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The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

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Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#61

Post by ceras »

JAFTEM wrote: post #50
ajcarpy2005 wrote: post #6

Chromebooks actually can be viable for coding. Firstly, Crouton lets you operate Linux and switch instantly between ChromeOS and Linux. Secondly, you can use an online IDE through Chrome. Thirdly, you could remotely operate in Windows using either a personal machine or a hosted Web server and this could be either through Linux or Chrome. This would enable using Visual Studio, for instance. I think the Chromebook Pixe…

That's great and all, but I'm still confused why I would want one over a traditional laptop (or ultrabook) with OS X, Windows, or Linux unless it's purely to save money on a less expensive Chromebook model.

Cheaper and simpler. I don't like all the baggage that comes with Windows/Mac: ChromeOS auto-updates, has no bloatware, boots up instantly, backs everything up in the cloud, and has a clean minimal UI that I don't have to think about -- nor do the less technical members of my family (they never really understood how to use Windows after all these years, just memorized a few steps for common actions).

For $199 I have a computer that runs 10hrs on battery and does everything I need in the simplest way possible -- far simpler than the competition, that's for sure.

The question I have is why would I want a traditional laptop over this? They offer extra features I just don't need at the cost of complexity, maintenance, battery life, and price.

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#62

Post by bane »

eli wrote: post #58
bane wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, that's true. I wonder if that's an artifact of the sites used by populations in different countries. A U.S. site would bias towards U.S. users which is not entirely dominated by Android devices.

I wonder if the availability of really cheap (and often crappy) Android phones skews the stats. At least in the US you can get a "free" one with a new plan. I suspect the people who get those phones are far less likely to use apps or websites. It would be easy enough to test the location theory: just slice your web traffic by country or find someone with a big non-US site

> At least in the US you can get a "free" one with a new plan.

Unless something has changed, you still end up with a data plan which is expensive if you don't plan on using it at all. I suspect something else is going on with the reported stats, but I'm not sure what it is.

I'd really like to see some more in depth research on this phenomenon whatever the cause is.

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#63

Post by ajcarpy2005 »

JAFTEM wrote: post #50
ajcarpy2005 wrote: post #6

Chromebooks actually can be viable for coding. Firstly, Crouton lets you operate Linux and switch instantly between ChromeOS and Linux. Secondly, you can use an online IDE through Chrome. Thirdly, you could remotely operate in Windows using either a personal machine or a hosted Web server and this could be either through Linux or Chrome. This would enable using Visual Studio, for instance. I think the Chromebook Pixe…

That's great and all, but I'm still confused why I would want one over a traditional laptop (or ultrabook) with OS X, Windows, or Linux unless it's purely to save money on a less expensive Chromebook model.

The value proposition of a Chromebook Pixel is excellent battery life, a free Terabyte of Google Drive space (4 yrs), very nice touchscreen display, quality craftsmanship, secure and fast OS, lightweight design, and great microphones even.

BTW, if personal Internet ever went down, there's a model that has a cellular modem or you can tether from your smartphone with mobile hotspot.

If you need to use traditional Windows applications frequently then maybe a native Wkndows device would be more useful. Although I gather that it's technically possible to install Windows 8 on a Chromebook.

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#64

Post by faceponder »

seabrookmx wrote: post #10
j2kun wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My daily routine consists of code and I still enjoy my chromebook. It has ssh, so I don't need to wipe everything to do the little bit of coding I need to when I'm on the go. It's not a replacement for my desktop machine, but still worth the $250 bucks.

Using crouton you don't need to wipe it to run Linux. It installs Debian or Ubuntu into a chroot. I agree with the SSH sentiment though.

Does using crouton have any impact on battery life?

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#65

Post by pkulak »

agumonkey wrote: post #49
pkulak wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been slowly replacing every machine that I'm responsible for supporting (family members who ask me which computer to buy, and to please set it up) with a ChromeOS computer. Usually it's just a case of buying the new laptop and logging them in. Last week I found a used Chromebox for my dad to replace his WinXP desktop. It went well, but I did get bitten. I didn't know he even had a printer, and since you can't pl…

If I knew how to make ChromeOs talk to my wifi printer (Lexmark s605, which does not seem to support CloudPrint) I'd free my mom from the "burden" that is her Acer AspireOne (too cramped, too slow) right now.

