Android Coming To Chromebooks - Page 2

tubemonkey · 05-20-2016, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Older Chromebooks won't get the Play Store, even if they're able to run Android apps

This is the biggest reason why I won't pay premium prices for devices anymore. If I need a new tablet, a $50 Fire Tab will be more than adequate. If I need a new pocket-sized tablet, a $10~$20 no-contract Android phone will do. If I need a new ereader, a Kindle Basic for $50 on sale will do the trick. And when I need a new computer, it'll be a $150~$200 Windows Cloudbook.

Conan46 · 05-20-2016, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

It's definitely an area where the Android apps could be a big benefit.

Note, though, that this is only coming to selected hardware. It's a long list, but I think they are the newer machines. My older Acer and Samsung devices aren't on the list.

Graham

I'm hoping they grow that list. I'm not understanding why it is so short as they say both ARM and Intel chips will work, and most Chromebooks are vastly more powerful than Android phones and tablets.

Conan46 · 05-20-2016, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

My Acer isn't on that list either. That means when my Chromebook gives up the ghost, I'm switching back to Windows. I'm getting very tired of the "file type not supported" messages.

Kind of frustrated that my first gen Toshiba Chromebook is not on there either, even though I have had the machine less than a year.
Have you tried Crouton on your Chromebook? It gives you more options via Linux.

tubemonkey · 05-20-2016, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan46

That won't matter when you can use Android and Google Play apps on Android later this year.

Only if your Chromebook will support it. I bought my Acer C720 in Nov 2013 and Google has deemed it to be obsolete. That's fine, because I've now deemed Chromebooks to be obsolete. My Acer will be my first and only Chromebook.

Conan46 · 05-20-2016, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

This is the biggest reason why I won't pay premium prices for devices anymore. If I need a new tablet, a $50 Fire Tab will be more than adequate. If I need a new pocket-sized tablet, a $10~$20 no-contract Android phone will do. If I need a new ereader, a Kindle Basic for $50 on sale will do the trick. And when I need a new computer, it'll be a $150~$200 Windows Cloudbook.

That is a smart way to go. I've spent too much on gadgets that are quickly left behind when a new OS or new features come out. Technology is changing so fast, and much of it has become disposable.

Conan46 · 05-20-2016, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Only if your Chromebook will support it. I bought my Acer C720 in Nov 2013 and Google has deemed it to be obsolete. That's fine, because I've now deemed Chromebooks to be obsolete. My Acer will be my first and only Chromebook.

That C720 is one of the most popular machines. I debated between it and the Toshiba.
It makes no sense that older machines are not supported. It is arbitrary rather than hardware limitations.

tubemonkey · 05-20-2016, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan46

Have you tried Crouton on your Chromebook? It gives you more options via Linux.

My rooting days are over. It no longer holds any appeal for me.

Conan46 · 05-20-2016, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

My rooting days are over. It no longer holds any appeal for me.

It is actually quite simple and not really rooting as it runs within Chrome OS. I also have my Chromebook in legacy mode so I can boot it off of a USB stick with a full Ubuntu install. It was as simple as running a short command in the terminal.

tubemonkey · 05-20-2016, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan46

It is actually quite simple and not really rooting as it runs within Chrome OS. I also have my Chromebook in legacy mode so I can boot it off of a USB stick with a full Ubuntu install. It was as simple as running a short command in the terminal.

Maybe I'll give it a shot. Is there any danger of bricking during setup?

ApK · 05-20-2016, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan46

It is actually quite simple and not really rooting as it runs within Chrome OS. I also have my Chromebook in legacy mode so I can boot it off of a USB stick with a full Ubuntu install. It was as simple as running a short command in the terminal.

Actually, activating dev mode IS rooting, in the purest sense, it just happens to be built in, easy, officially supported and instantly reversible...

Conan46 · 05-20-2016, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Maybe I'll give it a shot. Is there any danger of bricking during setup?

No danger of bricking, though it is a good idea to have your ChromeOS backed up anyway. This guide looks pretty good:
http://www.androidauthority.com/crou...rowser-663044/
Worst case scenario you hit the space bar when you restart and you are back to ChromeOS again.

Graham · 05-20-2016, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan46

It is actually quite simple and not really rooting as it runs within Chrome OS. I also have my Chromebook in legacy mode so I can boot it off of a USB stick with a full Ubuntu install. It was as simple as running a short command in the terminal.

Setting up the chroot is reasonably quick, but I found that there was then a lot of periodic maintenance, which was the sort of thing I switched to the ChromeOS machines to get away from in the first place.

I did use my Ubuntu install a lot for a while, but gradually shifted back to keeping things easy.

It rather hammered home to me that I now prefer to live without the extended software capabilities in exchange for hassle-free computing.

Graham

Conan46 · 05-20-2016, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Setting up the chroot is reasonably quick, but I found that there was then a lot of periodic maintenance, which was the sort of thing I switched to the ChromeOS machines to get away from in the first place.

I did use my Ubuntu install a lot for a while, but gradually shifted back to keeping things easy.

It rather hammered home to me that I now prefer to live without the extended software capabilities in exchange for hassle-free computing.

Graham

The only thing I don't like about Crouton is there is not much storage unless you jump through hoops to get Crouton on an sdcard. I prefer a full install. I'm using Linux right now on my Chromebook. I'm using a 32 gig USB stick plugged into my Chromebook to run Ubuntu MATE Trusty. I just hit ctrl-l when I boot up and it legacy boots into a full Ubuntu installation. I have Sigil, Calibre, and several other apps like Libre Office on it for when I occasionally need heavy lifting. Otherwise I just boot into ChromeOS.

ApK · 05-20-2016, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan46

The only thing I don't like about Crouton is there is not much storage unless you jump through hoops to get Crouton on an sdcard.

Our first Chromebook had the 320GB HDD, so no space problem there. That's the one that I eventually reflashed.

The SSD one that has Crouton was only used to access some network resources, stream video and play the occasional game of Minecraft, so space wasn't an issue.

Now that SSDs are so cheap, could yours be upgraded?

Ryzir · 05-20-2016, 04:17 PM

Hopefully google will continue to add features to ChromOS. A fully featured alternative to Windows is needed.

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05-20-2016, 04:17 PM	#30
Ryzir Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 28684 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Nook GL3, Kobo H2O, Nook STG, Sony PRS-300, Sony PRS-500	Hopefully google will continue to add features to ChromOS. A fully featured alternative to Windows is needed.