Looked up DDR3L 8 GB on Newegg. Roughly $43-50. So if the RAM is user-replaceable you can get the 2 GB version, upgrade to 8 GB for about the same price as the 4 GB version, and chuck the 2 GB stick at a street urchin.
For what sorta things? They started off amazingly well in the Android tablet space, the OG Transformer was slightly cheaper than others and better built (tho that's not saying much when compared to Acer and Moto's Xoom, still...), and the Nexus 7 was obviously huge... They were doing pretty great with updates early on too, I think they lost the plot later in launching way too many devices (one slight TF iteration after the other, etc).
The MemoPad line has been a strong value tho and the just released Zen S 8" seems to bring back the value punch to the market that'd been missing since the N7 stopped selling officially at the Play store (at least I haven't seen anything better for $200, and everything else decent is $300 or also out of production).
Sooo, mixed but positive overall? I think they seem to do a lot better when they try to undercut the Samsungs and Apples than when they try to go all out.
Probably not, PoP is a bit more expensive, and the main benefit of doing it is reduced PCB area requirements, so I bet it is not PoP. However, it is probably soldered on, just not on top of the SoC ;)
Is there an app issue when the point is no apps? Sure more recently that has been relaxed and some Android apps migrated to it but those are built for touch and this opens the door for more. So maybe if you don't forget what it is and why buyers want it, there is no issue. If it makes sense to add the tablet mode as a bonus, not sure , maybe it makes as much sense as ChromeOS laptops did some years ago. I'm not much of a fan of what they did here , just not convinced the app problem is a problem. I don't own a Chromebook so not easy to imagine what users want but we shouldn't compare it with very different OSes, something that non-users always forget.
The weird interplay between Chrome and Android continues... I'm still not sure what Chromium's supposed to be able to do that Android can't accomplish just as well if it's locked down. Maybe they wanna avoid the latter and any association with that kinda light model?
With Android as an OS option and a 3G/LTE radio I would instantly buy one.
I mean, how idiotic is an ultra-portable laptop/tablet with an OS that NEEDS network access to do basically anything and which then only comes with WiFi? And runs the only halfway mainstream OS (besides Linux) that has no version of MS Office available?
Either this is some very convoluted strategic decision by Google/Asus or they're missing some very obvious things.
Or people will NOT buy it because they are foolish enough to think bashers like you actually know something about what your talking about.
The problem is...IMO, you really don't know what your talking about or even considering the actual Pros and Cons to Chromebooks.
The right tool for the job applies here. ChromeOS is very very lite and extremely low maintenance. No need to run antivirus or take time to update drivers or install dozens of OS updates.
I know. I bought a Chromebook. I was such an idiot. I didn't even realize that I could be using Office for just like $100/year or so - even though I don't need it in the slightest. Also - I can't do much when offline. Well except for a whole bunch of stuff like write or code or handle some e-mails. Or watch a movie maybe. It's totally unacceptable to me that it is only wi-fi. Last year there was a ten minute window when I wanted to use it but wasn't someplace that wi-fi was available. Also, I used to get a nice bit of zen me-time waiting for Window and AV programs to update. This Chromebook updates in just about 11 seconds. 11 seconds? I need more me-time than that.
Oh savagemike, you certainly do know how to break conventional rules. Namely by first claiming that Windows 10 needs AV tools, then implying that Windows Update takes any notable amount of time. Or maybe even your implication that any of the tasks you've named are convenient on a Chromebook.
Meanwhile, you can make all of those claims about Windows RT, and look how well that went. Just as many apps (more, in fact -- the entire web + RT apps, not just the entire web), and no need for that zen me-time waiting. After all, no updates are even coming, barring one last one this September.
Not to pile it on or anything, but it even has that $100/year office for $0/year.
And that's the SKU that got rejected. You see how the Chrome ecosystem is a losing model?
Was the Office license in RT perpetual or just a one year sub? Either way, I agree the Chromebook model is way too limited for widespread adoption, I imagine it's great for kids, the elderly, etc but those people are already using iOS and Android for similar tasks, often at similar price points. I realize even those are "heavier" and more risk prone but still...
Speaking from the position of one who owns a CB, there are quite a few things that can be done on a CB without network access. The REAL question is how often are you working in a location without network access?
