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bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Man, it's going to be hard for me to resist the sweet sweet OLED screen on the Galaxy Chromebook, but there's just a few things about the design of the device that gives me pause over the Pixelbook. The keyboard obviously isn't going to be as good, no 3:2, and the reports at CES about the screen wobble while typing kinda concerns me. Hopefully the final thing was just engineering sample weirdness because I think I can deal with the rest, but my Pixelbok's screen is rock solid after over two years and i really wouldn't want a wobbly screen.

It would suck to have such a nicely crafted piece of hardware have such a nasty flaw.

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bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Dr. Eldarion posted:

With the OLED, I'd be worried about burn-in...

I'm not. The recent round of screens that have hit notebooks have been tested by a few people and so far nothing. Chrome OS doesn't really have persistent UI elements if you have the bar autohide, so I wouldn't think there would be much opportunity for something to cause a problem.

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 16:17 on Apr 6, 2020

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.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Cough Drop The Beat posted:

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.

Google really really really needs to fix this. This is one of the big reasons why android tablets are still necessary and why ChromeOS can't fully replace them.

This is also a reason why the Galaxy Chromebook is such a waste. No HD support in Android apps let ALONE HDR support which is what you would ideally want to see with an oled screen.

This is also one of the reasons why my XPS 13 2:1 has largely replaced my pixelbook, I can get Dolby Vision with my notebook on Netflix.

bull3964 fucked around with this message at 22:36 on May 19, 2020

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


silence_kit posted:


Lol, I remember complaining about how Amazon Prime Video’s Android app sucked on Chromebook earlier in this thread and how it was indicative of how the Android functionality on Chromebook was poorly implemented and supported.

In a reply to my earlier post, you told me that I was unfairly blaming Chromebook when it was the app’s fault. I guess after using a Chromebook yourself you now agree with me.

That's not a fair characterization of the issue though.

Your issue is that you couldn't get smooth playback of video, period, from the Amazon app and using it to paint the picture that video didn't work properly on the Android subsystem at all while I was pointing out that Netflix worked perfectly fine (still does!) so it was certainly possible for it to work properly, making it an app issue that local playback wasn't working properly.

Basic functionality is completely different from polished advanced features. Hell, two years ago when that post was made most Android phones themselves didn't support full HD playback in Netflix.

I've been using Android functionality since it was a beta channel feature, there's no new realization here. It's also not inconsistent to be perfectly happy with a launch feature but then be disappointed that things haven't advanced since then.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Anyone else with a Pixelbook having an issue with google results being too wide? There's just extra padding that makes the page scrollable left and right (which also pushes my account link in the upper left off the screen).

I've reset everything, Power Washed. Removed extensions. Even tried incognito mode It still is the same. No issue at all on my normal computers or my Chromebook Duet.

It really feels like they hosed something up relating to 3:2 displays.

I can't seem to find anyone else having the same issue and I'm stumped at what's going on.

The only way I can avoid it is by going to 90% screen size and maximizing the browser window which isn't a terrible solution, just odd.

bull3964 fucked around with this message at 17:20 on Jul 26, 2020

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


angryrobots posted:

Says everything is browser based, using flash player.

That's problematic, but not just for Chrome (but especially chrome)

Adobe is stopping the distribution of flash in December and Google has it on their roadmap to remove flash from Chromium in Jan 2021.

Of course, all browsers are dropping support of flash at the end of this year, so this isn't really something that can be worked around easily.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


The Duet is nice, but might be overkill for that role (doubt something that can convert into a tablet is needed). The Lenovo 3 seems like the best cheap option at only $169. The trick is finding one. You may have luck in Walmart, but ordering online is a crapshoot right now.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Are you talking about normal Microsoft RDP? If so, the Android RDP client is basically as good as the PC one and works well with a keyboard and trackpad.

VMWare Horizon Android client works equally well.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Moey posted:

Uhh, I am unaware of a way to use the Horizon Client to RDP into a machine without a full horizon VDI environment.

I run a midsized horizon deployment at work, it can connect via RDP (or PCoIP and Blast), but it needs the rest of the infrastructure. Specifically a Connection server for LAN use.

To be clear, the initial request wasn't clear on WHAT was wanted to be remoted into.

