# Chrombook Advice



## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

I am looking to purchase a very portable laptop and am considering a Chromebook as the best option. As I have no experience of Chromebook (or of Chrome, I use Firefox) I would appreciate advice with regards to what I should be looking for in the specification in terms of..... well in terms of everything.

Price is a factor, but not the main one. Portable, lightweight, robust, does everything that one needs "on the road"...... Reputable manufacturer would also be an important consideration. Lenovo, Asus, Acer, HP..... are in my view trusted brands.

Thanks for suggestions.

T.


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## TechWizard05 (May 2, 2021)

Hi Tabvla,

I am currently replying to you on a Samsung Chromebook 3
I love mine, it's a good build, somewhat reasonable price (bought mine from Costco) lightweight, and portable
runs everything in the browser fast and easy, makes for a good Schoolwork/work device
I know you are looking for something other than Samsung but that's my take 



Best regards,


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

Check this chart to be sure you don't buy a model that only gets a year or two of updates. The way it stands now with the Chrome browser as part of ChromeOS, once the browser no longer gets updated, sites will say "browser not supported, update your browser".
https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en

Google is working on removing the browser from the OS so you can continue to use the device after it's AUE date.

Don't buy a device with only 1 or 2 years of updates remaining.


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## TechWizard05 (May 2, 2021)

plodr said:


> Check this chart to be sure you don't buy a model that only gets a year or two of updates. The way it stands now with the Chrome browser as part of ChromeOS, once the browser no longer gets updated, sites will say "browser not supported, update your browser".
> https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en
> 
> Google is working on removing the browser from the OS so you can continue to use the device after it's AUE date.
> ...


I may be wrong but I heard that you can manually update the Chromebook after the expiration date


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

TechWizard05 said:


> I may be wrong but I heard that you can manually update the Chromebook after the expiration date


Firstly..... thank you Liz for your link to the AUE by model. Very helpful...

TechWiz, you are "sort of" correct in that one could dump the Chrome OS and install CloudReady by Neverware, which is a "sort of" clone of the Chrome OS. However, at the end of 2020 Google acquired Neverware so we will just have to wait and see what changes that brings.

I did read somewhere that Chrombooks manufactured after 2020 will have a guaranteed 8-year update life. Up until now I have not been able to verify that on the Google website.

T.


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

When it comes to a Windows laptop I know exactly the specification that will meet my needs. However, when it comes to a Chromebook I don't have any knowledge as to what is important in the specification. Therefore, with respect to a Chromebook for general purpose use away from the office desk what should I be looking for in terms of.....

Processor
RAM
Storage
Network
Connectivity
Display
Size & Weight

If I was purchasing a Windows laptop the above 7 items would be the key specifications that I would be considering and paying the most attention to. 

T.


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

https://www.aboutchromebooks.com/news/getting-your-first-chromebook-buyers-guide-2021/


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

Thanks LIz. Good info.

A few practical questions......

Q1. Can a Chromebook user have at least some privacy or must on sell one's soul to Google?
Q1. Can the user uninstall unwanted pre-installed apps?
Q3. I assume only apps from the Play Store can be installed by the user?
Q4. Do most Play Store apps work with the Chrome OS? 
Q5. I assume that the default Browser is Chrome, can the user install a different Browser?

T.


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## AmyToo (Sep 22, 2017)

Why do you want to buy a Chromebook if you don't like Google and don't want to use the Chrome browser? That's pretty much the definition of a Chromebook.


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

Amy, thanks for your reply and I will try to answer your question as best I can.

Over the past 2 years, Chromebooks have gone from being just another gadget to a serious competitor in the portable computing space. Chromebooks are now being manufactured by most of the big names in computer hardware and specifications, especially of the top-end machines, are on a par with comparable Windows products.

Considering the number of Chromebooks that are now being sold and the percentage of sales that they have taken in the portable computing marketplace, it is a reasonable question to ask "Why a Chromebook rather than a Windows Laptop?". 

Personally, for me to move from a Windows environment to a Chromebook environment, there would need to be a number of good reasons and those reasons need to include more than just price. 

That said, both my phones are Android, which I have found to be a real pleasure to use. However, the one phone I operate without a Google account (and it does all the confidential stuff I want it to do, such as banking, personal emails and so on) and the other (which is an Android One phone) I operate with a Google account and it does all the Google-stuff, such as Maps; Track & Trace; general non-personal emails and other tasks where privacy is not a concern.

I hope the above answers your question...... if not please ask again.

T.


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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

Tabvla said:


> and install CloudReady by Neverware,


No need to install it - run CloudReady from a USB flash drive, boot the pc from the flash drive and give it a test run.

https://www.neverware.com/freedownload#intro-text


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

blues_harp28 said:


> No need to install it - run CloudReady from a USB flash drive, boot the pc from the flash drive and give it a test run.
> 
> https://www.neverware.com/freedownload#intro-text


Thanks for your suggestion. If I understand your Post correctly, you suggest that I purchase the Chromebook and then instead of using the Chrome OS, I run the Chromebook from the CloudReady OS on the USB. Is my understanding correct?

Now that Google has acquired Neverware, does that not imply that CloudReady is simply going to be another name for Chrome OS...?

T


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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

Tabvla said:


> you suggest that I purchase the Chromebook and then instead of using the Chrome OS, I run the Chromebook from the CloudReady OS on the USB. Is my understanding correct?


No, that is not my suggestion.
Use a USB flash drive with CloudReady installed on it. 
Then boot a Windows pc from the USB drive and when running from the flash drive, you can check out the look and feel of a Chrome OS.


Tabvla said:


> Now that Google has acquired Neverware, does that not imply that CloudReady is simply going to be another name for Chrome OS...?


If you have an aversion to Google, Google Chrome, then a Chrome OS is not for you.


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

blues_harp28 said:


> If you have an aversion to Google, Google Chrome, then a Chrome OS is not for you.


I am starting to drift back towards Windows..... it is a pity because I like Android, but on my main phone I can control everything whereas on my secondary phone (Android One) control is much more difficult and I am now starting to understand (thanks to the replies to this Thread) that a Chromebook is going to be much more like my Android One phone rather than my main phone. And I am not comfortable with that on my Laptop.

T.


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Hi T. 

Just pointing out that with most Windows based computers, you can boot to a USB flash drive that's loaded with a 'Live' Linux distro and get the best of both worlds if you have a need for each. 
I prefer Puppy Linux for my Internet needs, but there are other distros and searching for a favorite is as easy as simply replacing the iso image on the flash drive.


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

Thanks John, that is an interesting suggestion. I will post when I have tried it.

T.


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