Real World Stats Show Chromebooks Are Struggling 250
recoiledsnake writes "The first real world stats for Chromebooks show that they're struggling to have any traction in the marketplace. In its first week of monitoring worldwide usage of Google's Chrome OS, NetMarketShare reported that the percentage of web traffic from Chromebooks was roughly 2/100 of 1 percent, a figure too small to earn a place on its reports. The first Chromebooks went on sale in June 2011, nearly two years ago, with Acer reportedly selling fewer than 5000 units in the first six months and Samsung selling even fewer. In the past three years, Chromebook sales have been worse than even three months worth of WindowsRT sales. Perhaps users are heeding Stallman's warning on Chromebooks. We previously discussed reports of Chromebook topping Amazon sales, selling to 2000 schools and wondered whether QuickOffice on ChromeOS can topple Microsoft Office." I find ChromeOS good in some contexts (any place that a browser and a thin layer of Linux is all you need), but the limitations are frustrating — especially on hardware that can run a conventional Linux as well as Google's specialized one. We'll watch for developments in the Google hardware world at next week's I/O conference.
Give up (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
But that's the point of the thing. It would be like telling Apple "Give up and stop making iOS, just license Android instead." Sure, it might very well be the best move, but it's completely against the effort that went into creating the thing in the first place, and if you take such a drastic switch you might as well just create a completely different product anyway.
Re:Give up (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah but a laptop with no offline capability is like having a thin client that does not work half the time - which is exactly the issue with Chromebooks. It'll make a bit more sense if it was a stationary unit that always had a steady and fast Internet connection.
Re: (Score:3)
Yeah I doubt Stallman deserves any credit for this. More like:
1) I can run chrome on a netbook.
2) I can't run Windows/Linux/OSX on a chromebook.
So... why spend more money on a product which lets me do less?
Re:Give up (Score:4, Interesting)
Of those three, you can run Linux on a chrome book.
Actually, that's the only thing even vaguely tempting me to get one, seeing as the netbook makers went nuts proceeded by a market collapse.
My eee 900 is getting very old now, and there's nothing currently which fits into the same segment as it did 4.5 years ago.
Re: (Score:2)
It would be like telling Apple "Give up and stop making iOS, just license Android instead.
It would be nothing like that. iOS sells tens of millions every quarter and generates billions in revenue and profit. Why should Apple give up? Meanwhile, without the subsidy from the ad profits from Google search, Chromebooks will fail and be immediately discontinued.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Correct. It would be more likely telling Samsung to stop selling Androids, and just resell iPhones instead, which is much more profitable.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
It would be like telling Apple "Give up and stop making iOS, just license Android instead."
Other than the fact that iOS is very successful and ChromeOS isn't. So not really like it at all.
Not the best move (Score:2)
Sure, it might very well be the best move
Removing choice from a market is never a best move.
Especially when you are the only other major alternative.
But even with Chromebooks, it's of value to promote the idea of basically a thin-client laptop, rather than just letting the market be only composed of more full featured hardware.
A lot of the value is being one of the people defining what a market is made of.
Re:Give up (Score:5, Interesting)
We're in a market of change right now. And unless the whole use [purpose] is new, using a new OS will be hevily resisted.
This is why Android is increasingly popular. Users don't have a full set of expectations defined and so there is nothing to compare or contrast or to give up or lose or miss out on. Well, that's not entirely true -- Apple iOS devices are kind of a comparison, but the things which are exclusive to iOS are becoming fewer to be sure. And as far as I, personally, am concerned Android devices do more for me than iOS. (I can run software which interfaces with my car over bluetooth! That's pretty cool stuff I can't do with iOS unless the device is jailbroken.)
Anyway, I think Chromebook is a dumb idea. It should have been an Android book. People will be more accepting of it and all that. The fact that there is this "computer thing" that doesn't quite do what people expect is confusing, frustrating and disappointing. But people have expectations formed about Android and might be excited to have an "android device with a keyboard." :) It's all about the angle of approach isn't it?
Re: (Score:2)
my car has a USB port. i connect my iphone and can play music from the phone or streamed from one of the many services. at the same time it charges the phone so that if i'm using a navigation app at the same time it doesn't run down my battery
what does an android phone do in a car that an iphone doesn't?
Re: (Score:2)
I think the program GP has in mind is Torque (that can read OBD 2 data and do many other things).
iphone lacks the serial port profile for bluetooth so it's quite a sure bet it can't do that.
Re: (Score:2)
Odd.
