Chrome OS CR-48 – Full Review

Introduction
Not too long ago, a little before Christmas, I obtained a Cr-48 Chrome OS notebook in the mail.  This computer is the culmination of Google’s efforts during the past few years to develop an OS to compete with Microsoft in the netbook battle.  They wanted to design a simple interface that was optimized for the internet.  The idea was simple: base the operating system on a web browser.  Take away all the “fluff” that Windows brings, and provide users with a simple, clean environment in which to surf the web.  Have no programs on the device, nothing to distract the user from the sole purpose of browsing the internet.  The Cr-48 is the first of many Chrome OS machines to come: has Google begun to accomplish their goal, or is it too simple to be useful?  Read on to find out.

[[Note: I’ve had a few friends ask about how to get one of these computers.  They are not for sale; Google is giving these away as part of their “pilot program.”  Go to http://www.google.com/chromeos/pilot-program.html to find out more and apply.]]

[[Note as well:  This entire post was written and edited on the CR-48.  I even did any and all photo editing for this post using the Picnik and Aviary web apps.]]

Hardware

Likes

The computer itself is beautiful.  The case is a matte, rubbery feeling matte.  It’s easy to grip, doesn’t have fingerprint issues, and feels and looks great.

They built the keyboard specifically for web use, and I’ve already come to miss it when I revert back to my other computer.  Instead of a Caps key, they replaced it with a search button, which effective opens a new tab with one click.

There are no function keys on this computer; replacing them are very well thought out “internet” keys.  Along with the somewhat normal brightness and volume keys are forward, back, and reload keys, a full screen key, and a key that shifts from one page to another.

That last one is interesting, it almost reminds me of Spaces on Macs.  On a normal computer, you can have windows with multiple tabs in each one; on this computer each “window” is it’s own full screen page that you switch between with this key.  This offers an advantage of having one window being used for play (chess, sudoku, etc), one for news, and one for work (Google docs, email, calendar, etc.).

The battery is amazing.  I have several times gone an entire day with pretty frequent use, and not had to plug it back in.  I think I ran down the battery once, but that was because I forgot to charge it the night before, and it didn’t even die until mid-afternoon the second day.  I’m not sure what Google says the battery life should be like, but I can see this thing going for 7+ hours of constant use.

The trackpad is very nice and large.  It offers limited “multi-touch” controls.  You use two fingers simultaneously to scroll up or down, and you tap with two fingers to “right-click.”  I don’t know if they are able to do this with the current hardware, but I would love to see more multi-touch features enabled.  Perhaps in a photo-editor website, it would be cool to be able to rotate or zoom with multi-touch, but that functionality isn’t there yet.

Issues

The only issue I personally have with the keyboard is that the keys are too dark.  When I’m sitting in my room, and the lights are off, I can’t see the keys at all.  It’s not a problem for typing for me (but could be for someone who doesn’t touch type), but the issue arises when, for example, trying to press the full screen key, I accidentally hit the reload key.  Not a huge issue, but it was one I needed to mention.

Can you see the keys?

There are only two potential issues I see with the trackpad.  First, there are no buttons; it reminds me of the newer trackpads that Apple has been using in their Macs.  I don’t mind this too much, but it may require a learning curve for those used to a normal trackpad on other laptops.  Secondly, it is a bit jumpy or unresponsive at times.  I think (read hope) this is merely a software issue that will be fixed soon.  You notice the jumpiness most when trying to highlight something or drag something across the screen.

The natural motion is to click and hold down with your thumb while using your pointer finger to move it.  As the trackpad has no buttons, it reads motion from both your thumb and finger as input, and the cursor gets very confused as to who to follow.  It’s not horrible, but it does come up fairly often.  Also, though not as much of an issue, but still deserving to be mentioned, the “right click” motion can be unresponsive.  Instead of right-clicking as on a normal mouse or trackpad, one uses two fingers to tap at once to bring up a menu. Sometimes it takes a couple tries for a menu to finally pop up, or sometimes it clicks instead of “right-clicks.”

Above the screen is a webcam, on the right is a sole USB port, a SD card reader, a headphone jack, and a power port, and on the right is a display port.  The webcam’s quality is subpar, but one has to remember this is merely a beta test unit, so hopefully final hardware will be a bit better.  They don’t have too many drivers built in right now, so peripherals (printers, cameras, thumb drives, etc.) might not work.  For example, I tried plugging in a camera, and nothing showed up.  Even when I tried plugging in my monitor, nothing happened.  These issues should be resolved though in the near future through software updates.However, they are updating it constantly, and it should be a lot better by the time they role out for sale units.

