- Style: Wi-Fi
- 11.6 inches Display
- Samsung Exynos 5250
- 2 GB DDR3L RAM
- 1.5W Speaker and 0.3M Integrated Camera
- Processor: 1.7 GHz
- RAM: 2 GB
- RAM Type: DDR3 SDRAM
- Hard Drive: 16 GB
The New Samsung Chromebook
You can easily share it with multiple people- switching accounts takes seconds, and everyone gets their own files, apps and settings. And it's simple to use. There's no setup, and your files are automatically backed up in the cloud. At just 2.4 pounds, 0.7 inches thin, and with over 6.5 hours of battery life, the Samsung Chromebook can go anywhere you go. It's built to stay cool, so it doesn't need a fan and runs silently. It also includes 100GB of free Google Drive storage (for 2 years), a built-in webcam, and dual band Wi-Fi to make it easy to connect to wireless networks.
For Everyone. The Samsung Chromebook is a new computer that helps you get everyday things done faster and easier. It starts in seconds, has virus protection built-in, and runs your favorite Google apps plus thousands more. The Chromebook comes with leading Google products, like Search, Gmail, YouTube and Hangouts, so you can work, play, and do whatever you want, right out of the box.
- Boots up in 10 seconds, resumes instantly and loads web pages blazingly fast.
- The new, faster computer that keeps getting better and better.
- Built-in apps and thousands more from the Chrome Web Store.
- Save your stuff safely in the cloud and never lose another file or photo.
- Multiple layers of security
- so you don’t need to install anti-virus software.
Automatic updates
Chromebooks automatically update themselves: all of your apps stay up-to-date, and you get the latest version of the operating system without having to think about it.
Portable, powerful, cooler
The Samsung Chromebook's dual core processor delivers exceptional performance and battery life in an ultra-slim package. And unlike traditional computers, it has no fan or moving parts, which means it stays cooler on your lap and runs silent (no humming, unless you're listening to music).
Get started without the setup
Chromebooks require almost no setup, so you can go from unboxing to doing in minutes. Unlike other computers, you don’t need to spend hours installing patches and software.
Stay connected in-flight
With your Chromebook, you can get online at 10,000 feet with free Gogo in-air internet passes. Your Chromebook comes with 12 free passes (estimated $150 value) that you can use over 2 years on domestic US flights.
More storage in the cloud
With 100GB of free Google Drive storage for two years, you can keep all of your apps, documents, favorites, and settings safe and securely accessible from anywhere. You don’t have to bother downloading and installing any applications onto your hard drive.
Collaborate on documents
Create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and drawings with apps like Google Docs, Zoho and SlideRocket. With productivity apps, you can collaborate in real-time with others, access your documents from any computer, and have your files backed up automatically. Access other everyday files using the built-in PDF and document viewer.
Oversized, multi-touch touchpad
You can enjoy better control using a large multi-touch touchpad With a glass coating and image sensor it provides a stylish and convenient way to use your Chromebook.
Full-sized keyboard designed for Chrome
The keyboard is optimized for Chrome with a dedicated search key, a row of web-enabled keys, and a comfortable, full-size layout that doesn’t cramp your fingers.
Simply more flexibility
The Chromebook has a range of ports, including HDMI and USB 3.0/2.0 ports, to enable greater flexibility for sharing data and multimedia playback. Its unique hinge design makes it easier to connect all of your peripherals.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
A very good computer with a few drawbacks at a very good price
By Lance Haun
Style Name:Wi-Fi
My background: I'm a gadget geek but I'm not super devoted to any platform. I do love Google's web products but never used their hardware. My laptop is a 13" MacBook Pro and my desktop is a Mac Mini that runs both OS X and Windows 7 (I spend more time on Win 7 these days). I have an iPad (3rd gen) and Motorola Droid Razr Maxx along with a docking station. My wife has a Win 7 ultrabook, Kindle Fire HD and Razr Maxx, all of which I purchased for her.
I'm an editor for a web-based publication so my usage is primarily writing and some light (very light) image editing. I've done most of my writing on Google Docs for a long time because it automatically saves and I hate writing directly into the CMS. We also use Google Apps Business for e-mail, calendaring and doc sharing so that rocks.
The last thing I need is another computer but Chromebook called to me. A couple of reasons:
- The docking solution wasn't great. The keyboard was crap, my phone got unusually hot and interacting with the CMS was hit and miss with the phone OS. It was good for e-mails.
- An iPad with a keyboard is garbage. I've tried it and hit the same issues. It is just clumsy for my primary work. I still travel with an iPad because it is light and its battery is a rockstar and can do in a pinch.
- The laptop is fine but it is a beast to carry. I just got back from a week-long jaunt to three conferences and I think my shoulder is broken from my shoulder bag.
- I love my phone and tethering has been a lifesaver. No complaints.
Okay, enough background. Now to the actual review.
Unboxing wasn't particularly impressive but I don't really care. Standard laptop box with the laptop, an AC adapter and Chrome sticker. I plugged it in and it was at about 75%. Now about an hour later, it is nearly charged.
