I just purchased a LiteBook. ( https://alpha.store/ ) ChromeBook like form factor and price, but full Linux (Elementary OS). I'm typing on it right now.
I was following them on the news and found it an interesting piece of hardware. I *was* going to take a wait-and-see attitude, but then I saw how nasty the Linux trolls were treating these people and I voted with my wallet. Two weeks later, and my white LiteBook with the hybrid ssd+harddrive system arrived.
The purpose of this thing is to be my "walking around laptop". Just like I used to carry "walking around money" back in the day that people actually carried money. I was tired of carrying around my $1,300 development laptop when I just wanted to check emails or watch how-to YouTube videos in my wood shop. This $269 machine fit the bill.
The good:
1. Full Linux 2. Decent keyboard 3. Decent performance 4. Decent weight 5. Decent trackpad
The bad:
1. Trackpad buttons suck (but I'm a mouse guy so I use a travel mouse anyway) 2. Celeron processor gets hot under about 25% of the case. Real hot. 3. No "trackpad off" button? 4. So far unsuccessful to get external monitor working via the micro-hdmi port
So far, I like it. I can take it to work and not worry about bringing in my sensitive files. Thumbs up. Maybe not two thumbs up, but thumbs up, nonetheless.
-Kevin
On 04/06/2017 09:33 AM, Ted Roche wrote:
Not Fox, Not even Windows, but interesting tech I thought I'd share.
As Family Area Network SysAdmin, I set up and support machines for a couple of relatives.
One was interested in browsing and broadcasting free movies from archive.org and slideshows and personal files to his TV. I set up a Google Chromecast and picked up an inexpensive refurbed ASUS Chromebook 15 from NewEgg ($130).
Essentially, the laptop is a 16Gb SSD running Chrome OS and Chome browser. No Windows to infect and update and "have you turned it off and back on" tech support. Decent screen 13x7 and 15" decent audio, HDMI and 2 USB3 ports. Supposed 12 hour battery, and 802.11ac wifi. ChromeOS has some decent accessiblity features that display extra-large cursors and graphics and some zoom and magnify features for those with limited vision.
Yes, everything you do is transmitted to Google who use it to target you with ads.
Added EFF's Privacy Badger and HTTPS Everywhere to the browser.
Can't run Windows apps locally, but there are some RDP solutions as well as web-based, of course. Could run Linux if you really wanted to, but for this use case, this seems like a pretty sweet consumer machine at a very reasonable price.
Bonus Google Hangouts means video phone calls and screen sharing (also in Chrome Remote Desktop) for tech support.
Anyone else using Chromebooks? Good or bad experiences to share? Warnings on things to avoid?
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