Anytime I pull out a Chromebook in a professional setting, colleagues and friends are dumbfounded how a tech geek like me would "settle" for a browser only thin client. People are downright shocked when I pull out my $1200 Pixelbook.

Why would I buy a "browser only" device when I could use a Windows or Mac device that can run the Chrome browser but do so much more?

Chromebooks can't run apps

If you are reading this article, there is a good chance you are not a millennial that grew up with iPads and smartphones. For you, a personal computing device (Windows, Mac or Linux) needs to run native apps. I'm here to shock you but Chromebooks (ChromeOS) devices do and do it without requiring dual-booting.

Chromebooks run Android apps. Most modern Chromebooks can easily install and run most Google Play store Android apps. The list of Android app capable devices is extensive and growing daily (list).

The most common Microsoft Office apps for Android (Word, Excel and Powerpoint) run surprisingly well on Chromebooks.

Chromebooks will run Linux apps. VentureBeat first reported this and it was later confirmed during Google IO 2018. Goole's Chromebooks will be able to run native Linux applications using the built-in container technology (without dual-booting or emulation).

Chromebooks will run Windows apps. CrossOver has a Chromebook app that will allow users to run Windows-only apps (like Quicken and Microsoft Office) on a Chromebook without needing to install Windows.

Truth is that most users, will not need any of these functionalities most of the time. With a little updating of your work structures, you will likely be able to work on a Chromebook 98% of the time without needing to run Windows or Linux apps, but it's nice to know you can.

As an example, I switched to Polarr for my photo editing and it does everything I need. It is affordable, cross-platform and worth like a charm on Chromebooks. If you are looking for a very good password manager, you can use the Steve Gibson approved LastPass.

Chromebooks are slow

You get what you pay for. When you compare dollar for dollar a Chromebook will always be fast, more reliable and more secure than Windows, Mac or Linux. The comparison most people late is a $1000 Macbook to a $250 Chromebook. That simply isn't a fair comparison. Chromebooks have become the defacto educational devices because they are very functional even at the low end of the scale.

When comparing machines with comparable pricing, the Chromebook will always be faster.

I bought a $350 Acer C720P in 2013 (5+ years old) and it :

is still fast when running Chrome
receives regular updates from Google
is always kept secure by Google

I have 3+-year-old ($600-1000) Dell, HP and Lenovo Windows machines that have become slow and painful to use.

My Pixelbook goes from powered off (not sleep but totally off) to ready to log in, in 5 seconds.

Chromebooks are useless without an internet connection

I am convinced much of what you do (on your PC, smartphone or tablet) is internet based. As an experiment, try turning off WIFI (or cellular connectivity) for 1 day and see how dependent you really are.

When the CR-48 came out (first Chromebook test unit from Google), it was nothing more than an internet connected thin client. This hasn't been true for a long time though.

Google's most popular services (Gmail, Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc) are all offline enabled. The Google Chrome Web Store even has a page dedicated to offline apps.

Add to these the millions of Android apps and you can do just about anything offline these days. The Chromebook actually has an advantage over competing platforms here (Windows or Mac). As an example, on a traditional laptop, I can't download Netflix content for offline consumption whereas I can with the Android Netflix app running on a Chromebook. Since Chromebooks are power efficient, this becomes an excellent offline and disconnected media consumption platform (aka planes).

Chromebooks barely run Android apps

For better or worse, Google makes many of its experiments public. It is true that Google has made multiple attempts to bring Android to Chromebooks (ChromeOS) and that most have failed. If you tried running Android apps on a Chromebook even a year ago, you may have thought it was a slow and painful experience but not anymore. It still isn't perfect but for those unique occasional needs, the current setup more than satisfies that functionality itch.

I have tested Android apps on a Google Pixelbook, Acer Chromebook Flip C302 and a Samsung Chromebook Pro and the apps worked great on all of them.

Chromebooks have no local storage

Not sure how this started but all Chromebooks have local storage. My Pixelbook comes with 250GB of lightning-fast SSD storage (similar storage capacity to my MacBook Pro Retina). For content that is only occasionally accessed, you can store it in the Google Drive cloud and access it as you would a local file. The Chromebook "file explorer" integrated Google Drive for easy access.

Chromebooks can't print

Chromebooks support both local and network-based printers. For most users, you will plug in your local printer via USB and it will automagically work (if it is a recent printer). When shopping for a new device, why not opt for one that is Google Cloud Print ready? All major manufacturers support Google Cloud Print, including but not limited to : Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Kyocera, Lexmark, Sharp, Toshiba, Xerox and more.

Chromebooks don't have any antivirus protection

This comment comes from Windows users that have been trained to install antivirus products on all of their devices.

Remember that ChromeOS (the operating system powering Chromebooks) was designed to be secure from the start. As an example, it uses techniques like process isolation to keep you safe. Most manufacturers say that Chromebooks do not need antivirus products because :

ChromeOS is updated every 6 weeks
ChromeOS is designed with an application and process sandboxing framwork
All data on a Chromebook is encrypted by default

So let's extend the question and talk about Chromebook (ChromeOS) security. Why do most security professionals choose Chromebooks as their personal device of choice? Why do security professionals bring Chromebooks to the world's most tech hostile conferences (blackhat, defcon, shmoocon, etc)?