When I pulled it out of the box, it almost felt like a laptop that didn't have a battery in it (remember that?). Anyway, it feels solid closed up. I don't have any problem throwing this in my engineer's bag and feeling like it will get screwed up. The AC adapter is your standard black box with two cords.
I opened up the lid and it started immediately. It asked me to connect to my wifi connection and then proceeded to download the latest update of the operating system (version 23 according to the info in Chrome). After a quick reboot, I put in my Google credentials and it loaded everything I use in my Chrome browser normally, including my apps and bookmarks.
Opened up, the build quality showed a few weaknesses but nothing major. There's a little give on the keyboard and palm rest. I didn't feel any problems holding the laptop from its corner. It feels very solid overall. The thing to remember, of course, is that I came from a unibody MacBook Pro so take that for what it is worth.
The keyboard blew my expectations away. I figured it would be fairly cramped and that my typing speed would suffer. I figured the action wouldn't be very good either. But, coming from a MacBook Pro chiclet keyboard to this was a cinch. I feel very little difference in typing speed or accuracy. This was really a big deal for me. I tried the HP Mini a few years ago and it was awful. A few millimeter difference is it.
The trackpad is very good though not as top notch of a comparison as the keyboard. It is very Mac-like in using it. The two finger swipe gestures, right-clicking, dragging, etc... it all operated like I expected. I'm a tapper, not a clicker so that may have something to do with it. It doesn't seem like it is quite as accurate or response as the MacBook Pro but still very good.
The screen isn't great but it isn't a dealbreaker. For text, it performs adequately but not spectacularly. For video, it is quite adequate, maybe above average but again, not fantastic. The screen brightness isn't what it could be, I feel like it is a tick or two off what should be standard brightness. But, I am also used to glossy screens and even with the brightness, the matte screen seems to do okay. I work right next to south-facing windows and even though we have no sun here in Seattle, it gets fairly bright and it seems good in these conditions. The viewing angles aren't going to impress anyone but it works for me.
The speakers seem to be pretty good and loud enough. They are optimal for use on a desk rather than a lap though as the sound gets muffled a bit by clothing. I put on Pandora One and the sound through my nice $100 studio headphones sounds pretty good with the top volume topping out just right. Using my Apple headphone/mic combo, it worked well in a hangout. One thing is that the headphone jack seems very tight.
I hit my first snag when I tried to do HDMI out. It didn't seem to work. Then I read a bit more and got it to work with the Ctrl+Full Screen and that seemed to do it. Depending on your monitor, your results may vary. It actually looked great on my LCD TV (including sound) but the resolution needs to be adjusted. It didn't look good (ironically) on my Samsung 21 inch monitor. There might be some settings I'm missing on either side but it's not a huge deal. Testing the video on the 1920x1080 HDTV, it worked great other than the overscanning.
The camera is something that Monet would appreciate. You'll get the gist of it but this is no HD cam. It is good for basic pictures and compares unfavorably to the front-facing camera on my Droid Razr Maxx.
After an hour of use off the charger, the heat situation is non-existent. This thing is creepily quiet and cool to the touch except for a few warmer spots. I will end up watching a movie to see how it reacts but that would be a nice change. Even my iPad gets warmer.
I had no opportunity to try out the bluetooth or the SD card reader. I will be getting a 32 GB SD card. I did try out a USB drive and it seems to be working just fine.
Getting into the software and how it drives on the ARM processor, I was pretty impressed. I opened about 18 tabs (which is well beyond my max, typically) and I had Pandora running in the background the entire time and didn't get a stutter. At times, the load was sluggish but again, I am switching between this and a MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM and a dual-core i5. But I really expected this to be flawless when using the web. As long as you don't go crazy with tabs or the apps you are driving in them, you should be good.
Watching videos, outside of the screen quality, was really quite smooth. From someone who bought the original Kindle Fire and saw it stumble with streaming video for just $50 less, I was super-impressed. I don't know if power-users will love it but it works with my slightly-lowered expectations.
That being said, this is a web enabled device and there are a few (very few) apps that I use regularly.
My stand-alone apps that I use regularly is chat (Google and AIM) and Tweetdeck. Both Tweetdeck and imo seem to work pretty good in a browser. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.
I also know that Skype doesn't work great right now. I am using it through imo but, at least as far as I can tell, I can't make dial-out calls like the Skype app allows on all of my other devices. This, including no support for a USB headset, would make it tough to make this a full-time replacement. I live on Skype as a dial-out provider (Google dial-out will not allow me to use certain conference call providers plus Skype is great for connecting with people worldwide with ease). I'm hoping a promised webapp version is coming soon. On the plus side, Skype works great on my cell and iPad.
I turned off the wifi connection and it worked liked it should. You need to turn on offline mode in Gmail and Google Drive in order for it to work but after that, it worked like it always has. Games that I had loaded for offline mode worked. Offline, this is a pretty limited machine but not unduly so.
