5 ms·

I've wondered about this a while ago: Is it possible to do real work on an android or chromebook device. I'm on trains, busses, ... a lot, in general without i

I've wondered about this a while ago: Is it possible to do real work on an android or chromebook device. I'm on trains, busses, ... a lot, in general without internet. And I just take a laptop. Dont care about mac win or linux. I do some bookkeeping in a spreadsheet, or some programming, I write some text. I hate to do anything productive on this (cheap) smartphone. No keyboard or mouse, basic software is missing,... It's great for consuming content, for a quick search or checking a map. But as soon as I want to do something, it all falls apart experience-wise. So I waste time in a game or HN when im on a bus, instead of doing something I like or have to. So how do you people do it?

xemdetia 7y ago
I prefer a small factor notebook (or netbook if they become relevant again) with as long battery life as I can find. As soon as the smartphone breaks down I pull out the compact laptop and do what I need to do. I haven't seen any reason to do anything else that isn't a hyperspecific kludge. Especially when you are issued a work laptop.
chewz 7y ago
Termux on Android plus Apple Bluetooth keyboard plus Chromecast to anything with HDMI port is the most compact / portable enviroment I have. And quite powerful with latest VIM, node, nvm, Go, awscli, gcloud and whatever you like. For everyday work I use ChromeOS on MacPro 13 and 10 year old Thinkpad x230. With Debian sid in chroot. All apps work in GUI (so in Chrome as apps) like Instagram, Tinder, Spotify, Youtube Music, even MS Word. There is also VirtualBox included. I haven't used Windows laptop in 10 years or so. What am I missing?
- millstone 7y ago
  You’re running ChromeOS on a 13 year old Mac Pro? What am I missing?
  - chewz 7y ago
    On 13 inch Macbook Pro Retina 2015..
liveoneggs 7y ago
best buy guy is right: a cheap windows laptop can do everything a chromebook or linux machine can do and more, probably better. However (this is big) cheap windows boxes come loaded with, basically, viruses right from the manufacturer so you need to be technical enough to clean them up. Chromebooks are better if you can't uninstall all of the junk from Toshiba or whoever but vanilla windows on the same price point is, by almost every measure, better.
- MaupitiBlue 7y ago
  You realize that MS lets you download an app which puts an installer for a clean Windows install on a usb stick?
  - liveoneggs 7y ago
    I had not heard of that. Is it a new thing?
  - liveoneggs 7y ago
    does it clear this? https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-steer-clear-of-windows-10s-built-in-crapware/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-steer-clear-of-windows-...

xemdetia 7y ago

I prefer a small factor notebook (or netbook if they become relevant again) with as long battery life as I can find. As soon as the smartphone breaks down I pull out the compact laptop and do what I need to do. I haven't seen any reason to do anything else that isn't a hyperspecific kludge. Especially when you are issued a work laptop.

chewz 7y ago

Termux on Android plus Apple Bluetooth keyboard plus Chromecast to anything with HDMI port is the most compact / portable enviroment I have. And quite powerful with latest VIM, node, nvm, Go, awscli, gcloud and whatever you like. For everyday work I use ChromeOS on MacPro 13 and 10 year old Thinkpad x230. With Debian sid in chroot. All apps work in GUI (so in Chrome as apps) like Instagram, Tinder, Spotify, Youtube Music, even MS Word. There is also VirtualBox included. I haven't used Windows laptop in 10 years or so. What am I missing?

millstone 7y ago
You’re running ChromeOS on a 13 year old Mac Pro? What am I missing?
- chewz 7y ago
  On 13 inch Macbook Pro Retina 2015..

liveoneggs 7y ago

best buy guy is right: a cheap windows laptop can do everything a chromebook or linux machine can do and more, probably better. However (this is big) cheap windows boxes come loaded with, basically, viruses right from the manufacturer so you need to be technical enough to clean them up. Chromebooks are better if you can't uninstall all of the junk from Toshiba or whoever but vanilla windows on the same price point is, by almost every measure, better.

MaupitiBlue 7y ago
You realize that MS lets you download an app which puts an installer for a clean Windows install on a usb stick?
- liveoneggs 7y ago
  I had not heard of that. Is it a new thing?
- liveoneggs 7y ago
  does it clear this? https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-steer-clear-of-windows-10s-built-in-crapware/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-steer-clear-of-windows-...