What is it?
An ultra-portable laptop running Google's Chrome operating system.
How will it change my life?
Life with computers tends to be predictable. First you spend time researching the right one for your needs; then you try to get it for the best price. Usage has a similar pattern too with months of relative delight followed by constant updating and upgrading to run the latest software. You can only stave off the inevitable for so long before the cycle of torment begins all over again, but what if there was another way, one which could utilise all the latest programs without the adverse effects of installing copious amounts of software on your PC or laptop?
Step forward the C300 Chromebook from ASUS, which banishes most of the aforementioned demons with use of the cloud and some slick processing. You can think of the cloud as your personal resource on the internet which can store much more data and run applications faster than your laptop or PC. Many businesses have already tapped into the services the cloud has to offer such as Microsoft's Office365, allowing users to access Office suite applications from any internet-connected device.
The C300 runs the Chrome OS, which is sort of a hybrid between what you would normally find on a standard desktop and that found on mobile devices. The only prerequisites are an internet connection and a Google account to access all the features on offer. Services include Google Drive, which gives 100GB of storage to access anywhere, Gmail, YouTube and Google Play for accessing entertainment and applications.
Good points?
Tipping the scales at just over a kilo and barely thicker than a smartphone, the C300 is extremely portable, plus the battery lasts more than 13 hours from one charge - double that of a high-end laptop.
The larger touchpad supports multi-touch gestures and isn't as cramped when using two hands as previous iterations of Chromebooks. The performance in many ways reflects the internet bandwidth of the user but that is also a compliment to the hardware, which does everything asked of it without fuss.
This type of outsourcing computing is the natural progression for the client-server relationship and allows the consumer to concentrate on what matters to them and the goals they are trying to achieve instead of worrying that their computer is slowing down, infected with malware or simply outdated.
Bad points?
The keyboard can feel a little delicate at times and the screen quality is noticeably lower than traditional notebooks, but that's understandable given the low price.
Best for ...
Forward thinking, practical people who view the experience as the ultimate factor.
Avoid if ...
You are more of a geeky tinkerer than a modern auto-pilot.
Score?
9/10. This is the future of computing with a Google twist.
ASUS C300 Chromebook, £210.39 (Ebuyer.com)
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article