As far as MS Office, there is no need for MS Office, as google provides FREE tools that can do the same thing as Word, Excel and PPT. Regarding Android over ChromeOS, ChromeOS is much more secure and there is no need for any antivirus software, because the system is locked down as it should be for most users out there. When you have people installing anything and everything...that is why they have system instability and open up exposure to malware and viruses.
The beauty about ChromeOS is that it's a very very lite OS and any updates that are needed are quick and painless compared to Windows or even Apples OS.
If you need a powerhouse...then use a windows or apple system, but as more and more ChromeAPPS allow offline use and more and more wifi areas are available, the "Reasons" you've used to bash.
In the end, unless you've even test drove a Chormebook for a week, you really don't know what your talking about IMO.
btw....there are units that have LTE if it's really a must have option for you.
"as google provides FREE tools that can do" about half of the "same thing as Word, Excel, and PPT."
"When you have people installing anything and everything..." including rogue extensions and apps, "that is why they have system instability and open up exposure to malware and viruses."
"but as more and more ChromeAPPS" add the same bloat and vulnerabilities as any Windows app and "allow offline use and more and more wifi areas are available, the 'Reasons' you've used to bash" Chrome become invalid, and the reasons I've used to bash Windows become valid.
The average LTE monthly usage in the US in Q1 was 2.2GB. The latest data reported on China was 321MB. So the question is why would anyone pay for LTE in any device when it's juts a very very costly demo.- 10 to 70 MB per day can't be called relevant volumes. Besides that adding LTE means significantly higher costs and the Qualcomm tax. One has to also wonder why anyone is still using Office? And if someone can't beat inertia and is still using Office,then it has to be pointed out that even Microsoft is pushing Office 360 instead of on device office.
Pretty poor show anandtech. 16GB is NOT enough storage and, by deleting my post, you're showing that you're just another 'paid for' web site. Shame really.
There have been tons of comments questioning Anandtech's integrity since the later stage of Anand's run as the owner. I seriously doubt your comment was deleted where all the others have been left un-moderated.
The mods here seem more likely to rebut what someone states rather than blindly censor it.
LOL. You're overlooking Google Drive storage and the whole point of the Chromebooks. Stop thinking that this is the same as a laptop. It's not and it's NOT intended to be. Why bother installing programs when you have access to so many via online. You can even use the Citrix Receiver to run full MS Office programs on a Chromebook if your company or school licenses MS Office.
Dude with that logic you should love Windows RT. But you probably didn't. So get off the fanboy train and recognize that at this stage in the game, Windows 8.1 offers the same quality of online experience with no offline compromises. Chrome's desktop marketshare attests to that equality in quality.
When you look at it as a 10 inch tablet, it definitely makes much more sense. I've had one for a week now, and have been pleasantly surprised at how solid it is. Battery life hasn't been an issue. And Arc welder has run the few Android apps I've tried without issue. The touch interface is what I use primarily and forget that the touch pad is there most times. It really is done quite well and I'm happy with what I got. (2gb model from amazon). I've been getting more use out of it than my stream 7, but it hasn't bumped my nexus 7 out of the "most frequently used" slot. I do agree, running Android apps without having to hunt apks would be quite nice though.
I can't tell you how much I would prefer the (tablet version of) the Android GMail app over fumbling with a touchpad (or even a touchscreen) through the browser keyhole with the GMail web app. Or just using one of the many decent network-aware (Cloud, FTP, SMB) file managers instead of down- and uploading files via braindead webapps. Or just using MS (or Kingsoft) Office instead of what Google has to offer here. Or just play one of the many, many games available for Android.
I'm really wondering if Google just doesn't realize that Android needs only very little polish to become a totally decent OS for small "computers" with a keyboard or if there is something more to that. While I agree that ChromeOS isn't that bad for a certain niche market, this niche is very, very small.
With Android being on 80% of all smartphones and tablets many people would LOVE using the same OS and the same apps on small laptops. Google has everything in its hands to just destroy MS Windows for home/casual/mobile use and just lets it dangle from its fingers there.
Agreed, when the first leaks of the N9 keyboard accessory surfaced I thought they were putting in some work to make Android more usable in that form factor, they really didn't tho, and it wouldn't take much.