I was just pointing out if the target was Horizon, chromeOS works pretty well.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


If you want to keep the tablet form factor in about the same size, the Lenovo Duet is a good bet. It comes with back cover that serves as a kickstand and a snap on keyboard.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Yay, Acer is making another 3:2 model. Might be a worthy successor to the Pixelbook.

https://www.engadget.com/acer-2021-chromebook-lineup-134546625.html


quote:

More intriguing is an updated Acer Chromebook Spin 713; the company is selling it in both standard and enterprise configurations. This laptop's 13.5-inch screen is in a 3:2 aspect ratio, with a high resolution of 2,256 x 1,504. Given that most Chromebooks (and laptops in general) come with a more cramped 16:9 aspect ratio these days, the extra vertical space is much appreciated when scrolling through long documents or web pages.

The base model includes Intel's 11-generation Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage. All models feature an aluminum unibody with a 360-degree hinge for using the laptop in tablet mode, and Acer rates it for 10 hours of battery. You can fast-charge it in 30 minutes to get four hours of battery life. Finally, it has a pair of USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports along with a headphone jack, HDMI, and a USB-A port. The above-mentioned configuration costs $699.99 and is already on sale at Best Buy, but it sounds like Acer will offer it in other configurations sometime in June.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


I just want a drat Pixelbook successor.

I mean, the new Spin 713 hits all the spec marks and it's a fine device, but it's such a boring form factor.

Just remake the Pixelbook with minimal bezels and updated internals and I would be happy.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


It's a nice little cheap device. It isn't going to win any performance awards, but it's fine for light duty. Screen is fine, just not super bright or saturated.

It's a well valued device.

It's funny though because I just received shipment of the new HP X2 which is this same concept done premium. It's a bit overpriced, but I'm a sucker for premium build quality.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


The HP X2 11 which I mentioned (and I'm typing this on right now) is running the Snapdragon 7C which puts it somewhere around Snapdraon 855 levels of performance. It has 8gb of ram and 64gb eMMC. I wanted something a bit more premium while the same form factor as the Duet.

Like I said, a bit too pricey at $600, but there's a lot of other things about it. It also comes with the keyboard cover and kickstand and the keyboard cover does the surface trick of attaching to the bottom lip to firm up connection and angle the keyboard. The keys actually have very satisfying travel, much more similar to a regular keyboard and there's very nice feedback. It also comes with an magnetically attaching and inductive charging USI stylus.

Two other big things that can't be found in this segment.

1) Fingerprint reader
2) 3:2 screen (all praise 3.2)

It's also a premium metal build. So, it's certainly not for everyone but I don't feel like it's completely out of line for the price, when this thing eventually gets $150-$200 discounts, it will likely be a pretty compelling thing.

Honestly, this thing really feels a lot like a Chromebook Surface which is not a bad thing to be. I'm actually really impressed about how good the keyboard cover is. I always found the Duet on a bit difficult to use.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


The HP 11 X2 has been going on flash sales for hundreds off and while I was a bit lukewarm on it for the full $599 price, $379 is a steal (it was recently $220 off at Best Buy.)

Fortunately I was still in my return period so I was able to get them to price match it for me.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


I'm just going to say again that I would love for there to be a new Pixelbook, exactly the same as the old Pixelbook, just with larger display (by slimming the bezels) and with whatever the newest fastest internals they can put in without need a fan or vent holes.

I can't believe this thing is 4.5 years old and still functioning as well as it was when I took it out of the box. It's still light and thin by today's standards. The construction is still as solid as can be. Even the battery health is still at 93.7% after all this time. Really the only thing that shows its age is the SLIGHT yellowing of the palm rests.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


I think my Pixelbook bit the dust :(

It's always been a little wonky sometimes about coming out of sleep mode after a long time, but this time no amount of key combinations seems to wake it.

If I plug it in, the light on the opposite side of charging it in blinks red slowly (the light on the side where I charged it in stays dark.

Refresh and power button causes the light to flash white briefly and then it goes back to what it was doing. I tried the routine of having it plugged in, pressing and holding refresh and power for 5 seconds and then unplug while holding, wait 10 seconds, and then plug it back in again.

