To Chromebook or not to Chromebook
So if it looks like a laptop, and acts like a laptop, and feels like a laptop, then it must be a laptop, right? Wrong! Google Chromebook has some great commercials out right now about their product but most consumers see the price and nothing else. Make sure you understand that the Google Chromebook is a cloud-centric laptop, meaning that you do everything in the cloud.
WHAT DOES COMPUTERWORLD SAY ABOUT THE CHROMEBOOK?
I think ComputerWorld sums it up well, “The new Samsung Chromebook runs Google’s Chrome OS operating system. Chrome OS is all about the cloud: Instead of using locally stored programs, it relies on Web-based apps like Gmail, Google Docs and Google Drive. You can do quite a bit offline — an important option that was missing in early versions of the software — but the Web is definitely the platform’s main focus.”
MS. BITS SUMMARY OF THE CHROMEBOOK
The Chromebook isn’t new, but with the advancement in Cloud computing it’s concept is catching on. With Office365, Windows Live, Google Calendar, Picasa, Google Drive, DropBox, QuickBooks online, and other cloud based applications, both personal and professional users can live in the cloud. That mindset is exactly what the Chromebook developers are hoping for. The Chromebook has no storage space for you to keep anything, it doesn’t have a DVD player, and you don’t load application or game software on it. It assumes that you do everything in the cloud; from storing documents on Google Drive, to play games & watching movies on Google Play.
PRO’S
One of the biggest perks of the Chromebook is that you don’t have to deal with those annoying Windows and application updates all the time; the platform’s Web-based apps all update in the cloud on their own. And since you don’t have applications running on the device you don’t have to worry about driver conflicts and getting a virus. If you video chat you’ll still have the ability to do so with the built-in webcam
IS IT FOR EVERYONE?
One size does not fit all when it comes to most technologies. Like I always advise any of my clients and friends, make sure you do your research before buying any new gadget. Just because it’s cool doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for you 🙂