Chromebooks

[klondike]

Any body use one?

I got fed up with the glass keyboard on my tablet and didn't want a hot heavy laptop sitting on my lap. I got a bluetooth keyboard which was a major trauma as my very new but it seems very useless Lenovo P11 plus tablet is picky over which it will work with. I got the only one I found anybody saying they managed to use apart from Lenovo's own which I refused to reward them by buying. It cost double the cheap but serviceable one I found connected OK but couldn't actually type. It's also too big to fit in the cases desiged to take tablet and keyboard and I can't get on with using two seperate units.

So a cheap Asus Chromebook. Only had it a few hours and loving it. There were more Lenovo ones but from here on in as far as I'm concerned they can shove their kit where the sun don't shine.

[Raven]

No, not me. I like my desk top computer best, and if I'm using the tablet it has a leather case that folds into a kind of propped up thingy for the angle. Then it sits on the arm of the chair.

[klondike]

My tablet case does that too. The glass keyboard drives me to distraction though as I spend more time correcting than I do banging it in to start with - often due to the autocorrupt. Another reason I was so pleased to get rid of the garbage appearing courtesy of a forum bug.

[Sheila]

I'm using an old Acer chromebook at the moment.  It is starting to fail in the same way that our last one did.  It seems to be something to do with a connection so, if the screen goes off, lifting the lid up and down a couple of times fixes it for a bit.

Our other chromebook is a Lenova and works well but that is newer.  We are happy with them.

[Michael Rolls]

I've never really understood the difference between a Chromebook and a tablet or laptop. How do they differ?
Mike

[klondike]

In brief. You'll find much more detailed info via google. I have glosssed over some points.

Chromebooks
Long battery runtime typically over 12 hours
Can be instant startup
Have physical keyboard
Lightweight
Run some Android apps
Never need users to instigate updates but are always running the latest operating system

Tablets
Long lasting battery runtime some over 12 hours
Can be instant startup
Have no keyboard (but you can use bluetooth keyboards)
Lightest option here.
Run most Android / iPad apps
Sometimes get system updates which users have to instigate. Eventually get none and run back level code

Laptops
Sometimes limited duration on battery - very few can last 12 hours
Slower startup but improving
Have physical keyboard
Heaviest of the options
Run Windows / IOS apps
Frquent and for some annoying updates. Sometimes major updates needed.

I am using a Windows laptop right now. I was doing a bit of config work on the forum and a fixed desk like position is easiest for that.

[Alex]

" Eventually get none and run back level code "  what does this mean klondike ?

[klondike]

Latest Android is 12. There are plenty of tablets and phones running much earlier releases. All updates are down to the manufacturer and their desire is to sell new kit so they stop issuing updates once someting has been out of production a while and sometimes even when it is being made.

Old versions of Android are usually OK but will be missing some features might not run some newer apps and there could be vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Android and IOS are deep down very similar operating systems and inherantly more secure than Windows so it is no big deal. Most phones and tablets end up in landfill after 3 years anyway because there are shiny new ones out with better cameras etc. and the batteries start expiring too soon. Plus de yoof keep dropping them. Possibly those whose parents pay drop them deliberately to get a shiny new one.