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Treasured contributor
Posts: 929
  
Location: Cornwall
| Hi anyone use a Chrome Book wonder how they compare with a laptop for web & emails + mapping/navigating
(Edit - Spelling corrected - Keithl) |
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Has lots to offer
Posts: 452
Location: Nr Attleborough, Norfolk. 2016 Rapido 665f
| Don't get viruses and much cheaper to buy, good bits of kit. |
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Treasured contributor
Posts: 929
Location: Cornwall
| witzend - 2021-03-18 4:09 PM
Hi anyone use a Crome Book wonder how they compare with a laptop for web & emails + mapping/navigating
(Edit - Spelling corrected - Keithl)
Derek got the top Spot you miissed your chance and won't get there by being a Pedant
And thanks to Stevec 176 for your reply |
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Location: MODERATOR - 2015 Rapido 640F LHD 2.3ltr 150bhp
| Plainly a subject for the Chatterbox forum not Motorhome Matters...
However, as Chatterbox is swamped by incessant puerile drivel that is even recognised by the prime offenders
https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/General-Chat/Chatterbox/The-Fun-Forum-Keeps-On-Giving-/57790/
there’s little point initiating anything there (other than political/EU/Brexit claptrap) and expecting any sort of relevant response.
These links go into detail about the pros and cons of Chromebooks
https://www.techbout.com/advantages-of-chromebooks-45/
https://www.techbout.com/disadvantages-of-chromebooks-69/ |
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Treasured contributor
Posts: 929
Location: Cornwall
| Derek Uzzell - 2021-03-19 7:08 AM
Plainly a subject for the Chatterbox forum not Motorhome Matters...
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You may think so but I asked here mainly for any comments on mapping or Navigating hopeing to get some comments from some one who uses one for this purpose so surely of interest to anyone using a Motor Home
Thanks for the link
Now wondering if they have a spell checker as well
Edited by witzend 2021-03-19 9:33 AM
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Lord of the posts
Posts: 5737
Location: Birmingham. 2004 Auto-Trail Cheyenne Mercedes 313.
| Witzend,
I'm sorry if you were unhappy at my correcting of the word 'Chromebook' both in the thread title and text but I was not intending to be pedantic, merely correcting it to allow future searches to find the word correctly.
And I am afraid I have never used a Chromebook so cannot comment on its suitability for mapping or navigation.
Keith. |
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Legendary contributor
Posts: 9604
Location: Pissindoon, Scotland
| I'm using one now.
Its just an internet browser, and does little else.
But its all the better for that because it works so much better faster and lower power consumption than a laptop - which is slowed down by a lot of Microsoft crap you don't use.
Ideal for the van and strongly recommended.
Depending on wifi connection, its lightning fast - even on google maps.
You can upload all your files to google cloud - free, so you don't need to transfer them between computers - any pc problems and you haven't lost your files.
PS: and its got USB sockets so you can plug it into a wifi roof antenna - which it automatically recognises and uses - reverting to its internal antenna when you unplug it.
I use the 'rocket' (so called because of its shape) antenna widely available on ebay, cost about £15.
Edited by John52 2021-03-20 1:49 PM
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Location: MODERATOR - 2015 Rapido 640F LHD 2.3ltr 150bhp
| What about mapping/navigating (presumably in a moving vehicle) which evidently was of prime importance to witzend? |
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Legendary contributor
Posts: 9604
Location: Pissindoon, Scotland
| Its not a substitute for a sat nat because there is no GPS on it.
Nothing you can do with it you couldn't do with a laptop.
Just think of a laptop with the crap that slows it down and wastes battery power stripped out.
Its great for internet browsing and Google mail. Has a 32gb hard drive so you can upload and view photos, upload and edit documents etc.
Has a HDMI socket I use to plug it into my large screen TV at home, through a 5 metre lead I got off ebay.
Haven't used my PC for months.
PS: only thing I missed was the delete button, but you soon get used to doing the same thing with the backspace button.
Edited by John52 2021-03-20 3:51 PM
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Treasured contributor
Posts: 929
Location: Cornwall
| Keith Can't say the first 2 names that sprang to mind when I saw the correction Pedant was suggested by a friend as a alternative.