All the usual comments about how bad ChromeOS is. And as usual those comments are from people who don't own any ChromeOS devices. Even the article can't resist a comment that the OS indicates a problem, though the reviewer has not used the device. I have yet to find a bad review of this product from anyone who has actually used it. Would ChromeOS be better if it did this or that? Perhaps. And you know what, it probably will do this or that after a bit. One thing Google has totally delivered on with ChromeOS is the promise that it will be in constant active development. The machine I bought a year ago is indeed better today than when I bought it. It's required no maintenance. It hasn't slowed or bogged down with time like every Windows machine I have ever owned. The scant 16GB of space is still mostly totally unused by me as it was never the point of the device. And it does more now than it did then. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you'd have to wait for it to be decent. It's a very good OS right now depending on your needs, just as it was a year ago when I bought. It will just be even better going forward. I don't want a screen this small. But am anxious to see what else launches in this paradigm with ChromeOS on it.
You won't find a "bad" review from someone who actually owns a Chromebook because he wouldn't buy one since it doesn't work for him.
I looked at Chromebooks here at the company I'm working for and there's just no way we could use one. We need MS Office (as sad as it is), we need access to our file servers, and if we deploy highly mobile laptops we do that because the people who use it will use it somewhere out there where there's no WiFi. What is so hard to understand about that?
Compared to Windows, Mac OS, iOS and Android what Chromebooks do may be nice if you can get away with working with Google and basically nothing else, but in many cases this just is no option. So you have to fight all the crap that Windows comes with and with OS X and with the limitations of iOS when such a laptop running Android would fit the bill just perfectly.
I'm not saying that ChromeOS is crap. I'm just saying that in may cases it just doesn't work out while Android would work perfectly. There's very little maintenance necessary with Android too. There's really a need for something between full-blown crappy MS Windows and an extremely limited thin client like ChromeOS. And Google even has it already.
My comment was that Chrome OS is not a tablet OS, and this device converts into a tablet. If and when there is more Android apps support this will likely not be an issue but it's usability as a tablet is certainly diminished by running Chrome OS and not Android. Still, for $249 it's a thin and light Chromebook with an aluminum build and an IPS display.
Which is perfectly fair, and even tho I and others porpose Android as a more capable solution, you could say the same thing but backwards about it... It's really not made with a keyboard in mind. That's what makes Google's whole strategy with both OS so confusing IMO.
There's VERY little Google would have to add to Android to make it work great with laptops. Honestly, just view Android as a Linux version with lots and lots of available apps. Including games and even MS Office now. Adding better keyboard and mouse/trackpad support would be a piece of cake. In fact just an Alt-Tab task-switcher would be nearly enough to make it the best supported small-laptop Linux ever. I really would love to buy this tablet/netbook if it would run Android. It almost cries for becoming the next Nexus 10.
I mean, there must be something between full crappy Windows and ChromeOS. Just give me Android with a decent keyboard and a not too small display please. This thing is actually lovely.
I think Google is shrinking back from really attacking MS. Google does not want to fling itself into a position in which it would be subject to all the monopoly sensibilities that this would entail and so it leaves a really huge gap between Android and ChromeOS for MS to fumble around in. Google doesn't dare and this actually makes me furious. This it not the way to change the world.
You could say all those things about a Nexus device if you were to use it in the same limited way (almost no downloads, everything online, etc)... Chromebooks seem like a nice concept for some limited markets, but it leaves a lot of capabilities on the table and confused their overall strategy IMO.
I don't even dislike ChromeOS for what it is, but why are all these Google Evangelists proclaiming Chrome OS's superiority?
Yes, I own one.
It only gets used for Youtube, Facebook, and other around-the-house browsing. Google Docs is prone to locking up with even the slightest hint of connection malfunction, as the average person's home wireless is likely to exhibit. Furthermore, Docs' formatting tools simply lack any sort of flexibility or power.
Chrome OS offline? Still takes much more configuration than anyone wants to admit here -- the users taking advantage of its "simplicity" likely will never find out this functionality on their own. Trust me, I live with one of those users. Since acquiring the Chromebook, it remains in use around the house but has nearly never ventured beyond WiFi range, and for good reason. And despite having configured Google Cloud Print, that feature too has gone unused due to the lack of Office.
I don't know what mental switch it takes to want to take the harder path here. Chrome OS simply trades too many conveniences for little in return. Even Windows RT remains a better option, particularly with the Tegra 4 found in the Surface 2. And given the availability of cheap Atom-based Windows 8.1 laptops, ChromeOS makes little sense.
