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Okay, sure. We just spent a few pages in the Windows thread talking about Linux. Let's discuss iPads in the Chromebook thread.
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Aug 29, 2024 20:39
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cruft posted:Okay, sure. We just spent a few pages in the Windows thread talking about Linux. Let's discuss iPads in the Chromebook thread. it aint that deep
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Aug 29, 2024 22:10
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I favor Chromebook 2-in-1s over tablets, personally. Hell, I use an old Surface running Windows solely as a newsreader, too. But for 2-in-1s I've found Chromebooks really shine. I've actually been considering finding a cheap iPad lately just to see about getting an Apple card as an easy bit of extra credit. But I actively dislike Apple software, something which has been increasing for me since about MacOS 10.4 or so.
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Aug 29, 2024 23:25
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CaptainSarcastic posted:I favor Chromebook 2-in-1s over tablets, personally. Hell, I use an old Surface running Windows solely as a newsreader, too. But for 2-in-1s I've found Chromebooks really shine. i am not a fan of the OS either but its adequate as a second screen media consumption device that i use a stylus with, while being a tablet- which was what the persons sister wanted lol
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Aug 30, 2024 00:45
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MikeJF posted:My sister's looking for a new tablet, about 10 inches, that she can jot notes down on (stylus), use as a kind of second screen, and a little media consumption. She's pretty tied to the Google ecosystem and in theory Android would do her fine but given that the Android tablet situation is crap I'm thinking chromebooks. What's the current best idea for a lowish cost to look at these days. I remember a while back it was the Lenovo Duet 3 11? The Duet 3 is indeed probably the recommended ChromeOS tablet, for the combination of price (currently $300,) and features. I'm not sure if there are any other current devices smaller than 11". Alternately, the Pixel tablet may be an option as a current Android tablet.
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Aug 30, 2024 07:00
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i wish I needed a new device, both of those look pretty cool tbh. What kind of battery life do they see in real world?
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Aug 30, 2024 11:48
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That might be the one I was thinking of. Let us know how you like it, OP. Seems like some percentage of this thread is borderline coveting that machine. e: on second thought maybe I was thinking of this new HP 11 incher? Suddenly everybody has small chromebooks again, yay! ee: Oh no I might be about to drop $900 on a convertible laptop. eee: Nah. The x2 I've got is doing the job. But if anybody buys that HP, I demand a review ITT. TIA. cruft fucked around with this message at 12:48 on Aug 30, 2024 |
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Aug 30, 2024 12:33
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I feel like I should drop a quick Chromebook update: the HP x2 11-inch is still badass. Yes, it's less stable than an Intel-based machine. However, consider that I can watch a movie on it while it charges my cell phone for under 20W. That's right, I can do all that crap while charging the Chromebook, with a 20W tiny Anker power supply. This is awesome. Also, the flap on the back wedges perfectly between the headrest and the seatback on Amtrak Superliner seats. So I can jam my Chromebook into the seat in front of me and watch movies like a boss while everybody else is craning their neck looking down at their 5-inch cell phone on the tray. Love this thing.
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Oct 14, 2024 15:22
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Thinking about getting a new laptop or maybe a Chromebook. With the ublock origin removal happening, is that going to diminish my interest in one of these or will other browsers work?
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Oct 24, 2024 15:37
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KingKapalone posted:Thinking about getting a new laptop or maybe a Chromebook. With the ublock origin removal happening, is that going to diminish my interest in one of these or will other browsers work? If you're going to run another browser, you may be better off running VanillaOS or something. ChromeOS is very tightly bundled to Chrome. Since you stated the option as other browsers vs. diminished interest, a Chromebook is probably not for you.
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Oct 24, 2024 15:52
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Can't you run Firefox in Crostini? Seems like you can. I'm not sure what the user experience is like. I probably wouldn't buy a Chromebook just to run Firefox, but if you're OK using Chrome for your "main tasks" and just running Firefox when browsing rando poo poo, it would probably work.
