5 ms·

250$? I really don't get it. Three years ago I bought a Gateway LT23 Netbook, with a 160GB HD and 1GB memory, it runs Windows7 and cost me 300$. Aren't Netbook

by nsns 14y ago

250$? I really don't get it. Three years ago I bought a Gateway LT23 Netbook, with a 160GB HD and 1GB memory, it runs Windows7 and cost me 300$. Aren't Netbooks better? And have been availbable for many years now?

vyrotek 14y ago
Agreed. I think $150 is more appropriate. What makes me even MORE confused is the 550 model. $450 seems awfully expensive when compare to all your other computing options. http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.html#ss-550 http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.htm... Edit - After a bit more consideration, I might be interested if the HDMI output is decent and the network TV websites won't block the browser. I would use the Chromebook as a replacement HTPC for my Google TV which is basically a brick now.
- mtgx 14y ago
  Blame Intel for the initial $450 Chromebooks and $300 Google TV. Now we're starting to see $250 Chromebooks and $99 Google TV's, thanks to ARM chips.
  - Steko 14y ago
    Why on earth would we blame Intel? How about blaming Google for designing a $250 quality laptop that retailed for $500?
    - Evbn 14y ago
      Because Intel chips and boards are ovespecced and overpriced for the use hey were put to.
mtgx 14y ago
That's a spinning disk. There were 8/16 GB SSD netbooks for around the same price as that 160 GB HDD netbook. Plus, this seems higher quality than those typical netbooks. It's more like an ultrabook for $250, at least in terms of build quality and looks. The specs are obviously lower than a $1000 ultrabook.
- Bud 14y ago
  Build quality? You can't assess that. You haven't used one.
fr0sty 14y ago
Comparing: Processor: Atom n450 (single-core 1.6ghz vs Arm 15 (dual core 1.7ghz) Fan: Yes vs No HDD: Spinning rust vs. SSD Weight: 2.75lbs vs 2.lbs Screen 10.1" 1024x600 vs 11.6" 1366x786 Innovation continues apace from what I can see.
- mtgx 14y ago
  This also probably runs a lot better with this chip and ChromeOS. I have one of those old netbooks myself with Windows 7, and the experience is very frustrating. You can't even switch to a different Chrome tab sometimes because the CPU is too busy loading another tab.
  - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
    I have the 1st gen Chromebook with an atom and the experience is the same, laggy.
    - Lewisham 14y ago
      The last Chromebook (which I used as a Google Intern, so take with a pinch of salt) wasn't laggy at all. They're a lot better since Rev 1.
  - rbanffy 14y ago
    I've been using a i5 Windows 7 box for some office work and it has been, by far, the worst desktop experience I had in years. For other activities, I'm using a first gen Acer netbook running Ubuntu on an Atom processor and it's much smoother. The Atom is not the problem here.
- jetti 14y ago
  What sells me on the netbook is that I have 100GB of space for the life of computer, not for the 2 years after I buy my netbook.
  - jbigelow76 14y ago
polshaw 14y ago
And yet everyone goes on about an ipad being a 'cheap laptop alternative'. This isn't for everyone, but it definitely has a great niche. It has USB3, HDMI, 1366x768 screen, no moving parts and 6.5 hour battery life. Putting the time difference aside, how many of those does your gateway have? The processor is probably a little faster, too.
- s_baby 14y ago
  This product looks very similar to Macbook Air.
- Zenst 14y ago
  That and with a better battery (sure they will come out or exist in some form) it becomes much nicer. Though the 16GB storage, thought even with the Nexus 7 they are dropping the 16Gb and replacing with a 32GB as the new top end model. But this is the base model. Even adding a 4-cell battery and an a base of 40gb would of been a nice move and offered a longer lasting platform. That all said I recently got me a netbook cheap on clearance, 2gb ram built in 3g modem...Even if I stuck a 80gb ssd in there it would still work out cheaper. Though this does look appealing as a grandparent/parent pressy given the time of year. Just show them how to email google and your covered; Very tempting.
podperson 14y ago
I think the more germane comparison is: Microsoft Surface with Keyboard: $600. Chromebook: $249
- Karunamon 14y ago
  And the Chromebook is more capable. With the current state of Microsoft's marketplace, there is literally zero compelling reason to buy into the WinRT ecosystem.
  - Metrop0218 14y ago
    You know very well you won't be able to make the same claim in a couple months so I think this argument easily falls flat.
    - Karunamon 14y ago
      Did you just miss the words "Current state" or..?
    - qdog 14y ago
      We don't know whether we will be able to make that claim or not. It's unclear how many vendors will port their software to the ARM version of Windows at this point. Even if they do, I suspect it will be more like 6-8 months, since a lot of people will be waiting to see how big the market is before supporting it. And in case you are wondering, all my paychecks at the moment rely on Windows, and I have 0 involvement with anything related to the ARM version, nor do I hear about it. Anecdotal at one company, but I don't think it's unusual. Mobile support on the other hand, seems to be a big deal.
      - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
        The software in Metro for Windows 8 and Windows RT is the same. You don't have to do any porting.
        14y ago

by nsns 14y ago

vyrotek 14y ago

Agreed. I think $150 is more appropriate. What makes me even MORE confused is the 550 model. $450 seems awfully expensive when compare to all your other computing options. http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.html#ss-550 http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.htm... Edit - After a bit more consideration, I might be interested if the HDMI output is decent and the network TV websites won't block the browser. I would use the Chromebook as a replacement HTPC for my Google TV which is basically a brick now.

