They are not laptops in the traditional sense, but Google Chromebooks are
affordable, well-designed and serve a variety of uses. If all you need is word
processing, web and basic multimedia, you could consider a Chromebook say Mr.
Hitesh Raj Bhagat and Mr. Karan Bajaj
What are Chromebooks..
A lot of people dont demand much from their laptop.If you never do any heavy
lifting with your laptop, buying a heavy, over-priced & over-specced machine with poor battery life,
therefore, is clearly overkill. Consider this a Chromebook shares a lot of its
DNA with a conventional laptop except that it does not run one of the usual
operating systems.
Instead, it has Googles Chrome OS, which is designed to be fast
& light. You can download apps, use
office documents, surf the web, consume multimedia but can not install programs
such as on a Windows or / MAC.The biggest advantage to you is the
affordability.
The Alternative..
Just like a Chromebook, Googles lightweight operating system can be used to power a
small & efficient desktop. Samsungs Chromebox is powered by an Intel Celeron processor, has
4 GB RAM,16 GB SSD, built in WiFi,6 USB 2.0 ports & gigabit Ethernet.
You can use it with any existing keyboard,mouse and display. Two of the 6
USB ports are on the front for convenience. More importantly, it offers the
same speed and security that the Chromebook offers with the added benefit of
dual display support (dual 30-inch HD displays,thanks to dual DisplayPorts).
Just like all the Chromebooks, you get 100 GB of complimentary Google Drive
storage for 2 (two) years. Prices for
the Chromebox usually start at US $ 329 (note that the price does not include
the keyboard, mouse or / display).
The Verdict..
CHROMEBOOKS ARE a great idea but right now, there are just too many
compromises: not enough apps, not enough compatibility & too many restrictions. It might work in the
US where prices are way lesser as low as $ 200 to make it worthwhile as an
impulse purchase. It also seems sucha as most impulse buyers will likely use it
as their third machine: third in line
after their primary computer & a smartphone / tablet. Basis our limited
experience, to use a Chromebook as a primary computing device right now is
asking for trouble.
CHROMEBOOK TRICKS...
How To Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
Download the Shortcut Manager from the store to make your own shortcuts
Factory Reset (Powerwash)
Using Powerwash,you can completely reset the Chromebook to factory
state.Go to Settings > Advanced Settings to find this option
Switch Off Guest Access
By default, anyone can pick up your Chromebook & sign in with their
own Gmail ID to start using the device. To switch this feature off,head to
Settings & disable guest access.
Use VNC If You Own Other Computers
There is a roundabout way to run Windows or / MAC on a Chromebook,
provided you already have another computer. Just install any VNC app from the
Chrome web store.
Src: ET
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