The answer is that Chromebooks are more secure than any other traditional computing platform (including MacOS). How?

Automatic updates - Google pushes a ChromeOS update every 6 weeks that all devices receive immediately (regardless of where you bought your Chromebook from and the manufacturer of the Chromebook). These updates add functionality but more importantly they fix security issues.
Sandboxing - Each web-page and application on a Chromebook is isolated from every other web-page and application using a technique called Sandboxing. If you visit a malicious web-page, the malware cannot infect other tabs or the computer itself.
Verified Boot - If magically threat actors manage to exploit a vulnerability and "jump" out of the sandbox to infect the boot process (to ensure they infect the device every time it restarts, The verified boot process will detect this and it will automatically repair itself. Every time a Chromebook boots, it checks itself and if it detects that the boot process has been tampered with, it fixes itself without any user intervention.
Data Encryption - Using tamper-resistant encryption (a local TPM chip), all local data is encrypted with a user key which means it cannot be accessed by other users or by threat actors if stolen.
Recovery Mode - If anything does go wrong with your Chromebook, you can use a special keyboard combination (differs by manufacturer to enter a special recovery mode that brings back a fresh, clean version of ChromeOS in minutes and with no user intervention. All your data and settings are stored in the cloud so as soon as you log in, your personalizations and settings will all automagically come back.

Conclusion

This article could have easily been 5 times longer, but I believe I captured the most important concepts. If you haven't tried a Chromebook in a while, I encourage you to take a look. Remember that no single device meets everyone's needs, and a Chromebook is no different. I believe Chromebooks are THE alternative for most general computing users and even some individual edge cases (like us crazy security people).

Remeber that you get what you pay for. Don't expect a $200 Chromebook to perform like $1200 MacBook. Compare a $1200 Google Pixelbook to a $1200 MacBook, and now you have a fair comparison.

Dell Chromebook 11 is the best chromebook you can buy

June 27, 2014technologyEdward Kiledjian

There are about a dozen different Chromebook models (from different manufacturers) each offering something a little but different. After comparing all the current models, I believe the Dell Chromebook 11 is the best bang for the buck. Unfortunately this model isn't offered in all regions (as an example it is not listed on Dell's Canadian site).

“An important note is that Google will be updating ChromeOS to allow the execution of Android app in ChromeOS which means you may need a touchscreen device eventually. At this point Google did not provide any timelines. The Dell Chromebook does not have a touchscreen but is still the best buy today based on the current version of ChromeOS.”

What is a Chromebook

Many of you found this page knowing what a chromebook is, so you can skip to the next section. For everyone wanting to know what a chromebook is, read on.

A typically Windows computer requires a Windows license, malware protection and constant updates. A couple of years ago, Google realized that many users had migrated from a traditional PC use model, where everything was running locally, to a web-centric model, where everything is running on the web.

When I switched from a Windows machine to a Mac last year, I realized just how much of my day to day computing is actually done in the cloud (Evernote, Google Gmail, Google Docs, Google Photos, etc).

To support this new computing paradigm, Google created a brand new operating system called ChromeOS. It is a specially designed Operating System built on Linux specifically to run the Chrome browser. There are many benefits to this new computing model but the first one most people think about is cost. And yes, ChromeOS Chromebooks are cheap but:

ChromeOS is lightning fast - Because ChromeOS is stripped down minimalist and small footprint OS, many manufacturers use small solid state drives in their chromebooks which means boot time is incredibly fast. Fast because of the SSD (solid state drive) and fast because the operating system is small and lightweight. It is very common to see a Chromebook book completely from a shutdown state in under 10 seconds.
No user maintenance - Most people want their computers to be like their toaster... They want it to "just work", A traditional PC (Mac or Windows) requires maintenance to keep in tip top shape but ChromeOS does not. ChromeOS is as maintenance free as a device can be. In an extreme case where things have gone awry, just use the built in "Powerwash" feature and your device will perform like new. All your data is in the cloud, there is nothing to backup, nothing to save and nothing to lose. Updates to ChromeOS are automatic and pushed by Google without any user intervention.
ChromeOS is more secure - A Windows or Mac computer requires a slew of security oriented applications to keep you safe and to protect your data. Google designed ChromeOS with a "Defense in Depth" approach which means there are multiple layers of security built-in.
- Google keeps your device constantly patched which means any vulnerabilities are automatically and very quickly patched
- Each webpage or web-app is sandboxed (meaning it is logically separated from every other instance which means one webpage or web-app cannot attack or steal data from another webpage or web-app).
- If malware somehow manages to get installed and modifies ChromeOS to steal information, it will be detected and removed. Everytime a ChromeOS device is booted, there is a "Verified Boot" checker that verifies the integrity of the installation. If anything is modified, the device will automatically PowerWash itself and bring itself back to a known good state without any user intervention

Who shouldn't use ChromeOS

As amazing as ChromeOS is, it isnt the magic bullet and not everyone will want it. ChromeOS is designed for an always connected world. Google is making many of the functionality offline compatible (like Google Movies, Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc) but a ChromeOS device will always be happiest when it is connected to the big beautiful internet.

