"Why Chromebook Pundits Are Out of Touch"

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Yup ...we're about to see some $99 and $199 Windows notebooks.

Windows is rising to the Chromebook price war

And that isn't exactly a move geared towards the iUniverse, is it? So obviously Chromebooks must be offering something that has Redmond worried.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

And that isn't exactly a move geared towards the iUniverse, is it? So obviously Chromebooks must be offering something that has Redmond worried.

The problem is that Windows needs more "umph" in their machines because it's a "heavier" OS than Chrome. So either Microsoft is going to have to subsidize a $99 laptop big time, or it's going to be a worthlessly slow door stop.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

And that isn't exactly a move geared towards the iUniverse, is it? So obviously Chromebooks must be offering something that has Redmond worried.

Low prices = mass popularity.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by rcentros

The problem is that Windows needs more "umph" in their machines because it's a "heavier" OS than Chrome. So either Microsoft is going to have to subsidize a $99 laptop big time, or it's going to be a worthlessly slow door stop.

Notice how the article said running "versions" of Windows at that price point? What will we get - a small netbook with just enough power to handle notepad?

Specifications for the HP Stream have not been confirmed yet, though according to Microsoft CEE Kevin Turner there'll be 7- and 8-inch versions too, priced from $99, running "versions" of Windows.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Low prices = mass popularity.

What Microsoft doesn't seem to understand here is that there is more involved than price. At $250 to $350 some of the more popular Chromebooks aren't much cheaper than entry level Windows' laptops. It's the "not having to worry about" updates and viruses that are attracting a lot of users. It's kind of like a "tablet" laptop. A cheaper Windows 8.1 computer will be more of the same ... just cheaper ... and under powered.

Can you imagine Windows 8.1 "Starter Edition." Windows killed netbooks, I don't think they're going to be able to do that to Chromebooks.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by rcentros

What Microsoft doesn't seem to understand here is that there is more involved than price.

Indeed. Now that I've experienced the hassle-free nature of ChromeOS, price won't be a major factor in considering my next laptop. There could be dozens of cheaper Windows laptops, but I'll go for a Chromebook again.

Graham

[QuantumIguana]

With my Chromebook, if I want to restore it to a clean state, it's done in a matter of seconds. With a Windows computer, it's a lot more complicated. I don't really mind Windows 8 that much - once I added a third-party start menu.

I don't hear this as much anymore, but it was common for critics to claim that people should just get a tablet instead of a Chromebook and add a keyboard. Well, I have a tablet, but I prefer not to use it for browsing the web for prolonged periods, and a keyboard on a tablet seems rather clumsy. If people like using tablets, more power to them. But many people seem not to grasp that not everyone wants the same things.

[frahse]

I am now the owner of a Chromebook. This is the $219 11.6" Acer with a 320GB drive and 4GB of Ram that I got my wife to try out.

She required Windows Office so she now has a new 14" Lenovo with all bells and whistles.

I have the Chromebook on a small wooden folding table in the den. A cord hangs discretely from a nearby pole lamp in case it needs a charge.

Very nice for browsing, and following the market, but I have not yet found a way to print out a revised stock portfolio, that is formatted like I want, on the printer in my office. I can print it, but none of the apps will let me adjust the font as I wish. Not enough printer control (legacy printer on my pseudo Windows server.) Not yet anyway.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

With my Chromebook, if I want to restore it to a clean state, it's done in a matter of seconds. With a Windows computer, it's a lot more complicated. I don't really mind Windows 8 that much - once I added a third-party start menu.

I don't hear this as much anymore, but it was common for critics to claim that people should just get a tablet instead of a Chromebook and add a keyboard. Well, I have a tablet, but I prefer not to use it for browsing the web for prolonged periods, and a keyboard on a tablet seems rather clumsy. If people like using tablets, more power to them. But many people seem not to grasp that not everyone wants the same things.

We have several nice tablets but I find I don't bother with them if a keyboard and mouse equipped machine is available.

Tablets are very good with maps though! I still use an advanced Garmin GPS while driving, but it isn't the thing to use while actually looking at the map and a phone is no better, while a 7" or larger tablet is nice if you are stopped or you are the passenger.

[afv011]

Google and Intel will tandem to bring at least 20 new Chromebooks in the market by the latter half of the year.
The new breeds will be based on Intel's Bay Trail-M system on a chip, a more efficient and powerful system.

Source

Keep 'em coming!

[afv011]

Amazon has a "back to school" discount going on for Chromebooks:

Source

[tubemonkey]

$150 for a Haswell Chromebox

I'd jump, but I don't have a pressing need for one right now; so I'll wait for Black Friday.

[sl42]

I've been eyeing up chromebooks for some time now, particularly the Acer C720. Right now I'm running a very underpowered Atom netbook with one gig of ram, with Xubuntu 14.04. A C720 with 4GB of ram would be a significant upgrade from my current hardware, and for once I wouldn't be paying Microsoft for an OS that will never boot or get to run on any of my hardware. Couldn't care less whether Chrome-OS is useful/usable or not - either the hardware is worth the price or it isn't, and a lot of these Chromebooks offer great hardware and a great price - Who cares what OS the manufacturer installed? Hell, who cares if it even has an OS installed?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by sl42

I've been eyeing up chromebooks for some time now, particularly the Acer C720. Right now I'm running a very underpowered Atom netbook with one gig of ram, with Xubuntu 14.04. A C720 with 4GB of ram would be a significant upgrade from my current hardware, and for once I wouldn't be paying Microsoft for an OS that will never boot or get to run on any of my hardware. Couldn't care less whether Chrome-OS is useful/usable or not - either the hardware is worth the price or it isn't, and a lot of these Chromebooks offer great hardware and a great price - Who cares what OS the manufacturer installed? Hell, who cares if it even has an OS installed?

... Keeping in mind that as a typical Chromebook, it has only 32 GB storage.

What will you do with it if you decide to keep the hardware but not the software? Go around everywhere with an External HDD?

It doesn't seem to use a run-of-the mill SSD, so you would have to buy something like this: http://amzn.com/B00EZ2E8NO it would seem. Not so much of problem, except that is another $80+ onto the cost.

[sl42]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

... Keeping in mind that as a typical Chromebook, it has only 32 GB storage.

What will you do with it if you decide to keep the hardware but not the software? Go around everywhere with an External HDD?

It doesn't seem to use a run-of-the mill SSD, so you would have to buy something like this: http://amzn.com/B00EZ2E8NO it would seem. Not so much of problem, except that is another $80+ onto the cost.

I believe the 4GB 720C non-touchscreen has 16GB SSD plus the SDHC slot
which would allow for 32GB additional storage. I'd probably just use a
fast SD card for additional storage -- possibly even put my home partition
on the SD and leave the SSD for root and swap partitions. If I need any
more room than that, that's what the 500GB external HDD sitting next to me
is for ;-)