Have you heard about the new Google ChromeBooks?  They are new, affordable, lightweight, smaller laptops that are made by manufacturers like Samsung and Acer, and run a browser-based Operating system called “Chrome OS”.  They are super simple, and are a “network” based laptop, in that most of their functionality exists on the internet.  95% of what you would do with a ChromeBook is done in the Google Chrome web browser, using websites and browser based Chrome Apps to do things and complete tasks.

The laptops have a nice size, great screen, excellent keyboard, useful expansion slots (2 USB 2.0 Ports, a mini-VGA out (with dongle), a SIM card slot (for 3G internet), a card reader for SD-cards, and the usual microphone/headset port).  The laptops feel well made, offer good structural stability  and seem quite durable.  One of the best features of these laptops so far is their battery life. Google advertises about 8 hours on one charge, and I have been using this laptop all weekend without having to recharge.  It is put to sleep very easily, wakes up instantly, connects to the wifi instantly and is usable right out of the box.  Here are the key specs:

What do you need to use a ChromeBook?  Nothing but a gmail account! Once you start up a ChromeBook, it asks you to to Login, either  by adding an account, or browsing as a “Guest”.  When logged in as a Guest, you are able to use the device in a private mode, no data is stored, but you also don’t have access to all your “stuff”.

Also, before logging in, its best to connect your Chromebook to your local Wifi Access point, using the System Control Panel in the bottom right corner:

When you “add a new account” it asks you for your Google account and password, and then you are able to “login” using your information, rather than as a guest.  When you login with your gmail account, you have instant access to all of your stuff!  Your google mail, your google chrome bookmarks, your google calendar, your chrome apps, your google photos, everything and anything that you have attached to your google account either downloads onto the laptop, or available with a single click.

When you are logged into the Laptop, you have a typical looking desktop, and a useful little menu bar along the bottom left with some key icons:

Moving from left to right, you have your Chrome Browser, Gmail, Search, Youtube, an Open browser window, a File Manager, and your App Drawer (where all your installed Apps Live).  You can add many “Apps” from the Chrome Store, most of which are free, that add extra functionality, productivity and usefullness.  You can also add fun things like games, and entertainment options as well.

All of your “stuff’ is stored in the google “cloud”, so if anything goes wrong, or you lose your laptop, you loose nothing! As nothing is stored locally on the chromebooks.  You can work “Offline” on your chromebook however, if there is no internet available, and will be able to use your Gmail and Google Docs to read and respond to emails, or to create and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations, which will be synced and put online as soon as you connect back to the internet.

There are a few built-in Apps that will be very useful, like the “File Manager” which lets you browse, copy, paste and view any files stored locally on your laptop, or any of the portable USB thumbdrives or hard drives you want to connect.  You can also use the built in Media Player to open and watch videos, listen to music, or browse photos on your devices.

Another interesting built-in app, is the “Camera” app to use the laptop’s Webcam.  With the Google Chrome store, you can add thousands of Apps to your laptop, just like you would with an Ipad, or Android device, except with the Chrome store, you are adding the Apps to your Chrome Browser.  This means that your Apps are available to you on any device you have the Chrome browser installed, this could be your desktop, other laptop, tablet, or smartphone, allowing seamless integration, access to your data, stuff, and programs no matter what device you might be using at the time.

A quick selection of some very useful “Apps” I’ve installed and have been using are:

• Google Reader (to read my subscribed blogs/websites)
• Google Docs (to create, edit, and present my documents, spreadsheets and presentations)
• Google Hangout (to have virtual meetings with video and shared desktops)
• Tweetdeck (to manage my twitter feed)
• Chrome Remote Desktop (to control other computers on my network)
• Writebox (for distraction free writing)
• EMS Epub Reader (For reading Ebooks)
• Angry Birds (for a little fun)
• Prezi (for creating presentations)
• WordPress (for creating new blog posts)

These are just a small selection of the thousands of Apps you can install into your Chrome Book, which would then be available to you, anywhere you are using your Chrome Browser.  Because these Apps are truly ‘cross-platform’, it does not matter if you are on a Mac, or a PC, as long as you are using your Google Chrome Browser, you have all your Apps available to you.  A huge benefit!

So, what are my overall thoughts?

The Good:

• Super easy to use
• Multi-user environment
• Very Secure
• Automatically updates itself,  no IT support necessary
• cross-platform support
• cloud based storage
• responsive
• excellent battery
• works with many accessories (extra monitor, keyboard, mouse, harddrives, thumbdrives)
• deep integration with your Google Account
• Affordable!

The Not-So-Good:

• really needs a internet account to be most useful
• can’t quite buy them in Canada very easily
• needs more Apps that support offline mode
• does not have JAVA installed

Google Chromebooks could be an excellent option for you if you live in the cloud, and work most of the time in your Browser.  In our increasingly Web 2.0 connected world, this is more and more the case, at least for me.  I am able to use this chromebook for 90% of the tasks I need to do in any given day. I’ve had very little trouble finding apps that I need to accomplish certain tasks, such as drafting this blog post, using only the Chromebook.  At only $250ish, you can buy 10 of these chromebooks for the price of one Apple Macbook Pro.  Granted, they won’t compare in horsepower, but for functionality, there is a lot of overlap!  I think that chromebooks would be an excellent tool for a shared classroom device that will allow students easy access to their “Stuff” and also allow the laptop to be easily shared among many classes!