This is amplified when considering the use-case of a Chromebook further versus that of the Windows 8.1 laptop. For instance, the HP Stream 11 brings a year of Office to the table, compared to two years of Google Drive. But after that year, the HP Stream still has Office Online, which is equal to Google Docs at this stage in the game. And given that both devices likely require a subscription to an online storage service, and Office 365 includes storage for around the same price as Drive (which possesses no boost to office productivity), the choice is clear.
I haven't even factored in the device compatibility, the huge difference in software availability, or the strength of the Windows Store (which at this point has many key apps, and is only looking upward with Windows 10). So many commenters here ask why Chrome OS is being dismissed. "The usual comments." The problem is, many of those comments are still accurate.
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nandnandnand - Monday, July 20, 2015 - link
Looked up DDR3L 8 GB on Newegg. Roughly $43-50. So if the RAM is user-replaceable you can get the 2 GB version, upgrade to 8 GB for about the same price as the 4 GB version, and chuck the 2 GB stick at a street urchin.ImSpartacus - Monday, July 20, 2015 - link
How's Asus' track record for this sort of thing.Impulses - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
For what sorta things? They started off amazingly well in the Android tablet space, the OG Transformer was slightly cheaper than others and better built (tho that's not saying much when compared to Acer and Moto's Xoom, still...), and the Nexus 7 was obviously huge... They were doing pretty great with updates early on too, I think they lost the plot later in launching way too many devices (one slight TF iteration after the other, etc).The MemoPad line has been a strong value tho and the just released Zen S 8" seems to bring back the value punch to the market that'd been missing since the N7 stopped selling officially at the Play store (at least I haven't seen anything better for $200, and everything else decent is $300 or also out of production).
Sooo, mixed but positive overall? I think they seem to do a lot better when they try to undercut the Samsungs and Apples than when they try to go all out.
ant6n - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
on an ARM chromebook? doubtfulzodiacfml - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Too thin and cheap for it to have a user replaceable RAM. More likely, soldered.damianrobertjones - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
For the extra cash you could just buy a windows machine and then upgrade whatever (Within reason).coolbho3k - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
That's a 32-bit SoC...Flunk - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
It's a SoC, the RAM is almost assuredly soldered on top of the SoC.extide - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Probably not, PoP is a bit more expensive, and the main benefit of doing it is reduced PCB area requirements, so I bet it is not PoP. However, it is probably soldered on, just not on top of the SoC ;)jjj - Monday, July 20, 2015 - link
Is there an app issue when the point is no apps? Sure more recently that has been relaxed and some Android apps migrated to it but those are built for touch and this opens the door for more.So maybe if you don't forget what it is and why buyers want it, there is no issue. If it makes sense to add the tablet mode as a bonus, not sure , maybe it makes as much sense as ChromeOS laptops did some years ago. I'm not much of a fan of what they did here , just not convinced the app problem is a problem. I don't own a Chromebook so not easy to imagine what users want but we shouldn't compare it with very different OSes, something that non-users always forget.
Impulses - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
The weird interplay between Chrome and Android continues... I'm still not sure what Chromium's supposed to be able to do that Android can't accomplish just as well if it's locked down. Maybe they wanna avoid the latter and any association with that kinda light model?ant6n - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
this would be more interesting with tegra x1ayqazi - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
This will get more interesting when Chrome OS can natively run Android tablet apps...GotThumbs - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Take a look what the University of Florida (go Gators) has so thier students can run dozens of programs from Chromebooks as well as other devices.http://info.apps.ufl.edu/
<iframe width="595" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oxgNMbukwG8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
uhuznaa - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
With Android as an OS option and a 3G/LTE radio I would instantly buy one.I mean, how idiotic is an ultra-portable laptop/tablet with an OS that NEEDS network access to do basically anything and which then only comes with WiFi? And runs the only halfway mainstream OS (besides Linux) that has no version of MS Office available?
Either this is some very convoluted strategic decision by Google/Asus or they're missing some very obvious things.
damianrobertjones - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
They'll sell crap to anyone and... people will buy it as they don't know better.GotThumbs - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Or people will NOT buy it because they are foolish enough to think bashers like you actually know something about what your talking about.The problem is...IMO, you really don't know what your talking about or even considering the actual Pros and Cons to Chromebooks.
