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MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Introduction
For the next five MMObility columns, I'll be taking a look at my new Chromebook, a device I have dreamed of owning since it was first announced some time ago. I've decided to name it the "All In One" project, representing the ability of a Chromebook to do almost anything, all within the confines of a browser. Today's Chromebooks are much different beasts than the first CR-48s that were sent out for testing and reviews. The current flagship Chromebook, the Samsung Series 3 XE303C12 model that utilizes an SSD and a processor that you would normally find within a tablet, is well-built, instantly and silently updated, fun to use, and best of all, pretty darn inexpensive at $249.00 US. Over the course of these columns, I will cover gaming on the device. Yes, gaming, as in MMORPGs. I've been a massive browser fan for a long time, so I already have access to a list of at least 100 different MMOs that run on very basic tech. I will be listing these games over the next few weeks while explaining how they work. Don't worry, techies; I'm covering the guts and tweaky stuff on my personal blog at Beauhindman.com. This will be a two-pronged attempt at using the Chromebook in real scenarios, something that is often missing from tech reviews. So let's get started!
'Twas the night before...
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house Not a gadget was running, not even a mouse. Updates were posted and tweeted with care In hope that minutiae would be widely shared. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of Galaxies danced in their heads. Smartphones and tablets and consoles for gaming, Their daydreams and night reveries were inflaming. For Christmas should not be in sad disconnection From touchscreens and 4G and pixel perfection. Mini or maxi is not much the point, But latest and greatest does not disappoint.
Poll: If you worked for Google, which corporate gift would you pick?
Gift-giving is a beautiful thing, but it inevitably sets precedents. Last Christmas, Google's employees were each handed a customized Galaxy Nexus to take home, which means they'll be expecting something just as nice this year. One solution would be the Nexus 4, but Mountain View is far too smart to let its festive joy hinge on LG's supply chain. Instead, it's apparently taking the safer route of letting workers choose for themselves: either the excellent Nexus 7 (it's not clear which capacity, but we'd guess 32GB) or a wonderful new Samsung Chromebook, or a recently Jelly Beaned RAZR M. So go on, tell us, if all the right hypotheticals were in place, which would you pick? %Poll-79685%
Acer outs C710-2605 Chromebook, 500GB HDD, 4GB RAM, 100GB Google Drive for two years
When we tried out Acer's C7 Chromebook, we liked the price, but some aspects of the build let it down. Now, the firm's updated the line with a new model -- the C710-2605. This time the price goes up to $299, but for your money you get twice the RAM (4GB) a bigger hard drive (500GB) as well as an improved battery (now 5,000 mAh). The form factor remains the same -- at 11.6 inches -- along with the same 1,366 x 768 display and 1.10GHz Celeron chip as before. Other features include WiFi in a/b/g and n flavours, a built in webcam, three USB ports, HDMI, VGA and Ethernet LAN. Of course, Chrome OS was designed for the cloud, so you'll get 100GB of Google Drive storage for two years thrown into the deal as well. Surprised by the stealth release? So were we, but the good news is, it looks like you can pick one up right away for the afore mentioned asking price, just head on over to the source.
Google offering $99 Samsung Series 5 Chromebooks to public schools
Teachers will be able to purchase the already-cheap Samsung Series 5 Chromebook for $99 this holiday season, Google just announced on its blog. Mountain View will offer the Chromebook for that discounted price thanks to a partnership with the online charity DonorsChoose.org -- and that $99 covers management and support in addition to the hardware. Public-school teachers who qualify will need to head to the Donors Choose website and to put in a request for up to 30 units. Everyone else can simply admire that act of benevolence -- or head to the aforementioned URL to make a donation of their own.
Acer C7 Chromebook review: Chrome OS on the cheap, but at what cost?
