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Worf
Sep 12, 2017

i'm OBSESSED with quibbling over minutiae!!!!!!!!
What's the scoop on when those Lenovo duet bad boys come out?

That thing looks pretty neat for an all in of $280 lol

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Atomizer
Jun 24, 2007



Nephzinho posted:

Do any Chromebooks have a decent keyboard? Was looking at an XPS 13 and realized I really don't need more than access to Notion's web app and the forums. Streaming too I guess.

e; Hmm found an old monster of a laptop from work that was wiped, might just throw Chrome on that.
e2; Nope, this was in my bricked pile for a reason.

They generally all have good keyboards, that's one of the characteristics of the platform. They're not all backlit, and there aren't any mechanical ones, but generally the keyboard and touchpad are solid on all CBs.

TITANKISSER69 posted:

Intriguing offer: Dell 2-in-1 11.6" Chromebook $169 at Best Buy - with a quad-core Celeron N3450 and 4GB RAM: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-2...p?skuId=6398968

That's not bad at all; for the price it's fine and there isn't anything glaringly wrong with it. Just keep in mind it looks like a chunky EDU model, which at least means increased durability in exchange for reducing its panty-dropping factor.

silence_kit posted:

I've noticed this too recently. Restarting helps fix the problem temporarily but pretty soon I get the same problem after restarting. I'm thinking that maybe 4 GB of memory isn't enough for ChromeOS anymore (my Chromebook has 4 GB of memory too) or possibly there is a memory leak in the operating system.

It will definitely unload tabs when you run low on RAM; you can run something like the System Monitor extension to see exactly how your resources are being utilized and confirm that this is happening.

Statutory Ape posted:

What's the scoop on when those Lenovo duet bad boys come out?

That thing looks pretty neat for an all in of $280 lol

Looks decent for the price, but I'll give the same disclaimer as every other tablet/detachable: it only makes sense if you're gonna use it mainly for consumption (e.g. browsing, watching video,) and not typing anything more than passwords or search terms. For those uses, a cheap Android tablet would suffice, however.

Atomizer
Jun 24, 2007



The Core m5 and m7 versions of the HP 13 are back on sale at Woot.

SurgicalOntologist
Jun 17, 2004

Any of these support Crostini? No, right?

Maneki Neko
Oct 27, 2000

I picked up 2 chromebooks after having never used one because my kids are probably never going back to school and this is what they are used to using in their elementary school.

Is there really no way to log into this thing as a child without either a) having them type a crazy complex password for a 7 year old or b) having a google account with a real lovely password they remember?

What the heck do schools do here?

Hdip
Aug 21, 2002
Which chromebooks? I was just looking into them as my 5 and 7 year old are going to start google classroom stuff.

waffle iron
Jan 16, 2004
You can set a PIN on an unmanaged device. No clue what school managed devices let you do.

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/2587994?hl=en

Edit: Might only be for unlocking.

Maneki Neko
Oct 27, 2000

Hdip posted:

Which chromebooks? I was just looking into them as my 5 and 7 year old are going to start google classroom stuff.

I picked up Lenovo 100e 2nd Generation since they were the only things both cheap and locally available and I needed them quick. It looks like I just missed these or else I might have snagged it:

https://www.costco.com/lenovo-11.6%22-2-in-1-touchscreen-chromebook---intel-celeron.product.100519438.html


waffle iron posted:

You can set a PIN on an unmanaged device. No clue what school managed devices let you do.

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/2587994?hl=en

Edit: Might only be for unlocking.

Yeah appears that's only for unlocking, I guess we'll just let them sleep and deal with restarts as needed. There must be some fancier options with managed devices, sounds like they use a different login process according to what my kids described.

Maneki Neko fucked around with this message at 23:04 on Mar 20, 2020

Daniel Bryan
May 23, 2006

GOAT
It is very bad that there’s no alternative local password options on Chromebooks. Makes having a generated password miserable.

waffle iron
Jan 16, 2004
You can pair your phone and set it to unlock. And then turn on allowing it to log in.

