"Why Chromebook Pundits Are Out of Touch"

[kennyc]

It's a very viable alternative for many. To each his own!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

If you're talking about the taskbar bubbles in Windows XP, then you're right and I agree.

The guy that thought those up should be shot... along with the guy that decided to hide file extensions by default. I can't help wonder if they're the same fool. One actually NEEDED to get PowerToys onto a new rig ASAP to disable these things, or you would be swamped in bubbles and baffled about which file was which for weeks to come.

With Vista and 7 the bubbles are much less, but the file extension hiding persists...

It's a simple matter to re-enable file extensions. Being old-school that's the first thing I do.

[kennyc]

Now the only question is, Which one?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_sc_1?...qid=1384689260

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by ApK

Consider the possibility that it was not overlooked, but rather not pursued because it was not considered relevant.

Consider the possibility that in presuming to speak for everyone, you implicate others in the imposition of ideas that are yours alone.

Consider the idea that my disagreeing with you is not the same as me saying your post was not appropriate, and that maybe the attitude is uncalled for.

Consider the possibility that assumptions of "attitude" are attributions you're imposing as opposed to qualities that exist apart from you personally. Consider the possibility that to even mention "attitude" at all is as impolite as it is inapplicable to this particular moment in this particular conversation.

[frahse]

Prestidigitweeze
ApK

CONSIDER a truce. Please.

Most of us here wish to consider the merits, the pros and cons of Chrome, Chrome OS, Chromebooks without a lot of tit for tat.

[tubemonkey]

Acer now has a cheaper version of its Haswell-based C720 Chromebook. Both models are identical, except for the RAM. The new one has 2GB, whereas the original has 4GB.

• $199 -- 2GB RAM
• $249 -- 4GB RAM

[janjanjan]

I listen to 3-4 audiobooks a week, all downloaded via Overdrive from the library. When I began this 7 or 8 years ago, only WMA was available, which isn't and wasn't supported by any Apple device. At some point, some of the books began being available in either MP3 or WMA format. To this day, WMA is supported only with Windows. And, to this day, at least 50% of the books I want to borrow are only available in WMA format. In our household, we have 2 Android devices, 1 Ipad, and 2 Windows laptops. And, I still do all of my audiobook borrowing, downloading, and transferring to an MP3 player on my Windows laptop. There is an Overdrive app for all these other devices, and they work fine for Ebooks, but they are just not as functional for audiobooks.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Acer now has a cheaper version of its Haswell-based C720 Chromebook. Both models are identical, except for the RAM. The new one has 2GB, whereas the original has 4GB.

• $199 -- 2GB RAM
• $249 -- 4GB RAM

[EDIT: IGNORE this post. It only applies to the older Acer C710, not the latest from Acer or the others:]

That's a better deal. $50 now for an extra 2 GB is not a good deal. I put in an extra 8 GB of RAM (for a total of 10 GB) for $80.

(Chrome and Linux on a 32-bit machine can make use of extra memory beyond 3+ GB, unlike Windows.)

[Graham]

For those who want to expand the RAM, please note that the memory is not upgradeable on the Samsung and HP ARM Chromebooks.

Graham

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In short, I don't trust them. The only reason for me to have an Android phone and Google account is Maps, and it's only connected to the internet when I'm using Maps. As soon as there is a cheap alternative on an OS that does not require any accounts with any company, my Android phone will be sold.

If you're on android try MapsWithMe and NavFree - both work offline using openstreetmap data.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Graham

For those who want to expand the RAM, please note that the memory is not upgradeable on the Samsung and HP ARM Chromebooks.

Graham

I am relatively sure that the old HP series 5 Chromebooks had provision for 8GB.

(This stunting of the ability to add memory for Chromebooks makes me think that some of the semi-Machiavellian theories about the big PC companies changing PCs into appliances that have to be replaced every 2 years, and also moving all computing power to the cloud isn't totally overblown.) "SaaS"

(simply put, just providing the public a "dumb terminal" to access the big big main frame in the sky)

[frahse]

duplicate - moderator please delete.

[HYPE]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

That's pretty much me. Computers are totally useless without the internet.

Hah, at least that's an interesting claim.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by Graham

For those who want to expand the RAM, please note that the memory is not upgradeable on the Samsung and HP ARM Chromebooks.

Graham

Good correction. I was speaking to my Acer C710, and should have checked the others, including the C720. This article says:

"The Acer C720′s memory isn’t designed to be upgraded, so if you think you might need the extra RAM, you should probably just pay the extra $50 and buy the 4GB version."

So I was wrong all around, will correct the above post. Thanks.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by frahse

I am relatively sure that the old HP series 5 Chromebooks had provision for 8GB.

(This stunting of the ability to add memory for Chromebooks makes me think that some of the semi-Machiavellian theories about the big PC companies changing PCs into appliances that have to be replaced every 2 years, and also moving all computing power to the cloud isn't totally overblown.) "SaaS"

(simply put, just providing the public a "dumb terminal" to access the big big main frame in the sky)

I think you're referring to the Samsung Series 5s rather than HP. Those were built on Intel chips and so could address more memory, and were more costly.

The two ARM Chromebooks use a Samsung chip that's more usually found in tablets and phones. I had a look at the technical manual and it would appear that it can address up to 4GB RAM, but various reviews I've read have said that the maximum the chipset could handle was 2GB.

I don't think there's anything too Machiavellian going on. The rumours are that the next generation ARM Chromebooks from Samsung are going to be able to address more memory.

Graham