Based on materials from androidcentral.com
The Chromebook is a device that looks quite optimistic. And even if we cannot say that it was literally created for us, there are a lot of people whose needs it, good-quality and inexpensive, fully meets. There's a great idea at the heart of a Chromebook, and it's worth weighing the pros and cons. And here we will talk about scenarios, how you can (or cannot) use this device, and perhaps some of the options will reflect your needs.
1.'Chrombooks' are great for kids
It is unlikely that an eight-year-old, for example, needs a thousand-dollar device for his daily needs. Whether it is his parents who can no longer afford the luxury of doing only one important thing on the computer. Give them everything at once, as well as anywhere and anytime. Yes, for example, there are good Chrome apps for photo and video editing, but this is unusual and will not replace 'Photoshop' and other tried and tested programs for most. Another thing is when you can take a Chromebook Pixel and just write something. No more RSS reading, twitter or other distractions. There is no way to even log into your other accounts. Nothing extra. But this scenario does not shine with universality.
And for a child, in reality, very little is required besides a web browser. And for him, this same Pixel can be a great solution. The most important thing is speed and safety. And Chrome has it.
2) being able to do most of the work on your Chromebook
Using a Chromebook as a primary computer is now much more realistic than it was when the first device, the original CR-48 Chromebook, was released. Back then, the idea that any computer would turn into a pumpkin in the absence of the Internet was new and daunting, but now it seems to be true for laptops with OS Windows or MacOS.
Chromebooks owe their origins to Google's idea ahead of its time — a world in which connectivity is everywhere. And many of us already live in such a reality. Therefore, the idea of making such a device your main and everyday one no longer looks so strange. However, purchasing it still means relying on Google to envision the future, relying on their ecosystem, and making the web its primary computing platform.
The support for Android apps that came to Chromebooks is much more than it might seem now. This is a groundwork for the future, which will allow Google to get a ready-made desktop ecosystem of its own, and you cannot do without it if you compete with Apple and Microsoft. With a little time (and, of course, the right apps), and Chrome OS will get a new audience of users that Google is already courting with its new Chromebook Pixel.
In the meantime, you can imagine enough reasons why you will never take your Chromebook with you on the road as the only device. For example, you choose Dropbox as your main cloud storage, and it is not so well integrated into Chrome OS and it never seems to be. Or photo and video processing, which was already mentioned above.
3. When it makes no sense to switch from device to device
If your computer usage scenario is browser oriented, if you don't play 'heavy' games, if you don't need video editing, if you are interested in the simplicity and convenience that Chrome OS provides, then this device is for you. No need to worry about updates and antiviruses, and everything on the Internet is literally at your fingertips. Chrome OS has grown tremendously as a platform, and as soon as convenient video processing tools, such as Adobe's streaming service, become available, the lifestyle of Chrome OS will become interesting to many more users. Now, this problem can be partially corrected by Chrome Remote Desktop, which allows you to access another computer remotely.
However, the gaming capabilities of Chromebooks were and still are more than modest. Browser games work fine on it, but for the usual 3D shooters or other games, Chromebooks simply do not have enough performance. And this situation is unlikely to change in the future. So the Chromebook user will clearly have to meet their gaming needs with other devices, such as an OS tablet Android.
4. 'Second Violin'
Despite the progress Chrome OS, this system still needs improvements. And therefore, in most situations, whether it be work or play, the same MacBook can act as the main device, lying in your bag and accompanying you everywhere. But for a number of cases, a Chromebook may come in handy, which the rest of the time lives quietly at your home on the table, on the charge. For example, you are leaving for the weekend, the work is done, nothing difficult is ahead of you. But this machine is lighter, and you will worry less about it because of its lower cost.
As mentioned above, Chromebooks are great for simple typing when you want to sit comfortably away from home and just write. Capture your thoughts with Google Doc or use a simple text editor like Caret.
As a second device, the Chromebook has a distinct advantage. You may not turn it on for a week, but when it does – just a few minutes with Wi-Fi, and the device is connected to your Google account, synced and ready to go. Nothing like the usual half-hour preparation of an 'abandoned' car with all these updates and other time-consuming things.
5. Your opinion
What do you think about the future of Chromebooks? And what are your use cases?