Editorial - The Future of the Chromebook: Another Netbook or a Notebook Replacement?

I'm a pretty devoted user of Chrome and Chrome OS. I have three machines in my house that run the OS, and a work machine running the Chrome browser. I have made it my goal to use Google's Chrome operating system whenever possible. So far, I have only had one reason to use my old broken-down MacBook, and that was so I could burn a few CDs for my car. Other than that, I have relied primarily on my Chrome OS machines, an Acer Nettop running Chromium OS, an Acer C7 (my main machine) running Chrome OS, and my Samsung Chromebook also running Chrome OS. I have found tons of awesome ways to do what I normally would have done on my MacBook, and I have not missed using it at all. Not being near my Chromebooks makes me miss them. It simply is a better way to compute. Everything from word processing, to blog management, to news, music, movies, and of course, browsing the web, is better on the Chromebook. Yet, the question has arisen: will Chromebooks rise like the Netbook and stay that way? Or is the device doomed to end the same way that the Netbook did?

One article published Tuesday by Bloomberg Businessweek thinks that it will take another iPad revolution to bring down the Chromebook. 

"For the same to happen to Chromebooks, we’d need to encounter some other device that would keep consumers from purchasing Google-powered machines. Tablets work well as browsers and for running mobile apps, but few provide the optimal experience that can be had with a Chromebook. Wearables are supplementary devices and can’t replace traditional computers. At this point, there’s no device now, or on the near horizon, that could displace the Chromebook the way tablets displaced the netbook." -Bloomberg Businessweek 

Remember that the Chromebook does something that the Netbook did not do: it makes basic computing easy, cheap, and safe. Netbooks existed for two reasons: to sell more Intel chips and Microsoft Windows licenses. At the end of the day, they weren't fast enough or safe enough, and were far too small to be used as main machines.

Chromebooks are a completely different story. They can easily be used as main machines. Every six weeks Google pushes out a new release of the operating system that improves on the last: adding new features and apps. The last few dev releases pending final release for end-users has shown that Google understands that offline-use is a must to sell this device for some people. Because of this, Google has pushed packaged apps built will web technologies to make them safer, but with the speed and UI benefits found in traditional desktop apps. Some of the Chrome Web Store's most impressive packaged apps so far are Pocket, Wunderlist, and Google's own app, Keep.

Chromebooks also have something Netbooks didn't have: a non-Windows OS. Yes, there were some Linux Netbooks out there, but they didn't sell because of a lack of familiarity for most end-users or the brand that most users trust. People love and trust Google. Android has been a major success since its unveiling in 2008, and all of Google's services have gained immense popularity throughout the last decade. Needless to say, Google has the name and the product to go with it. In a world where the cloud is a need and the web is king, Google has invented the holy grail of cloud computing.

We published a few days ago that Chromebooks are expected to double or even triple in sales at the end of this year. In order for Google to keep the product on shelves and in homes, they need to prove one thing: we all need a Chromebook. So far, they're doing a pretty good job, and call me a fanboy, but I think the Chromebook exceeds most devices I have used as a whole. Sure, I'd like to have a MacBook Air-like experience with one of these babies, but at least I'm getting something similar in terms of speed and versatility. And at the end of the day, I'm pretty satisfied. Are you?

Acer C7 Chromebook Lightning Review (4 GB of RAM)

What is it?

This is the latest update to Acer's line of Google Chromebooks, running Google's own Chrome OS- a super light, super fast, and very focused operating environment that brings web apps and the best browser available to the forefront to be the ONLY application available on the system. Despite this "limitation," the device allows users to do the same things (pretty much) that you can do on a full-fledged desktop. Web, email, word processing, spreadsheets, music management, photo management, social networking, news, movies, tv shows... it's all here, and it works well.

Who is it for?

This isn't for everybody. Let me repeat myself. THIS ISN'T FOR EVERYBODY. In fact, if anything, this is only for those who can handle the reality that you will ONLY be able to use the device with web apps. This isn't the same as a Mac or a PC. It's very different. But if you're pretty much or completely living your computing life in the cloud (like most of us), then this is your solution. And by the way, this also makes an amazing secondary computer if lugging around heavy laptops or relying on a stationary desktop computer isn't your thing.

What is your favorite thing about it?

I love how fast it is. It blows every browsing experience I've had OUT OF THE WATER. The way the hardware compliments the web-focused software makes it the complete browsing experience I didn't know I wanted. 

What blows about it?

I really am irked by the keyboard. It feels cramped a lot of the time, and although it will take time to get used to, this CAN be a deal-breaker for some. I'm willing to deal with it if that means I can use a snappy machine. I wish Acer would have taken a cue from Samsung, who actually put a full-sized keyboard in their Series 3 Chromebook. Sigh.