The right tool for the job applies here. ChromeOS is very very lite and extremely low maintenance. No need to run antivirus or take time to update drivers or install dozens of OS updates.
savagemike - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
I know. I bought a Chromebook. I was such an idiot. I didn't even realize that I could be using Office for just like $100/year or so - even though I don't need it in the slightest.Also - I can't do much when offline. Well except for a whole bunch of stuff like write or code or handle some e-mails. Or watch a movie maybe.
It's totally unacceptable to me that it is only wi-fi. Last year there was a ten minute window when I wanted to use it but wasn't someplace that wi-fi was available.
Also, I used to get a nice bit of zen me-time waiting for Window and AV programs to update. This Chromebook updates in just about 11 seconds. 11 seconds? I need more me-time than that.
lmcd - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Oh savagemike, you certainly do know how to break conventional rules. Namely by first claiming that Windows 10 needs AV tools, then implying that Windows Update takes any notable amount of time. Or maybe even your implication that any of the tasks you've named are convenient on a Chromebook.Meanwhile, you can make all of those claims about Windows RT, and look how well that went. Just as many apps (more, in fact -- the entire web + RT apps, not just the entire web), and no need for that zen me-time waiting. After all, no updates are even coming, barring one last one this September.
Not to pile it on or anything, but it even has that $100/year office for $0/year.
And that's the SKU that got rejected. You see how the Chrome ecosystem is a losing model?
Impulses - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Was the Office license in RT perpetual or just a one year sub? Either way, I agree the Chromebook model is way too limited for widespread adoption, I imagine it's great for kids, the elderly, etc but those people are already using iOS and Android for similar tasks, often at similar price points. I realize even those are "heavier" and more risk prone but still...GotThumbs - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Speaking from the position of one who owns a CB, there are quite a few things that can be done on a CB without network access. The REAL question is how often are you working in a location without network access?As far as MS Office, there is no need for MS Office, as google provides FREE tools that can do the same thing as Word, Excel and PPT. Regarding Android over ChromeOS, ChromeOS is much more secure and there is no need for any antivirus software, because the system is locked down as it should be for most users out there. When you have people installing anything and everything...that is why they have system instability and open up exposure to malware and viruses.
The beauty about ChromeOS is that it's a very very lite OS and any updates that are needed are quick and painless compared to Windows or even Apples OS.
If you need a powerhouse...then use a windows or apple system, but as more and more ChromeAPPS allow offline use and more and more wifi areas are available, the "Reasons" you've used to bash.
In the end, unless you've even test drove a Chormebook for a week, you really don't know what your talking about IMO.
btw....there are units that have LTE if it's really a must have option for you.
Respectfully.
GotThumbs - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
If you REALLY MUST HAVE MS OFFICE, there is always Office 365.There are options, but you have to remove any blinders to what it is and what it offers.
lmcd - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
"as google provides FREE tools that can do" about half of the "same thing as Word, Excel, and PPT.""When you have people installing anything and everything..." including rogue extensions and apps, "that is why they have system instability and open up exposure to malware and viruses."
"but as more and more ChromeAPPS" add the same bloat and vulnerabilities as any Windows app and "allow offline use and more and more wifi areas are available, the 'Reasons' you've used to bash" Chrome become invalid, and the reasons I've used to bash Windows become valid.
FIFY
jjj - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
The average LTE monthly usage in the US in Q1 was 2.2GB. The latest data reported on China was 321MB. So the question is why would anyone pay for LTE in any device when it's juts a very very costly demo.- 10 to 70 MB per day can't be called relevant volumes.Besides that adding LTE means significantly higher costs and the Qualcomm tax.
One has to also wonder why anyone is still using Office? And if someone can't beat inertia and is still using Office,then it has to be pointed out that even Microsoft is pushing Office 360 instead of on device office.
damianrobertjones - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
So... my comment was erased.Pretty poor show anandtech. 16GB is NOT enough storage and, by deleting my post, you're showing that you're just another 'paid for' web site. Shame really.
DigitalFreak - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
It's more likely you forgot to hit Submit.jimbo2779 - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
lolThere have been tons of comments questioning Anandtech's integrity since the later stage of Anand's run as the owner. I seriously doubt your comment was deleted where all the others have been left un-moderated.