I mean, a quick search through Appshopper brings up many OBD-II reader programs.
Dash Command [appshopper.com]
Dyno Chart [appshopper.com]
Rev [appshopper.com]
and dozens of others (ignoring the ones that don't use an OBD-II reader and are merely databases).
and here are some iOS compatible readers:
Kiwi 2 Wifi [plxdevices.com]
OBD Key [obdkey.com].
Yes, most of them use wifi instead of Bluetooth. While
Profile not required (Score:2)
iphone lacks the serial port profile for bluetooth so it's quite a sure bet it can't do that.
Anytime you see someone bet an iPhone "cannot do that", you can be sure they are wrong.
In this case you are wrong because there are quite a lot of OBDII readers for the iPhone. They just use other means of getting data out of the port than Bluetooth 3.0. WiFi is one possibility, BTLE another (since no registration of bluetooth protocols is required for BTLE on iOS).
Re: (Score:2, Redundant)
There are numerous iPhone apps that provide OBDII support. They just use Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth as the means of talking to the reader.
In the future, I'd expect these sorts of devices to use Bluetooth LE (and apps to use CoreBluetooth) because of the battery savings.
Re: (Score:3)
About a billion things. Apple gear is so hamstrung its silly. I know because i have a full Apple set (2011 mac mini, ipad 2, iphone 4s) . This was my first step into Apple gear and the limitations are ASTOUNDING. Even OSX is a bit of a joke, cant even CUT and paste files. Cant direct delete without going to the command line. The biggest problem Apple faces right now is the platform is just too locked down. They are going to have to loosen up or Android weirdo use-cases will consume their market.
The first bolded sentence is just wrong (though the method of cutting+pasting files is obtuse, it's there). The second one doesn't make sense, but also sounds wrong.
I agree, though, it would be nice if Apple opened up more.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Shift-Command-Option-Delete immediately empties Trash, if that helps. Not that having to use Trash gets in the way. Its really easy to use in combination with Command-Delete.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
You could make an Automator script that deletes .Trashes when some event occurs (mount).
Re:Simpler things (Score:4, Insightful)
i'm a technical user and OSX is a pain in my arse.
"it's just like linux - it has a proper terminal" i thought when i got my mac.
yeah... still punching at it to get it halfway as usable as apt-get install.
Chromebooks are like tablets ... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Agreed. For most use, I need my a larger laptop that is the replacement for a desktop machine. For some things, or when traveling, it's more convenient to have a laptop that can be carried in one hand and that weighs a lot less. Chromebooks are not useful for the first use case, but they are for the second.
Re: (Score:2)
Problem is, Chromebooks are crappy laptops - they have a laptop formfactor (not a tablet one) which makes them inconvenient to use
Re:Chromebooks are like tablets ... (Score:5, Interesting)
Problem is, Chromebooks are crappy laptops - they have a laptop formfactor (not a tablet one) which makes them inconvenient to use in say a living room when you want to surf on the couch (the keyboard gets in the way).
I actually find the keyboard helpful. It can act as a base to keep the screen upright. When using a tablet I sometimes have to precariously balance it or hold it with one hand. Overall I'm unsure as to whether one or the other is better for browsing, they both seem fine to me. Its email where the chromebook seems to have the edge, typing can be awkward while balancing the tablet. If I am somewhere where I can let the tablet stand on its own and I have a flat surface for a bluetooth keyboard the tablet is a win. But tablet + bluetooth keyboard can be a bit pricey compared to a chromebook. Yes, I am focusing on the sub $300 chromebooks, I don't understand the $500 to $1,000 chromebooks, just get a laptop at that point.
As a laptop, they're awful locked down things that pretend to act like a regular laptop ...
They pretend no such thing. Being locked down is one of the desirable features of this *complementary* product (again, not a replacement for a laptop). One can hand the chromebook to a guest and not have to worry about it picking up malware, unlike your regular laptop. One can set one up for that relative that only want to browse and email and not have to worry about malware.
In short, the chromebook is just an appliance, and for some situations that is probably the better option. People who think chromebooks are replacements for laptops are severely misinformed, well, except possibly for the segment that literally wants nothing more than web browsing and email.
Utterly unlike tablets (Score:2)
Chromebooks are like tablets.
That is totally wrong.
You are only saying that because of the surface issue of processing power.
But in reality tablets are the ultimate expression of a stand-alone computing device that enjoys being connected to a network but where almost nothing requires it (mostly because of spotty mobile connectivity issues).