It's been just over a month since Google unveiled its gorgeous and affordable $249 Samsung Chromebook only to surprise us days later with an even cheaper system, the $199 Acer C7 Chromebook. At first glance, these two laptops are very similar, both in purpose (cloud-based computing on a budget) and in specs (11.6-inch display, dual-core CPU, 2GB of RAM), but there are significant differences under the hood. Samsung's offering achieves its svelte form factor, 6.5-hour battery life and attractive price via a fully integrated and fanless ARM-based design while Acer takes a more conservative approach -- cramming standard off-the-shelf components like a 2.5-inch hard drive, small-outline memory module, mini-PCIe WiFi card, and Intel Celeron processor into a traditional netbook-like chassis. Does being $50 cheaper make up for the C7's lack of sex appeal and short 4-hour battery life? What other compromises in performance and build quality (if any) were made to achieve this lower cost? Most importantly, which budget Chromebook is right for you? Find out after the break.
Google's 'gallery for everyone' lets you take over Times Square, say thank you for...
What would be a neat trick to round off a perfect holiday with friends, family, and -- if you're lucky -- some bargain-priced tech? How about getting your smug, contented face up on the screens in Times Square? Not got the big corporate budget? No worries, as Google's here to pick up the tab as part of a Chromebook promotion, and possibly make it happen for you. Submit a picture at the source link, along with a snappy "For... " caption, and you could find yourself, your mom, your cat, or football team up there for all to see. We were going to submit one of our own, but, well y'know, we're still wearing the t-shirt.
TUAW Smackdown: Google Chromebook vs. Apple iPad, MacBook Air
The Google Chromebook, the Samsung-built subnotebook designed for the Chrome browser-only OS, appeared on the market about a month ago. As soon as the MacBook Air-lookalike device showed up online, the TUAW newsroom erupted in discussions about whether or not it would make a good low-cost computer. Several bloggers were attracted by the price, which at US$249 is half the price of the least expensive 10-inch iPad, though not that much less than an iPad mini. I took that as a challenge and contacted Samsung to get a loaner Chromebook to test. TUAW readers might point out that this is not an Apple product, and suggest that we shouldn't be writing about it. But we feel that it's worth pointing out alternatives to our readers that might provide the same or better functionality at a lower price. Also, there's nothing that prevents iPhone or iPad owners from picking a non-Apple desktop OS, or pairing a low-cost notebook with a home Mac. For a couple of weeks, I used this device, running the most current stable version of Google's Chrome OS, for everything from writing my NaNoWriMo novel to editing photos. I've had plenty of experience using Apple's iPad and 11" MacBook Air, so this smackdown compares the Chromebook, MacBook Air and iPad based on a wide range of criteria. Let's take a closer look at the Chromebook first. Google Chrome OS and the Chromebook The first interesting thing about the Chromebook is that if you're familiar with Google's Chrome browser for OS X or Windows, you'll be immediately familiar with Chrome OS. Essentially, the browser is the OS. It's a Linux-based operating system designed to work exclusively with web applications, and the OS is designed for people who spend the majority of their time on the Internet. Essentially, the only application on the device is a browser with media player and a file manager. That dramatically limits its utility when you're disconnected from the Internet -- you're limited to the offline versions of the Google Drive productivity apps, the notepad, and a few other offline-enabled tools -- but when you're connected, it works smoothly. That file manager givers the Chromebook some advantages over the iPad. For example, when using AOL Tech's content management system directly from Safari or Chrome on the iPad, I cannot easily browse for and upload a picture; in iOS 5 there's no file system to upload from (and no Flash plugin, which the CMS uses for some image uploads). [This situation is improved in iOS 6, where you can in fact use the standard file upload HTML hooks; our CMS needs some tweaking courtesy of our resident mad scientist Brett Terpstra before we can truly post from the iPad in style. –Ed.] One of my first tests with the Chromebook was to see if I could log into the TUAW CMS with Chrome, write a post and insert photos. To insert the photos, I took the SD card out of my Canon DSLR and stuck it into the slot on the side of the device. The images were immediately visible in the file manager and could be uploaded to the CMS. Google Drive also becomes available in the file