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Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
81–90 of 95 posts
Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#82I don't really get their headline. Google extended the AUE to 8 years. They're complaining that most Chromebooks only have 4 years of software life left. Are they buying devices released 4 years ago? Or refurbished devices?
I bought a chromebook in 2017 that I love. AUE is up in a few months. The OS has improved leaps and bounds since I got it. I wish it would keep getting updates. Sadly it’s hard to flash a new boot loader as the write protect screw is in a difficult place and I’ll likely break something trying to get to it. I don’t know what I’ll do when AUE hits. I guess it’ll be like my first gen iPad which I’m forced to use as a cl…
You should be able to disable write protection on the firmware flash using a suzyq cable to enable closed case debugging as well, and from there disable write protection. The screw is not the only way
Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
It is however no longer receiving updates https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/07/some-macs-are-gettin... As the article points out, Google's promise of 8 years of updates is actually longer than the average mac receives.
No longer receiving feature updates. Monterey is still receiving security updates.
Sort of, but Apple doesn't fix all known security issues on old OSes. So while it's true that you receive security updates, it's not true that it's particularly secure.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/apple-clarifies-secu...
Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#844 years isn't that bad. I'd wager the average Intel Macbook is going to run out of support sooner.
Apples policy is 7 years according to the article.
And Google's policy is 8 years. The 4 year number is apparently an average for devices currently in the field, which... I mean, if the number of devices is roughly stable, then the average device is indeed halfway through its life.
(None of this is a defense of either; as I type this on a 12-year-old machine running a fully up-to-date Linux install, I have opinions on lifespans, I just want to compare, er, Apples to apples.)
Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
My 2012 t420 runs windows 10 and is nowhere near out of support.
Lenovo won't sell you a new battery for it.
The T420 battery is literally just a bunch of off-the-shelf hobby cells run in serial. There's no reason to sell replacements, unless the little plastic enclosure holding it all together breaks.
Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#86Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
My 2009 bought laptops keep getting updates.
If you're using linux (though you could on chromebooks too)! Otherwise, that's only until 2025, when Windows 10 support stops. Considering microsoft decided that throwing away tens of millions of devices is worth it in the name of security (while touting how green Windows 11 is, lol).
From 2009 to 2025, do the math.
Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
Obviously, I'm not a school admin but I would wager replacing a fleet of cheap Chromebooks with Macbooks (or any big brand Windows machines) would not work out cheaper, or less burdensome, or anywhere close.
FTIW iPad in school seem to survive better. There's a lot more limitations (screen size in particular, and keyboards being an accessory), but looking at the number of school working with fleets of them, from a sheer price/durability ratio they're probably doing well.
Our teenager had an iPad when he started secondary school aged 11 and it was still useable when her left five years later
Re: Design quirks, limited parts, and other ways Chromebooks frustrate repairs
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
Lenovo won't sell you a new battery for it.
The T420 battery is literally just a bunch of off-the-shelf hobby cells run in serial. There's no reason to sell replacements, unless the little plastic enclosure holding it all together breaks.
That's not really what you would call supporting the device though is it.