Meanwhile a Chromebook can tolerate being disconnected from a network for a short while but is designed to breathe network 24x7. It's pretty much assuming that it's goin
Tablet v Chromebook is entirely different topic (Score:3)
Chromebooks are like tablets. [They are generally complementary products for desktops and laptops, not replacement products.]
That is totally wrong.
You are only saying that because of the surface issue of processing power.
No. You should really read that second sentence, it explains why chromebooks are like tablets. Its not about use cases, its about complementing a regular desktop/laptop not replacing it.
Tablet vs Chromebook is an entirely different topic. Each has use cases where one or the other is the better option.
Re: (Score:2)
Doing better than.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, it's atleast doing better than the following:
Nexus Q
Google Wave
Google Buzz
etc.
Not long before it might go the way of the Google Reader and get scrapped.
Re:Doing better than.. (Score:4, Funny)
What? They scrapped Google Reader? I had always meant to try that someday. I need to get around to trying out a Chromebook someday too...
However, I'd wipe it and install Debian, so the web stats wouldn't be counting me anyway -- Hold on, doesn't that mean the traffic graphs are more about ChromeOS adoption than that of a Chromebook? It's not like installing Cyanogen makes my Nexus not a Nexus anymore...
Wait just a damn minute. Did we just comment on observations of statistics?! Well, the whole things moot then isn't it? 100% of those I've polled agree.
Re: (Score:2)
100% of those I've polled agree.
You can't divide by zero. x / 0 != 0.
Re: (Score:2)
100% of those I've polled agree.
You can't divide by zero. x / 0 != 0.
He asked his cat.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
You should go back in time and enjoy the year when the iPhone allowed only web development. Good times*.
*(Not really good times).
Re: (Score:2)
I don't get why Google isn't leveraging Android here.
Because Android ain't a Desktop UI.
Typo in summary (Score:3)
In the past three years, Chromebook sales have been worse than even three months worth of WindowsRT sales.
Should read "in the past two years". Sorry for the typo.
I quite like mine. (Score:4, Informative)
Light weight, fast enough. Good web browsing experience.
I wouldn't have it as my only computer, but over all I think it will make one heck of a good momputer.
Re:I quite like mine. (Score:5, Informative)
Very easy to run Chrombuntu on and then it makes the best laptop I know of for that price.
Re: (Score:2)
I bought it as a toy, but I decided I would use it as is for a while before I started hacking.
Re: (Score:2)
Chrombuntu
Gesundheit.
Re:I quite like mine. (Score:4, Interesting)
Thirded...installing chrUbuntu takes it from a google-leashed mostly-useless toy into a really reasonable, cheap minilaptop. I'm quite happy with mine...as long as it's running linux, not chromeOS.
Re: (Score:3)
I had considered doing the same thing with a pixel. Just to get a nice display on a linux laptop. Not a lot of decent laptop displays out there. Pretty much that and a Macbook Pro.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
We got one (a Samsung) for my mom to use, and she likes it. I like it because my tech support requests went way down after purchasing, though it does seem to take a while to connect to a network on resume, which leads to some frustration. She also says it doesn't give any warning that the battery is low, but I haven't verified this. Sounds like a big oversight if true.
Re:I quite like mine. (Score:5, Informative)
I wouldn't have it as my only computer, but over all I think it will make one heck of a good momputer.
Give this man a prize, he hit the nail on the head. Momputing is where it is at.
After having to perform the drudgery of familial tech support for years, this thing makes my life a breeze. It is simple and straightforward for my mom to use. Currently it has a smaller attack vector cross section due to the smaller user base making it currently "safer" for mom to use with regards to malware. If it does get compromised or the OS gets corrupted, it is easy to reset to a clean state without having to do time consuming reconfiguration. If it actually breaks, her stuff is in the cloud so it is as simple as buying a new chromebook and having her login and she is good to go.
My mom has been using the $249 Samsung Chromebook with the solid state memory and mobile processor for about a month now and loves it. It has an added benefit of being light and (due to the mobile processor) requires no fan and doesn't get hot on her lap.
I could also see value in this as a living room/guest laptop, but have not tried that.
Re: (Score:3)
Give this man a prize, he hit the nail on the head. Momputing is where it is at.
Absolutely. But poor sales of ChromeBooks suggest that's not the right product for momputing.
Moms like iPads and iPhones.
Re: (Score:2)
I wouldn't have it as my only computer, but over all I think it will make one heck of a good momputer.
Mom has been using a computer since the mid-eighties or early nineties and is making her own choices.