Cojawfee
May 31, 2006
I think the US is dumb for not using Celsius
It sometimes randomly stops working for me. No idea why. I'll restart both my chromebook and phone but it won't work. Then it starts working again the next day.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.


drat, Engadget is saying the Galaxy Chromebook has poo poo battery life. Like sub 4 hours which is pretty inexcusable for the product category and at the $1k pricepoint.

I guess it's the cost of the screen, but it disappoints me since I was hoping this could be a Pixelbook successor. I already wasn't hot on the 16:9 aspect ratio, but to hear of such poor battery life just pushed it too far into the negative.

Hopefully Engadget was a fluke and others will report better, but I'm doubting it. It really seems odd too with an ice lake processor. I know that the XPS13 with a 4k screen does better than that and it's not like it's a ton thicker.

bull3964 fucked around with this message at 15:17 on Apr 6, 2020

Super-NintendoUser
Jan 16, 2004

COWABUNGERDER COMPADRES
Soiled Meat
My wife has an ancient Acer Chromebook that I picked up for like $100 several years ago, and it's failing apart so it's time to replace it. I don't need anything crazy, but I would like something that I can put Linux on, maybe 13 inch, from $250-350. I think the Pixelbook Go would be good, but it's just too expensive, especially since my 5 year old will probably get ahold of it. Any suggestions? I like the HP ones linked on Woot, but they are out of stock now.

Dr. Eldarion
Mar 21, 2001

Deal Dispatcher

Does anyone have an Acer Chromebook Spin 13? I'm curious about the the upcoming one, but I'm concerned about bottom-firing speakers since I almost always use my laptop on my lap. How muffled does the sound get on a lap or blanket?

I wish the selection of non-widescreen Chromebooks wasn't so small. :(

utonium
Dec 17, 2002

Dr. Eldarion posted:

Does anyone have an Acer Chromebook Spin 13? I'm curious about the the upcoming one, but I'm concerned about bottom-firing speakers since I almost always use my laptop on my lap. How muffled does the sound get on a lap or blanket?

I wish the selection of non-widescreen Chromebooks wasn't so small. :(
I have one, and yeah I do notice it. They're obviously meant to function best on a hard surface to bounce off of, but at home I'm often using it on my couch, with a cushion on my lap. So to compensate, it's a bit of a balance of turning up the volume, and not pressing down as hard with my palms / wrists. I never have to max out the volume though, just have to take it to 70-80%, where below 50% is enough on a desk or table.

But I just checked and played some music with it on my lap without a cushion, and it was definitely clearer and louder so I guess take into account your level of comfiness. I love everything about the machine though. Surprised to see the new one missing the stylus.

Hadlock
Nov 9, 2004

Bottom firing speakers for lap use are the loving worst. If sound actually matters to you, don't do it if you don't have to.

I'm not big into sound but muffled youtube audio is extremely frustrating.

fivehead
Jul 11, 2017

Americans Need Cash Now

Jerk McJerkface posted:

My wife has an ancient Acer Chromebook that I picked up for like $100 several years ago, and it's failing apart so it's time to replace it. I don't need anything crazy, but I would like something that I can put Linux on, maybe 13 inch, from $250-350. I think the Pixelbook Go would be good, but it's just too expensive, especially since my 5 year old will probably get ahold of it. Any suggestions? I like the HP ones linked on Woot, but they are out of stock now.

I got the ASUS C425 (8th gen/8GB) last Black Friday for $329 and it’s very performing. Linux runs great. Huge improvement from my acer c720 in usability.

me your dad
Jul 25, 2006

I asked in the laptop recommendation thread but I figure this would be a good place too:

My eight year old is in need of a laptop for distance learning. This Lenovo ThinkPad 450 was recommended to another person with a similar need but since our budget is $200 so I also want to consider Chromebooks.

At $200, what kind of difference would there be between a Chromebook and the refubished ThinkPad?