manager. If you use the Google ecosystem, then moving to the Chromebook is incredibly easy. I have a Google account with a Gmail address, a Google Drive with a number of spreadsheets and documents, a Google+ social sharing account, and more. Immediately after turning on the Chromebook, I was led through a simple setup process that had me sign into that Google account. Once that was done less than two minutes later, I had immediate access to my email, Google Drive and more. This gallery shows the Chrome operating system and a number of applications at work: %Gallery-171687% "Applications" for the Chromebook are actually web apps, purchased or downloaded free from the Chrome Web Store. Anyone with the Chrome browser can see and use those apps, and they run identically in Chrome on the Mac or PC. Which apps are available? Well, there are some familiar apps and services: Dropbox, Instagram, Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Evernote (Web version), Autodesk Homestyler, Pulse, and HootSuite. For productivity, you have the free and very good Google apps. Those include Docs (a Word workalike), Spreadsheet (replacement for Excel, with an excellent forms capability), and Presentation (something like Keynote or PowerPoint). You can get third-party remote access to the "real Office" Microsoft applications via InstallFree. Scratchpad is similar to Apple's Notes app, and Google Play Music can handle your audio needs. A few key web services like Netflix don't work yet on the new device, but some surprising ones do: both Chrome's cloud printing and its remote access tools are enabled, so you can print from your Chromebook to devices that are connected to a Mac or PC with Chrome, or control the screens of those other computers. But while all of the Google and third-party web apps can substitute those apps that you normally purchase from the App Store or Microsoft, the target market of the Chromebook seems to be those people who are primarily Web workers. If you're a designer or developer, you're probably not going to be happy with a Chromebook because the tools that you're used to using just aren't available. However, if you use a computer primarily to write, send and receive email, use Web applications, play some games, and browse the Web, then maybe the $249 Chromebook is for you. Could I use this device instead of my MacBook Air? Definitely. I use the MacBook Air for writing, showing presentations, web browsing, and blogging. All of those things can be done just as easily on a $249 Chromebook as they can on a $999 MacBook Air -- assuming that you've got a stable and speedy network connection. If money is not an object, the MacBook Air is the better machine to get. It feels much more solid, it's possible to get three years of support (at a cost of an AppleCare subscription) at your local Apple Store, and the software available for the device is mature. There are many other advantages and a great deal of flexibility to be gained with a "real laptop" versus the Chromebook. But if money's an object, or you don't need the extensive support or software ecosystem, then the Chromebook is an excellent bargain. Several other TUAW bloggers asked if this would be a suitable computer for a child, and my answer is a definite yes. The price makes it almost a throwaway computer. Would you be frustrated if your child lost or broke a $999 MacBook Air? Yes, you probably would. When the price tag is about a quarter of that of an MBA, you're not going to be nearly as upset. Finally, I am also comparing the Chromebook to the iPad with an external keyboard -- in this case, it's the best keyboard I've used with an iPad, the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. The TUAW team is pretty split over the use of an iPad with an external keyboard as a laptop substitute. In one camp are people like me, who think that the iPad is not a laptop substitute due to the lack of a file manager, the need to touch the screen for user interaction, and fewer business applications. In the other are some co-workers who are regularly using their iPads to do gainful work and who find it to be an excellent substitute for a MacBook of any sort. For the first group, the Chromebook will probably make more sense. Those who have already made the transition to a tablet as a business computer should probably stick with the iPad. Running Apps So, how does it feel running apps on a "Web computer" like the Chromebook? For the most part, apps are quite responsive and start very quickly. The Chrome browser on the Chromebook gave me some of the fastest Web browsing I've ever had the pleasure to do, with pages snapping to the screen very quickly. As mentioned, one of the tests I performed was to write a significant portion of my 2012 NaNoWriMo novel on the Chromebook, using the Docs application in Google Drive. At this point, I'm up to about 30,000 words, and I did begin to notice