John got one to try over the weekend and as you say looks to be just what I need signed into my Google acc and its all fine can even access my phone from it. There are several navigation apps available on the app store all I've used for a couple of years is my phone and google maps |
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Legendary contributor
Posts: 9604
Location: Pissindoon, Scotland
| witzend - 2021-03-20 5:42 PM
There are several navigation apps available on the app store
Maybe I'm wrong and you can use it as a sat nav then 
- I haven't seen the apps you pay for. I already have a sat nav so the free stuff that comes preinstalled with the chromebook does everything I want |
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Treasured contributor
Posts: 929
Location: Cornwall
| John52 - 2021-03-20 10:02 PM
Maybe I'm wrong and you can use it as a sat nav then
No Your correct I've tried several of the apps even using a usb gps dongle but none worked. Although linking it to my phone Its possible to plan your route easier on a larger screen then transfer it to your phone to navigate.
Still pleased with it ordered one yesterday |
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Location: Vanless in Evesham.
| There are many versions of Chromebook from the sensibly up to the ridicu;lously priced and from 10" to 16" screens.
Apart from easier to see is there any advantage for simple surfing, social and email use in paying any more than you need to as any should be easier to type on than a tablet or phone?
I've never used the Cloud for photo storage but maybe that too is worth considering as a memory saver? |
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Treasured contributor
Posts: 929
Location: Cornwall
| Tracker - 2021-03-23 2:04 PM
There are many versions of Chromebook from the sensibly up to the ridicu;lously priced and from 10" to 16" screens.
Apart from easier to see is there any advantage for simple surfing, social and email use in paying any more than you need to as any should be easier to type on than a tablet or phone?
I've never used the Cloud for photo storage but maybe that too is worth considering as a memory saver?
Well 3 days now and it suits me 11.5" screen and easy to resize and set individual web pages so although smaller still easy to read with good sized keyboard so easier than the iPad mini. I've not set it to save to the Cloud but just thinking about that my camera saves pics to the cloud bought it January 20 and been no where to use it yet |
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Location: Vanless in Evesham.
| witzend - 2021-03-24 10:25 PM
Well 3 days now and it suits me 11.5" screen and easy to resize and set individual web pages so although smaller still easy to read with good sized keyboard so easier than the iPad mini. I've not set it to save to the Cloud but just thinking about that my camera saves pics to the cloud bought it January 20 and been no where to use it yet
Thanks, that's about the size we had in mind, we find that a laptop is too big and heavy (and hot) for comfort for recreational use and a Chromebook does seem to fit the bill - not that I am any admirer of Google who are like MS for secretive intrusive behaviour and data harvesting. But they all do it and I am not clever enough to work out how to fool them! |
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Legendary contributor
Posts: 9604
Location: Pissindoon, Scotland
| I haven't used the cloud (Google drive) for photos as I keep them on DVD which I have found safer than USB sticks which can suddenly become unusable.
I just use Google drive for stuff that is constantly updating - so I don't have to remember to update it on my PC and remember whether I have done so.
I loaded my microsoft excel spreadsheet - which google converts to google sheets, and will update share prices automatically.
You can also choose to share a file with another google drive user. An easy and free way of sending them a large file. |
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Liking what I've found
Posts: 45
| John52 - 2021-03-20 1:41 PM
Its just an internet browser, and does little else.
It does EVERYTHING that you can do in a browser;
- Google maps and Streetview
- Google word processor, spreadsheet, slides
- Google calendar which two or more people can share
- Google email client for gmail accounts
- BBC Sounds so you can listen to radio and pause and replay
- BBC iPlayer to watch TV programs and films
- Spotify
- Facebook
- Amazon
In fact the list is too long to complete here. I use a Chromebook in the motorhome and it is excellent. The screen is much bigger than a phone so easier to plan routes etc. And it folds down really small.
Thoroughly recommend. |
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Legendary contributor
Posts: 9604
Location: Pissindoon, Scotland
| Just measured the power consumption of my chromebook = 6 watts
Wheras my old HP windows laptop = 40 watts - and its not charging the battery because I have taken the battery off.
Plus the laptop is on for longer because its slower. |
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