Software

Likes

The biggest advantage to the OS is its simplicity.  You open it up, type in your Gmail information (or you can sign up for Gmail right from the login screen), and boom, you’re ready to go.  Anyone who knows how to use an internet browser knows who to use this computer.  Another offering Google announced in conjunction with this computer is “web apps.”  These are basically websites designed to look like computer applications.  Google Docs is an example of an “app” that has been around for a while, but now there is a push for 3rd party developers to make app-like websites.  For example, I often read the New York Times on their web app in the morning before I start working.  There are other news applications, some for shopping, several games, and many more.

Issues

Now the idea behind this OS is quite novel, however it is also quite limited.  As I said before, anyone familiar with the internet can use this computer, because that is all this computer is: an internet browser.  Don’t expect to do anything “extensive” on this computer.  For example, there are some limited photo editing web apps out there, but nothing compared to even something like Picasa or Iphoto, which are free offerings available to PCs or Macs respectively.  The games available are light and limited, no Civ 5, Portal, and don’t even think about first person shooters.

Also, there is very limited storage on the device itself.  Unless you already use extensively websites like Flikr or the web albums on Picasa, don’t expect to store or view your photos from this computer.  Also, there’s no way to listen to your own music collection from this computer; Picasa or another internet radio station is the way to go if you want to tickle your ears while surfing the web.

The only storage available (I believe 16gb) is good pretty much only for temporarily storing a few files that you may want to email or put up on the web.

One of the biggest considerations against this computer is that pretty much anything done on this computer can be done on any other computer with a web browser.  It revolves around things like Gmail, Facebook, surfing the web, document editing on the web, etc., which can all be done in Firefox, Internet Explorer, or any other browser.  The web apps are just  websites, and even they can be accessed from most other browsers.  Now, Chrome OS is optomized to use them and offers a clean interface for using the web, but it really has no unique properties as far as use by the consumer is concerned.

The settings are limited as well.  You can change the font, zoom settings for website, network settings, time zone, and that’s about it.  Also, you can edit some information and add accounts to the computer, but even that’s limited.  For example, when starting a new account, it asks you to take a picture.  There is not an easy way to change that picture once it has been take, so if your account picture is bad, it’ll be there to mock you every time you log back into the computer.

Overall thoughts and impressions
So, in review, my likes are it’s ease of use, battery life, and down right simplicity.  Anyone can use this computer.  You don’t have to worry about updating or viruses.  It’s fast, has a clean interface, and is great for on the road, at coffee shops, or lounging on the couch.

The biggest issue is that anything done with this computer can be done on any other computer with a web browser–even the web apps.  This isn’t necessarily bad, but it severely limits its uniqueness.  Also, it’s fairly limited at this point it what it can handle.  On the up side, however, developers are working on new web apps all the time, and Google is working hard to fix other issues such as drivers for printers, etc.  All this leads to the question of cost.  Even if they price these at the sub-$400 mark, I fear consumers will go for the Windows netbooks that can do more, have more storage, and are similarly priced.  However, Google seems to excel at making money without charging the end consumer, and I can easily see these being cheap-to-free on a 2-year contract with Verizon or another data provider, but we’ll see.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I love this computer.  I have discovered I love “cloud computing.”  There are some limitations one should consider before purchasing a Chrome OS computer, but I find that on a day-to-day basis, I don’t miss not having access to my music or photos or programs.  With that said, I don’t think this will ever be anyone’s primary computer, but I consider this the perfect netbook.  Again, the biggest questions/issues are what developers do with web apps and the price, and only time will tell on these issues.

Word Lens

I just discovered an awesome app called Word Lens.

It is an augmented reality dictionary app, that works surprisingly well.  Imagine you’re in a foreign country, Spain, for example (the only dictionary available is Spanish), and you’re at the beach. You notice no one else is at the beach.  A sign nearby says “Playa Cerrada: Reciente Ataque de Tiburón.”  You, having no previous education in the Spanish language, wonder if this sign is important and if it has anything to do with the absence of the general populace from the beach.  You whip out your iPod or iPhone, point it at the sign, and WHAM, you now know the beach is closed because of a recent shark attack!

I watched the youtube video (posted at the bottom of this article) and was impressed, so I decided to try it out for myself.  The app itself is free, but the dictionaries are a bit pricey.  However, it does come with modes to reverse words or erase words from whatever you point it at, which shows how the app works, and is kinda fun.  The dictionaries cost $4.99 each, which doesn’t seem too bad, until you realize they have “Spanish to English” and “English to Spanish” listed as two separate dictionaries.  I went ahead and bought the Spanish to English one though, just to try it out.

