Chromebook - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned, my wife found my old Asus Chromebook yesterday. It was like an old friend returning. 

As a Chromebook it does everything I need in the lounge: browsing, blogging, YouTube, letters, spreadsheets and emails. It is very fast. 

I am using it now.

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon my wife found my Asus Chromebook, that had not been used for about a year. It was like finding an old friend. 

It is blisteringly fast and works really well. I have also downloaded BitDefender (free antivirus) although Chrome is pretty safe and my internet provider also has free antivirus and malware protection.

Chromebook issue? - NOT amateur radio

For several years I have used a Chromebook as my lounge PC. It has been very fast and uploads software and security patches in the background, so none of this "Windows Update" rubbish.

Very recently I have been having issues with the wi-fi disconnecting after a few minutes. Reading up about this suggests it maybe the router needs the latest software patch. So I turned the router off and on and it seems much better. It still seems to lose wi-fi when it sleeps, but is far better than it was.

Would I recommend Chromebooks? Yes, as long as you appreciate it is not a WindowsOS device so you can't run Windows software. Having said that it does just about everything and is blisteringly fast. I have a Windows10 machine in the shack.   I still have to try Linux.

Overall, I remain very impressed with Chromebooks.

Is my software slowing down? - NOT amateur radio

I have had an Asus Chromebook since November 2019 and it has been simply brilliant. It was fast, responsive and did everything I needed. 

The free online support stops soon. In the last few days, it has become noticeably slower. I am wondering if the Chromebook OS has a timer that says after x years slow the machine down to encourage people to buy new machines?

My intention was to check all I need is saved on Google Drive, Google Photos or on a flash drive and then do a reset to factory conditions. I do not think it is bloatware or rubbish.

In praise of Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

For almost 3 years now I have mostly used a Chromebook. It has been truly excellent and does almost everything I can ever want and is blisteringly fast. 

Mine is an Asus and came with a 3yr "at home" warranty. It is an 11.6 inch model with rubber bumpers. The Chrome updates and virus protection are valid until next year, when I shall probably get the latest version. 

It was about a third the price of the nearest Windows machine. The battery still lasts for hours. It really is very good and I have not once regretted buying it.

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

For about 2.5 years I have owned and used a Chromebook rather than a Windows PC. When I first got it, I wondered whether I had made the right decision.  It uses Chrome OS rather than Windows 10 or 11.

It was the right decision, definitely.

It starts very fast, does updates painlessly in the background, and does everything I need for my lounge PC. I have not found anything I want to do with it that I cannot do.  Also, it was far less expensive than a Windows PC and came with a 3 year "at home" warranty. It is pretty rugged too. It runs Linux apps too, although I have never needed to. It can also be used as a touch screen tablet.

I have been extremely pleased with it. Next year I shall probably buy another one!

Chromebook - NOT amateur radio

This is being written on my Asus Chromebook. It has been owned and used for over 3 years. It still has a good battery life, boots up in seconds and does most things I ever need. 

When I first got it, I wondered if I was going to make a big mistake. Instead, it has been brilliant and I have no regrets at all.

WSJT-X on a Chromebook?

My shack PC runs Windows 10.  Currently it is almost exclusively used for WSJT-X.

My main PC in the lounge is an Asus Chromebook that I have used for about 2.5 years. It has been excellent: fast, the battery lasts for hours and it does nearly everything I want. It is also far less expensive than a Windows machine. My wife was also impressed and bought one. I would never go back to Windows. At first I was uncertain I had made the correct choice: I had.

At some point I may want to upgrade the Chromebook. If I do this, this current Chromebook might end up in the shack. Although the Chromebook will run Linux apps, I have never bothered.

Does anyone know how to install WSJT-X on a Chromebook please?

I am definitely NOT a computer nerd, so would need very simple instructions!

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

My Asus Chromebook has been owned for almost 2 years and I have never once regretted it. It has a 3 year "at home" warranty, although I have never had to use it. It will run Linux apps, although I've never bothered. 

If I eventually replace it, I see the new version has twice the RAM and SDD size and is about one third of the price of a Windows machine. It boots in seconds and never once do you have to wait when Windoze is doing yet another update.

Mine can be used as a tablet too and the battery still lasts all day.

Windose - NOT amateur radio

In 2017 I bought a Windows PC. I have just waited and waited as it booted up, installed updates and did its thing. Meanwhile my Chromebook booted up within seconds.

Now, I am aware that the windows machine probably has lots of bloatware and will need a defrag. My question is why? I am totally delighted with my Chromebook. Compared with the Windows machine it is so much better. Comparing the Chromebook and the Windows 10 machine it is "chalk and cheese": the Windows PC is so slow!

