Reasons you love your Chromebook!
While the Chromebook community spoke about the features they desire but lack in their current Chromebooks, (with the occasional Mac user snide comment!) there are also reasons to celebrate being a Chromebook user, and, again, we thought of taking the opportunity to make this discussion into a small feature. So, what we’ve done, we looked at some of the replies that users have posted and tried to find what was hid behind the community’s reasons to love Chromebooks. So feel free to add to the original Google Plus page discussion, or leave us a comment in our comments section, on what it is that makes you love your Chromebook machine…
So here are a few of the many reasons why you love your Chromebooks!
Chromebooks work!
What else is there to say? 🙂 Well, if we were to create the profile of a user that rarely if ever gets in any trouble with a Chromebook, two profiles would emerge as possible: a lite user, that either only uses the machine for, generally, non productive tasks, a bit of browsing, a bit of email back and fro, maybe the occasional text based productive task and maybe a game here and there. There’s (almost!) no way to get in trouble with such a usage profile. On the other hand, Chromebook users could also be very industrious, as one has to be to, say, be considered a Chrome power user! And that industriousness would be expressed as a capacity to adapt, find different ways to navigate around the OSes limitations, learning to add and use applications that get the job done, even if it takes a bit of mucking about to find them; maybe even mess around with the inner workings of the OS itself, which would require making use of some programming skills and such knowhow, of the inner workings of Chrome.
Chromebooks are cheap!
And, indeed, that is the truth with most of the lineup of Chromebook laptops, especially some of the newer ones that have emerged this year. But, definitely, cheap would mean nothing if the quality of these well priced Chromebooks was, say, subpar. Which is, thankfully just not the case. See for instance the current HP Chromebook 11 and HP Chromebook 14 models, as well as the Acer C720 and the Acer C720P; all four pack quality, (relatively) dense displays and specs that are all about dual core processors and at least 2GB of working ram. So, yeah, with that kind of a lineup, also with fairly decent builds, you can pretty much go for a product that, in my view, just costs as much as it is worth, without no underlying caveats or hidden problems.
Chromebooks don’t want (or need) to be Macs or PCs!
This is a position that the community strongly is in tune with, position with which we agree and disagree (while secretly hoping that Chrome OS was as mature as some of these other OSes!). But mostly we love that we live in a world with diverse OSes: if one developer decides to take a direction we don’t really like, say, Microsoft :), we have some other options to navigate towards. However, if all OSes share some similar philosophies (closed platform and hedging, for instance) that may not actually be about diversity as much as it is about a cornucopia, the kind where the diversity is only perceived… Which, unfortunately is the case and seems to be the trend for the years to come, from all major developers, maybe less so on the Linux front.
Also, cross pollination between OSes, even if not necessarily coming from a position of outright copying and pasting of ideas, is both a good idea and a reality. The last Chrome OS updates have shown that implementing a classic desktop (how about that Microsoft!), which shares similar features to Mac and PC desktops can be beneficial, as it is familiar to users and per se, intrinsically useful for a…desktop/laptop product (where desk and lap are the actual areas where you want that device to be used from). But, ultimately, we love our Chrome and, thus, the Chromebook devices is not trying, because it is, a device for those on the go, on the cheaper but quality oriented side, and also, a device that is going to expand its user base and functionality in the future.
I for one love it because it makes my freelancing on the go easier, neater, less likely to lead to issues (loss of files, misplaced files, get my files stolen along with the actual hardware, etc.) Yeah, it might not be the world’s most feature full laptop, but the benefits make it an obvious choice for me, plus, I don’t mind slapping it in a backpack and forgetting about it. And that for me is (most of the time) enough. Plus, I still use a “classic” desktop on which I have access to the very same files I have access on the go, on my beat up, yet still functional Chromebook.
So, yeah, let us know what makes you love your Chromebook; leave us a comment below or visit the “I love my Chromebook because…” post on Google Plus.
Chrome OS itself does not intend to be a fully featured desktop but with a Chromebook and developer mode this is entirely possible with crouton. It is not a perfect system but it is being improved all the time. It is also much more functional than a stand alone Chrome OS install, it bridges the gap for Linux users that want or need a little more!
The only reason to hate a Chromebook: can’t print from it. Don’t tell me about cloud print. I could spend all day explaining why that stinks.
Chris, that is one of the shortcomings for me as well, plus that an app for Skype is missing. But I am sure this condition won’t be for long, the developers are listening.
Sometimes I need to do stuff now, like respond to a client’s email right now, this second, not in 2 or 3 minutes (which is the average times for my pc to boot up).
I totally agree with you, Graham. It’s about the convenience, ease of use and knowing it just works without having to prepare anything major.
I work for a domestic email & event marketing SaaS provider and utilize pretty much all Apple devices. Since most of my daily tasks are done online, I have been researching alternatives for maximum mobility that still satisfy compatibility with the apps I use every day. The goal was to simplify.
I must admit that about a year ago when I first came to notice Chromebooks, I was not very fond of them and honestly saw them as sub-par in regards to daily usability. My work takes me out on international roads quite a bit, so working on the iPad has become second nature to me. You learn to improvise given the advantage of the tablet being light. Yet still, there are things that you just can’t do on a tablet and that require a full browser to be efficient.
That’s when I gave Chromebooks another look and rethought on a checklist what I really needed, the very essentials. Long story short, I purchased my first Chromebook about a month ago and appreciate the simplicity while starting to convert to it 100%. I believe many Chromebook users are people that like to figure things on their own, knowing that OS updates are going to happen no matter what and more apps are being built. Eventually, all apps will have browser extensions and the need for super high end specifications on the devices may not be needed any more. Instead quality, appealing design, thus branding will be the key to reach the masses of users.
Keep up the development of Chrome OS, Google. The direction is right.
I bought one of the very first Chromebooks and I was disappointed I end up selling that thing for $100. Now I decided to give a shot one more time after 2 years+ and wow I’m impressed this HP14 works great super fast and the updates are great, there are a few things that will make it better and I’m sure Google is working on it.
I have been using my chromebook for six months, love it. I was worried about no DVD, wow everything I need is on line. Price and ease, GREAT!!
A resident video editor (even basic) is something I miss on a chromebook. I am sure one day we will have one out of the box. No need to rely on the online solutions which can be difficult while handling large sized video files.
I know I’m coming late to the party, but I resoundingly love my Chromebook. I bought a refurbished Acer C720 over a year ago for $120 and use it daily. I rarely boot-up my Windows laptop anymore. In fact, I love my Chromebook so much I bought another one for my family and my two daughters use it almost all the time.
My only issues are with Cloud Printing which works periodically and advanced image editing.
But they’re slow. Terribly slow. Slow slow slow slow slow. Google cheated on their own promises and refused to deliver! And it seems they were far more interested in the aesthetics of the Aura desktop-like interface than keeping the promises for speed. But right now I’m on my second Chromebook because the competition is even worse, especially for the price.
Why do *I* love my Chromebook? Because it is the *perfect* laptop, for a Manager. (Two angles: [1] I’m a computer Consultant, specializing in Network and Security issues. [2] I’m a Troubleshooter. I Look for Trouble and Shoot It!)
Also, since I am a *Computer* Consultant, I am also competent, as a developer, and so have *both* of my Chromebooks in “Developer Mode”.