some lagging with data entry and editing. Using the Docs app in Google Drive from my MacBook Air, I don't see that lag. Videos ran beautifully on the Chromebook; only occasionally did I see a "stutter" in the playback. Likewise, games ran smoothly. I played Angry Birds on the Chromebook and found it to be smooth and fun. As mentioned, Netflix is not yet working on the ARM-based Chromebook, but Google says an update to enable the streaming movie service is in the works. Multitasking is actually rather easy as well. Since each app has its own tab in the browser, flipping between them is as simple as clicking on a tab. I did a quick photo mashup using one of the free apps (PicMonkey), used another app to do a screenshot of the resulting image, and pasted it into my doc. [Commenters point out that there are screenshot keystrokes built-in for Chrome OS. –Ed.] Offline Apps As mentioned earlier, one problem with a "network computer" like the Chromebook is that apps have to be specifically designed for use offline. If they aren't, you're out of luck when you want to work on a document or play a game when disconnected from the network. Although Google originally stated that the key Google Apps (Docs, Spreadsheet, Presentation) would be able to be used offline, at this time only Docs will work in unconnected mode. Even there, you have to make sure that you have synchronized the document to your Chromebook to be able to use it offline. If you're nowhere near a network, and you don't have a local copy of the document, you're out of luck. I'm hoping that Google makes Spreadsheet and Presentation available for offline use soon. Price Price comparisons require a bit of gearing up to match a tablet with the Chromebook. I've added a keyboard (and a good one, at that) to the iPad to make it more like a laptop; after all, the MacBook Air and Chromebook both come with standard keyboards that make touch-typing a breeze. Let's look at the base configurations for these devices. iPad (1 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, Wi-Fi) $499 + Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard $100 = $599 11" MacBook Air (4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, Wi-Fi), $999 Chromebook (2 GB RAM,16 GB Storage, Wi-Fi), $249 Winner: Chromebook %Gallery-171684% Dimensions and Weight iPad with Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover attached: 2.22 lbs., 9.5" x 7.47" x .76" MacBook Air: 2.38 lbs, 11.8" x 7.56" x .68" (tapers to .11" at front) Chromebook: 2.42 lbs, 11.4" x 8.09" x .69" None of these devices are really overweight; carrying them on a daily basis is no hassle at all, and they take up very little space. However, for sheer compactness, the iPad with the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is incredible -- plus, the keyboard (and the extra weight) can be removed when it's not needed, in contrast to the laptops. Winner: iPad with Logitech Keyboard Technical Specifications iPad: 1.4 GHz Apple A6X (ARM-based) SoC (system on a chip), PowerVR SGX554MP4 quad-core GPU MacBook Air: 1.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.6GHz) with 3 MB shared L3 cache, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU Chromebook: 1.7 GHz Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (ARM-based) SoC, ARM Mali-T604 quad-core GPU A winner will not be picked for this category, as each CPU / GPU decision is specific to the device and was chosen by the manufacturer for the purposes of battery life, computing speed, display speed, etc. However, in most situations the iPad and Chromebook seemed faster than the MacBook Air. Construction The Apple products beat the Chromebook hands down. They both use aluminum unibody construction and solid glass; the Chromebook is made out of aluminum-colored plastic. When you push against the lid of the MacBook Air or the back of an iPad, nothing gives. Do the same with a Chromebook, and you're going to feel the plastic moving. Of course, the Chromebook is a lot less expensive. You get what you pay for. Winner: Tie -- Apple MacBook Air and iPad Keyboard For Mac users, the Chromebook keyboard is going to feel a bit awkward as you'll need to use the Control-C/Control-V/Control-X keys for copy/paste/cut instead of using the Command key. But the Chromebook has a surprisingly good keyboard with an excellent feel to it. I was able to touch-type a good portion of my NaNoWriMo novel on the Chromebook, and it took very little time to feel comfortable with its keyboard. Of the three keyboards -- the Chromebook, the MacBook Air, and the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard for the iPad -- the MacBook Air felt the most comfortable to me. However, I could easily use any of the three. Winner: Tie -- Apple MacBook Air, Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard for iPad, Chromebook Trackpad The iPad, of course, doesn't have a trackpad. It