Hey, Chromies! I hate to beat a dead horse, but I have to this week. See, last week’s newsletter was all about Google Chromebook Plus. This week, I have a review of one such device, the $499 Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus. And then I have some thoughts about the overall Chromebook Plus initiative as well as the future of ChromeOS.
Ok, so lots of noise about Chromebook Plus, which is fine. It's great that Google has set a standard. But... no one is saying what will happen with updates to the ones that don't meet the Google specs. I bought a Lenovo Flex 5 about 2 months ago. It has 8gb ram, 128gb hd, but with a Core 3i 11th gen and I love it. So will updates continue or will these machines be left in the dust at some point?
Chromebook Plus is for me another step in the playbook that has turned most features in all tech into subscriptions. It is like a subscription at the hardware level. I've had magic eraser for some time on my phone (wow, I don't have to subscribe for it!) and have never used it. If I want it though, I won't miss not having it on a Chromebook.
For me Chromebook Plus means that possibly, if I continue to buy Chromebooks at all (hats off to Humberto!) to get better prices as a second-class one, like my second class "a" series phone and ear buds. I've owned and/or gifted 11 or more Chromebooks, currently using 5 on a daily basis (I did however switch from Chrome to Android tablet by the bedside) and also use an old (intel) Macbook most days for one specific software, and finally a PC which is a co-pilot to my daily-driver HP Chromebase. All that and I'm just barely hanging on, burned out on Google and its ways.
Summing up: I see "Plus" as a gimmick, a way to compartmentalize feature sets, to energize manufacturers and vendors, to grab headlines and content views, which further erodes my respect and interest in all things google. Conversely, Windows keeps looking better, I love my HP Envy 360 12th gen i-5 (16GB) a little more, loving Edge browser more (hands down favorite) and flirting with any new phone that isn't a Pixel, even at the cost of losing features I've loved since the original Pixel. Yes, that damaged is my love for all things Google, where their dishonesty, manipulation, disrespect, piss-poor support and defective hardware and software is just too much.
Great article, as per usual. My conspiracy theory is that Chromebook Plus is a story closely related to the recent AUE extension. There is now a precedent set for Google to fork off new versions of Chrome OS for new devices. I’m no engineer, but I’m wondering if this new option helps deliver on the 10 year AUE promise, by sidestepping the hassle of making all devices run an OS that’s 10 years backwards compatible. Newer generations of Chromebooks in years to follow may run their own versions of Chrome OS. I liked the simple, clean, consistent, nimble nature of Chromebooks to date, so I don’t think I like this Chromebook Plus development. As you said, not every Chromebook does the same thing anymore, and that’s a loss, in my opinion. Was counting on my 2022 Chromebook to deliver a premium experience for seven more years- now it’s seems that I’m liable to be dropped off to a mediocre experience, in exchange for a couple extra years.
Honestly, Google Marketing people are doing a bad work. I amna básico Chrome OS user and I feel as a second not important user. I Will Buy My next laptop with Windows because it performance better with they hardware required by Chrome OS plus
Ok, so lots of noise about Chromebook Plus, which is fine. It's great that Google has set a standard. But... no one is saying what will happen with updates to the ones that don't meet the Google specs. I bought a Lenovo Flex 5 about 2 months ago. It has 8gb ram, 128gb hd, but with a Core 3i 11th gen and I love it. So will updates continue or will these machines be left in the dust at some point?
Chromebook Plus is for me another step in the playbook that has turned most features in all tech into subscriptions. It is like a subscription at the hardware level. I've had magic eraser for some time on my phone (wow, I don't have to subscribe for it!) and have never used it. If I want it though, I won't miss not having it on a Chromebook.
For me Chromebook Plus means that possibly, if I continue to buy Chromebooks at all (hats off to Humberto!) to get better prices as a second-class one, like my second class "a" series phone and ear buds. I've owned and/or gifted 11 or more Chromebooks, currently using 5 on a daily basis (I did however switch from Chrome to Android tablet by the bedside) and also use an old (intel) Macbook most days for one specific software, and finally a PC which is a co-pilot to my daily-driver HP Chromebase. All that and I'm just barely hanging on, burned out on Google and its ways.
Summing up: I see "Plus" as a gimmick, a way to compartmentalize feature sets, to energize manufacturers and vendors, to grab headlines and content views, which further erodes my respect and interest in all things google. Conversely, Windows keeps looking better, I love my HP Envy 360 12th gen i-5 (16GB) a little more, loving Edge browser more (hands down favorite) and flirting with any new phone that isn't a Pixel, even at the cost of losing features I've loved since the original Pixel. Yes, that damaged is my love for all things Google, where their dishonesty, manipulation, disrespect, piss-poor support and defective hardware and software is just too much.
Great article, as per usual. My conspiracy theory is that Chromebook Plus is a story closely related to the recent AUE extension. There is now a precedent set for Google to fork off new versions of Chrome OS for new devices. I’m no engineer, but I’m wondering if this new option helps deliver on the 10 year AUE promise, by sidestepping the hassle of making all devices run an OS that’s 10 years backwards compatible. Newer generations of Chromebooks in years to follow may run their own versions of Chrome OS. I liked the simple, clean, consistent, nimble nature of Chromebooks to date, so I don’t think I like this Chromebook Plus development. As you said, not every Chromebook does the same thing anymore, and that’s a loss, in my opinion. Was counting on my 2022 Chromebook to deliver a premium experience for seven more years- now it’s seems that I’m liable to be dropped off to a mediocre experience, in exchange for a couple extra years.
Good commentary.
Honestly, Google Marketing people are doing a bad work. I amna básico Chrome OS user and I feel as a second not important user. I Will Buy My next laptop with Windows because it performance better with they hardware required by Chrome OS plus