Google plan touchscreen Chromebook

[Ravynmagi]

I've wanted to try out the Samsung Chromebook (the $250 one). But I've never seen it in stock anywhere. Hasn't it been out a couple months now? And I don't think it's THAT popular either. I suspect because it's so cheap and Samsung probably isn't making much money off it, they aren't motivated to really make very many at a time. Just my tinfoil hat speculation though. Would really like to be able to buy one from Best Buy in case I hate it and need to return it.

 

[Ravynmagi]

ezackly, axe anyone who bought a chromebook and theyll tell you it was to get full-on browsing with multiple windows and tabs

Not full on. No Flash, no Silverlight, no Java... that kinda worries me.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I've wanted to try out the Samsung Chromebook (the $250 one). But I've never seen it in stock anywhere. Hasn't it been out a couple months now? And I don't think it's THAT popular either. I suspect because it's so cheap and Samsung probably isn't making much money off it, they aren't motivated to really make very many at a time. Just my tinfoil hat speculation though. Would really like to be able to buy one from Best Buy in case I hate it and need to return it.

all best buys have them on display. they may be out of stock because theyre new and its almost christmas. wait a month and there will be plenty of them in walmart. by then it will be time for a new model

 

[Ravynmagi]

all best buys have them on display. they may be out of stock because theyre new and its almost christmas. wait a month and there will be plenty of them in walmart. by then it will be time for a new model

I've seen on at Best Buy, but it's really hard to judge the quality of a screen in a bright store. I need to get it home to decide if it's bearable.

I don't think it's the Christmas shopping (though it's a factor), this thing came out in October and I've been checking Best Buy on and off since Samsung announced it, and it's never in stock. I'd have an easier time buying an iPad or Nexus 4 than this.

 

[ponyo]

Not full on. No Flash, no Silverlight, no Java... that kinda worries me.

It has full Flash. Flash is built in on desktop Chrome. Chromebook runs desktop Chrome. Not mobile Chrome. It's why Hulu will work on Chromebook.

Chromebook is not Windows laptop replacement. It's companion web device just like our smartphones and tablets. Most people with Windows or Mac laptop lightly browse the web, Facebook, Twitter, email, and maybe use Google Docs to write papers. Chromebook is ideal for that.

 

[Ravynmagi]

It has full Flash. Flash is built in on desktop Chrome. Chromebook runs desktop Chrome. Not mobile Chrome. It's why Hulu will work on Chromebook.

Chromebook is not Windows laptop replacement. It's companion web device just like our smartphones and tablets. Most people with Windows or Mac laptop lightly browse the web, Facebook, Twitter, email, and maybe use Google Docs to write papers. Chromebook is ideal for that.

I want to give it a chance. I'm just not sure where it fits in yet. I have a laptop, a Nexus 4, and iPad, a Kindle Fire HD.

I do like the idea of a thin and very light laptop with a keyboard that is instantly ready so I can casually surf the Internet and be able to post messages with the real keyboard. I just worry a little bit about the lack of plugins (guess Flash is included, forgot that). Thankfully I don't use Netflix anymore, so no Silverlight isn't a problem now (assuming Amazon Instant Video should work with Flash).

I also wanted to use this Chromebook to RDP to my desktop. Unfortunately I tested Chrome's RDP client on a real computer and it's performance was absolutely horrid, so I'm thinking remote desktop is probably not going to work well on this either (someone correct me if my experience is wrong).

Probably my biggest fear is the quality of the display. I'm not a fan of the LCD screen of my $800 14 inch Dell laptop, so I'm kinda scared of what I'll get for $250. I saw it in the store and it looks "meh", probably tolerable.

PS. Another thing I like is it has no fans.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

It has full Flash. Flash is built in on desktop Chrome. Chromebook runs desktop Chrome. Not mobile Chrome. It's why Hulu will work on Chromebook.

Chromebook is not Windows laptop replacement. It's companion web device just like our smartphones and tablets. Most people with Windows or Mac laptop lightly browse the web, Facebook, Twitter, email, and maybe use Google Docs to write papers. Chromebook is ideal for that.

But the form factor is a laptop. What is the purpose of a laptop that's not a laptop? Do I want a desktop sized Android device? Probably not. That's for my phone. A desktop is a full functioning computer. likewise I think people want their chromebooks to be like laptops.

 

[ponyo]

But the form factor is a laptop. What is the purpose of a laptop that's not a laptop? Do I want a desktop sized Android device? Probably not. That's for my phone. A desktop is a full functioning computer. likewise I think people want their chromebooks to be like laptops.