I'm using my Win7 media PC to connect my old Brother Laser to GCP. Once you have the printer set up, it's only a matter of adding it in a local Chrome installation.

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#66

Post by pkulak »

sown wrote: post #45
pkulak wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been slowly replacing every machine that I'm responsible for supporting (family members who ask me which computer to buy, and to please set it up) with a ChromeOS computer. Usually it's just a case of buying the new laptop and logging them in. Last week I found a used Chromebox for my dad to replace his WinXP desktop. It went well, but I did get bitten. I didn't know he even had a printer, and since you can't pl…

> I also had to _write_ two Chrome Packaged Apps (fun learning experience, haha) to replace the WinXP camera import wizard he was using and his photo slideshow screensaver. Seems like a good startup idea.

Google is already reporting over 30 users of my little photo importer, which is more success than I've ever had the first week of an Android or iOS app, haha. Maybe there's some real demand building up for these things.

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#67

Post by waps »

adolph wrote: post #46

Maybe the relevant question for this audience is "Chromebook: Is It an Addressable Market?" I wasn't able to find an application in the Chrome Web Store with a price. Maybe the store for proper Chromebooks is different? Sure lots of things are freemium or charge on the services side. However, I was expecting at least a few applications that cost something. Are there enough Chromebook users and do they buy software/se…

Here you go :

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tank-hero-laser-wa...

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/they-need-to-be-fe...

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/rick-oshea/maphdck...

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/wordflow/ldjhnilbg...

You even have the sales numbers effectively in there at the moment :

They need to be fed : 1013 users @ 0.99$

Tank hero : 233 users @ 0.99$

Rick O'Shea : 404 users @ 0.99$

Wordflow : 1547 users @ 1.99$ (not a game, a "distraction free" editor)

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#68

Post by bdfh42 »

acheron wrote: post #35
bdfh42 wrote: post #2

A hit or not - but I just ordered one. I stopped carrying a Windows laptop around early in 2013 when I switched to a Nexus 10 for everyday use. Now I want to show other people that there are alternatives even within the familiar laptop form factor. Plus I want to demonstrate to customers that I can deliver a fully functional application without Windows.

It's funny, I would have agreed with you not all that long ago, but nowadays I'm much more concerned about avoiding Google than I am about avoiding Windows.

I take your point but my switching to a Nexus was all about form factor and convenience than any specific issue with Windows. Now I am going to try out a Chromebook - pretty confident that it can support my day to day (non coding) requirements.

The security issues do have to be addressed and we do need to get the spies out of our lives but as far as I can see all the available platforms are currently corrupted by those agencies at the moment.

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#69

Post by j2kun »

drhayes9 wrote: post #15
j2kun wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My daily routine consists of code and I still enjoy my chromebook. It has ssh, so I don't need to wipe everything to do the little bit of coding I need to when I'm on the go. It's not a replacement for my desktop machine, but still worth the $250 bucks.

Have you checked out Nitrous.io? https://www.nitrous.io/ Haven't had a serious need for it yet but it makes a Chromebook more attractive to me for sure.

Wow! I have been waiting for such a thing since I got my Chromebook :)

Re: The Curious Case Of The Chromebook: Is It Really A Hit?

#70

Post by thebiglebrewski »

ajcarpy2005 wrote: post #6

Chromebooks actually can be viable for coding. Firstly, Crouton lets you operate Linux and switch instantly between ChromeOS and Linux. Secondly, you can use an online IDE through Chrome. Thirdly, you could remotely operate in Windows using either a personal machine or a hosted Web server and this could be either through Linux or Chrome. This would enable using Visual Studio, for instance. I think the Chromebook Pixe…

I think it's awesome for coding! I wrote a short article about it a bit ago. http://blog.zfeldman.com/2013-10-05-setting-up-a-chromebook-...
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