Originally Posted by
ScottC
Totally buying one. ChromeOS keeps getting better and better. I suspect we'll see some major upgrades at Google IO - and it wouldn't surprise me if we are introduced to native apps, or even Android apps.
With LTE built in, I'm totally buying into the next generation of Chromebook. Already love my Samsung.
I suspect that, like the original low-end Chromebooks, the price will drop within a year. Also, I am dying for
this speculation to come true (Chrome OS and Android merging). For these reasons, I'm going to hold off for a bit.
But I'm with you in loving Chromebooks in general. I own four for my home/office and have purchased many more for others. My latest two cost me $140 in like-new condition (from CowBoom) and were essentially free because I put the 12 GoGo passes and 100GB cloud upgrades to good use. With the right apps installed, I'm finding them very flexible and useful, and while they have some limitations, for the price you can't go wrong.
Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
I don't understand that allure of Chromebooks. Why are they better than a standard laptop?
Originally Posted by
glennaa11
The high price probably has a lot to do with the touchscreen, no? I don't get the appeal of that either.
Originally Posted by
glennaa11
Needing a constant internet connection doesn't make any sense to me either.
Originally Posted by
cordelli
I think it's unexplainable. I'm sure there's a market for it, but I just don't get it. Don't get the design of it, don't get why storage is so limited (there are times you won't access the cloud)
Google isn't trying to cater to everyone by making a device that has the broadest appeal. They are trying to cater to people who have specific *preferences*, and therefore, do "get it". It's not inherently better to have a touchscreen... it is better only for those who prefer to have the capability. It isn't better to have 1TB cloud storage versus 500GB local... it is superior only to those who appreciate cloud storage more than local.
In my case, I am almost always connected (via WiFi or 4G LTE) and prefer to have everything important on the cloud regardless. I'd pay for extra cloud storage and I love that everything I have is redundantly secure and backed up/synced across all my devices without requiring effort or thought. For the rare times I'm not connected, the offline apps (ever-expanding) and the fact it syncs as soon as I'm back online is more than sufficient. So you can see why 1TB of Google Drive free would appeal to me and make the effective price of this Chromebook *much* lower. I wouldn't pay $600 for the extra storage, but I'd gladly pay $300, so that's the discount I factor in. YMMV.
Similarly, I use GoGo WiFi often. If this device didn't come with the 12 free passes, I'd eventually pay for them, so again, it lowers the effective price. If I never worked online when flying, my opinion would be different.
I have unlimited 4G LTE data via hotspot and grandfathered accounts, but I love having 100MB free/month for backup in situations where I don't have my phone or don't care to bring it in a pinch. Others might not care less.
I won't use the touch screen all that much, but I like being able to at times. If I never wanted to use it, or the threat of minor fingerprints scared me, it would be a detraction.
I prefer Chrome OS, but I like the fact that this device allows you the option of multi-booting to others. I might employ that later in case I need to use software that won't run on the Chrome OS platform. Someone who exclusively uses one OS and doesn't like Chrome will certainly find the flexibility useless.
In summary, debating the Chromebook as "better or not" is rather silly. There's no way it will be better - nor is it intended to be - for someone who dislikes the cloud, touchscreens, working from the air, etc.