How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
1–10 of 15 posts
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#2Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio.
Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper.
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#3Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
The usual 'just get an old thinkpad' advice still applies IMO.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=thinkpad&_sac...
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#4Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
The problem is the hardware has really terrible resilience. Two years max.
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#5Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
Best value is always an ebay Thinkpad. But if you insist on buying new, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 Chromebook is $100 and often discounted down to $80. It's a 4GB/64GB eMMC/Gemini Lake n4020 with a TN screen. But it does have a good keyboard relative to its price range, and feels pretty solid. Battery life is about 8 to 10 hours.
The codename for this Chromebook is "Lick" and MrChromebox has alternative firmware which will allow Linux to be installed. I haven't done it on mine yet, but the instructions aren't difficult. I've read that most things on Linux will work automatically but there's a problem with sound out-of-the-box. There's a script on Github that supposedly fixes that.
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#6Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
Chromebooks do not offer full UEFI implementations. Be sure to check options here before buying: https://mrchromebox.tech/
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#7Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
I found an Edgar class one for $20 on Craigslist, all aluminum case. Looking for something like that would be the way to go. Every Chromebook has a 'name' and with that one can look up the support under stock Linux.
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#8Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
The usual 'just get an old thinkpad' advice still applies IMO. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=thinkpad&_sac...
Do chromeos thinkpads or windows thinkpads have better coreboot/libreboot support, on average?
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#9Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
Chromebooks do not offer full UEFI implementations. Be sure to check options here before buying: https://mrchromebox.tech/
Which can be seen as a benefit considering the dumpster fire that is contemporary UEFI implementations...
Re: How to deorbit the Chromebook and repurpose it for innovators
#10Funnily enough, I’m currently looking to buy a really cheap (like sub-$50 cheap) Chromebook and put Linux (or BSD, or Haiku) on it. Or just keep it at is and treat it like as the modern version of an Atari Portfolio. Even saw a video likening it to Raspberry Pi- but cheaper. https://youtu.be/1qfSJxcgH5I
The usual 'just get an old thinkpad' advice still applies IMO. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=thinkpad&_sac...
Better driver support, a real keyboard, and a functioning ecosystem of Linux distros.
God yes, get a Thinkpad instead. I'm not making the mistake of trying to daily drive a Linux-powered Chromebook ever again.