Why Chromebook?
I simply love my Linux laptop and desktop, their fast, efficient and can do anything I throw at them. Both are multi core and capable of far more processing power than I usually throw at them. Where my laptop falls short is it’s battery, lasting just over 3 hours means I generally leave it plugged in when on the go.
Last month I attended a WordPress conference and opted to bring along an old Linux netbook with an extra battery. It worked perfectly I swapped out the battery and was able to take notes for over nine hours. However, slow, painfully slow.
Originally I scoffed at the Chromebook as a kind of Google products only toy creating a walled garden not unlike an Apple iOS device. This ASUS C200 Chromebook proves that assumption wrong. I can easily download music and video from Amazon and other competitors. I can view and work on various non Google web apps both online and off. It’s not a pure Linux experience. But it allows me to do almost everything in a low cost, low powered device.
Unique Features
Chrome OS is loosely based on Gentoo GNU/Linux but it’s far from GNU. WIthout doubt there is very little remaining free software philosophy. Being a Google product you don’t really own the device and how it operates. Just like WIndows and Mac Google can shun your device at any time and cease providing updates. However, Chromebooks shine where both Microsoft and Linux has failed in the past. 8+ hours of battery life in an affordable lightweight package was unheard of in the netbook days. Google destroyed the low end market and embraced a beautiful efficient experience. Linux has always been great with low end hardware but terrible with battery life. Windows and OEM flooded the netbook market with cheap, bloated, useless hardware and heavy software that didn’t quite function.
ASUS C200 is somewhat Unique
At 2.5 lbs and offering 10-12+ hours of battery life puts this system in a class of its own. Many Chromebooks offer a similar or identical processor display but few top over 10 hours.
Where does a Chromebook fit into my digital life?
A lightweight mobile device with a great keyboard and trackpad make Chromebook a great option for as I always wished my tablet could do more but not quite as much as a multi hyperthreaded laptop. I can easily bring this it to work and sit at my desk all day without plugging in. Great for travel, work and play. Few compromises as it can do everything most people actually need their computers to do. Even power users such as myself don’t need the full resources of their desktop or laptop 100% of the time when it comes to getting work done Google Docs and a few well designed apps does everything.
My initial impressions of the Chromebook within the first 24 hours was somewhat lackluster. However, as I have adjusted my workflow I’m finding it amazingly useful at almost everything I need it to do.
