Wednesday, June 27, 2018
How do you use your Chromebook and Chrome OS Part 1
How do you use your Chromebook and Chrome OS Part 1
Despite a lot of marketing sites and "tech" shills endorsing Chromebooks, Chrome OS is a laughable operating system that doesnt come anywhere near Linux, Windows, or macOS in features and functionality. Saying Chrome OS is your primary driver during a job interview is a sure way of getting rejected for an IT job. Proudly boasting about your Chromebook to Linux and Windows administrators will end in them urinating on your Chromebook. Realistically, youre better off with a mid-range Windows 2-in-1 or even an iOS device in an enterprise environment.
On the other hand, Samsung, Google, ASUS, and Acer are still bullish on Chromebooks and have improved models coming in 2018. As long as the price is right, mainstream users will force themselves on Chrome OS despite its limitations and obvious flaws.
For my part, I use the sturdy ASUS Chromebook C202SA in the following ways:
1. Android, Chrome extension, Chrome OS testing environment - Testers all agree that software testing on hardware is preferrable to a simulated environment. If youre an Android developer, you can check scalability, compatibility, performance, and stability of your Android apps on Chrome OS since it supports Google Play app installations.
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| The Android app Curiosity fails to take advantage of the screen sizes available for Chromebooks. |
The majority of Android apps actually fail to scale or support Chrome OS hardware properly, so a Chromebook is a good place to ensure that doesnt happen.
2. Disposable travel laptop - Most people no longer travel with laptops, preferring to stick with a tablet or smartphone instead, which makes sense since Bluetooth mobile device keyboards are cheaper and lighter than ever. However, if you need a full-size keyboard, extra battery life, or just prefer having a laptop with you on business or leisure trips for writing, social media, or accessing a remote network through a browser, then Chromebooks may fit the bill.
Manufacturers produce sturdy Chromebooks that are heavier but can survive the bump and grind of dune buggies, flight turbulence, and backpacks for camping and hiking. Moreover, losing a dirt-cheap Chromebook in places like Tegucigalpa, Manila, or Delhi to thieves or bullets wont be as financially painful as losing a USD$1200 Macbook.
You can also use a Chromebook during your trip to edit or move photos from your smartphone or digital cameras micro SD/SD cards. Take note, however, that Chrome OS has the worst file manager among all mainstream desktop operating systems, so be careful when transferring files between storage devices.
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| The Chrome Extension Polarr is an excellent photo-editing solution for Chrome OS users, and works offline. |
Note: Chromebooks have the same advantage of the now-discontinued netbooks of the 2000s, although netbooks supported the more powerful Linux for years before deployment of UEFI and Secure Boot, which made Linux installations problematic today.
3. Google Home, IoT, and Chromecast - Google has been steadily releasing their own hardware in a bid for the IoT market. If youve purchased some of Googles home products, or interested in tinkering with Google Cloud IoT, then using Chrome OS can give you an idea of Googles strategy. If you own a device such as the Chromecast Ultra, you can install Google Home from Google Play and control playback and streaming from your Chromebook (though using an iOS/Android smartphone is more practical unless you like multi-tasking).
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| Google Home on Chrome OS casting to a Chromecast Ultra. |
Continued in How do you use your Chromebook and Chrome OS? Part 2