The mods here seem more likely to rebut what someone states rather than blindly censor it.
damianrobertjones - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
It was a first post so, while checking to see if Engadget's made accounts invisible, I noticed that my post had vanished.It was only complaining about the 16GB storage. Nothing serious.
GotThumbs - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
LOL. You're overlooking Google Drive storage and the whole point of the Chromebooks. Stop thinking that this is the same as a laptop. It's not and it's NOT intended to be. Why bother installing programs when you have access to so many via online. You can even use the Citrix Receiver to run full MS Office programs on a Chromebook if your company or school licenses MS Office.http://www.citrix.com/products/workspace-cloud/ove...
test drive it here.
https://workspace.cloud.com/?utm_medium=referral&a...
It's so backwards thinking that you need a large hd on the device. You can install a 128Gig SD if you REALLY feel you need it.
GotThumbs - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Just take a look at what the University of Florida (Go Gaters) has setup for it's students.http://info.apps.ufl.edu/
extide - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Thats just Citrix, nothing specialMichael Bay - Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - link
Come on, he`s your typical shill.lmcd - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Dude with that logic you should love Windows RT. But you probably didn't. So get off the fanboy train and recognize that at this stage in the game, Windows 8.1 offers the same quality of online experience with no offline compromises. Chrome's desktop marketshare attests to that equality in quality.Demon-Xanth - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
When you look at it as a 10 inch tablet, it definitely makes much more sense. I've had one for a week now, and have been pleasantly surprised at how solid it is. Battery life hasn't been an issue. And Arc welder has run the few Android apps I've tried without issue. The touch interface is what I use primarily and forget that the touch pad is there most times. It really is done quite well and I'm happy with what I got. (2gb model from amazon). I've been getting more use out of it than my stream 7, but it hasn't bumped my nexus 7 out of the "most frequently used" slot. I do agree, running Android apps without having to hunt apks would be quite nice though.uhuznaa - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
I can't tell you how much I would prefer the (tablet version of) the Android GMail app over fumbling with a touchpad (or even a touchscreen) through the browser keyhole with the GMail web app. Or just using one of the many decent network-aware (Cloud, FTP, SMB) file managers instead of down- and uploading files via braindead webapps. Or just using MS (or Kingsoft) Office instead of what Google has to offer here. Or just play one of the many, many games available for Android.I'm really wondering if Google just doesn't realize that Android needs only very little polish to become a totally decent OS for small "computers" with a keyboard or if there is something more to that. While I agree that ChromeOS isn't that bad for a certain niche market, this niche is very, very small.
With Android being on 80% of all smartphones and tablets many people would LOVE using the same OS and the same apps on small laptops. Google has everything in its hands to just destroy MS Windows for home/casual/mobile use and just lets it dangle from its fingers there.
Impulses - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Agreed, when the first leaks of the N9 keyboard accessory surfaced I thought they were putting in some work to make Android more usable in that form factor, they really didn't tho, and it wouldn't take much.SunLord - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Come on ASUS make me a transformer Chrome book damn itsavagemike - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
All the usual comments about how bad ChromeOS is. And as usual those comments are from people who don't own any ChromeOS devices.Even the article can't resist a comment that the OS indicates a problem, though the reviewer has not used the device.
I have yet to find a bad review of this product from anyone who has actually used it.
Would ChromeOS be better if it did this or that? Perhaps. And you know what, it probably will do this or that after a bit. One thing Google has totally delivered on with ChromeOS is the promise that it will be in constant active development. The machine I bought a year ago is indeed better today than when I bought it. It's required no maintenance. It hasn't slowed or bogged down with time like every Windows machine I have ever owned. The scant 16GB of space is still mostly totally unused by me as it was never the point of the device. And it does more now than it did then.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you'd have to wait for it to be decent. It's a very good OS right now depending on your needs, just as it was a year ago when I bought. It will just be even better going forward.
I don't want a screen this small. But am anxious to see what else launches in this paradigm with ChromeOS on it.
uhuznaa - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
You won't find a "bad" review from someone who actually owns a Chromebook because he wouldn't buy one since it doesn't work for him.I looked at Chromebooks here at the company I'm working for and there's just no way we could use one. We need MS Office (as sad as it is), we need access to our file servers, and if we deploy highly mobile laptops we do that because the people who use it will use it somewhere out there where there's no WiFi. What is so hard to understand about that?
