Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
macbook air/ipad = OLD news... The new NATION of DOMINATION is the $249 chromebook!
- Thread starter waa1futs
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It's not THAT bad but do wonder why they didn't go with a hidden hinge design instead.
The Chromebook 550 looks better.....but it starts at $449.
Google has been trying "beta" versions of the Chromebook for over 2 years now.
It's a tough sell since it can't run regular windows or mac programs.
In a way netbooks weighing under 3 pounds are more useful than chromebooks.
Unless they can succeed against similar price tablets like the Kindle Fire, Nexus 7 and probably the iPad mini....it's a very difficult sell.
You can easily buy a bluetooth keyboard to use with the iPad and get a fully functional typing device.
Plus the reviews say the screen on Samsung chromebook is washed out.
It's going to be tough selling an "internet chromebook device with some word processing ability" even for $249.
It's a tough sell since it can't run regular windows or mac programs.
In a way netbooks weighing under 3 pounds are more useful than chromebooks.
Unless they can succeed against similar price tablets like the Kindle Fire, Nexus 7 and probably the iPad mini....it's a very difficult sell.
You can easily buy a bluetooth keyboard to use with the iPad and get a fully functional typing device.
Plus the reviews say the screen on Samsung chromebook is washed out.
It's going to be tough selling an "internet chromebook device with some word processing ability" even for $249.
I find it very hard to believe that you wrote this list down one day, only to then go see if you could satisfy these very specific criteria, and lo-and-behold, the chromebook fit the bill. It's almost as if you had the Chromebook in mind and then shoehorned your requirements to fit.
What an amazing coincidence that this product was priced exactly at your maximum price tag criteria
It's almost like you tailored your criteria and what you were looking for to this exact product..... but that would be crazy talk.
Yeah, like this guy said.
Well, who says the OP won't find something that doesn't work for him on the Chromebook? Seems like that's what happened with the iPad, thought it was perfect but then found out everything didn't go so smoothly.
Also, I'm a little suspicious of your requirements list for such a device. It doesn't sound like necessarily what you wanted, but as someone else said, you made the Chromebook work for you. Really, you imagined all this at a price tag of $249 max? There's no way you could have envisioned that and all the other requirements you listed.
I think the $249 Chromebook is great, though. I seriously thought about it when saw it. I've always been a fan of Chrome OS, the price just needed to be lower. It's a great entry-level computer that will offer 80 percent of what the MacBook Air does, as long as you're used to working in the cloud.
Also, I'm a little suspicious of your requirements list for such a device. It doesn't sound like necessarily what you wanted, but as someone else said, you made the Chromebook work for you. Really, you imagined all this at a price tag of $249 max? There's no way you could have envisioned that and all the other requirements you listed.
I think the $249 Chromebook is great, though. I seriously thought about it when saw it. I've always been a fan of Chrome OS, the price just needed to be lower. It's a great entry-level computer that will offer 80 percent of what the MacBook Air does, as long as you're used to working in the cloud.
Breaking news: Google and Samsung try to reverse all the progress made in personal computing since the 1980's by bringing back a time-sharing device that is tied to a mainframe.
I just can't see this catching on due to the limits of network access, and don't forget somebody has to pay for the bandwidth this thing will use. FWIW I hate that Siri (and voice dictation on the Mac) relies on network access.
I just can't see this catching on due to the limits of network access, and don't forget somebody has to pay for the bandwidth this thing will use. FWIW I hate that Siri (and voice dictation on the Mac) relies on network access.
So OP, I assume you joined these forums only to promote the Chromebooks? Looks like it. Anyways, my father works at Google and has been given one of the more recent Samsung Chromebooks. I've used it myself, and while he's trying to sell me on the idea, there is just no way I'd prefer it over my MBA.
Don't get me wrong. I think it's a good product due to its low pricing and ease of use due to the automatic updates, lack of bloatware and built in anti-virus protection et.c. Therefore it's perfect for schools for example - but as a personal computer, it simply cannot replace an MBA, or even an iPad for that matter!
Don't get me wrong. I think it's a good product due to its low pricing and ease of use due to the automatic updates, lack of bloatware and built in anti-virus protection et.c. Therefore it's perfect for schools for example - but as a personal computer, it simply cannot replace an MBA, or even an iPad for that matter!
Have you seen the Chrome OS? It has little functionality for anything other than webbrowsing.
Co-Worker bought one, then returned it after a week and bought a Xoom.
These things don't fill any niche. They're about the same size and price as a tablet with only HTML web based apps available. They're cheaper but way less functional than an Ultrabook.
Either get an Asus Transformer, iPad or spend a bit more and get a laptop.
Co-Worker bought one, then returned it after a week and bought a Xoom.
These things don't fill any niche. They're about the same size and price as a tablet with only HTML web based apps available. They're cheaper but way less functional than an Ultrabook.
Either get an Asus Transformer, iPad or spend a bit more and get a laptop.
I'm wondering with this model being based on ARM will it be modded with a CM10 Cyanogen mod. If they do, I'd actually consider getting one.
Last time I checked, there wasn't an ultrabook with better specs, for a lower price than the current Air.
In most cases, Apple products are more expensive than the competition, but the current Macbook Air is actually competitively priced.
