none of the work is saved on the computer. It is either saved on the SD card, which the teacher ejects and stores in his/her desk, or the child's work is stored in the cloud.
There literally is zero admin/tech costs involved in Chromebooks. iPads on the other hand have been met with failure in most school districts i have read about, because even though they are locked down, students are able to bypass many of the security features and download any app they want. Then, there is the breakage issue, IT costs, iPads getting bricked on updates, and so on.
The vast majority of school districts have come to realize it makes more fiscal and common sense to buy Chromebooks over iPads.
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Are you sure? There are some slick approaches to administering groups of Macs.

Mac's can be handled by a few IT guys, but we are talking about iPads vs Chromebooks.