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Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?
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Posted by Dr Andus
Jan 12, 2014 at 01:32 AM
MadaboutDana wrote:
Oh, and direct from HP as well, also at £280 (but that includes 3G+
>support):
>http://h20386.www2.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=F1W28EA&opt=ABU&sel=PCNB
It turns out that if you have a valid UK student email address, you can get the GBP279 machine (with free 3G+) for GBP251.10 at the HP UK Student Store. However, the waiting time for the white version is 3-4 weeks at the moment…
Posted by Dr Andus
Jan 31, 2014 at 01:27 PM
MadaboutDana wrote:
Worth checking out the new HP Chromebook 14, too, which has had some
>very good reviews (4GB, 2 x USB 3.0, 9.5 hours battery life, 14” screen
>- available now). In the UK, selling for a very reasonable £250.
>It’s the battery life that’s got me interested - something like a
>Chromebook really has to have a good battery life, otherwise what’s the
>point?
Bill, thanks so much for this recommendation. I went for the HP Chromebook 14 (3G+ version), and I’m very happy with my decision.
Regarding my note-taking needs, it fit the bill, as it has a great keyboard, it’s instantly on from sleep, and a single charge lasts for several days (similar to my iPad use). I’ve trialled several Chrome apps for writing, and chose Writebox:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/writebox/bbehjmjchoiaglkeboicbgkpfafcmhij
It’s free, it works offline, it saves as you type, it’s distraction-free (WriteMonkey-like), you can adjust the width and hight of the lines and colours, syncs with Dropbox and Google Drive, has Markdown preview, and there are on-screen stats (word count etc.). I couldn’t ask for more.
I also use Text (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/text/mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg), if I need another text editor window.
The WorkFlowy offline Chrome app is the other killer app for outlining and todos.
One very pleasant surprise was the Chrome Remote Desktop (CRD):
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desktop/gbchcmhmhahfdphkhkmpfmihenigjmpp
This allows me to access my home PC with three monitors (extended desktops), which works really well in full-screen mode, as I just need to slide my finger on the touchpad and I can move from monitor to monitor, so it works as if I was using a desktop extender software on Chromebook. I know that there are some remote apps for the iPad as well, but I can’t imagine that they give as much control as CRD does. Other than some AutoHotkey combinations, so far everything worked.
This really changes my view of ChromeOS. I think there is a lot more going on here than just selling a web browsing machine to children and grandparents.
Having said that, I still need to test CRD more extensively. E.g. I don’t know how easy it would be reconnect if let’s say Chrome crashes on the PC during a remote session. And there is the risk that some well-meaning family member switches off the internet connection or your PC at home while you’re out an about… :)
Nevertheless, for now I don’t feel the need to install Linux, given the CRD functionality.
And then it’s of course incredibly fast for browsing. By far the fastest machine in the household.
Oh, yes. I know that all the Google stuff is effectively spyware. I don’t particularly like that but I’m willing to trade some info for the cheap price and free apps. But I installed AdBlock and hardly see any advertisements, so not sure if they’ll make that much money on me ;)
Posted by jimspoon
Jan 31, 2014 at 01:51 PM
very interesting, Dr. Andus. from what I can tell the HP Chromebook 14 does not have a touchscreen?
Interested in your use of Chrome Remote Desktop. What OS is your home pc running?
Posted by Dr Andus
Jan 31, 2014 at 02:12 PM
jimspoon wrote:
from what I can tell the HP Chromebook 14
>does not have a touchscreen?
No touchscreen, but the touchpad is quite large and supports multi-touch gestures, so it’s almost like doing touchscreen gestures without having to lift your hand.
>Interested in your use of Chrome Remote Desktop. What OS is your home
>pc running?
Windows 7, 64-bit. Originally I thought the Chromebook would replace my iPad 1, but it looks like it will also replace my Win XP netbook, as I no longer have to sync it with my PC to have my work with me, but can directly access my PC instead. This turns your PC into a cloud server almost, as you can access all your files and applications.
I was amazed that even PhraseExpander worked when I started typing on my PC via the Chromebook.
To also mention the cons, the screen with its 1366 x 768 resolution is its weakest point, if you’re used to HD and retina displays. It won’t give you a cinematic experience. But for writing, browsing, and remote desktop, it’s perfectly fine. Also, it’s a bit on the heavy side. At the same time it’s a full-size laptop in terms of screen size and keyboard size, and the bigger battery gives you more mileage.
There are also two vents at the bottom for the processor, so I’d recommend to use it with a laptop riser to allow it to breathe, if you want to use it on your lap or in bed. But the fans are very quiet, I barely notice them.
One thing I noticed with CRD is that since I started using it, my PC told me that Aero was slowing it down and offered to shut it off and use a default colour scheme. I tried it and my PC got faster even when I wasn’t using CRD. But I’m not entirely sure that the two are related. It might have just been a coincidence.
Posted by Dr Andus
Jan 31, 2014 at 02:48 PM
While I’m at it, another big CON with ChromeOS and Chromebooks is that there is no proper support for annotating PDFs or even viewing the annotations. Even the few online services for this seem inadequate (if there are more than 100 pages and loads of annotations or beyond certain file sizes). So the only decent option would be to use one’s PC with Chrome Remote Desktop. I’ll be keeping my iPad 1 for reading and annotating PDFs offline.