How long was my Chromebook meant to last?

Dear Chromebook, 

how you have changed. Gone is the pretty, rubbery surface. You are tarnished and I really don’t care anymore if there are ugly fingerprints on your shell. The keyboard begins to feel flimsy. I don’t have use anymore for that special search button and want my CAPS key back. You have been updated with several software updates, yet I can’t really tell what you can do better than what you did on the day we first met. The excitement of the first weeks has disappeared and our relationship has become a routine of compromise. Are we meant to stay together?

http://goo.gl/hTDbp

I have no doubt that this software is the most powerful new technology ever seen on a notebook (Chromebook). But it's the Chromebook that's the problem. I don't agree with all of the things that Conceivablytech mentions here. For example, he does go and correct himself, the fact that this is only a beta device comes into play. Let's think about the 3G that Verizon is so kind to provide. Two years is a pretty long time for a device that is meant to be taken around town every other day. In my opinion, these Cr48's won't last that long. All of us Pilot users will have to go and buy the released Chromebook. That would suck... Waiting in long lines like the iPhone's? Not fun, and not always worth it (we see bugs like the Antenna issue in iPhone 4 that Apple was reluctant to correct with a case). Speaking of cases, where are all of the 12.1' sleeves?

As nice as our Beta friend, the Cr48, is, he won't last forever.

But, I am glad to know that Google is so serious about Chrome OS that they are giving them out in the GDC.

Extensions and Apps

So, There are a lot of Devs out there with so many Apps and Extensions. I'm the type of person who likes to know when things happen, like the second I get a text on Google Voice or an alert thingy on Facebook.
Extension #1: Gmail Checker
#2 Google Reader Notifier
#3 Google Voice
#4 Facebook for Chrome
If you use any of those websites, these Extensions are a must.
These next few are very very helpful to me.
#5 ChromeAccess - this provides a list of links useful to the browser and system information
#6 AdBlock - I'm not sure about this one, but it seems to work fine. exactly what it says.
#7 Google Dictionary This is Literally one of my favorite tools. Just double click a word and it will give you the definition.
#8 Shopping Buddy (by Google) - this is like a seller rating tool.

App #1 Google Talk - this app keeps you signed on your Gtalk account all the time and the Video is great.
#2 Box.net - Online storage to the max. I love this app, even though it's only a link
#3 Grooveshark - Grooveshark has to be the best tool to listen to full length songs and bookmark them from Pandora
#4 Pandora - They seem to really know what I like to listen to. Love this app.
#5 Picnik Photo Editor - With the Cr48 you don't have a lot of options for photo edits. Even though Picnik is slow as gathering a picnik basket, it works. And it's powerful.
#6 Picasa - Free photo storage and sharing with everyone? And syncing with Picnik? I think so!
#7 Quicknote - Despite ALL of the other "note" apps out there, this one is very simple out of all that I have tried and it works very well with pictures and text.
I have more apps installed on my Cr48 but these are the more useful ones, in my opinion.

That's all folks.

My Wishlist Part One

Maybe a Ninja will peek...

1. Netflix
2. File Browsing
3. fix the sudo "error" that isn't actually an error
4. More webcam applications
5. Bluetooth sync
6. GPS working with Google Maps
7. My speakers to stop making a random noise before the Google Voice extension bings at me
8. Offline Docs

Listed randomly.

The Chromebook

When I signed up for the Pilot thing I didn't expect very much. Actually, I forgot about it until a seemingly random package came in the mail. I remember seeing the demo video of the Cr48 on YouTube and the first thing I thought was "A man in a white suit will most likely not come out and bring me a new laptop when I drop my toaster on this." And so my experience began.


I quickly discovered Dev mode, the shell and root as well as the Dev channel. As problems, crashes, and feature requests came by, so did the little Bug icon. I found the Chromium.org groups that were recently replaced by the "official" group with multiple, friendly, Chrome Ninjas there hiding. People discover things quickly, like the GPS feature or the nonusable Bluetooth.


So from now on, as I get time, I will post my simplistic ideas of the world of Chrome. And maybe my trumpet from time to time :)