I don't understand why Google doesn't just make a desktop version of Android and put that on these netbooks. We basically have desktop versions of iOS and WP7/8 now. Google is trying to offer people Android and chromebooks at the same time but with little compatibility between the two.
then again, netbooks never really did it for me. I find my iPad very useful for school. I find my nexus 7 very useful for fun and keeping up with my google ecosystem on the go. Everything else is done on my macbook, aka a real computer. I don't think a netbook or a chromebook has anything to offer me, even at that great price.
But yeah to each their own, I'm not trying to bash. Just a little puzzled at what the real worth of this thing is outside of word processing with a real keyboard.
then again, netbooks never really did it for me. I find my iPad very useful for school. I find my nexus 7 very useful for fun and keeping up with my google ecosystem on the go. Everything else is done on my macbook, aka a real computer. I don't think a netbook or a chromebook has anything to offer me, even at that great price.
But yeah to each their own, I'm not trying to bash. Just a little puzzled at what the real worth of this thing is outside of word processing with a real keyboard.
The question being when is a thin client too thin.
Chromebooks are too thin at this time for my tastes.
I like the concept, but it needs more maturity time before I would be considering one.
For light computing an iPad still has numerous, substantial advantages, and an Ultrabook or MBA walks all over the Chromebook in terms of performance and capabilities.
Chromebooks are too thin at this time for my tastes.
I like the concept, but it needs more maturity time before I would be considering one.
For light computing an iPad still has numerous, substantial advantages, and an Ultrabook or MBA walks all over the Chromebook in terms of performance and capabilities.
OP, you're clearly trying to convince yourself of something.
You don't need no justification, you don't need no approval from others. Just buy what you think fits your needs and budget. Don't get paranoid about people judging you. It's just a computer.
That "requirements list" which is basically a copy of the computer's specs list and your FAQ with hypothetical naysayers is pushing it too far. Relax. Just buy the computer and enjoy it.
You don't need no justification, you don't need no approval from others. Just buy what you think fits your needs and budget. Don't get paranoid about people judging you. It's just a computer.
That "requirements list" which is basically a copy of the computer's specs list and your FAQ with hypothetical naysayers is pushing it too far. Relax. Just buy the computer and enjoy it.
I have the Chrome Cr_48, the idea is great, but eeeeeeh not there yet, I still feel it lacks as a REAL LAPTOP
Can I swap the SSD for a higher storage one and load my own OS? That's the only way I'll purchase one.
The Chromebooks really do inspire all kinds of negativity. Some reasonable and some not. Some say if it isn't exactly like a MacAir or Win laptop then it's a loser. These of course are the the worst of the negative comments. It is not meant to be a Mac Air or a Win laptop. It isn't. It is NOT. Don't cry when you want to install your old CD of Far Cry on it. It will not work. It's not a Windows laptop. I could go on for days. The main point is that you must do your homework before buying one of these devices. If it fits you, great. If not, great. Just don't cry when you can't install your old Mac Apps.
Oh Baby! Oh Baby!
Chromebook is getting delivered to me on Monday morning!
I just purchased a $999 Zenbook Prime (the one with the 1080p IPS display), but I would MUCH rather have the Chromebook work for me and save $750 since I am still within the 14-day return period.
I don't need any native PC programs like photoshop and I don't do any video editing. The only program I use on my old PC is an snes gaming emulator, which the chromebook can't do, but I can simply use my smartphone and HDMI for that
I will report back with my impressions after I have used it for a couple days.
Chromebook is getting delivered to me on Monday morning!
I just purchased a $999 Zenbook Prime (the one with the 1080p IPS display), but I would MUCH rather have the Chromebook work for me and save $750 since I am still within the 14-day return period.
I don't need any native PC programs like photoshop and I don't do any video editing. The only program I use on my old PC is an snes gaming emulator, which the chromebook can't do, but I can simply use my smartphone and HDMI for that
I will report back with my impressions after I have used it for a couple days.
I don't see Chromebook taking off anytime soon. The idea was developed before tablets came along. It's kind of ridiculous at this point. A Nexus 7 with a keyboard can do more than this thing at the same price.
Chrome OS doesn't make sense. I mean get a netbook with 16GB flash, you could run a full Linux distro and just use chrome in full screen if that's what you really want to do. You could also use native apps and save stuff locally. Sadly, most ARM laptops will be seeing will probably be locked to Windows RT or Chrome OS...
Looks like I wasn't the only one with that idea
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/22/googler-loads-ubuntu-on-an-arm-based-samsung-chromebook/
Chrome OS doesn't make sense. I mean get a netbook with 16GB flash, you could run a full Linux distro and just use chrome in full screen if that's what you really want to do. You could also use native apps and save stuff locally. Sadly, most ARM laptops will be seeing will probably be locked to Windows RT or Chrome OS...
Looks like I wasn't the only one with that idea
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/22/googler-loads-ubuntu-on-an-arm-based-samsung-chromebook/
As I said in another thread, it's going to be so much better buying the high end versions of these Chromebooks. The $249 model isn't going to last you very long with how fast internet standards are changing. The graphics chips are going to be useless in one year, and the apps are going to get more bloated and the processors won't be able to handle them very well.
Android x86 project was completed in 2009 designed for net books. Even the "chrome book" branded netbooks have been out for like a year and a half. All manufacture will continue to make them. And if for some reason you needed one this isn't half bad.