First Impressions of Chromebook

I can’t resist a new gadget. However, I must have a way to convince myself that I am doing research of some type to make the purchase. I had convinced myself that I needed to purchase some type of android tablet, but after my wife’s iPad 2 arrived I decided that there was no way to meet even my minimal requirements that an alternative xPad of some type needed to be explored. Maybe in a year or so. Now, the chromebook seemed a different matter and I now own a Samsung (series 5), wifi online chromebook. This is the $429 machine (if this helps keep the following comments in perspective) and I must have a wifi source available to use this device (I do – and can use my mifi when nothing else is available). I am quite aware of the connectivity issue with any device and given the cost of a data plan (so much for the “unlimited” plans) is the reality check, in my opinion, in any case for mobile student technology devices. Netbook, chromebook, smartphone – whatever the device – the usefulness of the device depends heavily on getting to the Internet.

Anyway – back to the Chromebook (Samsung version). This device (not sure what to call it) has the feel of a real computer. I am certain less expensive chrome devices will be available, but the Samsung version feels solid, is larger than some of the netbooks I purchased, and has a keyboard with great “action”.

I tend to evaluate devices according to whether or not I can do real work with them. So, mostly, I need to do Internet research and write. Internet research implies more than just reading online – I need to organize resources, download documents, etc. So, tools like Instapaper and Evernote are important to my work flow.

If you have not worked with the Chrome browser, think of it like this (or at least here is how I understand it). When you open a tab, you can use this tab to connect to a web site OR you can use the tab to select from various services (apps) you have purchased (often for $0). So, for example, I can use services such as Instapaper or Evernote in this way from within the browser. Chrome already assumes I am going to use Google apps (documents, calendar, etc.).

Learning to work within the browser environment takes some exploration and some work arounds (at least it seems this way). For example, I wanted show the apps tab in this post. Working on a “traditional” computer I would know how to do this. I would capture the screen and then upload the file (perhaps after modifying the size of the image) to my blog. How to do this from within a browser. It turns out that a) there is a way to do screen capture and b) the chromebook can store files.

In addition, there is are USB slots and external devices can be accessed. Here is where it gets tricky. Assume I am writing on one device, I have generated a doc file, I have stored this doc file on a flash drive, and I want to edit this file on the chromebook. I can see the files on the flashdrive from my chromebook, but I cannot open the doc file. To edit the file, I must connect to Google docs, upload the file, and then the file within Google docs is available for modification. I guess this makes sense within the world of chrome.

Yes, I did write this on the Chromebook. AND – no I have not received an invitation to Google plus so I cannot comment on the Plus environment within Chrome. Maybe my wife will invite me.

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