Chrome remote desktop worked particularly well. Granted, I was using it on the same network but there was no lag on the software side of using it. I was, again, thoroughly impressed with the graphics. Though, one thing would be to allow me to select which screen I view when I am using a dual-display.
I'm looking forward to Netflix capability but that's not ultra-critical right now for me. Amazon Instant works well for me, as does Hulu.
I'm taking only this when I go on an extended trip this weekend so I can update more on real battery life and any other real-world experiences of using it later.
Overall, this is what I expected and I am pretty happy with the purchase, especially as one of my first sight-unseen types of purchase. For my uses as a primary road writing device for blog posts and e-mails, this is a solid, solid play. And for $250, it's pretty unbelievable. All of this typed into the new Chromebook as well at my normal rate.
== UPDATE 10/28/2012 ==
Just took this thing on a weekend away without bringing my laptop. This is a big deal as even if I took my iPad, I would normally take my laptop as well. A couple of additional thoughts from 72 hours as my primary computer.
I did end up getting a SD Card (a 32 GB one from Amazon) and putting it in the SD card slot. Unfortunately, it sticks out from the side pretty well (about a centimeter looking straight down on it). I loaded it with a few movies and some music so I would have some tunes and movies for offline. The player works fine but is very basic. Other than wishing the SD card would seat all the way in, it is a good setup for leisurely watching movies solo.
I also did some extended work while my wife was driving. I typed two articles and I can't emphasize enough how good of quality this keyboard is.
An incredible device at a ridiculously low price October 24, 2012
By Andy Rosenblum
Style Name:Wi-Fi
Like the previous reviewer, I purchased this from the Google Play store for my wife. I got tired of her using my new iPad, so I figured this would be an inexpensive solution to the problem. Quite honestly, I wasn't expecting much, considering the ridiculously low price. I'm very impressed with the technology and simplicity that went into its design.
This Google/Samsung Chromebook is really quite amazing. The first thing that you'll notice is that it's extremely lightweight and is very uncomplicated. This is something that my 87 year old mother-in-law would be able to use right out of the box. Since she's never used a computer before, that says a lot. Many of the everyday apps that you use on a daily basis, are preloaded into the device.
It comes with things like YouTube, Gmail and other Google products, and there are literally thousands of free apps available. It starts up very quickly and according to Google, updates are installed automatically. I've found all applications to run smoothly and quickly. The fact that it comes with a regular keyboard is a tremendous plus and the touch-pad works flawlessly.
While the screen isn't the most impressive that I've ever seen, it is certainly more than adequate. I will continue to use my iPad, but now that I also have this, my wife will have her own travel size computer to use. All in all, this device offers far more than I expected. I didn't give it a great deal of thought when I purchased it, as it's not going to be used by me.
Now, after running it through the paces, I'm really in awe that something as inexpensive as this could do so many things. While the iPad and this device are different animals, this Chromebook is more than capable of performing many of the things that my iPad is capable of doing. I don't think there's any way you can possibly go wrong purchasing this sleek looking device.
I've purchased many products from Samsung in the past and have always been impressed with their quality and durability. Since this is a new computer, it's impossible to say if any problems will arise, but based on past experience, I have no doubt that this will be real workhorse and will last for years. At the price that it's being sold for, it's almost disposable when something newer comes along.
The bottom line is that you'll be very impressed with this product, and you'll be in awe how they could have built so much into such an inexpensive computer. I give it 5 stars. My wife gives it 5 stars too, now that I finally let her use it.
Light, small, easy to use - a tablet with a keyboard! October 24, 2012
By Sam
Style Name:Wi-Fi
When my old laptop conked off, I needed a laptop to use around the house. I also recently started commuting by train to work so wanted to buy a small, light laptop that I could take with me and check email or facebook or read the news, surf the web etc. on the train. I also wanted a real keyboard for the occasional work-related email, so the iPad was out. When this Chromebook got announced I was pretty excited since it really fit all my criteria - light, quick to boot and so on. I received it a couple of hours back and I have to admit its really nice.
I went from box to being fully setup (including my bookmarks and extensions) within a few minutes. This Chromebooks also comes with a lots of apps pre-loaded and I also got an offer for 100GBs of storage on Google Drive. Gmail and YouTube are also installed on the desktop so the sites I use the most are right there. Overall this machine feels quite fast. The interface is also quite clean and pretty especially the background images that come with the device.
I like how light the laptop feels and that it can easily fit into a small laptop bag that I take on my commute. I could potentially leave the power cord at home as well since it's supposed to last for several hours without needing a recharge - so even less stuff to carry. It's easy to take from room to room within the house as well. The other thing I noticed is how quiet this is - specially compared to my work desktop or my work laptop which I can hear from another room! This laptop feels very different from all the laptops I have used in the past - its almost like an iPad but with a keyboard so its more useful. I am amazed at the price - this feels a lot more expensive.
Overall based on the last couple of hours of usage I am happy that I bought it. This is exactly what I wanted.
No comments:
Post a Comment