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Flat, light, safe and long battery life: Chromebooks with Google’s Chrome OS are suitable for everyone who travels a lot. An overview
Chromebooks are laptop on which the Google Chrome OS operating system is installed and whose hardware is specially designed for it. This laptop version has been around since 2011. However, a lot has changed in terms of hardware and software in recent years.
The heart of a Chromebook is its Chrome OS operating system, which is essentially developed around the Chrome browser. Current versions of Chrome OS have almost nothing in common with the first versions of this operating system. The current system is very modern and offers a wide range of possible uses.
Chromebooks let you use Android apps and even launch Linux applications. The interface corresponds to the Windows desktop, including multitasking, and is easy to use even for newcomers.
A Google account is required to use Chromebooks with Chrome OS. This allows you to access the connected cloud applications and the Google Play Store. If you use an Android smartphone, you can link it to Chrome OS and use your smartphone to unlock the Chromebook: If your Android phone is near your Chromebook, it should be unlocked automatically.
Chromebooks are ideal devices for on-the-go use
Manufacturers of Chromebooks, such as those you can buy at Media Markt, include Asus, Acer and Lenovo. Chromebooks are characterized above all by their compact construction, their low weight and their flat design.
The battery life is ten hours and more. This makes these devices particularly ideal for those users who travel a lot and for whom weight and battery life play an important role. For example, Chromebooks are great for streaming videos, listening to music, and of course, working or playing on the go.
Chromebooks are often much cheaper than conventional notebooks. The Asus Chromebook, for example, currently costs just under $300. For this you get a device with a 14-inch display and a weight of 3 pounds, with an Intel Core m3-8100Y 8 GB of RAM and a 64 GB eMMC hard drive (eMMC = embedded Multi Media Card standard ). These hard drives are very compact and resemble SD cards. In terms of price and performance, eMMC data carriers are below SSDs.
Chromebooks almost always have additional slots for SD or micro SD cards. This allows the storage space to be expanded.
Chromebooks naturally connect to the internet via WiFi. Chromebooks also have Bluetooth on board. Like conventional laptops, a Chromebook should also have a webcam, speakers and microphone.
Only works with apps from the Google Play Store
Windows applications cannot be installed on Chromebooks. Google makes the Play Store available on the devices for this purpose. Here you can find all kinds of applications and you can also use it to get apps for your Android smartphone. You can also use the voice assistant Google Assistant on the Chromebook . Also available is the Google G Suite with apps for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, managing appointments and access to Google Drive cloud storage.
Chromebooks can be put into tablet mode and then behave similarly to an Android tablet. At the above mentioned Asus Chromebook that you can win, you can lay the display flat on the table, for example.
With Chrome OS you work similar to Windows, Linux and macOS. In Chrome OS, you can split apps on a screen like the Windows desktop. You can also create multiple virtual desktops. However, no files are stored on the desktop. The windows of the apps can be adjusted in size like in Windows, Linux and macOS. You can quickly find data and information in applications or the operating system using a search button. You can also use this button to start the Google Assistant.
Chrome OS has an internal file manager called Files that you use to manage local files and files in Google Drive. Zip archives can also be opened with it. Chrome OS displays the time, Wi-Fi connection, and battery charge level in a separate area.
Automatic software updates and virus protection
Chrome OS is constantly expanding and always stays up-to-date with software updates. An integrated virus protection fends off malware. You don’t have to take care of the software updates or the virus protection because it’s part of Chrome OS.
Chromebooks also for business use
Chromebooks are ideal for users who use their notebook a lot on the go and for whom weight and battery life are important. There are enough apps in the Google Play Store. However, if you want to use Windows applications or are looking for a notebook to replace a conventional Windows PC, Chromebooks are less well-advised.
You can not only use Chromebooks privately: the handy devices are also suitable for professional use, since you can also use many business apps through the connection to WLANs and the Internet. In Windows networks, the remote desktop client for Android can be installed. This also gives you access to the remote desktop of Windows computers from Chromebooks. This also works on home offices with Windows 10 Pro.