Results were not as good as the advertising Youtube video, but they were still good.  This app won’t work well with lots of little text; I tried it on a Spanish news website, and all the words seem to just flash between several random English words.  When I copied some of this text to my word processor and enlarged the font by a good bit, it worked without a hitch:

As you can tell, this thing doesn’t do well with grammar, but for simple signs with large text, it’s great.  This app would be an awesome addition to any world traveler’s arsenal.  Anyone who’s traveled in a foreign country without a great grasp of their language knows how useful this would be, and it works admirably for its intended purpose.

By the way, here’s the video:

Nook Review

Overview

I know it’s been a year since this product came out, but it’s one I have been using for a while.  The Nook is Barnes & Nobel’s entry into the ereader arena, and they came out with guns blazing.  They have improved and upgraded the device over the past year, and even come out with a sequal: the Nook Color.  The electronic reader market has become a little crowded during this past year; is the Nook, one of the first big name ereaders, still a contender, or has it fallen by the wayside?  Read on to find out.

Pros

connection to the online store

 

Much like it’s main competitor, the Amazon Kindle, the Nook has a ebook store built into the device.  I have always loved the Barnes & Nobel brick-and-mortar stores, and for no other reason than brand loyalty, I chose to buy the Nook over the Kindle a year ago.  I have not been disappointed in the slightest.

One of my favorite features is every Friday, B&N offers a free ebook for download on the Nook.  I have downloaded several good books through their offer, and some of those have become among my favorite reading so far.  Included in that list is His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik and Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins (the current free ebook).

• The Nook store has several other notable features, such as:
• Coupons displayed while in a Barnes & Nobel store
• Suggest reading based on what books you currently have
• A Read-in-store feature, where you can read a book in its entirety while in a Barnes & Nobel store
• And many others you can check out here.

e-ink screen

 

This was at one point the defining feature of ebook readers, but several companies have begun making LCD readers, including Barnes & Nobel itself.  An e-ink display has many advantages.  First, it lowers eyestrain; I have never gotten sore eyes while reading my Nook, unlike when I’m using my computer for more than a few hours at a time.  Secondly, e-ink kills LCD technology when it comes to battery life.  When in Airplane mode, I can leave and have left my Nook unplugged for more than a week and not needed to charge it.  That’s with fairly constant use.

second screen

 

One of the main features the Nook offers that most other ereaders do not have is a second, smaller LCD touch screen.  Now, you may be thinking, “You just raved about how e-ink is better; why is this LCD an advantage?” Several reasons, first: the second screen acts as the navigation screen.  You switch between the current book and another there, between your library and the store there, you can navigate to the games (yes, games!) there, you type your notes there.  It is an all-purpose area, which I find pretty intuitive.

syncing

I know the Kindle also offers this, but I think the syncing feature at least is worth a mention.  You can download Nook software for your PC, Mac, iPod or iPhone, iPad, and Android phones.  Your Nook syncs with whatever various Nook software you may have.  I could be reading my Nook in the library, pull out my laptop at home and keep going where I left off, and finish up in bed on my iPod.  It’s all seamless and automatic.

updates

The last pro I’ll list is how frequently B&N updates the software on this thing.  It was really good when it first came out, and has just gotten better.  The updates have included a web browser, a couple of games (sudoku and chess), and many performance updates.  They have been vary proactive in upgrading their device, and I don’t think they’re going to slow down anytime soon.

Cons

But alas, there are a few downsides to this device that you must be aware of:

no keyboard

This is my number one complaint.  The LCD screen is great, but the on-screen keyboard is very difficult [read: downright impossible at times] to work with.  It’s fine for typing in a book or author you’re searching for, but you really notice how bad it is when writing a note.  I have yet to write a single note in a book that didn’t require me to go back and correct some typo.  There a sever lag between typing and seeing your letters appear on-screen, so I’m often three or four words down by the time I realize I made a mistake.  It’s not a deal-breaker, but this is where they could stand some major improvement.

speed

My second complain is speed.  The page turns used to be atrociously slow, but through their updates, this is no longer an issue;  I’m primarily talking about the LCD touch screen.  I know I just listed this as a pro, but here me out.  The menu design, I think, is wonderful.  I never have to wonder about how to get to a certain setting or anything like that.  The screen, however, is still a bit buggy.  In the main screen, I often have to swipe several time for it to register that I wanted it to move over.  I often have to hit a button two or three times for it to register.  Sometimes may tap does register, but the screen took a second to switch to the next menu, so I end up tapping a second button I didn’t mean to.  It’s not horrible, but it is still pretty bad.

Conclusion

In spite of these two buggy issues, I would definitely recommend the Nook to anyone who reads any amount whatsoever.  I didn’t cover every feature the Nook has, but these are some of my pros and cons.  The Nook now is offered as Wi-Fi only ($149) or with 3G ($199).  I recommend the 3G, as it allows you to access the online store anywhere you can get a cell signal, and there’s no price on the cell use.