Wrap-up.

Over all, this thing is fast, easy to use, and pretty much headache free. I love how it really shows the Chrome OS we were needing the whole time. And for a mere $219 on Amazon (this does NOT include the 6-cell battery, although it is easily upgrade-able), it almost makes too much sense to pick one of these bad boys up.

Grade: (back when I reviewed games, I used this graphic)

Pick this up, but be very weary of the keyboard and battery. If you need a long-lasting laptop with a beastly keyboard, the Samsung Chromebook is totally for you. If you need something zippy and cheap, the Acer C7 is definitely your guy.

How Google Chromebooks Replaced My Need for a Traditional Laptop

If you've been reading my stuff for a while, you'd know that I was one of the thousands of early Chromebook adopters, being sent one of Google's Cr-48 laptops back in December of 2010. I've also used many of these devices since the unveiling of the official first model about two years ago at Google I/O. Since then, I've tried, tested, and used four different Chromebooks. It has taken me sometime to formulate a concrete opinion about the units, but I have since decided that these aren't just toys anymore: they're real, usable, and affordable for what they are capable of. Needless to say, Google has hit a home-run with the latest rendition of Chrome OS, and the current line up of Chromebooks satisfies almost every sector of the laptop buying market.

For the past three months I have been rocking Samsung's Model 3 Chromebook. It is perhaps the fastest, cheapest, and most versatile Chromebook I have ever used. As Chris Zeigler of The Verge put it a couple of  months ago with his review of the device, "it's $1000 worth of design made with $100 worth of materials." This holds very true for the entire unit. While there are some tiny annoying creeks in the device, the unit looks and feels like a solid laptop that should cost a lot more than it does. The keyboard is also incredible. It has the same amazing feeling of a MacBook Pro keyboard, without the $1200 price tag. What's more, the unit, weighing in at a paltry 2.2 lbs, is extremely easy to tote around in a backpack or briefcase (or purse if you're of the female classification). Overall, the device is very solid.

At the end of the day, while I enjoy some good design and a device that is easy to bring with me, the thing that either makes or breaks a notebook computer is functionality? Can I get done what I need to get done without hassles on my laptop? Is it reasonable to use it as a main-device. For most people I'd say yes. You can get everything done without any problems, but for others, the Google model of computing can be an endless headache that results in a thrown Chromebook.

Here are some of the things I need to be able to do (or want to do) with my laptop that can make or break the experience:

1. Access the Internet (the Chromebook is MADE to do this as a primary function)


2. Be able to freely check my email whenever I need to (Gmail)


3. Create and Edit documents with some word processor (Google Drive)


4. Be able to constantly access and edit a calendar of events (Google Calendar)


5. Able to do my homework (everything for MyMathLab is on the web, thankfully)


6. Read news and collect RSS feeds to stay updated with the world (Feedly, my Google Reader replacement)


7. Listen to and manage music collection (Google Play Music)


8. Watch movies and TV shows on Netflix (Netflix for Chrome OS)


9. Edit and manage my websites (Wordpress)


10. Graph polynomial, rational, exponential, trigonometric functions (Desmos Graphing Calculator)

There are a few things I am simply unable to do with my Chromebook, but I have a desktop computer running Ubuntu to fix these needs. First off, I need to be able to edit HTML, Javascript, and CSS often, so I have a few applications on Ubuntu that make such a thing very easy. And to be honest, I never have to do this on the go. Another thing I need to be able to do is Print. I hate printing on this thing because it is so freaking difficult to do. Because of this, I'm currently shopping for a Chrome OS Google Cloud Print solution that I can afford. One last thing I need to be able to do that I simply cannot do on this Chromebook is play games. That is what my Xbox and my Linux PC are both for. They both do this well, so I really don't care if I can't do it when I'm supposed to be productive elsewhere.

Recently, I purchased a more spec'd out Chromebook: the Acer C7 with 4 GB of RAM, 320 GB HDD, and 1.1 GHz Dual-Core Intel Celeron Processor.  For my needs, and for everything I said I want to be able to do, this is more than enough power. And for the price I was able to snag it for ($219), it more than satisfies what I need. It is worth mentioning that you can still pick one of these up on Amazon and get free shipping on it if you use Amazon's Prime service.

Listen closely... are you listening? Good. Do yourself a favor, and try one of these suckers out for an extended period of time before you jump into anything crazy like, say, buying a Chromebook to replace your main laptop. I did it because I knew I was able to. Don't do it just because I told you to. It can be a scary thing making the big jump from a traditional desktop experience to a Chromebook. All the same, for the low price, high power, and versatility with web apps, you simply can't go wrong.