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Oct 24, 2024 17:28
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ExcessBLarg! posted:Can't you run Firefox in Crostini? Seems like you can. You can, but if that's your main web browser, I'm not clear what the point would be of running Debian inside ChromeOS, when you could just run Debian on the native hardware and have access to USB and whatnot. I guess ChromeOS does get you access to the Play Store, letting you run Android apps.
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Oct 24, 2024 17:33
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cruft posted:You can, but if that's your main web browser, I'm not clear what the point would be of running Debian inside ChromeOS, when you could just run Debian on the native hardware and have access to USB and whatnot. You could run Debian on a Dell XPS or Framework, but those are far more expensive than the Chromebooks I've been using. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when they finally kill Manifest V2. I'll continue to use Chrome as my main browser for things like Gmail/Drive/Slack, etc. While I do run uBlock Origin now I doubt it does much for those anyways. For YouTube/rando browsing I might switch to Firefox in Crostini if the performance is good enough. The real problem for me is that I frequently use the ComposeKey extension, and there appears to not be a V3 replacement for that. If that's going to go away too, then it's going to make my Chrome OS usage that much more annoying. ExcessBLarg! fucked around with this message at 18:25 on Oct 24, 2024 |
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Oct 24, 2024 18:22
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uBlock Lite works fine for me, I can't tell the difference between it and Origin except that Lite has a truly terrible interface. But since there is nothing you can do in there on a per-page basis, it doesn't really matter. Since my Pixelbook is now stuck on 126 because of being shifted to the LTS channel, I wonder if I'll ever get the Manifest v3 switch flipped. One thing that I have read is that once you get shuffled to the LTS channels of ChromeOS, you lose Android support. I haven't had this happen yet, but I'm on the LTS channel. Odd. Maybe the Pixelbook is an exception? If you really want to use Firefox as your primary browser, just install Linux on your Chromebook. It's a bit of a PITA, but you can do it. You will run into driver problems, especially sound related ones. The only thing keeping me on ChromeOS over Linux is that non-Chromium web app support is terrible. If I have to use Chromium anyways, I might as well stick to ChromeOS. Firefox stripped their web app infrastructure out of their desktop browsers several years ago and if you want a ChromeOS-like web app experience, you have to rely on dodgy extensions or helper applications. Maybe by the time I stop getting LTS updates, Firefox will have re-implemented Chromium style web apps. The Framework 13 is about the size of my Pixelbook, even if it does have a fan and is heavier...
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Oct 25, 2024 00:12
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I haven't tried it myself, but you absolutely should be able to install & run any browser (or other software) on a remotely-recent ChromeOS device that has support for Linux software. And while I agree it would be a little weird to buy a CB to run some other browser (primarily) you can't argue with the potential cost & security advantages over going with a Windows-based system. But then again you could likely find a cheaper used system to run a Linux distro outright.Xiphas posted:One thing that I have read is that once you get shuffled to the LTS channels of ChromeOS, you lose Android support. I haven't had this happen yet, but I'm on the LTS channel. Odd. Maybe the Pixelbook is an exception? Before I got rid of most of my older (out-of-support) ChromeOS devices, one of them (I think the Acer R13) was eligible for the LTS offer. It did explicitly state the loss of Android support (which I still don't understand) but while I accepted that and let it ostensibly update, it never got to the point where it formally deleted the Android stuff, probably because there was no new update available yet before I just wiped the whole thing. But otherwise I would expect that to be the case for all devices that have that offer, it just might take a while for you to see it have the [un-]desired effect.
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Oct 25, 2024 06:34
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does the ublock change make chromebooks a lot less viable for people now or no? obviously its a popular enough addon that google zoomed in on it and said no no
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Oct 25, 2024 12:20
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Worf posted:does the ublock change make chromebooks a lot less viable for people now or no? I still have ublock origin installed and it appears to work exactly as it always has. I know that will change eventually with the Manifest v3 change, it just hasn't happened yet.
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Oct 26, 2024 05:58
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Worf posted:does the ublock change make chromebooks a lot less viable for people now or no?
