Chromebook questions

tuna

Veteran
I am thinking about getting Samsungs latest Chromebook. Some questions though:

Can you input in Swedish, Chinese and Japanese with the US/UK model?
What kind of media formats does it support?
Has anyone tried putting a Gnu/Linux distro on it?
 
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013...ebook-pixel-a-1299-laptop-for-cloud-dwellers/
(Yes, I'm hijacking this existing thread... Don't really see the harm in it. :))

Interesting and frankly quite impressive piece of hardware, although the casing design makes me think of a slimmed-down 1990s IBM thinkpad... :LOL: It's too square and blocky, oh, and too Mac-like too. I'm not a macbook but I don't mind people thinking that I am! *wink wink* :rolleyes: It also has very macbook retina-like specs, but for only about 60% of the sales price.

My main concern though is, what am I actually supposed to RUN on this thing...? Especially if I'm locked off from the internet for whatever reason. There isn't exactly a whole lot of stuff made for chrome OS, now is it. Can you install another OS on one of these things...? I assume not since the firmware is probably not a regular PC BIOS, but I haven't actually bothered to read up on how chromebook computers really work so I don't know for sure.

Also, Google implies this thing has a shelf-life of only 3 years. That seems a bit trite methinks. Hopefully it isn't actively enforced though!
 
It's a gloried web browsing machine.

So other than web browsing, browser based games and browser based apps, you're SOL.

That's fine and dandy for a 200-250 USD device, but for a device costing almost 1.5k USD, it's absolutely ridiculous.

Add to that it has a paltry 5 hour claimed battery life. That might be acceptable in a portable device that can run all of your desktop apps, but in a device that basically only browses the web?

Regards,
SB
 
It's a gloried web browsing machine.

So other than web browsing, browser based games and browser based apps, you're SOL.

That's fine and dandy for a 200-250 USD device, but for a device costing almost 1.5k USD, it's absolutely ridiculous.

Add to that it has a paltry 5 hour claimed battery life. That might be acceptable in a portable device that can run all of your desktop apps, but in a device that basically only browses the web?

Regards,
SB

Agreed. While the screen might be nice and the aspect ratio as well for doing actual work...that price MAYBE MAYBE would have been ok by me if it had 16 gb ram in it, 256 gb ssd and a higher spec i7 in it. And also the ability to dual-boot because then Chrome OS would be out and something like Ubuntu would be on it. Then I could see myself getting one. It will end up being more impressive than the Dell Ubuntu Developer's edition 13 inch ultrabook.
 
I am sure you would be able to put Linux on it. Whether you would would want to on a 32GB flash is another question. Bloody thing doesn't even have USB3.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?
 
I am sure you would be able to put Linux on it. Whether you would would want to on a 32GB flash is another question. Bloody thing doesn't even have USB3.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

I think 32 GB is more than enough for Linux. I saw some posts on G+ of some devas already committing some patches to Linux for Pixel hardware support. But I do agree with you. I like it but its just one of those useless toys. Chrome OS is useless to me at least.
 
So other than web browsing, browser based games and browser based apps, you're SOL.

That's fine and dandy for a 200-250 USD device, but for a device costing almost 1.5k USD, it's absolutely ridiculous.
Oh yes indeed. If this is all it can do (and I know basically nothing about chrome os, so I'm taking your word for it) it's a horrific waste of resources building such an advanced computing device with such limited use.

Add to that it has a paltry 5 hour claimed battery life.
Batteries are expensive, so this is one way how they keep the price down compared to the retina macbook. Flash seems to be expensive too! 32GB, huh? Wow. And no USB3. Google seems determined to make sure nobody shoehorns another OS in on "their" hardware - you must be strangleheld to an internet connection and their cloud service for any decent amount of storage...

Then again, who wants to wait on transferring gigabytes of data on a daily basis with today's typically slow upstream connections? Especially if you're on a cellular device, this can get really slow - and really expensive. The huge-rez screen would invite for things such as photo and video editing and manipulation, but being locked in by online cloud storage when handling massive amounts of data...no thanks!

This is a really strange device. So close to being really awesome, yet so far away!
 
Batteries are expensive, so this is one way how they keep the price down compared to the retina macbook. Flash seems to be expensive too! 32GB, huh? Wow. And no USB3. Google seems determined to make sure nobody shoehorns another OS in on "their" hardware - you must be strangleheld to an internet connection and their cloud service for any decent amount of storage...

Yeah I'm not sure the battery is helping all that much with the cost compared to all the other things that have been cut back.

For almost the same price (1499 USD versus 1449 USD) you can get a 13" MacBook Pro with...

