[image: Inline image 1] Chromebook The Acer Chromebook is a laptop computer which runs on the Chrome OS, (which is based on Unix). The Chromebook does not run any Windows software, only applications designed for the Chrome OS. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Google apps to choose from at the Google Store - there's even an app for photo editing, (you can also install Linux on the Chromebook). Google OS is open source. You don't have to buy any expensive software to use for personal productivity tools.
It's a dual-core machine with an 11.2 inch screen and is very light weight, almost like an Ultrabook. It has a solid-state drive inside and boots up almost instantly. Battery life is very long because it doesn't have a mechanical hard disk inside. So, there's hardly anything to wear out. The Chromebook automatically updates the OS every time you boot up and most of the software is free: the Google Chrome web browser, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Play, and Google Slides come already installed. Google owns YouTube, so that also comes with linked in the Chrome browser. Chrome OS has a decent file manager and a neat Search function key. The Chromebook does not have a CD-DVD device, but it has Wi-Fi built in, and two USB ports, one a USB-3, a mini HDMI port, and and a DVI connection, as well as an ethernet jack for networking in your home office. Chromebooks are 'internet books' because they work on the internet. You can save stuff locally but it is designed to work on the Google Cloud, which is also free. When you save a doc it gets saved to the cloud. You can then access the doc using any computer that is connected to the internet. All you have to do is sign in to Google to get your mail, docs, music and images or videos. However, the Chromebook needs an internet connection in order to operate with the cloud, (although you can do some limited work when you don't have an internet connection). A computer is not a real computer without an internet connection! So, what's to like? The Acer Chromebook is only $199 - I paid over $850 for my Toshiba Ultrabook with Win 7, and this laptop is almost just as good. Go figure. And, this little Chromebook doesn't heat up like the Toshiba and that's cool. The screen is only one inch smaller than the Ultrabook - plenty big for browsing the web at Starbucks, and since it is light-weight, you can take it almost anywhere with you inside a small back pack. The Chromebook is perfect for browsing the web and checking email and Facebook. One last thing - you don't have to buy expensive anti-virus software for the Chrome OS! When is the last time you had to purchase a Microsoft program or Norton on a disk and install it on your PC? So, what's not to like? The keyboard, like almost all small laptops, has 'chiclet' keys which are kind of funky, and some of the standard keys are missing. For example, the Delete key (you have to use alt + backspace) and the Caps Lock key, but there is a work around for that. Also, it takes a little getting used to using 'tabs' instead of separate windows for multi-tasking. No biggies, though. For the price, it's hard to beat. We have an Acer Netbook that we purchased four years ago running Windows XP and it's just too small for much productivity and it's kinda heavy for its size (we also have an HP 17 inch Windows 7 Entertainment laptop that weighs a ton and gets really hot). P.S. Did I tell you that the Chromebook costs only $199 and that the software is free?
