lwildernorva

And just to add to the debate about caution, the information in the following article will not make me return my ASUS laptop, but it will make me aware of just another threat that exists. The essence of the article: the ASUS Live Update utility was hacked with an intended small target of users but still highlights a possible vulnerability: https://www.techradar.com/news/over-...ve-been-hacked.

der_saeufer

Some of the (IMO misplaced) concern about Android malware seems to come from the way Android used to manage app permissions. Back in the day, Android apps asked for whatever permissions and you could either agree or not install the app. Since Android 6, though, permissions are individually switched and the OS only asks the user for them when the app requests access to something.

Unless you're using some zero-day exploit, the only way for an app to access photos, contacts, etc. on an Android device is to ask the user for it, in the form of an OS popup asking the user if app X can have access to Y. This, incidentally, is the exact same way permissions are managed on iOS--and in either OS a user who blindly grants permissions without stopping to think and read is opening him/herself up to malicious apps.

If anyone's implying that Android apps can access system-level stuff like contacts or other apps' data after the user has explicitly denied permission, then... [citation needed].

iowa guy

By "Chrome experience," do you mean experience using the browser?

So Chromebooks can only connect to cloud connected printers?

tom911

I'm referring to the physical computer, though it would have a Chrome browser.. You need a cloud enabled printer as a Chromebook does not have a printer port to connect to a printer. You'll be sending your docs over your home WiFi network to the printer if printing at home.

I have the chrome browser on my Windows desktop wired to a laser printer but can also print via WiFi to a second inkjet printer by Canon that is cloud enabled. Different arrangement there versus the actual Chromebook.

DYKWIA

Again, you seem to highlight Android apps. There is no difference between Android / Apple apps in this respect. Both have a minuscule chance of grabbing your data.

wco81

https://arstechnica.com/information-...essive-adware/

https://arstechnica.com/information-...onceal-itself/

https://arstechnica.com/information-...ryptocurrency/

https://arstechnica.com/information-...-data-charges/

https://arstechnica.com/information-...ion-downloads/

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019...nd-phone-apps/


Go ahead, show me stories about recent issues with iOS apps. which have been installed tens or hundreds of millions of times.

Moderator2

This thread seems to be heading into undisciplined areas. Please focus on the OP's original concerns.

Let's stipulate... Yes operating system matters. Yes malware avoidance matters.

Anything new for the OP to consider?

der_saeufer

Yep, OS matters. My apologies for wading into the iOS vs. Android debate, particularly since there are no laptops running iOS and no laptops whose primary OS is Android.

As for the OP's considerations, if you're planning on ripping DVDs or 'obtaining' video files through a method other than a streaming service's download feature, I would strongly recommend taking a pass on Chrome OS. It certainly has its advantages, but availability of video player apps, compatibility with new file formats, etc. is not one of them.

With a Windows or Mac laptop, you have a wide assortment of video players that can do whatever you need.

My recommendation would be to get a cheap Windows laptop with a real SSD and an external USB DVD drive. Use HandBrake to rip the DVDs at home and leave the drive behind when you travel. If price is more of a concern than weight and speed, old-school hard drives offer a ton of space but are SLOW. If you've got the technical skill, picking up a 2-3 year old laptop with a hard drive and tossing a $100 SSD in it is probably the best bang for your buck. If you want to buy new and stay cheap, there are tons of cheapo laptops out there with eMMC storage. It's slow but it should be fine for watching movies, and if you need more storage space most of those laptops have SD card slots and should have a fast enough bus to watch a movie off an SD card provided the card is fast enough.

Older laptops will still get the job done, especially if you throw an SSD in, but battery technology has improved significantly in the past few years. My 2010 MacBook Pro will do everything you're looking for and then some, but even with a brand new battery you'd be lucky to see 3-4 hours of movie-watching time. Its replacement is a Dell XPS 13, which played 5 hours of Netflix downloads on a flight last week and still had over 60% battery left (!).

Svitlana Krotova

I like the iPad too. I find it very convenient to use on a trip. You can also watch videos online if you have a good internet connection. Of course, working with images here is not very convenient for photographers.

boerne

https://9to5mac.com/2019/03/01/apps-...ensitive-data/

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/02/22...a-to-facebook/

https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/22/...weight-period/

I have an iphone and a Google Fi phone, so pretty agnostic.

Back on topic, I have an Asus I mentioned above and ran the checker and was clear of trouble, so that issue is pretty limited. Basically every app on any platform could be sending data somewhere. So like almost all things in IT it is risk vs reward.

Just FYI i had a Facebook account 4 years ago for 12 hours then deleted it. never went back. I still get crap from Facebook.

lwildernorva

Since I've now had three weeks to use the ASUS E203MA I discussed earlier in the thread, I thought I'd provide a brief update on my experience. I am very satisfied with this purchase. The battery life has remained good, and there's little doubt that I can get between 9-10 hours of life with normal use and the screen brightness reduced from the highest level.

A couple of reviews I've read confirm my overall impression of this laptop: the lead positive review at Amazon calls this a "typewriter with internet" and one of the reviews I saw at Best Buy says this is a great laptop for writers. My work involves a lot of writing, and I agree with this assessment. The keyboard is about the right size (my hand size is about average--for reference, I wear a medium golf glove), the key responsiveness is good, and I've had no problems with the screen.

If there's one niggling complaint I can make it's that the power on button provides no feedback at all--when I push it to power on the laptop, I always feel uncertain that I've pressed it the right way to turn it on--but then it always turns on. The power button just has a soft mushy feel that literally tells you nothing.

Wifi connectivity is good, and using Edge, I can generally have a number of tabs open without much effect on the computer's speed. I don't watch videos much but have run several ten-minute YouTube videos just to see if there were playback issues or an unusual effect on battery life. No issues at all.

I haven't flown with this machine yet, but its footprint should fit almost any tray table in coach. I took it with me on a road trip at the end of March, and it packed nicely in the bag I generally use as a carryon. With the combination of its extremely small charger with no mid-point brick but rather a slightly larger wall plug and a very thin cord, the ASUS meets my requirements for a small travel machine.

As mentioned in my earlier post, the E203MA feels flimsy, but I've had no issues with that. As long as you accept its obvious limitations, this is a good value at $200. It's the 2019 version of a netbook, and since ASUS was one of the pioneers in this field with its old eeePCs over a decade ago, that's no surprise.

milfweed20

My current travel setup is the following one:

Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1
Ipad Pro 12.9'

I use the laptop to all things work related and usually use the Ipad to read or watch videos.

Would not trade a real laptop for a Chromebook as they are not a real substitute for someone who has to use non-Google apps.

jamcoley

I switched to Dell for the last couple of laptops. Neither top of the line model (they do have some fine ones, but unnecessary for intended use). Very sturdy machines, taking some travel abuse, and general neglect. Not the slickest, but don't care about that.