If you are thinking about getting a new PC think about a Chromebook.

Chromebook update - NOT amateur radio

In all, I have owned a Chromebook for about 10 months. I wondered if this decision would be regretted, but the complete opposite is the case. The battery lasts all day (it was used several times yesterday and still has over 8 hours battery life left), it boots up in seconds and I have yet to find anything it cannot do. It is brilliant and far better than my Windows laptop. My wife needed a new laptop, so she too has a Chromebook.

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

Late last year I bought a Chromebook. Not a day passes without being very pleased I did. Its battery easily lasts all day, it boots up in seconds,  and it seems to do everything I want.

Yesterday I tried to print a QR code on my Windows PC. Despite several attempts it refused for some reason. Today I tried with my Chromebook and it printed first time.

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

Some months ago, I bought a Chromebook. To say I am impressed is an understatement.

I have created a webpage on my main website. Over time, I may add to this. It does all I ever want and boots up in seconds.

Although mine can be used as a tablet, I have not used this mode yet.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/chromebooks

Chromebook buglet? - NOT amateur radio

Having owned my little Chromebook for about 5 months now, I am so pleased with it. It boots up almost instantly, the battery lasts at least all day, and does everything I want. It beats Windows hands down.

I am aware of just one buglet. When I get a Facebook message I can see the Chrome page headings, but the page remains blank until I reboot the PC. Luckily this is very very quick. I have no idea why this happens.

Update on Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

It is about 3 months now since I bought an Asus C213N Chromebook.

So far, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this was a wise decision. So far everything I want to do I can do. It boots up almost instantly, the battery lasts all day. It is truly stunning.

For most things you can leave Windose way behind. I have still never used the Linux apps! No, this was a first class buy. Oh, and you can use it as a tablet, it has a touch screen and came with a 3 year "at home" guarantee!

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

It is about 6 weeks since I bought a Chromebook. I am a convert!

What amazes me is that I can do everything it seems I could do on a Windows PC, but this is instantly there - no waiting for Windose to boot up, the battery lasts well over a day on a single charge, and I can use it as a tablet if I want to, not that I have.

It is lightweight, small and perfectly suited to my needs. I do not regret buying it one bit.

Chrome OS - NOT amateur radio

As it is a few weeks since I bought a Chromebook, an update is in order. I am very pleased with it. What I can't get over is how it immediately comes on: no waiting - it is just there. I am using it now. For all I want to do in the lounge it is perfect. The battery lasts me all day on a charge. At the moment I have absolutely no regrets at all.

Windows? Who needs it?

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

About 10 days ago, I bought an Asus C213NA Chromebook. It is NOT a Windows PC. Instead it uses Chrome OS.

It is blisteringly fast.  Every time I open the lid it is there in a blink. So far, it has been mainly used for web browsing, but I am not in the least disappointed. At the moment, it has far exceeded my expectations.

It runs Android apps (used) and Linux apps (not used) and the battery seems to last all day. The screen is bright and clear. The laptop has a touch screen and the whole thing can be used as a tablet if need be. It came with a 3 year on-site warranty. It is small and light. Perfect.

Oh, by the way, I am using it to write this.

Pleased? You bet!

Windows or Chromebook?

Our lounge PC is an HP Pavilion running Windows 10. We have had it for several years now (I cannot yet find out when we got it - does anyone know how to interrogate the PC to tell me?) and it is mainly used for web surfing and local picture storage (these are backed up). I am seriously tempted by a Chromebook as I think this would serve this purpose fine. I'd need to add a big memory micro SD card for local picture storage.

I do not run any amateur radio stuff on this PC. I know the Chromebook would not run Windows programs; there may be a way, but I have not looked i.e. a bit like Wine on Linux OS. The advantages of the Chromebooks would be fast boot-up, few viruses (if any), much less bloatware and low cost.

Anyone got any views they'd care to share?

UPDATE 1220z: The BIOS of the Pavilion is late 2016.

More Chromebooks

The new Acer C7 Chromebook on the
www.cnet.com site

A few weeks ago I mentioned the Samsung Series 3 Chromebook which is available in the UK for £229. Now I see there is a new entry, the Acer C7 Chromebook which retails for just £199 here and $199 in the USA. This sports a 320GB hard drive and, like the Samsung, a high resolution 11.6 inch display.

The main drawback (or is it an advantage?) of a Chromebook is that it uses the Chrome OS and depends a lot on cloud based applications, although quite a lot of applications work off-line too these days.

Certainly for a second PC at home and on the move it has to be a good bet.