Really? (Score:4, Insightful)
Perhaps users are heeding Stallman's warning on Chromebooks.
You're joking, right? Please tell me this wasn't actually a serious statement...
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
I think invoking Stallman at all is something of a joke these days.
Re:Really? (Score:4, Insightful)
I came here to say that too. That's just plain ridiculous. No average normal consumer checks what Stallman's opinion on something was and then decides not to buy something.
But its not entirely implausible that users are deciding against Chromebooks for some of the same reasons as Stallman. I mean, I wouldn't buy a chromebook for many of reasons Stallman railed on them, but until I looked it up today in response to this article I didn't actually know that he'd gone on the record about chromebooks at all.
Re: (Score:3)
Here on Slashdot, they're probably not joking - but that's a demographic that's an even smaller slice of the real world than Chromebooks are of theirs.
Re: (Score:3)
It's worse than that:
Hint: when writing Slashdot summaries, make sure the sentence you'e writing isn't directly contradicted by the previous one.
Umm...who cares about QuickOffice? (Score:3)
>> whether QuickOffice can topple Microsoft Office
Isn't the real battle Google Docs vs. Microsoft Office?
Re: (Score:2)
There's no battle going on. Google Docs is nowhere near Microsoft Office. If there is a battle, it's only on the Google side.
Re: (Score:3)
There's no battle going on. Google Docs is nowhere near Microsoft Office. If there is a battle, it's only on the Google side.
Depends on what you're doing. If you collaborate with others Office is nowhere near Google Docs. Office has far more features, but Docs has the stuff most people need most of the time and the access-anywhere and slick real-time collaboration features are very powerful.
(Disclaimer: I work for Google, but Google doesn't tell me what to say.)
My Figures (Score:3)
Just checked the logs for a site I run. Over 375,930 unique visitors 81 were using Chrome OS. That's what 0.024% I think. Which is the same as the reports figures.
Can you print from Chrome OS btw?
Re: (Score:2)
Can you print from Chrome OS btw?
https://www.google.com/cloudprint [google.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Re:My Figures (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
They killed my parents. It was one of those hit and run trees too!
Wait... what? (Score:5, Informative)
Chromebooks have been topping the Amazon sales charts [extremetech.com]. Clearly TFA's numbers are bullshit because you don't top Amazon by selling less than 5,000 units.
X is dying. Slashdot confirms it. One of the oldest trolls that still works.
Re: (Score:2)
amazon doesn't sell a lot of laptops. why would anyone buy a laptop from amazon when its the same price from best buy?
Re: (Score:2)
Why would anyone willingly spend money at Worst Buy when there other stores or online stores. The only time I shop there is when I absolutely have to have something immediately (not merely want it) and there is absolutely no other choice. Happened only once in the last six years.
Re: (Score:3)
because you can go and look at the product
i was going to buy my wife a MacBook Air and went to look at it. bought a MBP because the Air's screen is a lot worse
same with Wintel laptops. you need to touch it. i use a Lenovo for work and would never buy it for myself because of the crappy touchpad. worst touchpad i have ever used
paper specs don't make the product
Re: (Score:2)
Showrooming. Look at it and then buy it cheaper online.
Re: (Score:2)
why would anyone buy a laptop from amazon when its the same price from best buy?
Because best buy is freaking awful.
More to your point though, I'd be interested to see some stats on total number of laptop+nettop+ultrabook-apple units moved by the two (the grouping is because those categories blur the lines far too much, and apple sales don't matter in this case). There's a very good chance best buy outsells amazon on laptops, but I wouldn't be surprised if the figures are pretty close
Re: (Score:2)
and amazon is not? their warehouse workers are suing them now because amazon makes them wait 30 minutes in line after their shift ends for a security check. they work in 100 degree heat in the warehouse so amazon can save some money on cooling bills
Re: (Score:2)
They're not Apple, so you won't find many people here interested in stories of how they abuse their workforce.
Re: (Score:2)
Interestingly, I bought two Chromebooks at Amazon recently because the Chromebooks had tax on Amazon and then +shipping and the base price is exactly the same. It helped that I had a $20 card for BB I needed to offload anyway.
I like the Chromebook for its purpose. Which for me is to have a browser and SSH. If only had VNC also on the Samsung one, it would be complete.
Re: (Score:3)
being inside a Best Buy is horrible, obnoxious loud music, annoying staff, limited selection of computer and tech wares that targets a market demographic bell curve centered on teenagers
Re: (Score:2)
I think both stats could be right: people are buying them, and then wiping them to install something useful. It's not the chromebook that's failing...it's chromeOS that people don't want.
