Chromebook Laptop

Discussion in 'Gadgets & Tech Talk' started by Yvonne Smith, Sep 6, 2019.

  1. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,873
    I just purchased an older Chromebook for $40 on eBay, after reading about them, and how simple they are to use, and watching a few YouTube videos.
    I use my iPads for almost everything, the big one with a keyboard so it is like a laptop, and smaller one without, that I just use when I won’t be typing much and want a smaller lightweight iPad to use.
    However, sometimes, a person needs an actual computer for something, or for syncing the ipads and iPhone with iTumes, so I ended up getting an older iMac.
    It has an awesome screen, but takes up a lot of room for something that I barely need to use, so I have decided to sell it and just get a small, cheap laptop type of device, and the Chromebook was one of the ones that I have been looking at.

    I searched for Chromebook here on the forum, and we didn’t have any threads specifically for Chromebooks, but every time they have been mentioned, the person was saying something good about them.
    They are not actually a laptop, although they look like one.
    A Chromebook is simply an access for the internet , kind of like Web TV was. It doesn’t store programs, or anything else; so everything has to be done online, and all you need is a Google account for Chromebook to work.
    All your photos are stored in the Google Photos, and even if something happens to the Chromebook, nothing is ever lost like on a regular computer, because it is all safely stored in the cloud, and can be accessed from anywhere.
    It seems to me like it would be a simple to use device, and do most of the basic functions of surfing the web, email, and accessing all of Google’s programs, and it has the USB connection that I need to sync the iPads with iTunes.
    I am looking forward to trying it out when it arrives !
     
    #1
  2. Betty Jones

    Betty Jones Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2017
    Messages:
    349
    Likes Received:
    474
    i have a 11 inch cromebook and i love it it is all i ever use
     
    #2
  3. Bess Barber

    Bess Barber Veteran Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2019
    Messages:
    3,760
    Likes Received:
    7,600
    I'm always praising my Chromebook to anyone who will listen. It's quick, easy and any app or whatever I may want is available at the Playstore and usually for free. Then there is the price. A new one at Walmart is only around $175. So, if something goes wrong, it's affordable to replace. I bought this one thinking I would probably just replace it every year. Now, some years later, it works as well as the day I bought it. If you run into any battery quirks, don't replace the battery, just do a hard shutdown. Really good tutorials on YouTube if you need help. This is one of the BEST purchases I have ever made.
     
    #3
  4. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,873
    I think that someone, or maybe several people recommended a Chromebook as a good choice for @Hal Pollner , and from reading about how it works, I totally agree with that idea.
    It can be connected to a large monitor, (or even the TV) and used with a regular mouse if he didn’t like the trackpad, and it would do everything that Hal does online, and never goes out of date.
    Probably , Best Buy wants to sell him the most expensive equipment that they have, and a Chromebook was not in that category, because it can also be a cheap choice , as well as efficient.
    Even @Frank Sanoica has nothing but praise for his wife’s Chromebook, so maybe that will impress Hal.
    Hopefully, the new all-in-one works for him, but Hal has already said how much he dislikes the most expensive features that he is paying for; so we are all waiting to see how that goes.
    My Chromebook arrives today; and I am excited about trying it out and seeing exactly how it works. From what I have been reading it should be perfect for what I want one for.

    Here is a good little explanation of what a Chromebook is and is not, and who it will work for as an online device.

     
    #4
    Micki Pembroke and Frank Sanoica like this.
  5. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,873
    The Chromebook arrived today, and I am really. Impressed with it so far !
    I have never seen any device that was so simple to set up. I just signed in to my WiFi and then logged into my google account, and everything else just showed up.
    It is basically like a web browser with an attached keyboard, and surfing online is totally simple. I have not checked out any. Of the other google apps that can be used yet, but I think it is a great idea, and perfect for tech-challenged seniors especially.

    703E7A41-9569-410C-9E35-F82860B93679.jpeg
     
    #5
    Micki Pembroke likes this.
  6. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,327
    Likes Received:
    42,631
    I have briefly considered a Chromebook but they are not significantly different from my Macs or from the Windows machine we have, so I didn't have any need for one. My MacBook is about the same size as most Chromebooks. They are cheap and if everything you do is online anyhow, they seem like a good idea. I have seen them for just over a hundred dollars, new. I decided on the Raspberry Pi and a used computer with Ubuntu Linux, not because I needed more computers, but because I wanted something different to play with. However, if I didn't already have a couple of Macs, and money was an object, I'd certainly consider a Chromebook, even though I hate Google.
     