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Oct 27, 2024 14:19
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I've been using EFF's Privacy Badger, which I generally don't have to think about. I spent a good 12 seconds investigating how manifest v3 would impact it, and decided I probably wouldn't notice.
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Oct 28, 2024 03:41
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Welp, spilled a cup of iced tea all over my Chromebook today. I did wipe it dry and tented it to dry out. It still turns on, but at the password screen typing the letter e pastes in a bunch of random characters, and typing the letter y reboots it. I'll take it to my office tomorrow and see if I can clean the insides with high % rubbing alcohol, but if it's beyond repair then so be it. What are some good choices with Black Friday sales this week? The dead one is a Lenovo Flex 5i 13 with an i3 (11th gen), 8GB RAM and 64GB storage, so something comparable with a 13 or 14 inch screen would be ideal. On Amazon I saw these two, open to feedback on either of them: Acer Asus
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Nov 25, 2024 00:14
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TITTIEKISSER69 posted:Welp, spilled a cup of iced tea all over my Chromebook today. I did wipe it dry and tented it to dry out. It still turns on, but at the password screen typing the letter e pastes in a bunch of random characters, and typing the letter y reboots it. It looks like your current Chromebook is a 2-in-1, but neither of the models you are considering are. Is that something you care about? Of the two you posted, I'd say the Acer looks like a nicer machine (better screen size, has a GTX 1050 instead of iGPU), but it seems like a lot of people in the laptop thread don't like Acer as a manufacturer. I've had really nice Acer machines, but not recently, so don't feel like I can offer an authoritative opinion on that.
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Nov 25, 2024 00:33
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Honestly, I don't like touchscreens due to the glare, but I dealt with it on the Lenovo. As for graphics, I'm not a gamer so nothing more intensive than streaming Netflix or Prime.
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Nov 25, 2024 00:45
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TITTIEKISSER69 posted:Honestly, I don't like touchscreens due to the glare, but I dealt with it on the Lenovo. As for graphics, I'm not a gamer so nothing more intensive than streaming Netflix or Prime. The models you posted both have touchscreens, they just don't convert into tablets. What is your primary use-case for the Chromebook? If you don't need the extras of a Chromebook Plus then you might be able to go a little lower in the product stacks and still meet your needs.
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Nov 25, 2024 00:51
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It's just a daily driver web browser with occasional streaming or video chats. I do like having the horsepower and responsiveness of an i3 with 8GB, so I don't mind spending 300ish for it.
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Nov 25, 2024 00:59
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TITTIEKISSER69 posted:Welp, spilled a cup of iced tea all over my Chromebook today. I did wipe it dry and tented it to dry out. It still turns on, but at the password screen typing the letter e pastes in a bunch of random characters, and typing the letter y reboots it. Honestly both of those are nearly identical and are exactly the type of mainstream, general-purpose CB I'd recommend to most people, especially for that price point. They have the 8 GB of RAM I'd consider a minimum, nearly identical displays (in terms of specs if not actual quality) similar CPUs (I think the Intel is slightly more performant but the AMD should still be fine) and both appear to have backlit keyboards*. The Asus might be worth the extra $20 for the slightly better CPU and double the internal storage, but even then I don't think it's going to matter either way (you'd have to really need the extra storage, for one) but then the Acer has a touchscreen, which I don't miss too much but having the ability to touch once in awhile has been useful in the past. *You might want to double-check this, because while one of the Amazon reviews mentioned the Acer having a backlit keyboard, the Acer page for this model denies it. Then again, another review mentioned this not having a touchscreen, which is wrong, so YMMV. The Asus product page specifies a backlit keyboard as does Amazon reviews including one with a product photo clearly showing it. CaptainSarcastic posted:Of the two you posted, I'd say the Acer looks like a nicer machine (better screen size, has a GTX 1050 instead of iGPU), Ok, so unfortunately Amazon listings can be a little erroneous. It does list a 1050, but that Acer most certainly doesn't have one. That's an 8-year old GPU first of all, and the listing specifically says, "Combining four high performance “Zen 2” CPU cores with cutting-edge AMD Radeon 610M graphics" so in other words, it has an iGPU and not a dGPU of any kind. CaptainSarcastic posted:The models you posted both have touchscreens, they just don't convert into tablets. I'm not sure that the Asus has a touchscreen. The official product page says "touchscreen optional" and the Amazon listing doesn't specify, and at least one or two of the reviews suggest that it doesn't have one. So consider those the two main differences between these models: the Acer has a touchscreen, and the Asus has a backlit keyboard. Personally I'd go with the Asus primarily due to the backlit keyboard, because I mostly type at night, but then again if they both actually have one then this point becomes moot. I'd also be happy with the [theoretically] slightly better CPU (I have a secondary CB with that CPU and same amount of RAM, and it's a solid performer) and double the storage (although admittedly local storage is superfluous for me, I'd be perfectly fine with 128 GB.) The lack of touchscreen and $20 more are minor downsides for me compared to the Acer.