Chromebooks are internet terminals and as much most devices come with super fast but small SSD drives (16/32GB). You won't keep your entire photo collection locally.

Some always on the move people may need to buy a 3G/4G capable Chromebook which costs more and requires a carrier data plan.

ChromeOS was built as an internet access device and as such doesn't run apps locally (I know you can hack a version of Linux on most devices but that isn't something the average user will do). As a result, you won't be able to use your "normal" desktop apps like Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, etc. The truth is most users can get along just fine with the free web alternatives but they just need a kick in the pants to try them. I switched from Microsoft office to Google Docs at home and haven't looked back. It does everything I need for home use, is free, fast and always available from any browser. I also like Apple's new web-based Pages wordprocessor (which does work on a Chromebook).

Google Free Chromebook googies

Google is always offering free goodies to make your Chromebook experience better like Free Google Drive storage, Free Gogo in-flight WIFI vouchers, Free Google Play Movie vouchers, etc

Google has setup an interesting page entitled "How to get Chrome Goodies for your Chromebook" that you can checkout for current offers (link).

What to look for

When shopping for a Google ChromeOS compatible Chromebook, you should be evaluating these different elements:

Build quality and durability
High quality and responsive keyboard & mouse
Connectivity options and stability
Longest battery life possible
Large, bright and sharp display
Light and easy to carry

I've listed the elements in the order of importance (according to me). The Dell Chromebook meets everyone of the above elements. It has a one of the best Chromebook keyboard currently available. The keys keep solid and clean when you press them. The keyboard layout is reasonable and the trackpad responsive.

Even though the device is all plastic, it feel solid and well built. It doesn't flex or crack when you use it.

The Dell Chromebook 11 supports 802.11 a/b/g/n for WIFI and Bluetooth 4.0. In my testing, the WIFI connection never dropped and WIFI performance was comparable to other much more expensive Dell laptops. The Dell Chromebook does not have 3G/4G connectivity options but I would rather tether my cell phone anyway instead of buying an additional dataline from my almost monopolistic always expensive carrier.

Dell claims battery life of 10 hours and my tests came up just shy of that number with very active use. I was typically getting 6-8 hours of solid use but this may be because of a ChromeOS bug rather than hardware issues. Every other Chromebook also performed well under the manufacturer stated limit. Dell was actually one of the best battery life performers. Hopefully Google will improve battery life through future software updates.

All of this in a reasonably small package weighing in at a mere 2.9 lbs.

Dell markets this Chromebook as a student device but don't let that fool you, this is currently the best general purpose Chromebook in the market.

Whereas some lesser Chromebooks are noticeably and sometimes annoyingly slow, the Dell Chromebook 11 always felt zippy. My wife is a perfect example of a typical web user and always keeps dozens of tabs open (I typically have 3-4 at any given time). On most Chromebooks (HP, Toshiba, Acer, etc) switching tabs (when 20-30 are open) take 30-45 seconds and older tabs have to be redrawn. The Dell Chromebook 11 never suffered any of these issues. Switching tabs is fast and pleasant. For webpages with active content like Java, the Dell Chromebook 11 was almost twice as fast as the slowest models (Samsung and HP). This speed is directly attributable to the hardware specifications (Intel Haswell based Celeron 2955U processor, 16GB of very fast SSD storage and 4GB of RAM). Dell chose an excellent configuration for this device making it snappy and responsive like a device should be.

From an expandability perspective, the Dell Chromebook 11 has 2 USB 3.0 ports and an SD-card slot. The SD-card slot means you can load content and use while disconnected (pictures, music, etc). Great addition for a 16GB device.

So the Dell's screen is good but not the best. The screen itself is respectable and outperforms most other Chromebooks but the IPS one on the HP is just that much better. The Dell's screen is also glossy which means it has smaller viewing angles and reduced visibility in bright sunlight.

Like anything else in this price range, you will need to hookup an external Bluetooth speaker to get anything worth writing home about. I have this same complaint for traditional laptops even some costs close to $2000. The Dell Chromebook 11's speakers are weak but so are those in most laptops anyway (except those in my beloved Macbook pro which rock).

Eventually we may need a touch enabled Chromebook once Google allows Android apps to run in ChromeOS but at about $300 a pop, that future requirement shouldn't influence your decision to buy today.

HP to sell Google Apps to small and medium business'

June 12, 2013technologyEdward Kiledjian

Now that HP seems to have stabilized its business and it will be sticking with the small and medium business market, it seems to be looking for new ways to generate revenue. AllThingsD is reporting that HP will start selling Google Apps to this market.

"HP has become a Google Apps reseller and will package management tools with its PCs, printers and other IT gear. One extra thing that HP brings to the table is some management software that will simplify setup."

It seems Apple will wrap the "standard" Google offering with its hardware, software and services to deliver a distinctive service. This is another attack by the sultant of search against Microsoft's Office offering.

The CBC Chooses Google Apps Over Microsoft 365

Chromebooks are great and here are some myths you might believe