Chromebook Review Day 1

Chrome, Chrome OS

Over the past 24 hours I have been using my Chromebook exclusively. I want to share my initial thoughts.

Chrome Web Store – User Experience Negative

  1. Significantly Lacking Compelling Apps
  2. Many of the Apps simply do not work on Chromebook
  3. Unable to tell if App is Chromebook ready on website
  4. Site Navigation sucks

Samsung Chromebook

  1. For a $500.00 Laptop it still feel underpowered
  2. Lid needs to bend back farther
  3. Switched fast between Wifi and Verizon Wireless
  4. Amazing Batter Life
  5. Touch Pad ok but still a bit hokey
  6. Boot Speed Amazing
  7. Have not figured out how to use HD camera

Chrome OS

  1. Feature sets Feels Half Baked.
  2. No way to do screen captures.
  3. Printing is a pain to setup.
  4. File Management System Feels Half Baked.
  5. Javascript Crashes periodically.

I showed of the Chromebook to at least 20 people today and all felt it was more powerful than a iPad but severely laking apps. It is obvious to me that most expected it to be more like a smartphone and that the majority of the folks have expectations set for capabilities similar to iPhone and Android.

I am sure that I am being overly critical at this point, but Google has had a while to get their act together on this. While I am sure they will close the gap, there is a huge opportunity her for app developers to easily get to the top of the leader board if they design a Chromebook specific application.

As much as I am complaining, I will likely use it a lot more than my iPad simply because it has a keyboard and I can type faster with a keyboard and the browsing experience is better than the iPad by a long show.

 

About Todd Cochrane

Todd Cochrane is the Founder of Geek News Central and host of the Geek News Central Podcast. He is a Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee and was one of the very first podcasters in 2004. He wrote the first book on podcasting, and did many of the early Podcast Advertising deals in the podcasting space. He does two other podcasts in addition to Geek News Central. The New Media Show and Podcast Legends.

2 thoughts on “Chromebook Review Day 1”

  1. short, sharp

    this is how reviews should be written. I am a google fan ( i have realised) and will probably buy a chromebook since the concept is right. have no doubt the app store will build, and that offline storage will be implemented.

    but now I at least know what to expect. respect

    /j

  2. I don’t think you’re being overly critical. One of the reasons people follow your show is because they know you won’t gloss over problems just because a device is new and shiny.

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