Edit - I ordered this 15.6" Acer from Best Buy

me your dad fucked around with this message at 13:35 on Apr 17, 2020

TITTIEKISSER69
Mar 19, 2005

SAVE THE BEES
PLANT MORE TREES
CLEAN THE SEAS
KISS TITTIESS




I'm trying to enable Location on my Chromebook, but it's stuck in the Off position and won't turn back on. Any ideas?

Edit: This is for trying to use an Android app.

TITTIEKISSER69 fucked around with this message at 21:31 on Apr 18, 2020

Vivian Darkbloom
Jul 14, 2004


I have a base model Pixelbook and I have been doing some online tutoring using video chat with screen sharing. I like to use Squid as a whiteboard with the pen (should have bought a not-Google Pen, this thing is poo poo) which does an ok job. It's far better than online whiteboards, not least because it properly detects writing pressure. But it crashes after 15-20 minutes of screen sharing in Zoom or Google Hangouts. :(

The developers said it was a Chrome OS issue and I should file a bug with them. I might try that but are there any good alternatives in the meantime? And would I benefit from getting a better pen?

ThermoPhysical
Dec 26, 2007




Vivian Darkbloom posted:

I have a base model Pixelbook and I have been doing some online tutoring using video chat with screen sharing. I like to use Squid as a whiteboard with the pen (should have bought a not-Google Pen, this thing is poo poo) which does an ok job. It's far better than online whiteboards, not least because it properly detects writing pressure. But it crashes after 15-20 minutes of screen sharing in Zoom or Google Hangouts. :(

The developers said it was a Chrome OS issue and I should file a bug with them. I might try that but are there any good alternatives in the meantime? And would I benefit from getting a better pen?

Do you have a Zoom issue where the drat app takes over anything you have on the screen when on the Pixelbook? I had to stop using it yesterday and uninstalled it since it decided it had priority over my apps whenever someone so much as breathed and their mic took focus.

This doesn't happen on Windows.

Vivian Darkbloom
Jul 14, 2004


ThermoPhysical posted:

Do you have a Zoom issue where the drat app takes over anything you have on the screen when on the Pixelbook? I had to stop using it yesterday and uninstalled it since it decided it had priority over my apps whenever someone so much as breathed and their mic took focus.

This doesn't happen on Windows.

That happens when I have Zoom on in the background. No idea why it's programmed that way, very annoying, but when I'm screen sharing other people talking doesn't steal focus.

Vivian Darkbloom
Jul 14, 2004


Another longshot: any idea why running VS Code in Linux is hard crashing my Pixelbook? The computer might be developing some problem, because that's a lot of hard crashes, but I only seem to get them in Squid while screen sharing and when in VS Code.

RichterIX
Apr 11, 2003

Sorrowful be the heart
Does anybody have a Lenovo Duet coming? I've been using an Acer R11 forever and the Duet looks cool for my use case (half dicking around on the couch computer, half comic book reader) but with that processor I can't tell if it's basically a lateral move.

Edit: oops, sorry, didn't notice someone asking basically the same question at the top of the page

UncleGuito
May 8, 2005

www.ipadbackdrops.com daily wallpaper updates deserving of your iPad

RichterIX posted:

Does anybody have a Lenovo Duet coming? I've been using an Acer R11 forever and the Duet looks cool for my use case (half dicking around on the couch computer, half comic book reader) but with that processor I can't tell if it's basically a lateral move.

Edit: oops, sorry, didn't notice someone asking basically the same question at the top of the page

Also got one preordered from BB to test out. Hoping its processor holds up though - it seems like the perfect combo for me (mostly couch surfing in tablet + occasional python dev stuff while traveling w/ Linux).

I got a Slate last year but the thing was just way too big to comfortably use as a tablet.

UncleGuito fucked around with this message at 23:19 on May 10, 2020

RichterIX
Apr 11, 2003

Sorrowful be the heart

UncleGuito posted:

Also got one preordered from BB to test out. Hoping its processor holds up though - it seems like the perfect combo for me (mostly couch surfing in tablet + occasional ptyon dev stuff while travling w/ Linux).

I got a Slate last year but the thing was just way too big to comfortably use as a tablet.

