Google Chrome OS has its own window system based on Linux. On this basis, it mainly uses Chrome browser to run applications and so on. Log in using a Google account. Maintenance is also easy because it also supports automatic updates. Since it is basically used when connected to the network, this is the biggest difference between Windows,OS X and Linux. However, there are also applications that support offline, and you can also synchronize data when you go online. Laptops equipped with the operating system are commonly known as "Chromebook".
Chrome browsers should know if they are used on Windows and OS X, but a variety of functions can be added through extension functions, such as extensions and applications exposed in the Chrome online store. Based on Chrome browser, you can run a variety of (Web) applications, and about cloud, you can build an environment that is almost unchanged from Windows, OS X, and so on.
For example, the environment in which the author usually works is that Mac mini is used in a 2-monitor configuration, with Parallels Desktop+Windows8.1 on the front and OS X on the right. The latter is mainly resident by Chrome and opens a number of tags, such as "Google Apps", "Office365" / "Office.com", "Facebook", "redmine", "feedly" and the site being built. Of course, all of this can be handled on Chromebook.
In addition, cloud storage uses "Google Drive", "OneDrive", "DropBox" and "Box" according to its purpose, which can also be accessed from Chrome browsers. At the extreme, the author's case is that if you introduce Chromebook,Windows, you will only run Photoshop and Xiumaru. From another point of view, these two applications are the only ones that can be used offline without the network. It was not until now that I realized that I was working in an environment where it would be useless without a connection to the Internet. Isn't Chromebook a good choice to think so?
The Chromebook on hand this time is the "C720" of Acer of Japan. The main specifications are as follows:
| 日本エイサー「C720」の仕様 | |
|---|---|
| プロセッサ | Celeron 2955U(2コア/2スレッド、1.4GHz、キャッシュ2MB、TDP 15W) |
| メモリ | 4GB |
| ストレージ | SSD 16GB |
| OS | Google Chrome OS |
| ディスプレイ | 11.6型(非光沢)、1,366×768ドット、タッチ非対応 |
| グラフィックス | プロセッサ内蔵Intel HD Graphics、HDMI出力 |
| ネットワーク | IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n無線LAN、Bluetooth 4.0 |
| その他 | USB 2.0×1、USB 3.0×1、SDカードリーダ、HD対応Webカメラ、音声入出力 |
| バッテリ駆動時間 | 約8.5時間 |
| サイズ/重量 | 288×204×19.05mm(幅×奥行き×高さ)/約1.25kg |
| 参考価格(米国) | 249.99ドル |
The processor is the Celeron2955U of Haswell generation. 2 cores and 2 threads, and the clock is 1.4 GHz. The cache is 2MB and the TDP is 15W. Although it is equipped with 4 GB of memory, it is not clear whether Google Chrome OS is 32bit or 64bit. It is 16 GB stored in SSD.
What's interesting here is the difference from Windows and Android. In the combination of Atom and Windows8.1, and the combination of Atom and Android, most products are 1 to 2 GB of memory, so 4 GB of memory has a lot of capacity. Conversely, there is less storage of 16 GB in Android. The footprint of OS itself is smaller than that of these two OS, but does it use a lot of memory architecture in practice?
The monitor is a non-glossy 11.6 type. The HD resolution (1366 × 768 points) does not support touch. When you look at the websites in the United States, there is a superior mode, that is, touch. Equipped with a HDMI as an external output.
The network does not have a wired LAN and carries IEEE802.11a/b/g/n as a wireless LAN. It also supports Bluetooth 4.0. Other interfaces include USB 2.0 × 1, USB 3.0 × 1, SD card reader, HD webcam and voice input / output. This neighborhood can be said to be a common mode in ordinary laptops.
The size is 288x204x19.05mm (width × depth × height) and the weight is about 1.25kg. Considering the panel size of Model 11.6, it should be the average weight that is light and not too heavy. The battery driving time is about 8.5 hours.
The price is not retail, so it is not made public. Survey the price in the United States for reference of $249.99. It's about 25700 yen in Japanese yen, which is quite cheap.
前面。正面側面右側にステータスLED。パネル中央上にWebカメラ底面。メモリなどにアクセスできる小さいパネルはない。上部左右のスリットの下にスピーカーを搭載左側面。電源入力、HDMI出力、USB 3.0、音声入出力キーボード。アイソレーションタイプの10キーなし。一番上がファンクションキー。Enterキー周辺の一部キーが小さい点が気になる右側面。セキュリティロックポート、USB 2.0、SDカードリーダ斜め後ろから見たところ。Chromeのロゴが目新しいキーピッチは実測で約19mm重量は実測で1,190gとスペックより少し軽いACアダプタは約90×65×22mm(幅×奥行き×高さ)/208gと、サイズのわりに軽いAs long as the shell without the top cover of the Chrome logo is wrong with ordinary notebook computers, it is a standard design. The texture is in line with the price, but unlike Chip, it can be dealt with without a sense of violation. Start, hibernate and shut down faster than Android and iOS. You could say that.
The status LED on the right side of the front, the Web camera on the center of the LCD panel. On the left side, there are power input, HDMI output, USB 3.0and sound input and output. Configure the lock port, USB2.0 and SD card reader on the right side. Although it is Chromebook, there is no special part. The accompanying AC adapter is about 90 × 65 × 22 mm (the same) and weighs 208g. The connector is of Mickey type.
The LCD panel of 11.6 HD resolution is not glossy, reflects less, and is gentle to the eyes. The brightness, color rendering and contrast are good, but the viewing angle is not wide. Recently, smartphones and tablets are also IPS-style, and there are a lot of things with a wide field of vision, which are a little ugly because they are used to it. Although it takes into account the cost, this is a regrettable part.
The keyboard is isolated and has no 10 keys. The top layer is the function key after the ESC key. the order is "back", "forward", "reload", "full picture", "window list", "brightness decline", "brightness rise", "mute", "volume drop", "volume rise", "power supply". In addition, screen capture can be taken in the list of Ctrl+ windows (but only supported after login). The key spacing ensures about 19 mm in the main section.
What matters is the arrangement and distance of the keys around the enter key. In particular, the "\" key on the left side of the BackSpace key, the "m" key in the lower left corner of the enter key, and the "Luo" key on the left side of the shift key have almost no key spacing, which is actually very difficult to enter. If it is a ultra-small equipment, because the 11.6 footprint is also very wide, so I want the layout to be more ordinary.
What is interesting is that IME is related, with the "English" key on the left side of the space bar and the "Kana" key on the right. This is the same array as Mac, and the operation is the same. Therefore, if you are a Mac user, you can operate without a sense of violation. In addition, considering Windows users, there is also a "katakana / British number" key in the upper left corner, which is abolished because of the previous key and function coverage, and the "\" key whose spacing has disappeared is the same size as other keys.
The touchpad is a veneer type without physical buttons. Two fingers or so back / forward, click the attribute display, scroll up and down and other general operations are also easy to use. And the movement is smooth. For scrolling up and down, the standard is the Windows standard, but it can also be changed to the same direction as Mac (upside down with Windows) in the setting.
With regard to heat, noise and vibration, I don't care about it at all within the scope of the trial. The sound is very powerful, although it is a Camapolco microwave oven, but there are corresponding sounds above and below, so you can fully enjoy the music and video.