does, however, have a full touchscreen that enables multi-touch gestures. The MacBook Air trackpad also support multi-touch gestures. The Chromebook also features a multi-touch trackpad, but it only seems to support two-finger click and scrolling at this time. In addition, I found that the Chromebook trackpad sometimes wouldn't register a tap (equivalent to a mouse click) unless I pushed a little harder than I'm used to. One thing that I could not figure out was how to use the trackpad to zoom in on windows when using Google Maps and the Google Remote Desktop app. With the Apple devices, I used the intuitive pinch-to-zoom gesture. Winner: Tie -- Apple MacBook Air and iPad Display iPad 3: 2048 x 1536 pixels (264 ppi) MacBook Air: 1366 x 768 pixels, 11.6" diagonal screen Chromebook: 1366 x 768 pixels, 11.6" diagonal screen The Retina display of the iPad third and fourth generations is amazingly good. For the MacBook Air, it almost appears that exactly the same display was used on it and the Chromebook. I found the Chromebook display to be somewhat less bright than that on the MacBook Air. Winner -- iPad with Retina display. Camera(s) iPad (third or fourth generation) Back-facing camera: 5 MP, 1080p HD with video stabilization, face detection, flash Front-facing FaceTime camera: 1.2 MP, 720p HD MacBook Air Front-facing FaceTime camera: 1.2 MP, 720p HD Chromebook Front-facing camera: 153,600 pixels, VGA (640 x 480) Winner: Third-generation iPad with Retina display Networking Capabilities (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular) iPad (LTE model option) 802.11a/b/g/n Wi‑Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz) Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology Available GSM/EDGE/LTE or CDMA/GSM/EDGE/LTE models ($130 extra plus monthly data plan) MacBook Air 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology Chromebook ($329 3G model option) Built-in dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 3.0 Verizon 3G Data service (2 years included), no monthly plan 12 complimentary Gogo In Flight airline Wi-Fi sessions The Apple devices may have the better specs, but for sheer low-cost networking, the Chromebook's two-year Verizon 3G data plan is incredible. That does require a different model of Chromebook, however: the $329 Chromebook with 3G. If you get the Wi-Fi model, you're saving money but giving up the flexibility of 3G. Of course, if we're upgrading hardware, the iPad can move to an LTE configuration for $129 more, and wipe the floor with the Chromebook's 3G speed. Winner: Chromebook (an asterisk for the 3G model), iPad LTE (same asterisk, different model) Cold boot iPad: 45.0 seconds (timed on iPad 3, could be faster with iPad 4) MacBook Air: 17.3 seconds Chromebook: 9.1 seconds Winner: Chromebook, although you are far less likely to truly "cold boot" the iPad in normal operation. Wake from sleep iPad: instantaneous MacBook Air: 1 to 15 seconds depending on the length of time it has been asleep Chromebook: instantaneous Winner: Tie -- iPad and Chromebook Expandability iPad: RAM and Storage not expandable MacBook Air: RAM and Storage not expandable, can use flash RAM drives for extra storage Chromebook: RAM and Storage not expandable, has built-in SD card slot for extra storage Winner: Chromebook, simply because no extra card reading device or flash RAM stick is required I/O iPad: Audio, Bluetooth, dock connector/Lightning MacBook Air: USB 3 (2 ports), Thunderbolt, audio Chromebook: USB 3 (1 port), USB 2 (1 port), HDMI, Winner: The MacBook Air's Thunderbolt port, with its flexibility to drive video or storage devices of all sorts, edges out the Chromebook's HDMI-only video setup. USB 3 speeds on both notebooks mean that external storage will be fast and readily available. Battery Life (stated by manufacturer) iPad: 10 hours MacBook Air: 5 hours Chromebook: 6.5 hours Winner: iPad Conclusion When I first got the idea of doing an "Apples and Oranges" comparison of Apple devices against the Chromebook, I have to admit that I thought there was no way that I'd be impressed with the Google device. It took only a fraction of the two week review period to realize that for a growing number of people, the Chromebook or something quite close to it might be the perfect bargain machine. Out of all three devices compared, the iPad seems to be the most perfect "really portable computing device." But as Engadget's Myriam Joire said in her first hands-on look at the Chromebook, "Ultimately, this is a phenomenal device for the price. If you're used to working in the cloud, you're basically getting 80 percent of the entry-level MacBook Air experience for a quarter of the price." I'd be willing to expand her statement to say that you're also going to be able to do about 80 percent of what you can do on an entry-level iPad for half the price -- although that last 20 percent may include a lot of your favorite