Bloatware Pushing Me to Chromebook

[marko]

+1 and no Bloody Mary here.... yet.

Starting a little early today marko? What the heck... it's 5 o'clock somewhere.

Yeasshh a littttttle early. (Hick!) Flying back from Florida for a few days as we speak and needed a pick me up. (Actually typing this from 30000 feet)

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[tmm99]

I've wanted one for a while, but since I maintain the family MacBooks, iPads, and we have Android phones, and I have an Android tablet, and I run Linux on my computers, I wasn't sure I needed another OS in the house!

But if Chromebooks can run Android apps, that might trigger me. It bothers me that I can have some convenient apps for my phone/tablet, but can't easily use those same on my computer (like 'mobile deposit' of checks - my computer has a web cam, but no go).

I guess the Chrome Browser (but not the totally open Chromium browser) has some sort of support for Android apps, have not tried that yet.

I'll say it again, though I'm a big fan of Linux, I think a Chromebook makes a LOT of sense for someone who just wants to open the box and have browser and email w/o installing an OS (even though Linux is usually pretty easy to install, it's not as easy as opening a box and pushing the power key), and w/o having the baggage of MS Windows.

If the support for Android apps is good, and touchscreen and a fold-able keyboard can be had at a good price, I think I'll get a Chromebook when I'm ready to replace/upgrade my tablet.


-ERD50

Nothing can replace my iPad, or iPhone, but I was thinking of a Chromebook as a replacement for my Windows 7 laptop (which doesn't need replacing yet though, although the camera is shot, but I don't need the camera. I will never go to Windows 7 on this since it works so much better/faster than Windows 10.). Anyway, I use my main laptop (I have another one and it's Windows 10) to do spreadsheets, write emails/posts, etc (faster than doing it with touch pads) and finance related work. I do want a separate mouse (so much faster for me to navigate) - but it looks like that should be no problem (at least one USB port). Chromebooks sound less hassle with malware and boatware, light weight and more durable, and CHEAP. Who could say no to that (especially for my needs)?

 

[mpeirce]

I know it's pricey, but I really enjoy using the MacBook I picked up last year. It's only 2 pounds, has an awesome screen, and does everything I need it to do when I travel - mostly run the same apps I have on my iMac.

I've been using the iCloud documents folder, so I can access the same files I have on the iMac.

The iPad is better for games and video, but not for more traditionally cumputer type activities for me.

 

[TromboneAl]

Our power went out in the storm that just killed the Drive-Through Tree.

So, we drove to Starbucks, and I planned to get writing done using Lena's old Win 10 tablet + my Bluetooth keyboard.

Went fine for 20 minutes until it stopped communicating with the keyboard. Googling showed me that thousands of people have the same problem, and there are many complicated solutions, some involving registry key editing, etc. My fixes led to more problems. Three hours later, I finally got it working (but never figured out how).

I think one of the troubleshooting wizards fixed it, but pretended nothing was wrong. It will probably happen again.

IOW, a typical Windows problem. I need it for my writing software, but I'd love to be done with Windows.

 

[GravitySucks]

Sad to see any of those big trees go down, though obviously you lose some every year.
I get frustrated with Windows too, but 98% of the time I'm on my phone or iPad. Maybe I'll move to cChromebook when the laptop dies.

 

[marko]

Just a few caveats on Chromebook (but we still love ours regardless; it's the only computer format we have).

1)You can work offline but mostly you need a WiFi connection

2) Your MS products ('Word','Excel' etc) need to be converted to Google Docs and Google Sheets. It's done with the touch of a button and are almost identical and work just great. You can even re-convert it to MS (.xls) [edit: .xlx] if you need to but for my personal use I haven't used Excel in three years now and I'm a huge spreadsheet user.

3) You cannot use downloadable software like TurboTax. You have to use the online browser versions, which I've found to be just fine and a small price to pay for otherwise great functionality. Google Play has tons of apps and what they call 'extensions' that will mirror MS/Apple programs.

FYI

4) As noted there is a change coming where Android apps will soon/now run on Chromebook which will change the landscape yet again in Chromebooks' favor.

 

[tmm99]

2) Your MS products ('Word','Excel' etc) need to be converted to Google Docs and Google Sheets. It's done with the touch of a button and are almost identical and work just great. You can even re-convert it to MS (.xls) if you need to but for my personal use I haven't used Excel in three years now and I'm a huge spreadsheet user.

Nice write-up, marko!