Who said Chromebook isn't a laptop? Of course it's a laptop. No one said it's not.

 

[ponyo]

I want to give it a chance. I'm just not sure where it fits in yet. I have a laptop, a Nexus 4, and iPad, a Kindle Fire HD.

I do like the idea of a thin and very light laptop with a keyboard that is instantly ready so I can casually surf the Internet and be able to post messages with the real keyboard. I just worry a little bit about the lack of plugins (guess Flash is included, forgot that). Thankfully I don't use Netflix anymore, so no Silverlight isn't a problem now (assuming Amazon Instant Video should work with Flash).

I also wanted to use this Chromebook to RDP to my desktop. Unfortunately I tested Chrome's RDP client on a real computer and it's performance was absolutely horrid, so I'm thinking remote desktop is probably not going to work well on this either (someone correct me if my experience is wrong).

Probably my biggest fear is the quality of the display. I'm not a fan of the LCD screen of my $800 14 inch Dell laptop, so I'm kinda scared of what I'll get for $250. I saw it in the store and it looks "meh", probably tolerable.

PS. Another thing I like is it has no fans.

No fan is great. Silence is golden.

 

[cliftonite]

But the form factor is a laptop. What is the purpose of a laptop that's not a laptop? Do I want a desktop sized Android device? Probably not. That's for my phone. A desktop is a full functioning computer. likewise I think people want their chromebooks to be like laptops.

I have one and used it while I was in India and it was PERFECT. I use it here as well while I am watching tv and it works for me.

 

[Eug]

I really cannot understand why anyone would choose Android on a larger device over Chrome OS, makes no sense at all to me. Android is purely designed to deal with the limitations of small devices imo. If the 2 converge as mobile devices improve, I really think we're going to end up with something closer to ChromeOS than Android.

Well, as of 2012, Google has released three flagship Android devices, and two of them are tablets. One of those two tablets is a 10".

Yes, there are limitations to Android, but nonetheless the Android ecosystem is much more mature than Chrome. It seems to me to fuse the two OSes asap, with the emphasis on Android to take advantage of the existing software and consumer base.

If Android can get multiple user profiles, it can also get multiple browser windows. It already has tabbed browsing.

 

[Mopetar]

I didn't understand Chrome OS when it was first introduced. Now we're in the 3rd gen Chromebooks, I now see the brilliance and potential of the Chrome OS platform. Chrome OS is maturing and now has desktop and can run multiple windows. Something Android can't do yet.

The problem I have with this is that Linux can already do all of that and more. People have even pointed out that you can get Windows netbooks for just as cheap (if not cheaper).

Chrome OS just seems utterly pointless to me. It's stuck between tablet and PC OS's. The use case for Chromebooks is so narrow that I'd honestly say most people are better off with a tablet or a netbook 99% of the time.

Also, if Google hadn't spent all that developer time on Chrome OS, they could have made a version of Android that supports multiple windows.

 

[dguy6789]

I really cannot understand why anyone would choose Android on a larger device over Chrome OS, makes no sense at all to me. Android is purely designed to deal with the limitations of small devices imo. If the 2 converge as mobile devices improve, I really think we're going to end up with something closer to ChromeOS than Android

Chrome OS is just a Google Chrome web browser. Android has Chrome(The fact that Chrome runs faster on an Android phone than in an ARM based Chromebook is icing on the cake), notifications, and an actual ecosystem full of apps.

 

[s44]

Chrome OS is maturing and now has desktop and can run multiple windows. Something Android can't do yet.

I *guarantee* it will be in KLP.

With ARM chips becoming more powerful and LTE cell radio chips standard on future Chromebooks, I see the potential for low cost Chromebooks. It's the evolution of Netbooks.

But why wouldn't you want to undock it and run it in tablet mode too?

(The fact that Chrome runs faster on an Android phone than in an ARM based Chromebook is icing on the cake)

Chrome for Android is still crippled relative to the desktop/Chromebook version, though. I don't care much for the extensions (got apps!), but the lack of password sync *kills* me.

The problem I have with this is that Linux can already do all of that and more.

*Totally* different market. Chrome is a grandma-proof OS. If a reader of this forum buys it, it's to have a third/fourth/fifth device you don't have to ever think about maintaining.

People have even pointed out that you can get Windows netbooks for just as cheap (if not cheaper).

Those are all crap. Fan-requiring, slow-booting, weighed-down-by-Windows crap.

If Android can get multiple user profiles, it can also get multiple browser windows. It already has tabbed browsing.

