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Top 5 myths related to Google Chromebooks
I’ve been reading all of the news coverage on Google Chromebooks. Is it just me or has there been some blatantly incorrect information published about these devices? While I do agree that the computer that is not exactly a computer will experience some growing pains, it would be nice if the Chromebook news coverage would be at least accurate, if not balanced.
Rather than just complain about the bad press, I am going to do something about it. Below are five myths about the Chromebook and my attempt to dispel them.
Myth: Chromebooks only work when connected to the internet.
Fact: When Google Chromebooks ship on June 15th 2011, they will include offline versions of Gmail, Google Docs, and Calendar. At the same time, hundreds of offline compatible applications will be available at the Chrome OS Web Store. Does the Chromebook require some growth in its offline application support? Absolutely. However, to suggest that Chromebooks become unusable heaps of plastic when an internet connection is not available is just blatantly false.
Myth: Chromebooks come with monthly fees and contracts.
Fact: Chromebooks equipped with a 3G radio will come with 100MB of FREE data usage per month, provided by Verizon. This free deal lasts two years from the date of activation. You are not required to sign a contract for this service. If you happen to go over this free allowance, yes you will have to pay for the extra data usage. You also have the option to enroll into one of several data plans being offered for Chromebooks. None of these “pay as you go” data plans require a contract.
Now if you signed up to a “Chromebook for Business & Education” leasing program, there is a monthly fee. The fee is $20-$33/month, depending on the program and equipment you selected. These 3- year leasing plans are not required in order to own a Chromebook. You can purchase a Chromebook in full from Amazon.com or BestBuy.com and encounter no monthly fees or contracts.
Myth: Chromebooks do not have local storage.
Fact: Everyone Chromebook sold will come with local storage. After all, the Chrome operating system has to reside some place, right? The initial set of Chromebooks will come with 16GB SSD hard drives. There’s nothing preventing future Chromebooks models from including additional storage. In fact, the recently released Kogan Agora Chromium Laptop comes with 30GBs of storage space.
A separate but related issue is how well developers will support local storage applications. Only time will tell. However, I think it is in the developers’ best interest to ensure their applications still work when an internet connection is not available. This could be a huge differentiator when consumers are deciding between which apps to use and purchase.
Myth: Chromebooks will not edit Microsoft Office documents.
Fact: You have several options for editing Microsoft Office documents using your Chromebook. They are:
- You can edit Office docs using Google Docs. Google Docs works great for working on Office documents collaboratively with your colleagues. Using Google Cloud Connect, you can sync the Office documents between your desktop and the cloud. Users can even edit an Office doc simultaneously via the cloud.
- You can edit Office docs with Microsoft Office Web Applications at office.live.com. While collaborating on documents isn’t as smooth as with Google Docs, the user experience with Office Web Applications will be closer to that of using the actual desktop versions of Microsoft Office apps.
- You can use a remote access application on your Chromebook to log into your PC or Mac. You can then edit the documents right on your desktop. There are a variety of tools that allow you to do this including TeamViewer, LogMeIn, Ericom’s AccessNow, and others.
- You can use a free app on the Chrome Web Store called Live Documents. It merges the features of Microsoft Office with the collaborative capabilities of Google Docs. It’s currently getting good reviews from folks that have used the app.
Myth: Chromebooks are too expensive, when compared to Netbooks.
Fact: Chromebooks compete very well with Netbooks when you take a close look at the specs. For instance, the Acer Chromebook, the $379 Acer Cromia comes with dual processors, 2GB of ram, a 11.6″ screen with 1366 x 768 resolution, and an HDMI port. Most netbooks in this price range contain only a slower single core processor, 1GB of ram, a 10.1″ screen with 1024 x 600 resolution, and a VGA port.
Yes, you can find many six month old Netbooks discounted to less than $300. These devices either run the 10 year old Windows XP operating system, or they struggle to run Windows 7 Starter with the included 1GB of ram. Once you add a ram upgrade and some virus & malware protection software, you are approaching the cost of the brand new Acer which still has better specs.
Could the Chromebooks be cheaper? Yes! I’d like to see a $300 option available in the next few months. Are they grossly overpriced? Absolutely not! The Acer is priced only $30 more than the popular Asus 1015PEM that shipped nine months ago, yet the Acer has better specs. Even the more expensive $429 Samsung Series 5 Chromebook competes on price. All of the 12.1″ Netbooks that shipped months ago cost more than the Wifi-only Samsung Chromebook. Regarding the $499 Chromebook model, what other device in the market can you add built-in 3G data for only a $70 premium, AND get free data for two years?!?!?!?! Nowhere.
Conclusion
With all of this said, I believe the Chrome OS platform faces some major hurdles. The platform needs more apps, better apps, and better offline support. The platform also faces some stiff competition. There are a variety of established mobile computing options including tablets and netbooks. One important obstacle Google will have to overcome is to dispel the myths mentioned above. The platform can’t succeed if this misinformation continues to go unchecked. Hopefully this article will help at least a little bit.
About the Author
Quincy Darnell is the owner of ChromebookUser.com, a news site and web forum dedicated to users of Google Chromebooks and other Chrome OS devices. Our goal is to be your premier source for everything related to Google Chromebooks.
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