As I mentioned a few months ago, I received a free Google Chrome notebook to try out. It has been a fun challenge to try to do everything I need on the go with just an Internet browser.
Compaints
I do have a couple of complaints about it. These complaints reflect my own lifestyle and may not be representative of everyone.
First, the Chrome OS is (more or less*) completely dependent on an Internet connection. Three counterpoints to this complaint are (1) free wi-fi is "everywhere", (2) the Chrome notebook is capable of connecting to Verizon's 3G network, and (3) most anything one wants to do these days requires an Internet connection anyway. In practice, I haven't been able to connect to my school's protected wi-fi network with the Chrome notebook, and the unprotected network is difficult to log onto. Further, the 3G network costs money above a tiny 100 MB of free monthly data, so I don't use the 3G connection. This is frustrating because a lot of things I would need a computer for at school don't require an Internet connection on a conventional computer.
My second main complaint is that an Internet-only system doesn't replace all of the things I normally use a computer for. I have found that for the more intensive tasks, like school work, there are a lot of Internet-based programs which aren't as good as the conventional programs I am used to. In addition, oftentimes Internet-based services cost money for a subscription, whereas a program installed on a conventional computer may not. I have found myself taking my large, heavy beast of a laptop to school instead of the light chrome notebook at times because I needed to do school work there.
One extra complaint is that at present the Chrome notebook is still a little bit buggy. For me this isn't an "official complaint" because I new it would be buggy when I got it, but it does bear mentioning.
Tinkering
I learned that it is possible to hack into the Chrome Notebook and install other operating systems on it. At present, I am running Ubuntu on it. I chose Ubuntu because it's free, it's easy to use, it is light enough to run on what I have, and it does everything I want offline.
* = I say more or less because I do have an app which is downloaded to the computer's hard drive and which can be used offline. This, however, is the exception to the rule.
Compaints
I do have a couple of complaints about it. These complaints reflect my own lifestyle and may not be representative of everyone.
First, the Chrome OS is (more or less*) completely dependent on an Internet connection. Three counterpoints to this complaint are (1) free wi-fi is "everywhere", (2) the Chrome notebook is capable of connecting to Verizon's 3G network, and (3) most anything one wants to do these days requires an Internet connection anyway. In practice, I haven't been able to connect to my school's protected wi-fi network with the Chrome notebook, and the unprotected network is difficult to log onto. Further, the 3G network costs money above a tiny 100 MB of free monthly data, so I don't use the 3G connection. This is frustrating because a lot of things I would need a computer for at school don't require an Internet connection on a conventional computer.
My second main complaint is that an Internet-only system doesn't replace all of the things I normally use a computer for. I have found that for the more intensive tasks, like school work, there are a lot of Internet-based programs which aren't as good as the conventional programs I am used to. In addition, oftentimes Internet-based services cost money for a subscription, whereas a program installed on a conventional computer may not. I have found myself taking my large, heavy beast of a laptop to school instead of the light chrome notebook at times because I needed to do school work there.
One extra complaint is that at present the Chrome notebook is still a little bit buggy. For me this isn't an "official complaint" because I new it would be buggy when I got it, but it does bear mentioning.
Tinkering
I learned that it is possible to hack into the Chrome Notebook and install other operating systems on it. At present, I am running Ubuntu on it. I chose Ubuntu because it's free, it's easy to use, it is light enough to run on what I have, and it does everything I want offline.
* = I say more or less because I do have an app which is downloaded to the computer's hard drive and which can be used offline. This, however, is the exception to the rule.