games or photography apps. I also recommend that you read the full-on Chromebook review by Dana Wollman at Engadget, who brings up the point that there are "some people who couldn't be paid to use a laptop where everything is done in the browser." In my opinion, Apple doesn't do a very good job of developing stellar Web services or applications -- Google does. If Apple is moving in the direction of cloud computing with apps "in the cloud," better get there quickly since the Chromebook really shows how it's done at a low cost. If Google can get the Chromebook experience into its Android tablet OS, then Apple's dominance in the tablet market might be at risk. Ultimately, though, it's all up to consumers. My recommendation to anyone who is interested in the Chromebook as an inexpensive, lightweight portable machine is to use the Chrome browser on a Mac or PC, and load it up with the Chrome OS apps. If you find yourself spending a lot of time using those apps, then chances are pretty good that you're going to be very happy with a Chromebook and you'll have a lot of spare change in your wallet. On the other hand, if your use cases tend toward using specialty apps that run on OS X, you'll probably shy away from Chrome OS and the Chromebook. Really indecisive folks can make a $249 gamble and give it a try; you can always return, resell or give away the device if you don't like it. Would I replace my iPad with a Chromebook? No. But I use the iPad in places and situations where a computer without a keyboard is more appropriate, and I rarely use it with the Logitech Keyboard described in this post. Would I replace my MacBook Air with a Chromebook? To be honest with you, there I'm quavering a bit. I don't use my MBA as my main computer, but as a work travel companion. A Chromebook might just be a replacement for my MacBook Air the next time around. One final word: Google is making 100 GB of cloud storage available to Chromebook buyers for two years, free of charge. Couple that with the limited, low-cost $80 two-year Chromebook 3G data plan, and this device becomes even more attractive. This post was edited post-publication to clarify some feature comparisons.
Chrome OS developer update adds extended desktop support
Google issued an update this week for the developer edition of Chrome OS, which adds extended display support via HDMI or VGA. Chromebooks packing A15 and Intel Celeron processors are said to fit the bill, while older machines such as the Cr-48 may experience a few hangups. The Dev Channel update also brings a newer version of Flash and Intelligent Window positioning, which automatically organizes your content displayed. If you'd like to go hands-on with these new features before they make their official debut, you'll need to switch your Chromebook over to the Developer Channel. This can be done by toggling: Menu, Settings, Help, More Info and then selecting the Dev Channel option. However, if patience is your strong suit and you prefer to wait for a certified stable release, at least you now know what lies ahead.
Samsung's $249 Chromebook lights up benchmarks with the latest Ubuntu build
A Googler managed to load up Samsung's latest Chromebook with Ubuntu and spelled out the process for like-minded DIYers in October, and now some benchmarks of Mountain View's $249 machine running Raring Ringtail -- which is still in development -- have surfaced. With a 1.7GHz dual-core Exynos 5 Dual processor under the hood, the ARM-based machine can hang with -- and in some cases beat -- the likes of a 1.8GHz quad-core dual-core Intel Atom D525 chip and a 1.4GHz quad-core Calxeda Highbank node in benchmarks using the Phoronix Test Suite. The rig also holds its own when pitted against a PandaBoard equipped with an OMAP4460 1.2GHz dual-core processor. Hit the source link to dig into pages of the test results for yourself. Update: Folks in the comments have pointed out that the Intel Atom D525 chip is a dual-core processor with four threads. We've updated the post accordingly.
Acer unveils C7 Chromebook, portable cloud computing for just $199
We found ourselves quite enamored with Samsung's latest entry into the Chromebook line, mostly thanks to its incredibly low price of $250. Now Acer's done gone even lower: $199 for its new C7 Chromebook. It's an 11.6-inch (1,366 x 768) machine with a 320GB HDD and an Intel processor, rated for 3.5 hours of battery life -- just about half that of Samsung's ARM-powered entry. It still manages to be under an inch thick and packs a full-size Ethernet port, plus 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, three USB 2.0 ports and both HDMI and VGA output. (Cellular connectivity does not appear to be an option.) The C7 is available starting tomorrow at the link below, and while we know many of you still aren't sold on the Chromebook idea, at a buck less than $200 maybe it's time to start pondering more seriously.