Just to add.... I don't have a chrombook, but it looks like OpenOffice works too (I currently have OpenOffice installed on my PC and that's what I use over Google sheets for the most part...) but it is not free (or is it if you just launch it instead of adding it to Chrome?), so I guess I will have to go back to Google sheets if I buy a Chromebook...
https://www.rollapp.com/chrome

 

[Lsbcal]

...
4) As noted there is a change coming where Android apps will soon/now run on Chromebook which will change the landscape yet again in Chromebooks' favor.

This should mean that one can still use their Excel files on a Chromebook without converting. On my Nexus 7 tablet (2013) I have an Excel app from the Google Play Store. I use that for to look at some of my Excel files developed on my Windows 10 desktop. Comes in handy for files like vacation planning.

 

[marko]

This should mean that one can still use their Excel files on a Chromebook without converting. On my Nexus 7 tablet (2013) I have an Excel app from the Google Play Store. I use that for to look at some of my Excel files developed on my Windows 10 desktop. Comes in handy for files like vacation planning.

It's possible. Wait and see. For me, I"m already quite happy with the Google Sheets/Docs format having converted to them when my MS laptop crashed three years ago and I said "never again!" and went 100% to Chromebook and Google.

 

[Lsbcal]

It's possible. Wait and see. For me, I"m already quite happy with the Google Sheets/Docs format having converted them when my MS laptop crashed three years ago and I said "never again!" and went 100% to Chromebook and Google.

I use Google Sheets for simpler spreadsheets I want to carry around on my phone and tablet. It's very nice but the formatting seems to be buggy at times. It's free too.

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm having to spend more time on tech support than I'd hoped.

Setting up cloud print is messy, and I can't even definitively say that our mfc j870dw is compatible with Google Cloudprint.

I want to be able to change users in the Chrome browser, but all the articles/help I've seen says to click on the user name at the top right of the browser window, but there is no user name there. Only minimize, restore, and close icons.

 

[marko]

I'm having to spend more time on tech support than I'd hoped.

Setting up cloud print is messy, and I can't even definitively say that our mfc j870dw is compatible with Google Cloudprint.

I want to be able to change users in the Chrome browser, but all the articles/help I've seen says to click on the user name at the top right of the browser window, but there is no user name there. Only minimize, restore, and close icons.

I'm assuming your using a C'book and not just the Chrome browser

Try clicking your icon/photo in the LOWER right, then click on it again as a larger tab pops up and you should see 'sing in another user'

Under 'settings' (click the three dots on the top right) and 'advanced' there's a set up for Cloud Print...it sort of walks you through the set up

 

[TromboneAl]

Thanks, Marko.

I got the cloudprint going via a tech support call to brother.

I think you've shown me the problem regarding the user. I'd thought I could change user in the Chrome browser without changing the whole Google user, but I see that's probably not possible. That's only possible in the Chrome browser in another OS.

 

[TromboneAl]

The reason I couldn't get CloudPrint going?

The IP address given my the printer was

010.010.010.xxx (using xxx for privacy).

So, I entered that into the browser address bar and it failed.

Turns out, I needed to enter:

10.10.10.xxx

Sheesh.

 

[target2019]

You could try this with an old computer and see if you can convert it to a Chromebook - sortof.. maybe...

How to Turn an Old Laptop Into a Chromebook with CloudReady

I've begun this on a Dell Inspiron D630. Old as dirt!
Finding a Flash Drive between 8 and 16GB was a minor challenge.
The download and decompression is took about 5 minutes.
Building the flash drive with ChromeOS is taking a bit over ten minutes.
Have to read a little to see how to boot from the flash drive. I know the BIOS is old, but the system is on the approved list.

 

[target2019]

I've begun this on a Dell Inspiron D630. Old as dirt!
Finding a Flash Drive between 8 and 16GB was a minor challenge.
The download and decompression is took about 5 minutes.
Building the flash drive with ChromeOS is taking a bit over ten minutes.
Have to read a little to see how to boot from the flash drive. I know the BIOS is old, but the system is on the approved list.

Posting from faux chromebook!
I tried to install for dual boot, but that did not work. May have been short on disk space.
So I went for standalone install, meaning the hard drive was erased. Didn't need that old nasty Windows Vista anyways.

 

[target2019]

Posting from faux chromebook!
I tried to install for dual boot, but that did not work. May have been short on disk space.
So I went for standalone install, meaning the hard drive was erased. Didn't need that old nasty Windows Vista anyways.

Amazing what an old system is capable of doing. No internal camera, so I installed and tested an old Cisco webcam, and then an MS Lifecam. After installing the Camera app, I was able to capture still shots and video.