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Nov 26, 2024 06:08
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Thank you for reminding me about backlit keyboards! I didn't get to open up my Lenovo CB today, but I will try on Tuesday. Maybe I'll get lucky, otherwise I was leaning towards the Asus anyway
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Nov 26, 2024 06:23
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Goddamnit, I even looked up the ASUS page for that model, but I shouldn't be surprised they have more than one version. Sorry for the error - I figured the Amazon listings were wrong but holy hell, not that bad.
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Nov 26, 2024 06:26
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Anecdotally I bought an expensive high spec acer chromebook a couple years ago and when it first arrived there was something wrong with the screen connection so any time I moved the hinge the screen would turn off. Had to get that returned and order a replacement. The replacement arrived and was decent, but only lasted about 6 months before it started physically falling apart. The little rubber feet on the bottom of the screen came out one after another over a number of months, then eventually the casing of the screen started to separate away from the actual screen and would flex and groan every time I opened the laptop. Made me very wary of buying an acer again, but maybe it was just that one model (the returns process for the acer store also sucked but that's not really relevant to the hardware) edit: and also anecdotally I bought my little brother an Asus chromebook in 2017 and he's still using it today (runs like total poo poo now, but hasn't fallen apart). Lord Bob fucked around with this message at 06:40 on Nov 26, 2024 |
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Nov 26, 2024 06:36
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I've never had a laptop of any kind fall apart like you guys are describing, although the feet (two rubber strips, actually) on my HP CB 13 eventually peeled off. I will concede that Acer is more of an entry-level brand, although I have no reservations about using or recommending them. As I say repeatedly though, Acer is notorious for having multiple versions of everything they make, so if you're considering any of their products carefully look at the specs and make sure you're not mixing up features of two similar models.
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Nov 27, 2024 08:30
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Yeah it's given me a wariness about buying any Acer product again - I've owned at a guess maybe around 10 laptops in my life (from old thinkpad windows boxes to eeepcs to chromebooks from at least 4 different manufacturers) and it's the only one that has significantly physically fallen apart on me. Hell, I bought that acer to replace a pixelbook I'd bought at launch that was still physically fine, just grinding against being low powered and old. Maybe I just rolled the dice and got unlucky, but I don't feel like I'm particularly hard on my electronics, so it surprised me.
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Nov 27, 2024 09:27
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i've had 2 acer products, a netbook i bought in 2010 and a predator helios 300 i bought in 2017. i thought both were pretty decently made and both were on the cheaper end of what you could reasonably spend on a computer for the specs. i also treat laptops like theyre made of glass.
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Nov 27, 2024 17:49
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Worf posted:i've had 2 acer products, a netbook i bought in 2010 and a predator helios 300 i bought in 2017. i thought both were pretty decently made and both were on the cheaper end of what you could reasonably spend on a computer for the specs. i also treat laptops like theyre made of glass. I like my first gen Acer Spin 714. The quality is on par with other mid range (~$600) Asus Chromebooks I've had in the past.