The better way to put it: if Samsung can put windowing on its 5.5" phone device, Google damn well will put it on its 10" tablet flagship.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

No fan is great. Silence is golden.

well until you use it for a few hours at a time and it overheats....

 

[s44]

well until you use it for a few hours at a time and it overheats....

You aren't following the thread very well, are you?

It's the Samsung Chromebook using Exynos. Basically a Nexus 10 with crappier screen and a keyboard. It's *built* for passive cooling.

Intel designs... not so much. But that's another story.

 

[iahk]

Chrome OS is just a Google Chrome web browser. Android has Chrome(The fact that Chrome runs faster on an Android phone than in an ARM based Chromebook is icing on the cake), notifications, and an actual ecosystem full of apps.

Chrome for Android is way behind ChromeOS. I'm not really sure how you came to this conclusion. I don't care what benchmark numbers say. The user experience is night and day. Plus, there's tons of complaints about chrome for android performance.. and not to mention it doesn't support flash or extensions.

App support is not really even an issue. The reason you have apps on android is because the browser support for the services doesn't work the same on android. With ChromeOS, it's.. Chrome. You don't need a facebook app.. you have the full facebook page. Facebook messenger? It's on facebook's site. Spotify? Go to the webpage. Google Voice, Dropbox, Netflix, Gmail, etc etc etc.

You want notifications? Just install the proper extensions.

 

[dguy6789]

Chrome for Android is way behind ChromeOS. I'm not really sure how you came to this conclusion. I don't care what benchmark numbers say. The user experience is night and day. Plus, there's tons of complaints about chrome for android performance.. and not to mention it doesn't support flash or extensions.

App support is not really even an issue. The reason you have apps on android is because the browser support for the services doesn't work the same on android. With ChromeOS, it's.. Chrome. You don't need a facebook app.. you have the full facebook page. Facebook messenger? It's on facebook's site. Spotify? Go to the webpage. Google Voice, Dropbox, Netflix, Gmail, etc etc etc.

You want notifications? Just install the proper extensions.

The apps are better than the websites. Chrome for PC is better than Chrome for Android. Chrome on the Samsung Chromebook is inferior to Chrome for Android.

 

[ponyo]

The apps are better than the websites. Chrome for PC is better than Chrome for Android. Chrome on the Samsung Chromebook is inferior to Chrome for Android.

Why do you keep saying Chrome browser on Android is better than Chrome browser on Chromebook? In what ways? Chrome on Android is like five versions behind the desktop and Chromebook version. So how is it better?

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

The apps are better than the websites.

Up to 7" devices maybe, but on a larger device, absolutely no way.

 

[dguy6789]

Why do you keep saying Chrome browser on Android is better than Chrome browser on Chromebook? In what ways? Chrome on Android is like five versions behind the desktop and Chromebook version. So how is it better?

Have you seen how unbearably slow Chrome is on the new Samsung Chromebook? You can pack all the features you want into Chrome but when it performs worse than on a netbook it becomes less pleasant to use than a phone.

 

[iahk]

I own a cr48 and it performs 100x better than Chrome for Android. and I've been using Chrome for Android as my main browser from my Galaxy s II to my note II.

I'm not exactly sure how you can say a mobile app is better than the original site, but I guess that just comes down to personal preference.

 

[ponyo]

Have you seen how unbearably slow Chrome is on the new Samsung Chromebook? You can pack all the features you want into Chrome but when it performs worse than on a netbook it becomes less pleasant to use than a phone.

So are you saying the Chrome browser on your S4 Android phone is faster than the Chrome browser on the A15 Chromebook?

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I own a cr48 and it performs 100x better than Chrome for Android. and I've been using Chrome for Android as my main browser from my Galaxy s II to my note II.

I'm not exactly sure how you can say a mobile app is better than the original site, but I guess that just comes down to personal preference.

chrome for android has tons of rendering issues on even simple websites. it cant properly render pages that the stock browser renders perfectly fine

 

[ponyo]

I own a cr48 and it performs 100x better than Chrome for Android. and I've been using Chrome for Android as my main browser from my Galaxy s II to my note II.

I'm not exactly sure how you can say a mobile app is better than the original site, but I guess that just comes down to personal preference.

I'm totally confused about his Chrome on the Chromebook is inferior to Chrome on Android. Chromebook is running newer version of Chrome browser than Chrome on Android. And Chromebook is running A15 Exynos which is like twice as fast as S4 Snapdragon on his phone. So how can it be slower than Chrome browser on his phone?