By all means, research the offerings out there, but since you asked my opinion, I say go for the Nook.

RockMelt – The Social Browser

Overview

RockMelt is a new browser that heavily integrates the social media of our day.  So much so, that you need a Facebook account merely to use the browser.  Now, you may be think as I did when I first heard about RockMelt, “Why integrate it directly into the browser?  I can reach Facebook and Twitter easily enough in my bookmarks.”  I’ve discovered there are key advantages in taking their approach, but they come at a slight cost.  Do the pros outweigh the cons?  Discover below, as you peruse through my in-depth review of this intriguing new browser.

Pros

This is what I love about RockMelt.

Facebook integration

This is arguably the key distinction of RockMelt against other browsers.  When you load up RockMelt on a new computer, it makes you log into Facebook before it even opens.  What this allows is seemless integration through the entire browser, making surfing the web a much more social experience

The Friend Bar

On the left is a “Friend Bar.”  It can show either all your friend, with those online listed first, or show only those marked as favorites.  When you hover over someone’s profile picture, their current status is shown, and when you click on their picture, a chat window opens to allow you to chat with them, send them a message, or mark them as a favorite.

I personally love this feature.  It’s great to know who’s online, and I can chat with anyone I want while doing something else on the web (like writing this post).  It’s nice and out of the way, but easily accessible whenever you need it.

Feeds bar

On the right is a bar of your feeds.  Automatically included is a one-click stop to most recent News Feed and a button to see your Notifications.  These are the two most used features in Facebook (at least for me).  While researching for an article, or reading a blog, I automatically see if there’s something new (via a ticker number on the icon), and can see what my friends’ latest statuses our without ever leaving what I was doing before.

Another great plus about the feeds bar is you can add whatever feeds you want.  An obvious one for Twitter users is a Twitter update, but anything that has an RSS feed can be placed there.  The one downside is there is no Google Reader sync available at this time, but hopefully that’s coming.

Additions to the Top

The RockMelt programmers added two key buttons to the top bar of the Chrome interface: a status updater and a “Share” button.

The former is pretty straight forward: you click on it to update your status.  What’s a nice bonus is you can also tweet from that same button.  Lovely integration across your multiple social platforms.

In Between the address bar and the search bar, is a Share button.  If you are reading an interesting article, just click the button to share it with all your friends.  Again, this works for both Facebook and Twitter, and you can add whatever message you want to the post before you send it.  This is a nice time-saving feature as you don’t have to go into a separate tab for Facebook if you want to post something.  You can even drag a photo up there to share that; it’s not limited to just websites.

Sync across different computers

One of the key features I’ve enjoyed most, but haven’t seen publized much, is RockMelt’s automatic syncing between computers.  I currently have a Mac at home, and I use a Dell Inspiron mini on the go.  RockMelt is installed on both.  I discovered, to my wonderful joy, that when I spent 20 minutes organizing my bookmarks at home, they were automatically there, nice and neat along the top of the browser window, when I opened up the netbook.  As far as I can tell, it also syncs my history and searches.  All the feeds on the right are automatically updated as well.

Now, I know other browsers (such as Firefox) have this feature, as well as some of the others through addons, but you have to jump through hoops to get them.  In RockMelt, thanks to linking itself inseparably to your Facebook log-in, it is all automatic.

Cons

Now to the cons.  There are very few downsides that I have found, but there are some issues worth mentioning:

Invite-only

This isn’t a big deal, as the restriction will be lifted soon, but RockMelt is in an invite-only beta as of the writing of this post.  I personally have 7 invites left I can throw out to those who want one, but no guarantee I’ll have those for long.  You can also ask for an invite on RockMelt’s website, but I waited for over a week to get mine when I asked for it.
Speed
Though it is still my browser-of-choice on both computers, it seems to run a bit slowly on the Inspiron Mini.  With that said, it suffers no lag on the Mac.  Just beware a little bit if your primary computer is a Netbook.

Screen real estate

This is my number one complaint: my Netbook’s screen is already suffering from a small screen complex, and this browser unfortunately makes that space even smaller.  Before I was used to Firefox’s full screen view, which effectively left the screen wide open for just the web.  RockMelt does have a “full-screen” view, but it seems a little gimpy as you can’t even access the address or search bars while in this view.  My suggestion would be to allow the side bars to hide in full-screen mode, and appear when I hover over the side of the screen.

Conclusion

I love this browser.  I have been using RockMelt pretty much solely for the past two weeks, and it has instantly become my favorite way to search the web.  The continuous connection to my social networks and favorite blogs is great.  It is all so seamless, and I don’t think I’ll be running back to Firefox any time soon.