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Nov 27, 2024 17:59
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I pulled the trigger on the Asus. Just curious, are multi-core Celeron and Pentium options decent in the Chromebook world? Or is the maxim 'friends don't let friends buy Celerons' still in effect? Reason I ask is I saw this option and got curious about it: https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Convertible-Touchscreen-Transparent-CX1400FKA-AS88F/dp/B0CRD2YLLC
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Nov 27, 2024 18:32
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TITTIEKISSER69 posted:I pulled the trigger on the Asus. Just curious, are multi-core Celeron and Pentium options decent in the Chromebook world? Or is the maxim 'friends don't let friends buy Celerons' still in effect? Honestly I haven't been following them because we've long been able to get systems with decent CPUs fairly cheaply, like the models you were considering, but I want to say that while modern examples are probably OK for low-end use, I'd still recommend against those Atom-based CPUs if at all possible.
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Nov 28, 2024 07:27
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Atomizer posted:Honestly I haven't been following them because we've long been able to get systems with decent CPUs fairly cheaply, like the models you were considering, but I want to say that while modern examples are probably OK for low-end use, I'd still recommend against those Atom-based CPUs if at all possible. Why? All I can find is that the Atom is made for low power use and, as a result, isn't a big performer. Seems ideal for a Chromebook, what am I missing?
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Nov 28, 2024 13:40
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cruft posted:Why? All I can find is that the Atom is made for low power use and, as a result, isn't a big performer. Seems ideal for a Chromebook, what am I missing? For exactly that reason: low performance. Just because "it's a Chromebook" doesn't mean there aren't configurations with frankly inadequate performance. Have you used a CB with one of those Atom-based CPUs (especially over the past several years)? Well I have, and they very obviously struggled at least in my use. Maybe you might have a lighter use case, with fewer tabs and extensions, but the experience is poor with an inadequate CPU (or insufficient RAM) for me, and that's why I don't recommend them. Like I said, this experience goes back several years and I'm guessing that modern examples have noticeably improved performance, but when you can get a proper, mainstream CPU from AMD or Intel in a CB for around $300, there's little reason to take a risk on the bottom-end models to save a few bucks.
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Nov 29, 2024 06:32
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Is the Pixelbook Go still decent in this day and age compared to current HP/Acer offerings? I'm mainly looking for a couch computer to shitpost so it won't need to be very powerful. I'd like something lightweight with decent battery life. I imagine I'd use Crostini a lot as I'm primarily a Firefox user.
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Nov 30, 2024 04:55
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net work error posted:Is the Pixelbook Go still decent in this day and age compared to current HP/Acer offerings? I'd go with something newer, along the lines of the Acer/Asus ones we were just discussing above.
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Nov 30, 2024 09:35
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net work error posted:Is the Pixelbook Go still decent in this day and age compared to current HP/Acer offerings? I'm still using my original Pixelbook, but I would not recommend that anyone else do that. You are going to have a degraded battery and your AUE date will sneak up on you fast. If you are going to use Firefox as your primary browser on a Chromebook, you are doing it wrong. Crostini is great, but it is still a VM that adds overhead and I personally would not use Firefox as my primary browser on Chrome OS. If you want to have a Chrome OS experience with Firefox instead of Chrome, just get an immutable Linux distro instead. Although to be fair, the Chrome OS web app experience is light years ahead of Firefox's (which has no support on the desktop). Maybe try using Chrome and see how it goes?
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Nov 30, 2024 12:34
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Atomizer posted:I'd go with something newer, along the lines of the Acer/Asus ones we were just discussing above. Costco has a black Friday deal on the Acer b514 with an out the door price of $200 plus tax so I'll be going with that. I'm regards to Firefox + Crostini being an inferior experience I'll give both a try and see which I end up liking more. The Crostini method is less all in compared to Crouton that I used (and did enjoy) back in the day since it was a whole Linux desktop option.
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Nov 30, 2024 16:58
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