4.5 years, it would have been nice for it to last until end of support. I'm half tempted to crack it open and see if maybe replacing the battery will do something, but I just checked battery health not long ago and it was still above 90% so I'm not so sure. I also don't know how worth it it is to dump $70 on a battery and all the annoyance of trying to replace it for another 2 years of software support.

I have enough other devices to use that it doesn't really matter that it died, but it's been one of my favorite pieces of hardware.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Maneki Neko posted:

Author John Scalzis pixelbook died and then randomly started working again after 2 weeks so I guess maybe don't give up quite yet?

https://twitter.com/scalzi/status/1529224998359281665

Yeah, I'm hoping. Not that I use it much anymore since the screen bezels are so huge, but I still really like the thing and hate for it to die before updates are done.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Maneki Neko posted:

Author John Scalzis pixelbook died and then randomly started working again after 2 weeks so I guess maybe don't give up quite yet?

https://twitter.com/scalzi/status/1529224998359281665

As of today, a month later.

IT LIVES AGAIN!

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


drat. Hopes dashed for a true Pixelbook successor.

https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/12/23348999/google-pixelbook-canceled-team-shut-down

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


I'm much of the same mind. I'll probably have a cheapie chromebook 2:1 to kick around for times when I want to bring something a bit more computery but don't really want to bring something expensive along (I have the HP X2 11 right now that fits that role), but I don't know that I'll be buying another premium chromebook. For one, the main thing I like about ChromeOS is the instant on with very minimal battery standby drain and I get that now with my MacBook Pro 14. For second all the premium chromebooks out there now are just traditional clamshells or convertibles with none of the design flair that made the Pixelbook special.

It was a powerful fanless/ventless device that was extremely thin and light with a 3:2 screen and a distinctive industrial design.

The HP Dragonfly chromebook is superior in every metric, but it just feels so traditional notebook so I don't have any enthusiasm for it.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


The price tag doesn't really bother me too much, it's just a matter of it wouldn't make me interested enough in it to use it frequently.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


The real thing that pulled me away from Chromebooks is ARM macbooks. I'm not generally an apple person and for a lot of stuff I don't really like how MacOS behaves. However, my main use case for a Chromebook was to pick it up when I wanted a full keyboard and/or full browser, do my thing, close it, and then put it on the shelf again for the next time I would need it. Instant on, instant sleep, next to zero standby battery drain.

And, well, ARM Macbooks will do exactly that. The Macbook Pro 14 is way overkill for that, but I was too enamored with the screen to walk away. But if you start playing in the near $1k space, it's hard to deny that a M1 Macbook air won't be a better fit for personal use even if all you use it for is chrome.

But for me, I can go weeks between charges on that Macbook Pro with intermittent use and while it does have fans, I never hear them. It's like a slightly thicker Pixelbook replacement for me.

If google would have came out with a Pixelbook gen 2 that looked exactly like the old model just with minimal bezels and a 12th gen intel, I would have tossed money at that so fast. It remains one of my most used and liked tech purchases. There's just no real replacement that hits the same unique design premium points.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Chromebooks don't have limitations if they aren't limiting what you do.

I don't really mean that in some philosophical way, I'm being literal. Outside of games, my computers are basically just browser runners. My work computer that's issued by my company of course does a lot more, but my personal computing use cases aren't all that complex.

So, if from a pure computing perspective, chromebooks are equally meeting needs as any other operating system, what's wrong with wanting something premium feeling?

That's kinda the whole thing around chromebooks like the Pixelbook. Devices for people who enjoy using ChromeOS who want a premium feeling device.

That's also why something like the Dragonfly don't quite hit the mark. They are premium devices to be sure, but they are built for the enterprise market so their premium is slanted toward being a fast a durable work device which isn't quite the same as being a premium consumer device.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


So this is an interesting development.

https://frame.work/laptop-chromebook-12-gen-intel

I may jump on board here. I was looking for an excuse to support Framework and this appeals to me.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


I'm really curious if they will provide a tool to flash firmware between the ChromeOS version and Linux/Windows. Aside from the keyboard (which can obviously be swapped), the hardware should be the same.

ChromeOS tool out of support or bored with it and then install Linux or Windows on it.

They do have this blurb


quote:

Since the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition chassis is compatible with Framework Laptop Mainboards, there is always an upgrade path available if you want to move to a different OS or processor in the future.

