When I worked at Apple, I was deep in the ecosystem. Since I left, I’ve been exploring new technologies outside the walled garden with some pleasant surprises. I was interested in a machine that I could use to let people enter information at a table, like a sort of digital guestbook. I found this little guy, the Lenovo C330. It’s ARM-based, 11.6″ screen, and runs Chrome OS. It’s not super-speedy, but that really isn’t the point of this machine.
So, why pick Chromebook? What makes this thing worth having? The answer is not entirely what one would expect.
Convertibles are great for travel! Many Chromebooks are convertibles, meaning they convert from laptop to tablet with minimal effort. Having a real keyboard is ideal for e-mails, but adds some added unexpected flexibility on airplanes.
While we love our MacBooks and iPads, we found this cheap Chromebook far better for movie viewing on a plane and when we compare it to a MacBook or iPad keyboard, it’s no contest.
Expendable. eWaste is a major issue in modern society. Every Chromebook comes with 5 years of guaranteed support from the release date. All the data is encrypted by default. If an Apple logo screams “steal me,” this thing is on the opposite end of the spectrum. I feel it’s less likely to be stolen, but even if it is, losing a Chromebook won’t ruin your day.
The OS triple threat. Chrome OS devices can run PWAs (Progressive Web Applications), Android Apps, and now Linux (Debian). That means you have several options for almost everything you want it to do. The single-click Linux install and removal functions are stunningly simple and .deb files typically install with a single click. Linux for the masses? We’ll see. For all the phone-ish stuff, there’s also Android. It works well with the touch screen.
Multi-user convertibles. iPad was great for trips, but this beats it. Having a convertible with multi-user support and Android apps means Netflix on an airplane, but it also means you can share the device with a significant other. Lack of mult-user support is one of our main complaints about iPadOS. It’s a shame that a device with 1 TB of storage is limited by software to a single user.