mtgx 14y ago
Blame Intel for the initial $450 Chromebooks and $300 Google TV. Now we're starting to see $250 Chromebooks and $99 Google TV's, thanks to ARM chips.
- Steko 14y ago
  Why on earth would we blame Intel? How about blaming Google for designing a $250 quality laptop that retailed for $500?
  - Evbn 14y ago
    Because Intel chips and boards are ovespecced and overpriced for the use hey were put to.

mtgx 14y ago

That's a spinning disk. There were 8/16 GB SSD netbooks for around the same price as that 160 GB HDD netbook. Plus, this seems higher quality than those typical netbooks. It's more like an ultrabook for $250, at least in terms of build quality and looks. The specs are obviously lower than a $1000 ultrabook.

Bud 14y ago
Build quality? You can't assess that. You haven't used one.

fr0sty 14y ago

Comparing: Processor: Atom n450 (single-core 1.6ghz vs Arm 15 (dual core 1.7ghz) Fan: Yes vs No HDD: Spinning rust vs. SSD Weight: 2.75lbs vs 2.lbs Screen 10.1" 1024x600 vs 11.6" 1366x786 Innovation continues apace from what I can see.

mtgx 14y ago
This also probably runs a lot better with this chip and ChromeOS. I have one of those old netbooks myself with Windows 7, and the experience is very frustrating. You can't even switch to a different Chrome tab sometimes because the CPU is too busy loading another tab.
- MatthewPhillips 14y ago
  I have the 1st gen Chromebook with an atom and the experience is the same, laggy.
  - Lewisham 14y ago
    The last Chromebook (which I used as a Google Intern, so take with a pinch of salt) wasn't laggy at all. They're a lot better since Rev 1.
- rbanffy 14y ago
  I've been using a i5 Windows 7 box for some office work and it has been, by far, the worst desktop experience I had in years. For other activities, I'm using a first gen Acer netbook running Ubuntu on an Atom processor and it's much smoother. The Atom is not the problem here.
jetti 14y ago
What sells me on the netbook is that I have 100GB of space for the life of computer, not for the 2 years after I buy my netbook.
- jbigelow76 14y ago

polshaw 14y ago

And yet everyone goes on about an ipad being a 'cheap laptop alternative'. This isn't for everyone, but it definitely has a great niche. It has USB3, HDMI, 1366x768 screen, no moving parts and 6.5 hour battery life. Putting the time difference aside, how many of those does your gateway have? The processor is probably a little faster, too.

s_baby 14y ago
This product looks very similar to Macbook Air.
Zenst 14y ago
That and with a better battery (sure they will come out or exist in some form) it becomes much nicer. Though the 16GB storage, thought even with the Nexus 7 they are dropping the 16Gb and replacing with a 32GB as the new top end model. But this is the base model. Even adding a 4-cell battery and an a base of 40gb would of been a nice move and offered a longer lasting platform. That all said I recently got me a netbook cheap on clearance, 2gb ram built in 3g modem...Even if I stuck a 80gb ssd in there it would still work out cheaper. Though this does look appealing as a grandparent/parent pressy given the time of year. Just show them how to email google and your covered; Very tempting.

podperson 14y ago

I think the more germane comparison is: Microsoft Surface with Keyboard: $600. Chromebook: $249

Karunamon 14y ago
And the Chromebook is more capable. With the current state of Microsoft's marketplace, there is literally zero compelling reason to buy into the WinRT ecosystem.
- Metrop0218 14y ago
  You know very well you won't be able to make the same claim in a couple months so I think this argument easily falls flat.
  - Karunamon 14y ago
    Did you just miss the words "Current state" or..?
  - qdog 14y ago
    We don't know whether we will be able to make that claim or not. It's unclear how many vendors will port their software to the ARM version of Windows at this point. Even if they do, I suspect it will be more like 6-8 months, since a lot of people will be waiting to see how big the market is before supporting it. And in case you are wondering, all my paychecks at the moment rely on Windows, and I have 0 involvement with anything related to the ARM version, nor do I hear about it. Anecdotal at one company, but I don't think it's unusual. Mobile support on the other hand, seems to be a big deal.
    - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
      The software in Metro for Windows 8 and Windows RT is the same. You don't have to do any porting.
      - 14y ago