I missed the BB preorder which is probably a blessing because I don't really NEED a new device, but I'll definitely be interested to hear your take on it once it comes in!

NewFatMike
Jun 11, 2015

I'm also very interested in how the Duet shakes out. I'm a little cautious about the MediaTek processor, but I could use a couch companion.

waffle iron
Jan 16, 2004
I have an Asus C434 I'm not looking to replace, but the Duet does seem interesting for reading books on the Kindle Android app with an occasional digital comic book. Although I'm not sure how comfortable 10 inches will be to hold. Any feedback as a reader would be well appreciated.

UncleGuito
May 8, 2005

www.ipadbackdrops.com daily wallpaper updates deserving of your iPad
Looks like the embargo on the Duet lifted - here's the AP review:

https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...qS7MZEtIGi81anY

I guess Lenovo.com will put them on sale soon?

NewFatMike
Jun 11, 2015

After poking around, it looks like the HP x2 Chromebook might be my best bet for lightweight computing, web browsing, and doodling.

Has anyone tried running Steam Link on Chromebooks? I wasn't able to get it going on my five year old Acer R11 which is entirely unsurprising.

Cough Drop The Beat
Jan 22, 2012

by Lowtax

NewFatMike posted:

After poking around, it looks like the HP x2 Chromebook might be my best bet for lightweight computing, web browsing, and doodling.

Has anyone tried running Steam Link on Chromebooks? I wasn't able to get it going on my five year old Acer R11 which is entirely unsurprising.

The HP Chromebook x2 has the decent m3-7Y30 processor, which is much faster than the laughably slow Celeron on your old Acer R11, so it will be fine for Steam Link. I don't really recommend the Chromebook x2 today though, since it's 2 years old and Chromebook 2-in-1s and tablets have come a long way since then in speed, features, and value. The Chromebook x2 is nearly $600 on Amazon, since it was discontinued a while ago. For example, you can get a Pixel Slate with the quicker m3-8100Y, double the storage (64GB vs 32GB), and double the RAM (8GB vs 4GB) for $500 plus $79 for the highly recommended Brydge G-Type keyboard, which improves on Google's version. Google offers an i5-8200Y Pixel Slate model with 128GB storage for $600 too. Just can't see the point in the Chromebook x2 when it's already 2 years old and a poor value compared to other options. Plus a newer Chromebook device like the Pixel Slate has 2 years more (June 2026 vs 2024) of guaranteed Chrome OS auto updates compared to the Chromebook X2.

There's plenty of other options in Chromebook tablets and 2-in-1s too with new models coming out all the time, like the Lenovo Ideapad Flex 5 2-in-1 that's supposed to be around $400 for a 10th gen i3 and 64GB of storage with a higher-end i5/128GB option. I think it will be coming out next month. The Lenovo Duet might very well be more than playable for Steam Link too and is a total steal at $300 for 128GB storage, but I'd wait on real world impressions for that since it just came out.

Cough Drop The Beat fucked around with this message at 17:08 on May 12, 2020

NewFatMike
Jun 11, 2015

Thanks! That's very informative.

One of the big reasons I'm looking at the x2 over the Slate is budgetary. Refurb units all in are $350-400 with all the accessories, and I'm not sure if stretching to a Slate is really going to get me more that I want.

The Duet does look interesting, but I'm planning on doing a bunch of browser based CAD and some doodling. A smaller screen (despite double the pixels) I don't think is going to be as conducive to the CAD element as the x2.

The extra 2 years of support aren't a deal breaker - this is more of a toy/casual use machine and 4 years from today is still better support than any computer I've had before.

If there are other tablet form factor things I'm missing, please do let me know, though!

e: Pixel Slate is back on Best Buy all in for $499 brand new. If it's still there in a it two, I might snap it up instead.

NewFatMike fucked around with this message at 19:57 on May 12, 2020

imagine dungeons
Jan 24, 2008

Like an arrow, I was only passing through.
I've been researching chromebooks for college use (no gaming) at a modest price and the Acer CB14 looks pretty nice for the money. I've been reading through this thread as much as I can but I just wanted to double check before I made a purchase. I really just want to use it for writing papers and distance learning. Amazon has them listed at $308 for just the chromebook and $299 for the chromebook bundle. They look like they're the same model? I appreciate any advice!