2560x1600 display compared to 2560x1700 on the Chromebook.
2.5 GHz Core i5 versus a 1.8 GHz Core i5.
8 GB of memory compared to 4 GB
128 GB SSD compared to 64 GB of SSD? soldered on Flash? EMMC?
7 hours claimed battery life compared to 5 hours claimed battery life.
Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports compared to USB 2.0 ports.
A real OS versus a glorified web browser OS.

On the plus side the Chromebook at that price level comes with LTE. :p

I never though I'd ever see something that makes a Mac look like a bargain, but Google has gone out and made a MacBook Pro look affordable. :p

The 15" MB Pro is more expensive but then you also get even better stuff. More resolution, better CPU, more SSD space, etc.

Of course, you could always save 150 USD by dropping down to 32 GB of flash memory and no LTE on the Chromebook. But that still doesn't make it a better deal than just getting a MacBook Pro, IMO.

Regards,
SB
 
Hurm, the 13" retina MBP isn't that expensive in the US compared to over here... The price difference threw me off. Yeah, with that in mind, the chromebook pixel looks like a buffed-up piece of crap TBH. MBP is slightly more expensive and has slightly fewer pixels on its screen, but it's actually a real computer and not some mutant, glorified high-res remote terminal throwback from the 60s and 70s...

Oh, and LTE... What chipset does it use? Something that only works in the US and not in Europe I bet.
 
I think 32 GB is more than enough for Linux. I saw some posts on G+ of some devas already committing some patches to Linux for Pixel hardware support. But I do agree with you. I like it but its just one of those useless toys. Chrome OS is useless to me at least.

The $250 notebook is awesome. It has it's obvious limitations, but it has an AMAZING features, perf, price combination. ChromeOS is worth 250. Not 1300.

I think they needed something to give away. Or something to make their other chromebooks look better.
 
This is of course a proof of concept machine to tell all their partners that ChromeOS (unlike Windows) works on high-DPI displays. And it looks really cool but a bit pricey...
 
Rather expensive proof-of-concept project though, wouldn't you say? Tooling up a production line just to show off your web browser's ability to adjust to high-DPI displays isn't the best use of corporate money.

I wonder how many of these Google has to sell to recoup its expenses.
 
This is of course a proof of concept machine to tell all their partners that ChromeOS (unlike Windows) works on high-DPI displays. And it looks really cool but a bit pricey...

If that was the entire purpose they could have done it a lot more efficiently by just putting Chrome OS onto a MacBook Pro with Retina display.

The only reason to start up manufacturing is if you somehow think it's going to sell. And the only attraction to this piece of garbage is the screen. Absolutely nothing else about it is compelling in any way.

I feel bad for the most suckers that are going to buy it. Hopefully consumers will be smart enough to avoid this, although I suppose there's always people with more disposable income than they know what to do with.

As to Windows scaling, MS should just take a page out of Apple's playbook and just scale up standard Screen sizes in even numbered multiples.

1366x768 -> 2732x1536
1440x900 -> 2880x1800
1600x900 -> 3200x1800
1680x1050 -> 3360x2100
1920x1080 -> 3840x2160
1920x1200 -> 3840x2400
2560x1600 -> 5120x3200 (drool)

So for whatever high PPI display you have, just set the desktop to the corresponding current desktop resolution. Basically just do like Apple does. But also give users the flexibility to set their own scaling factor as with current Windows. AS I certainly wouldn't want to be limited to a 2560x1600 desktop if I had a 5120x3200 display, which is what Apple would do. Then again, if that was a 30" monitor, maybe I would. :)

I imagine this is basically what MS will end up doing with Windows once high PPI displays are being mass produced in enough quantities to be able to support the Windows PC market.

Regards,
SB
 
Not for me but
this machine will handle ALL & I mean literally ALL my partners (*) needs on a PC, and my parents as well as well as countless others.

(*)shes the IT backup person at the library btw ;)
 
this machine will handle ALL & I mean literally ALL my partners (*) needs on a PC, and my parents as well as well as countless others.
So would a laptop costing half as much as this thing, and probably even less actually. It's a really expensive one-fix solution to all your computing needs.
 
Rather expensive proof-of-concept project though, wouldn't you say? Tooling up a production line just to show off your web browser's ability to adjust to high-DPI displays isn't the best use of corporate money.

I wonder how many of these Google has to sell to recoup its expenses.

If there is one thing Google has, its corporate money. Also, remember the first Macbook Air? Pretty crappy and expensive. Now? Very desirable and good value for money.
 
So would a laptop costing half as much as this thing, and probably even less actually. It's a really expensive one-fix solution to all your computing needs.
true, though the screen will be worse. where else can I get a laptop with this screen? apple, perhaps but I think they cost a similar amount
 
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