Compared to Windows, Mac OS, iOS and Android what Chromebooks do may be nice if you can get away with working with Google and basically nothing else, but in many cases this just is no option. So you have to fight all the crap that Windows comes with and with OS X and with the limitations of iOS when such a laptop running Android would fit the bill just perfectly.
I'm not saying that ChromeOS is crap. I'm just saying that in may cases it just doesn't work out while Android would work perfectly. There's very little maintenance necessary with Android too. There's really a need for something between full-blown crappy MS Windows and an extremely limited thin client like ChromeOS. And Google even has it already.
Adding-Color - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
+1Brett Howse - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
My comment was that Chrome OS is not a tablet OS, and this device converts into a tablet. If and when there is more Android apps support this will likely not be an issue but it's usability as a tablet is certainly diminished by running Chrome OS and not Android. Still, for $249 it's a thin and light Chromebook with an aluminum build and an IPS display.Impulses - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
Which is perfectly fair, and even tho I and others porpose Android as a more capable solution, you could say the same thing but backwards about it... It's really not made with a keyboard in mind. That's what makes Google's whole strategy with both OS so confusing IMO.uhuznaa - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
There's VERY little Google would have to add to Android to make it work great with laptops. Honestly, just view Android as a Linux version with lots and lots of available apps. Including games and even MS Office now. Adding better keyboard and mouse/trackpad support would be a piece of cake. In fact just an Alt-Tab task-switcher would be nearly enough to make it the best supported small-laptop Linux ever. I really would love to buy this tablet/netbook if it would run Android. It almost cries for becoming the next Nexus 10.I mean, there must be something between full crappy Windows and ChromeOS. Just give me Android with a decent keyboard and a not too small display please. This thing is actually lovely.
I think Google is shrinking back from really attacking MS. Google does not want to fling itself into a position in which it would be subject to all the monopoly sensibilities that this would entail and so it leaves a really huge gap between Android and ChromeOS for MS to fumble around in. Google doesn't dare and this actually makes me furious. This it not the way to change the world.
Impulses - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
You could say all those things about a Nexus device if you were to use it in the same limited way (almost no downloads, everything online, etc)... Chromebooks seem like a nice concept for some limited markets, but it leaves a lot of capabilities on the table and confused their overall strategy IMO.lmcd - Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - link
I don't even dislike ChromeOS for what it is, but why are all these Google Evangelists proclaiming Chrome OS's superiority?Yes, I own one.
It only gets used for Youtube, Facebook, and other around-the-house browsing. Google Docs is prone to locking up with even the slightest hint of connection malfunction, as the average person's home wireless is likely to exhibit. Furthermore, Docs' formatting tools simply lack any sort of flexibility or power.
Chrome OS offline? Still takes much more configuration than anyone wants to admit here -- the users taking advantage of its "simplicity" likely will never find out this functionality on their own. Trust me, I live with one of those users. Since acquiring the Chromebook, it remains in use around the house but has nearly never ventured beyond WiFi range, and for good reason. And despite having configured Google Cloud Print, that feature too has gone unused due to the lack of Office.
I don't know what mental switch it takes to want to take the harder path here. Chrome OS simply trades too many conveniences for little in return. Even Windows RT remains a better option, particularly with the Tegra 4 found in the Surface 2. And given the availability of cheap Atom-based Windows 8.1 laptops, ChromeOS makes little sense.
This is amplified when considering the use-case of a Chromebook further versus that of the Windows 8.1 laptop. For instance, the HP Stream 11 brings a year of Office to the table, compared to two years of Google Drive. But after that year, the HP Stream still has Office Online, which is equal to Google Docs at this stage in the game. And given that both devices likely require a subscription to an online storage service, and Office 365 includes storage for around the same price as Drive (which possesses no boost to office productivity), the choice is clear.
I haven't even factored in the device compatibility, the huge difference in software availability, or the strength of the Windows Store (which at this point has many key apps, and is only looking upward with Windows 10). So many commenters here ask why Chrome OS is being dismissed. "The usual comments." The problem is, many of those comments are still accurate.
damianrobertjones - Thursday, July 30, 2015 - link
The re-sale value on these things, on ebay, is pretty darn poor.16GB storage? Baaa haa haa.