Re:Wait... what? (Score:4, Insightful)
Chromebooks have been topping the Amazon sales charts [extremetech.com]. Clearly TFA's numbers are bullshit because you don't top Amazon by selling less than 5,000 units.
X is dying. Slashdot confirms it. One of the oldest trolls that still works.
Submitter here. The 5000 figure is from the first 6 months of sales from June/July 2011.The Amazon sales charts numbers are from January of this year. Also, not many folks buy laptops from Amazon, so topping the sales there is nothing big.
Re:Wait... what? (Score:5, Informative)
Chromebooks have been topping the Amazon sales charts [extremetech.com]. Clearly TFA's numbers are bullshit because you don't top Amazon by selling less than 5,000 units.
X is dying. Slashdot confirms it. One of the oldest trolls that still works.
Submitter here. The 5000 figure is from the first 6 months of sales from June/July 2011.The Amazon sales charts numbers are from January of this year. Also, not many folks buy laptops from Amazon, so topping the sales there is nothing big.
OTOH, total sales so through Q1 of 2013 are purportedly in the 500K [bgr.com] range. Certainly not a Windows killer yet, nor even an OS X competitor, but 100X more than 5K.
Re: (Score:2)
So your stats are two years old, and newer information clearly show that they are now hopelessly out of date. Your argument is that if you had submitted the story two years ago it would be been relevant and somewhat accurate.
At best you suck, but a cynic might think you were trying to mislead us and bolster your claims. Have you compared web traffic from other well selling laptops? Of course not, you can't because the web server just sees a generic Windows machine.
Where is your evidence that "not many folks
Re: (Score:2)
First, if the numbers were any good, Google would be bragging about them instead of hiding them. That shows how badly they're selling. Because of this, we have to use the numbers we can get. If you have any better metric, let me know.
Second, if you hadn't failed reading comprehension, it says right there in the summary that the 5000 figure is from 2011 from the first six months of selling them.
Also, the Nokia Windows Phones were bestsellers on Amazon, so you're arguing that they sold really well?
http://tech [techcrunch.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Clearly, you're ignorant or stupid because you ignored the disclaimer in the next paragraph:
Re: (Score:2)
crappy hardware (Score:2)
The whole netbook thing came and went already. The biggest problem with the Chromebook is it's got a tiny 12" screen. At that size, I'd rather just use a tablet. For doing any actual work, a 15" screen is pretty much the minimum. I know, I've been using a netbook for occasional travel and configuring IT equipment at the office for the last 4 years. While not terrible, it's hard to type on the shrunken keyboard and the screen is frequently too small to view the window I'm trying to work in without stuff
Re: (Score:3)
The whole netbook thing came and went already.
Yes, and I lament its passing. The thing is look at what happened.
ASUS eee 701: Very small, very light, very very cheap, decent build quality.
ASUS eee 900: Same size, very light, very cheap, decent build quality and actually quite capable.
Up until this point netbooks did ver well.
Then the rot set in.
Next they got a little larger and a little heavier.
The came the hard drives and bigger batteries to match and lower build quality to keep the price doen and bigger
Tablets... (Score:3, Insightful)
Between Tablets, eReaders, and smart phones why would anyone want a crippled Chromebook laptop?
My thought is that most people who are in the market now for a Laptop are looking for something more capable to do work, etc. For everything else they are using tablets or smart phones.
Re: (Score:2)
For web stuff, my Chromebook is better than my tablets or phones. And much cheaper than my workhorse laptops, though obviously it's not going to replace a real laptop anytime soon.
Re: (Score:2)
My chromebook is faster, easier to use, has better battery life, and has a much better screen than my smart phone or my kindle fire. Also, both of those have to be rebooted occasionally. Not sure if I've ever done anything but put the Chromebook to sleep. It really was a smart purchase.
i-opener/cuecat all over again (Score:3)
Hardware loss leader, designed to make money on the backend either via servies or advertising deals to the manufacturer. Instantly hacked to be more or less useful, thereby negating the business model which produced it.
Imagine the day you're booted off Google (Score:5, Interesting)
Google is a wonderful company, and their products are useful and seductive and beautifully interlinked. But they're free to use and you're not the customer. And every day a certain number of people have their Google account blocked, for one reason or another, and find that there's no recourse to Google to fix that. In fact, there's no customer service department at all.