Samsung Chromebook review (late 2012)
More Info Google launches 11.6-inch ARM-based Samsung Chromebook: $249, 6.5-hour battery, 1080p video Hands-on with Google's $249, ARM-based Chromebook Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 review Whenever we review Chromebooks, we always come to more or less the same conclusion: it's a neat idea, a computer where everything is done online, but it's not worth the money. That was back when Chrome OS devices were priced at $500, competing with netbooks that could run not just the Chrome browser, but all manner of Windows apps. Ditto for tablets, which can be tricked out with many thousands of apps on both iOS and Android. But what if we told you the price had been slashed to $249? Then could you see yourself pulling the trigger? That's the gamble Google and Samsung are taking with the new Chromebook, which retails for $249 with an 11.6-inch display, 6.5-hour battery and a more compact design. All told, it's as good a piece of hardware as any netbook you'll find, only cheaper. And good luck finding a tablet-and-keyboard combo for less than $250. There is one major change this time around, though, and that's the Chromebook's dual-core ARM processor, instead of something from Intel's Celeron family. The performance isn't likely to be as good, but will that matter if all you're running is the Chrome browser? Will the lowered price be enough to lure in parents, travelers and other folks looking for a cheap second laptop? Let's see.
Googler loads Ubuntu on an ARM-based Samsung Chromebook, gives solace to the offline among us
Samsung's ARM-running Chromebook is barely out of the starting gate, and it's already being tweaked to run without as much of an online dependency. By a Google employee, no less. Not content to rely solely on Chrome OS, Olof Johansson has loaded Ubuntu on the Chromebook by partitioning an SD card, mixing OS components and booting from USB. The technique unsurprisingly requires being more than a little comfortable with a Linux command line as well as playing fast and loose with the warranty. It also won't be cheap or quick -- commenters note that you'll ideally have a partitioning-friendly SD card, and running a desktop OS from a slower kind of flash storage creates an inherent bottleneck. Anyone who likes the Chromebook's $249 price, but isn't as enraptured with the cloud as most of the team in Mountain View, might still want to try Johansson's step-by-step process for themselves.
ARM-powered Chromebook lands at Play store for $249
Samsung's brand new ARM A15-based Chromebook is now available direct from Google at the Play store. The $249 WiFi only laptop was already available to pre-order through Amazon, but now you can go straight to the source, and Mountain View promises to have one of the light-weight machines in your hands within 3-5 business days. If you're more interested in the 3G-equipped version of the 11.6-incher, you'll still have to take your business to Amazon for now. Though, there's still no word on when the $329 laptop will be released. To order this affordable web-browsing machine now, hit up the source.
Listing reveals 3G version of new Chromebook on the way for $329.99
Well, this has got us scratching our collective heads. Yesterday, Google was fairly certain that its latest and greatest Chromebook would be a WiFi-only affair. Today, however, and a listing has appeared on the company's official website and Amazon that shows a 3G-enabled version is available for $329.99. Neither site mentions network options, so presumably you get the same 100MB a month for two years Verizon data that its brethren receive -- and given that we described it as being "80 percent of the MacBook Air experience for a quarter of the price," the 3G version seems well worth the extra $80.