But I would hope you don't have to use a whole new mainboard to switch OS.

bull3964 fucked around with this message at 18:00 on Sep 21, 2022

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Yeah, further on in the details they seem to really indicate that if you want to run Linux, you use Crostini. Otherwise mainboard swap.

Still though, not a bad value proposition assuming this stuff continues on because the last gen i5 main boards are just a little over $300 or so. So it really seems like you could swap it to a linux/windows mainboard down the line for a few hundred bucks.

I ordered one. The deposit is refundable so not much to lose there. They aren’t shipping till December.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Framework has also said that Google has committed to 8 years of updates for the Framework Chomebook. That's pretty drat nice considering that you can keep the thing running and feeling like new that entire time. I would imaging that 12th gen i5 will have plenty of power for years to come and if you want to get crazy with bonus stuff, you can take the thing all the way up to 64gb of ram.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


I think the problem is you are conflating "premium" with "high core spec". Yes, there are overlaps due to margins on components, but the idea is people want a "premium" device.

I would sooner buy an 8gb i3 chromebook with an aluminum unibody, color accurate bright 3:2 screen, biometrics, 1080p webcam, haptic trackpad, and excellent keyboard for $1000 than I would buy some plastic thing with mushy keyboard, 1080p 16:9 250nit screen but packing an i9 with 32gb of ram for $499.

They both DO the same stuff and the cheaper one is more technically capable, but they aren't going to offer the same overall experience.

Granted, there's lots of stuff in the middle and there are a lot of excellent devices in that space if you want something that's put together well enough to last the 8 years. But some people want an XPS or MacBook experience when using ChromeOS and saying just use an XPS or MacBook really isn't solving the problem because that has you using Windows or MacOS.

Now, I'm guilty of that myself since I have an XPS 13 Plus and a MacBook Pro 14, but that kinda proves the point when I'm still searching for a Pixelbook replacement despite having those two.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


The Framework Chromebook is starting to hit reviewers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvF8jzmuJmM

Nothing too surprising, mostly just an unboxing for now. It does seem though that it doesn't include biometrics and it's unclear if the $30 biometric add on will work with ChromeOS yet.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Atomizer posted:

Nice, and today I just got the notification that they're preparing our batch for shipment.

Yup, I did too. Looks like they are going to start shipping next week.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


My Framework Chromebook shipped! Don't have an estimated arrival date yet since it shipped directly from Taiwan, but hopefully it will arrive sometime next week.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Yeah, mine says Dec 9th delivery. However, it's already at the local FedEx place so maybe it'll arrive tomorrow.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Framework Chromebook has arrived and I'm typing this on it right now. First impressions are good, but I'll have to use it a bit before I have any real thoughts. I do think this will make a nice successor to the Pixelbook even if it isn't passively cooled.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


Ok, so far the Framework Chromebook is mostly great. Haven't had really any hitches with it and it checks all the boxes of premium performance and good build quality. For ports, I bundled with it two USB-C, one USB-A, and one HDMI.

My only complaint is the screen. Not the panel itself which seems to be fine. It's punchy, high contrast, all around great. It's the fact that they didn't even attempt to do any sort of antiglare coating on it. It's not just the screen is glossy, it's THE most glossy screen I think I've had in a while.

If I put it side by side with my XPS 13 Plus, both have glossy screens. However, the reflections in the Framework screen are much more defined and brighter. Dell obviously puts some anti-glare coating on the screen that dampens the reflections of even a glossy screen that just isn't present on the Framework screen.

It's not a deal breaker by any means, but I wish they would have put a bit more effort for that bit.

Battery life seems to be around 7 hours which isn't class leading for a Chromebook, but still pretty drat nice for something that has an i5-1240P in it.

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bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

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


ChromeOS is getting 10 years of update support.

https://9to5google.com/2023/09/14/chromebook-10-years-updates/


quote:

Starting next year, Chromebooks released from 2021 onwards will get 10 years of updates “after the platform was released.” The Auto Update Expiration (AUE) was last boosted in 2020, with Google touting that a decade is “more than any other operating system commits to today.”

Google will also give existing owners (and IT admins, like schools) of Chromebooks released before 2021 the option to “extend automatic updates to 10 years from the platform’s release when they receive their last automatic update.”


Makes me even happier I bought the Framework Chromebook.

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