Cough Drop The Beat
Jan 22, 2012

by Lowtax
More Lenovo Duet reviews are out and the tablet seems like it's the most incredible steal at $300 if you're okay with limited performance from the ARM CPU. But it seems more than fine for basic web browsing, photo editing, and light games, which is what most people use tablets for. That 11 hour battery life is crazy good. https://www.theverge.com/21262694/lenovo-chromebook-duet-review-tablet-chromebook-chrome-os-price

abraham linksys
Sep 6, 2010

:darksouls:
i've been thinking about getting some kind of low-cost tablet or convertable to use as a second media screen in my room (where there's no room for a tv), as a timer and recipe reference in the kitchen, and something to draw and maybe take notes on every now and then. i should probably just get an ipad, but i feel obliged to at least look into this thing because it seems neat (and i'm also real mad that i missed the big ipad sale last weekend).

what's the doodling situation like on chromebooks like the duet? am i right in guessing that the styluses are not as nice as the apple pencil, and the drawing apps aren't as good?

UncleGuito
May 8, 2005

www.ipadbackdrops.com daily wallpaper updates deserving of your iPad
Got my Duet earlier today after a delay with my BB preorder. Initial impressions are fantastic- can't believe this thing is < $300! The build quality is fantastic and performance is better than expected.

But I mostly wanted to cover how Stadia plays, as well as Linux performance for those devs out there:

-Stadia: runs as well as it does on my gaming desktop and TV- no noticeable difference! The screen is colorful and crisp. The browser interface loads quick and controller pairing ran into no issues.
- Here's a pic of the device running Destiny 2: https://i.imgur.com/ktvCm55.jpg
- Here's a video: https://imgur.com/zzg9VB3
- Highly recommend this as a portable Stadia device if you can find one!

Linux: installed quickly and haven't run into any issues with terminal so far. I got this mainly to use as a portable python dev station while traveling and it seems like it'll fill that void. The keyboard will probably take a little to get used to (as others have said, the symbol keys are smaller so easier to miss) and the trackpad seems a bit thin, but overall, performance seems the same as other Chromebooks I've used.

tldr; I'm very impressed with this device. Seems like a steal and no-brainer at its current pricepoint.

RichterIX
Apr 11, 2003

Sorrowful be the heart

abraham linksys posted:

i've been thinking about getting some kind of low-cost tablet or convertable to use as a second media screen in my room (where there's no room for a tv), as a timer and recipe reference in the kitchen, and something to draw and maybe take notes on every now and then. i should probably just get an ipad, but i feel obliged to at least look into this thing because it seems neat (and i'm also real mad that i missed the big ipad sale last weekend).

what's the doodling situation like on chromebooks like the duet? am i right in guessing that the styluses are not as nice as the apple pencil, and the drawing apps aren't as good?

I think the only USI stylus that exists right now is the HP one, you could probably poke around reddit (god forbid) and see if someone has talked about using it with the Duet. Lenovo supposedly has a compatible stylus coming someday.

abraham linksys
Sep 6, 2010

:darksouls:

RichterIX posted:

I think the only USI stylus that exists right now is the HP one, you could probably poke around reddit (god forbid) and see if someone has talked about using it with the Duet. Lenovo supposedly has a compatible stylus coming someday.

Big Oof on that, looks like the HP one only was actually released a couple weeks ago and is already out of stock :(

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.


Can you check with the Netflix Android App what DRM level it supports?

I'm curious if it supports HD Netflix in the Android app.

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Cough Drop The Beat
Jan 22, 2012

by Lowtax

bull3964 posted:

Can you check with the Netflix Android App what DRM level it supports?

I'm curious if it supports HD Netflix in the Android app.

No Chromebook/Chrome OS devices whatsoever support HD Netflix in the Android app. The Pixel Slate does allow 1080p Netflix in the web browser though, so presumably the Lenovo Duet does too.

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