Hands-on with Google's $249, ARM-based Chromebook (update: video)
Google really impressed us in San Francisco here today with its 11.6-inch ARM-based Samsung Chromebook. The $249 laptop is 0.8-inches (20mm) thin and weight only 2.43 pounds (1.1kg). It features a 11.6-inch 1366 x 768-pixel matte display, a full-size keyboard, a button-less trackpad and a 30Wh battery for 6.5+ hours of operation. Specs include a fanless dual-core A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (5250) SoC, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in flash storage, WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth. There's a full-size SD card reader and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack (with mic support) on the left, plus the power input, HDMI output, USB 2.0 port, USB 3.0 connector and SIM slot (currently unused) in back. First impressions? This is a solid machine -- build quality and materials are fantastic for the price. It's also pleasantly thin and light, a boon for people who are used to carrying a laptop around every day. We're happy with the display which is bright and crisp. Viewing angles could use some improvement, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better laptop screen at this price. The keyboard and trackpad feel great (we're coming from an 11-inch Core i7 MacBook Air), and two-finger scrolling works like a charm. Performance is somewhere between the original Atom-based Chromebooks and the current Celeron-equipped Series-5 model. The system didn't have any issues playing back 1080p content in YouTube, but we didn't get a chance try Hulu or NetFlix. Ultimately, this is a phenomenal device for the price. If you're used to working in the cloud, you're basically getting 80 percent of the entry-level MacBook Air experience for a quarter of the price. Factor in the Google Now integration and 100GB of free Google Drive storage for two years and this latest Chromebook is a winner. Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.
Google launches 11.6-inch ARM-based Samsung Chromebook: $249, 6.5-hour battery, 1080p video
Google just launched the latest iteration of its Chrome OS-based laptop here in San Francisco -- the $249 (or £229, for those in the UK) 11.6-inch Samsung Chromebook. It's ARM-based (fanless), 0.8-inches thick, weighs only 2.43 pounds, runs 6.5+ hours on battery, boots in under 10 seconds and supports 1080p video playback. Pre-orders start today at Amazon and PC World, and the laptop includes Google Now integration using Google Drive as a transport and comes with 100GB of free storage for two years. It will be available for sale on the Play Store and featured prominently at retailers like Best Buy, and naturally, we're expecting this one to make a bigger splash than prior models based on the bargain bin price alone. Under the hood, there's a dual-core A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (5250) SoC, 2GB RAM, 16GB of built-in flash storage, WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, all of which should act to give this Chromebook a lot more oomph compared to slower, earlier models. Other specs include a 1366 x 768 native screen resolution, a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 socket, combo headphone / mic jack, an SD card slot and a "full-size Chrome keyboard." Hit up the links below for the nitty-gritty, or hop on past the break for a promo vid. Update: Our hands-on with the new Chromebook is live!
Google Play Music app updated for Google TV, Play video content now streaming to Chromebooks
Good news for people who love good news -- Google has just thrown some bug fixes at its Play Music app with Google TV support that launched late last year. Point being, Google TV users can now fire up the app and stream their stored tunes to the speakers connected to their entertainment system. In related news, GigaOM has spotted that the latest Chrome OS update actually enables users to watch television shows and movies from the Google Play store, but unfortunately, it's not wise enough to spot where you've paused it and let you pick things up on a different Android device. For those who've updated, let us know how either process is going for you in comments below. Or don't -- no pressure.
Chrome OS update revamps app list and Google Drive saves, allows relentlessly adorable wallpapers
Aw, wouldn't you look at the cute little... wait. Right, there's a Chrome OS update. At its heart, the upgrade to Google's cloud-based platform introduces a streamlined app list that both occupies less space and carries an internet-wide search box. It's also possible to save files directly to Google Drive, and audio can now play through either HDMI or USB. Don't lie to yourself, however: the real reason you'll rush to update your Chromebook today is newly added support for custom wallpapers, which guarantees all-day, everyday viewing of your most favorite dog in the whole wide world. Or at least, a nice change of pace from Google's run-of-the-mill backdrops. Isn't it so sweet?
Chrome OS version 20 hits stable release channel, brings Google Drive and Aura UI for Cr-48s along
If you're a Chrome OS user who doesn't live on the bleeding edge, it's finally time to experience the latest version 20, which most notably adds support for its Drive cloud storage. Also mentioned as included in the upgrade is offline support of Google Docs, Pepper Flash upgrade, access to the new Aura UI on Cr-48 systems and other tweaks. Tighter integration with Drive and Docs may address a few of the issues noted in our review of v19, Chromebook and Chromebox owners can check it out as it arrives on their machines over the next several days and let us know if that's the case.