    #6
  7. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,873
    Alright, so here I am, happily tippy-typing this on the forum, using the new Chromebook. Everything is going well, it is simplicity itself to use; but I have a question for all of you Chromebook Experts here.
    One of the things that I was wanting to find was a way to sync my iPads with iTunes, and the Chromebook has the necessary USB port to do that.
    However, I can't seem to sign in to my iTunes account from this device, and when I sign in with my Apple ID, it just gives me the main Apple page, and not the one that is my personal iTunes account (the one with all of my songs, etc.)
    I downloaded something from the Chromebook web store that said it was for iTunes, but I don't know where it went , or how to access it now that I have it downloaded, or even if it will work for me once I do find it.
    So, I need to know if I can access my iTunes account from this device, and if so; how do I go about doing that ?

    Otherwise, I think that a Chromebook is a great little device for the price of it. It has a touchscreen, as well as the trackpad, and I am getting used to using a trackpad again.
    I can really see the difference in picture quality between this and my iPads, but part of that might be because I have not yet learned how to adjust my screen colors better.
     
    #7
    Micki Pembroke likes this.
  8. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2018
    Messages:
    6,161
    Likes Received:
    4,368
    But I just spent $800 plus $200 on a servicing contract for my W10...so what am I gonna do with my 'puter if I go with a Chromebook?

    Can I send/receive Emails on a Chromebook? Can I surf the Web? Can I download Pictures and Videos? Can I store large files?

    Can I? Huh? Can I?

    Hal
     
    #8
  9. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,316
    Yvonne--I see this is an older post, but I assume you know that iTunes went away? https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/10/08/itunes-apple-shut-down-itunes/
     
    #9
    Yvonne Smith likes this.
  10. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,316
    I believe you have stated that you prefer a desktop computer and your big monitor, so you probably wouldn't be happy with a small Chromebook. They are usually about the size of a laptop. I had a Chromebook a few years ago but ended up giving it to my grandson because it did not have sufficient storage for my needs.

    The Chromebook is mostly an easy way to access the internet to visit websites, forums and check mail. They are not heavy on storage (or at least weren't back when I owned one.) If you were to buy one with USB ports, you could manage photos stored on a thumbdrive.
     
    #10
    Bess Barber likes this.
  11. Bess Barber

    Bess Barber Veteran Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2019
    Messages:
    3,760
    Likes Received:
    7,600
    @Yvonne Smith Apparently, Google and Apple are not and never were friendly with each other. :D
    Chromebook never did accept iTunes.
     
    #11
  12. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,873
    That is probably why it didn’t work for me. I think that the newer iPads do not need to sync with iTunes anymore anyway. I gave the Chromebook to a relative that wanted something more like a laptop, but not a whole computer, and it is working beautifully for them.
     
    #12
  13. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2018
    Messages:
    6,161
    Likes Received:
    4,368
    Ahhhhhh.....I'd better stick with my big desktop and continue struggling with W10.:confused:

    Howl
     
    #13
    Ken Anderson likes this.
  14. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,327
    Likes Received:
    42,631
    asus-chromebook.jpeg

    It was probably a dumb idea because I don't need it, since I already have a Mac Mini, a MacBook Pro, and several older but working Windows PCs, but I had the money and it was on sale, so I just ordered this. I have never used a Chromebook or any other computer using the Chrome OS before, so I bought it to have something to play with, I guess. It doesn't have great ratings, but I don't need it to do a lot.

    ASUS Chromebook

    CPU: Celeron N3350
    RAM Size: 4 GB
    Hard Disk Size: 32 GB
    Graphics Description: Integrated
    Style: Slim
    Series ASUS Chromebook CX1
    Brand ASUS
    Specific Uses For Product Personal, Business
    Screen Size 11.6 Inches
    Operating System Chrome OS
     
    #14
    Yvonne Smith and Frank Sanoica like this.
  15. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,327
    Likes Received:
    42,631
    It's not going to replace my Macs. Being smaller than my MacBook Pro, there might be some situations in which I'll prefer the small size.
     
    #15
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2021
    Yvonne Smith likes this.

Share This Page