Chromebook – Brick or Marvel?

Samsung Chromebook

Big G has recently unveiled the new laptop series that would be running on Google Chrome’s operating system. The prime feature of this laptop (which is known as Chromebook) is that you can access anything and everything only with an internet connection. The Chromebook is totally customized to be used in the cloud environment. Google has launched this notebook series in order to show its power in cloud computing.

With Chromebook and Wi-Fi you can access mails through Gmail, do documentation and other spreadsheet works through Google Docs, upload pictures, share them and do social network via Google+, listen music through Google Music. Isn’t everything Google? Yeah, with Chromebook you will feel as if you are in a world of Google. However, other companies to offer free programs on the web that can be used in Chromebook via internet access.

Samsung and Acer are currently the designers of the ravishing Chromebook. This uses Google’s Chrome web browser and the backdrop operating system is Linux. The Chromebook has two USB slots, one slot for SD memory card and one for a mobile SIM card. There is neither an option for wired internet nor for Bluetooth which leaves you with only choice wireless access.

The overall design is sleek and slick. The cost of this new notebook from Samsung is as low as $429 and with about $70 extra you can get internet access through 3G cellular technology.

There are certain apps that impressed me immediately. Allow me to mention them.

Tweetdeck:

The best app for tweeting and getting twitter feeds. This app in notebook is as effective as in standalone PC and desktops.

WikiHood:

Similar to Wikipedia this app shows facts about anything and everything, a pleasant plus is that this app shows you the facts about your vicinity (it recognizes the locale of your Wi-Fi connection and displays the interesting trivia about that place).

Popular Science:

For people with interest in Science like me this app is a gift from God of the web (Google). With this app you can browse through a lot of online scientific journals.

Apart from the apps, Chromebook made me fall in love with it because it is easy to use. Yup, within 5 seconds of switching on your notebook you are in your login page and within another 5-10 seconds your chrome browser bangs up. This comes as a relief since with Windows 7 in my laptop I need to stare at Microsoft logo for about a minute.

My friend used to say me “Don’t fall in love with anyone at first sight, take a second look because only in second look you may know their flaws”. I realized this advice or instruction from her is so true not only with guys but also with tech stuffs. Yeah it took me a second glance to know the flaws of Chromebook.

Firstly, if your Wi-Fi access fails or breaks then it’s too difficult for you to cope up (which makes the Chromebook look like a brick).

Secondly, the storage space is just 16 GB, thus you can’t store much in your Chromebook (of course cloud computing is the aim of Google through Chromebook, still I feel 16 GB is less)

Next comes the personalization part although I can share, upload, store millions of photos on the cloud and in Google+ I can’t put my cute kid’s picture as wallpaper for desktop (since there is no desktop at all).

Finally there is no option to go to recently used apps or most used apps which is very essential for the Gen-Now people.

Although the positives overpower negatives in case of this Chromebook only time as to judge whether this product of Google will be a success like the other Google ventures.

4 thoughts on “Chromebook – Brick or Marvel?”

  1. Call me sceptical but there is no way I would want a noteboook that would only work with an internet connection. Yes there is so many ways to get online now even when away from home or office, but I still sometimes find myself without an internet connection and need to be using my notebook offline.

    What are the thoughts of others on this?

    Reply

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