[Bootstrap Bill]

Why should I spend $499 for a Chromebook when I can get a notebook with better features for the same price or less?

The Chromebook has a few advantages, all that I can live without.

1. Eight second boot - I hardly ever shut down completely.
2. 8.5 hour battery life. I can carry a spare battery with me if I really wanted to, or upgrade to a nine cell battery.

I can (and do) use the Chrome browser, which gives me all the benefits of the cloud, but I have the option to run Windows applications as well.


Is there any possibility we'll see Chromebooks with better specs that can dual boot Windows or Linux?

 

[Ronaldst]

Here's how I see it.

If you're a casual pc user then yes. If you exclusively use the web then yes. Else get a Thinkpad.

 

[Bootstrap Bill]

Here's how I see it.

If you're a casual pc user then yes. If you exclusively use the web then yes. Else get a Thinkpad.

Casual or not, why pay more for less?

It's possible to install the Chrome OS on a USB memory stick and get that 8.5 second boot time and the battery life should go up if you don't use the hard drive or DVD writer.

The only remaining advantage would be less weight.

I wouldn't hesitate if the price were $300 or less. It would be a secondary notebook, but I can't see paying the same price for a Chromebook as I did for my last notebook.

 

[Pete]

Bill,

The Samsung has some pretty nice things that aren't terribly cheap: the display, a nice atom processor, a pretty well designed case, that 8.5 hour battery and an SSD (not cheap). You can't get a windows or even a linux PC with the exact same specs for less (none that I've found anyway).

AS I see it, right now, the Chromebook is made to be an ideal travel companion, not as a primary machine. I think a great pair is a desktop PC that can act as your file and print server, main data storage, etc. That way, you can have a notebook that can function -- Access to Google Docs, got all my music via Google Music or Amazon cloud, Photos in the cloud, etc. I can take a Chromebook on vacation or business and won't need to charge it so often and if it's stolen by thieves or trampled by an angry mob, I'm out a computer but no data. All my files are safe in the cloud or on my home PC.

I think that's the vision right now.

 

[russcasey]

If you can get a new notebook for less than $500 that is the same or better than a chromebook in terms of battery life, physical size, screen resolution, touchpad quality, keyboard quality, design, and speed then post the link and we can shut down this forum

The series 5 is an excellent small laptop. Just go and compare its spec to the 13" macbook air. The air is nearly twice the price, and directly comparable in many ways.

 

[doubled]

I like the form factor of the chromebook, the size, the weight, the screen resolution, but if the same machine allows me to install ubuntu. Maybe the boot time is from 8.5 second to 25 second. I will take the one with ubuntu install version.
Wish samsung can release a similar version for ubuntu...

 

[dmath76]

If you can get a new notebook for less than $500 that is the same or better than a chromebook in terms of battery life, physical size, screen resolution, touchpad quality, keyboard quality, design, and speed then post the link and we can shut down this forum

The series 5 is an excellent small laptop. Just go and compare its spec to the 13" macbook air. The air is nearly twice the price, and directly comparable in many ways.

Does anyone know if the Chromebook supports VOIP apps such as Magic Jack which requires an "on" computer to operate? Just wanting the information. One thing about the new systems is that they are energy sippers

 

[russcasey]

Does anyone know if the Chromebook supports VOIP apps such as Magic Jack which requires an "on" computer to operate? Just wanting the information. One thing about the new systems is that they are energy sippers

Google chat/voice works just fine, imo.im almost works but has been unreliable for me, not sure about others.

 

[GadgetStop321]

The going price on eBay for a factory sealed Samsung Series 5 is about $350 to $400 including shipping (I was fortunate enough to get mine for $322 + free shipping-score!). I sold my iPad 2 to get a chromebook. I'm a math teacher, and iOS Pages just didn't meet my needs, but Google Docs on the chromebooks works great, and I still get the benefit of an instant on device - a high priority for me. Samsung needs models on display at retailers - I would have gotten a chromebook instead of the iPad if I had been able to have some hands on time - instead, I had to go by the reviews.

If Samsung could sell the Series 5 for $350-$375 and get some into stores for the holidays, they may have a hit.