11-13-2013, 12:20 PM | #46 |
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That's true, but not surprising really giving the competitive nature of the companies involved. On the Chrome you have to use Google's Hangouts for videoconferencing, of course. I wouldn't expect to see Skype any time soon but at least it's possible to conference from an Apple if you first d/l the Hangouts app from their app store.
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11-13-2013, 04:24 PM | #47 | |
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I don't know if all those were available before Microsoft bought Skype, but they're being actively supported. But it appears they have no plans to support ChromeOS. Or if they do, they're keeping it very quiet. It's also worth pointing out that there are at least five other video chat solutions available for the Chromebooks from the Chrome webstore, so Google aren't deliberately restricting the platform to Google Hangouts. Graham Last edited by Graham; 11-13-2013 at 04:26 PM. |
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11-13-2013, 07:20 PM | #48 |
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Five others, you say. Good to know. Thanks for pointing that out.
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11-13-2013, 10:05 PM | #49 | |||
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The first thing I did with my cheapo Acer Chromebook ($130 refurb from Acer) with the 320 GB hard drive was to install a simple version of Ubuntu Linux, Crouton, from which I can hotkey back and forth between ChromeOS and Linux and share the Downloads folder. The first application I installed in Crouton was Calibre. Easy, since there's a Linux version of Calibre. And switching from ChromeOS to Linux allows me to print any ChromeOS documents that I put in the Downloads folder to a USB-attached printer. Stretching this bogus answer further, perhaps Wine (Windows Emulator) for Linux would work and thus allow OverDrive to be installed and run (I don't know, Crouton is a scaled back Ubuntu and I haven't tried this--though even if it's not in package management, I imagine a motivated person could use git and compile from source). You could even play the WMA DRM audiobooks in the Linux part of your Chromebook with Mplayer (you need to find the SID using freeme2). Amazing what computing one can do with a $130 machine. |
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11-14-2013, 12:26 AM | #50 |
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Well, there is that rather insistent prickling of the hairs on the back of my left thumb. A chance breeze?
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11-14-2013, 12:28 AM | #51 | |
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11-14-2013, 12:32 AM | #52 |
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11-14-2013, 12:51 AM | #53 | |||
monkey on the fringe
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I realize the OverDrive app will allow me to borrow and listen to MP3 audiobooks on my Android and iOS devices, but that format is in the minority. By far, most library audiobooks are in WMA format. |
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11-14-2013, 04:02 AM | #54 |
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I love our chromebook. Easily enough for seniors, beefy enough for any hardcore nix nerd (not me). Urban theft is not uncommon and the State has liberties at the border -- a easy to wipe cheap chromebook has some utility here.
No prolonged updates like our Win and Mac machines. I could not teach my mother how to use the old iPad gen1 I wanted to hand down to her: tap here to turn on wifi, tap this app square to get the browser, tap here to enter your search, etc.. She was frustrated with learning gestures, what app does what; she just wanted to research places she likes to travel. Chromebook: Just flip open and use; close lid when done. Her reply: "That is perfect for me!" She is used to going to the library and using the computer to browse there. The typewriter came before the touchscreen-- keys vs gestures Now I just have to get her a Google account. I suspect a lot of seniors are in the same boat. As for our use: I use the chromebook more than the iPad due to instant on and primarily the keyboard which i have to pair when typing on the iPad. I get inexpensive Linux laptop with power management from ChromeOS courtesy of crouton. Crouton adds a chroot and I journal with vim (vimwiki) and browse with Firefox. A key macro switches me back to ChromeOS. Offline ChromeOS SUCKED like 6 months ago, but now with Caret and Text; editing is great and secure offline. epubs are referenced (i read on kindle or phone) with Readium and I've yet to find a decent offline reader but primary use is web web web. What do people use a computer for.... alot? Other cons are lack of java based / enterprisey stuff like GotoMeeting but there are some remote software that I haven't tried weaving through yet. Also stuff not compiled for my Samsung ARM I have to build from source like Truecrypt. I would tell all the pundits: try it for a month then go back to your land of downloading updates Chromebook gets the 80/20 job done fer $250?! |
11-14-2013, 06:14 AM | #55 |
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11-14-2013, 01:18 PM | #56 | |||
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If someone says that a computer is wrong for them, they are almost certainly correct. The problem is when people insist that a computer is wrong for me, regardless of what I think about it. If someone insists that the Chromebook is wrong for me, they are incorrect. If someone wants to play World of Warcraft, the Chromebook is not for them. If they often find themselves in a location where WiFi is not available, the Chromebook may not be for them. If they need to have installed applications, then the Chromebook is not for them. I fully acknowledge that the Chromebook is not for everyone. The problem with fanboys is that they can't imagine that other people might use technology differently than they do. I have too little free time to play World of Warcraft. I use my Chromebook at home, so I always have WiFi. I can get by with what the web offers. Just because a computer isn't right for everyone doesn't mean it is wrong for everyone. Quote:
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Last edited by QuantumIguana; 11-14-2013 at 01:47 PM. |
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11-14-2013, 01:31 PM | #57 | |
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Besides, if you were the real tubemonkey, I might risk my extra-clean installation to give back for all you do. But the real tubemonkey, the one who gathers all these deals for us and entices us to buy (I got one bargain PRS-350 because of you), would NEVER want only one computer. Tubemonkey is a multiple-multiple-multiple device person. |
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11-14-2013, 02:16 PM | #58 |
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Of course.
And I understand that some people can get by with a Chromebook. However, I don't like the repetitive articles by people in the tech space pushing it towards the other people in the tech space who aren't onboard. If it's not for everybody, then why keep writing pieces that say it's not? |
11-14-2013, 02:35 PM | #59 | |
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11-14-2013, 03:39 PM | #60 |
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Whatever it does, if a device or a piece of software is in any way dependent on a third-party, then I don't want it.
I'll never use online-only applications, I'll never use software that depends on a permanent internet connection to function (yeah, I know: I browser does. No wise-cracking here, you know what I mean), and I'll certainly never store any documents in a cloud. I'm staying off-line with all of my data and software, forever. That enables me to use a piece of data or software as long as I have a platform to run it on, be it a real computer running a real operating system, a virtual machine running an old operating system, an emulator, or even something like WINE on Linux. The only reason that I accept the Windows activation is because I *need* that operating system for some of my software (and games). In 2020, when Windows 7 will go out of support, I'll re-install it, and update and activate it, after which I'll create an image. That way, I'll be able to run it on this computer as long as the hardware lasts. A Chromebook heavily depends on online services, and thus it changes when the online service changes. I detest that. I don't want my computer to change suddenly. |
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