Examples on the internet of this are easy to find:
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/open-letter-to-google-why-have-you-taken-away-my-google-gmail-accounts/7873/
http://classicsynth.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Get-Disabled-Google-Account-Back
Now imagine that this happens to you, and your laptop has just become a paperweight. And this time, you've paid for it. Hmmm.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
What a load of FUD.
Google is a wonderful company, and their products are useful and seductive and beautifully interlinked. But they're free to use and you're not the customer. And every day a certain number of people have their Google account blocked, for one reason or another, and find that there's no recourse to Google to fix that. In fact, there's no customer service department at all.
Examples on the internet of this are easy to find: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/open-letter-to-google-why-have-you-taken-away-my-google-gmail-accounts/7873/ [searchenginejournal.com] http://classicsynth.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Get-Disabled-Google-Account-Back [hubpages.com]
If they're so easy to find, why did you post only one, from 2008, who was locked out for only 15 hours? Your second just said that Google might temporarily disable your account if they suspect it's being attacked (hint: you probably want them to disable it in that case) and that Google will offer you some account recovery options.
Now imagine that this happens to you, and your laptop has just become a paperweight. And this time, you've paid for it. Hmmm.
Not true. You can still log on to your Chromebook and use it as a web browser, including whatever you need to straighten out your account problem. You just won't
Re: (Score:3)
FUD? I don't work for the competition. In fact I am pretty dependent on Google services, and this is a source of anxiety for me. This is real concern for me. You, on the other hand, sound real defensive and like you kinda might work for Google or someone making Chromebooks.
I posted the two links I posted because I couldn't find the really dramatic ones I had seen before, and didn't feel like spending time searching for them. They're out there. But my point stands. If your Google account is blocked, i
they are great for people who don't do much (Score:2)
Apple products are used by people who are welded to them. Conventional Linux laptops too, but with a smaller number of users. I suspect chromebooks are used by people who just want to use Facebook and gmail, so they won't show up on statistics that netmarketshare looks at. These users simply don't use the wider internet much.
I would speculate about the habits of Windows users too, but I don't know anyone who uses Windows.
I think its a cool idea in principle. (Score:2)
There is something awesome about a thin client experience where everything you need is in the cloud/central datacenter. My only problem is I wish someone would just come up with a server side software suite taht I can buy and put on a server of my choice. Even though I consume almost all of google's services individually, theres something strange about giving up local storage/control to a third party.
But who knows, maybe in 50 years we'll all be on $10/month Google PCs that are free/inexpensive to buy.
Chromebooks in the Classroom (Score:2)
ChromeOS is DOA (Score:2)
The solution is simple: drop ChromeOS, and replace it with a version of Android that has some modifications and optimizations for the desktop. That gets you a much larger base of available apps right out of the box.
VPN (Score:2)
What is a chrome book? (Score:2)
My friend was one of those lucky winners who won a chromebook when Google was giving a bunch away. He used it for all of two hours until he shelved it and I think he sold it. In his words "It was useless" and "What the fuck is it even for?" I wonder why Google even decided to create a chromebook in the first place. What market is ChromeOS trying to fill? Netbooks? Dead market. Laptops? People use them as desktop replacements and want to run a real OS, not a toy OS. Why would anyone want a Chromebook when ta
Linux only (Score:2)
Who runs ChromeOS anyway? (Score:2)
I'll bet a large number of buyers are installing a more usable OS like Chrubuntu, or even some generic distro.
The Problem with chromebooks. (Score:3)
I have a Samsung Chromebook and frankly, they are great for someone that just wants to check email and the web without worrying about viruses or tablet browser issues (such as flash or mobile site issues) but there are some things that make them a near impossible sell to people such as seniors.
1) Printing. I'd have sold 100+ chromebooks by now if they could plug in a USB printer and print out of the box. Google Cloud Print simply doesn't cut it here. Without a Cloud enabled printer, you're still tied to a PC.
2) Price. Try selling someone who is not computer savvy a $250 web browser. Seriously try it. In fact. Here's your two laptops. (I'll save your sanity and not dare mention the Chromebook Pixel).
HP Windows 8 Notebook [walmart.com]
HP Chromebook [walmart.com]
I guess you could start with the chromebook is going to be faster with no viruses, but they're going to ask you about printing, and if it plays their old games, ETC...
Re: (Score:2)
I think the general consumer needs to know who Stallman is. I seriously doubt they do.
Re: (Score:3)
As far as android/win8 or iOS, I do not even want to consider one of these without a touchscreen.
Re: (Score:2)
it isn't even plugged in
A metaphor for the people at Google who thought it would be a success.