Chromebook Shipments Up 67%
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It looks like you have the choice of a free Google account or the Google Apps accounts when setting up users on devices:
https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/1289314?hl=en
It's not super clear, but makes sense that the Chromebook management can be tied to Google Apps or can be used with normal Google accounts.
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You're right, it's not super clear, but it looks that way. I did some Googling and came up with pretty much nothing, which I suspect is because you could count on one hand the number of organisations who are using the Management Console but aren't Google Apps users. Especially as for education (the main users of Chromebooks), Google Apps is completely free.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
$30 per device. Cheaper by far than anything Windows has.
That's the education licence. It's $150 for business. That's not particularly cheap.
Ah, that's confusing. Still super cheap compared to Windows Pro, AD, running your own server, etc.
Is it?
How much does a Windows setup cost? Windows has fixed costs, but let's say for a standard 100 user SMB, how much does it cost per device to buy the hardware, server licence, client licence (Windows Pro) and CALs? I wouldn't have thought it's much over $150? Of course, administration costs are going to be much higher.
I wonder how many companies pay $150 anyway. I've seen a few case studies pushed by Google of organisations rolling out Chromebooks, but they're all large companies. All of them use Google Apps. I seriously doubt that these large companies are paying anywhere near $150. I suspect they're paying nothing.
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OK, I phoned Google and asked them. I really don't know why I'm wasting my time on this. I think there was something about your incredulous reply to my original question that wound me up for some reason!
They initially told me that you can create and manage Gmail users within the Management Console, so as you said @scottalanmiller, you are not tied to Google Apps in anyway.
However, they've just phoned me back and said they were mistaken! They are now saying, quite clearly, that you need a Google Apps account for every user that is managed with the Management Console. So if we had 100 users using 100 Chromebooks we would need to purchase 100 Google Apps accounts.
That is straight from the horses mouth!
Nothing like Flickr!
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@scottalanmiller said:
Keep in mind that Chromebooks can't make zip files either. So if you have a full Chromium shop, zip files won't exist.
Chromebooks most definitely can make zip files.
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@scottalanmiller said:
You don't work with local files on Chromebooks, you do that all on the servers. It's a web browser, you have to rethink end user computing and not carry Windows idioms and challenges over looking for answers. It answers that by changing how you work.
Google now make a big thing about working with offline (local) files. As they should, laptop users don't always have internet access. In that regards, they're not really any different from Windows laptops.
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My latest toy! I really wanted an HP one, but there's no stock in the channel in the UK and they keep putting back the ETA of new stock:
I have a couple of intended uses.
Firstly, I'm setting up a wallboard in my office (a large screen showing key stats and logs via a browser), and will use a Chromebox to power it.
Secondly, we have a PC in the conference room, and generally users use the PC to make a remote desktop connection onto their own PCs in order to open Powerpoint presentations and the like. They don't have to use RDC, as the PC has Office installed so they could run it straight from there, but they generally feel more comfortable working from their own PC (we don't use roaming profiles). I'm thinking of replacing the conference room PC with a Chromebox, which would force users to use remote desktop whether they like it or not, but would otherwise work pretty well. It would also allow visitor secure internet access if required.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
You don't work with local files on Chromebooks, you do that all on the servers. It's a web browser, you have to rethink end user computing and not carry Windows idioms and challenges over looking for answers. It answers that by changing how you work.
Google now make a big thing about working with offline (local) files. As they should, laptop users don't always have internet access. In that regards, they're not really any different from Windows laptops.
Aren't they just a cache though?
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@Carnival-Boy said:
My latest toy! I really wanted an HP one, but there's no stock in the channel in the UK and they keep putting back the ETA of new stock:
Same under the hood. I know someone with both and he said that the HP one is just a rebranded Asus.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Aren't they just a cache though?
There's a "Downloads" folder, and in there you can create new files and sub-directories. This is where you create new zip files. It's a bit weird, because if I create a new Google Doc in the download folder and edit it, it edits in Google Drive. I can then edit this file on another PC within Google Drive. But I can't browse for the file in Google Drive - I can only edit it using the URL. It seems to be using Google Drive as a hidden cache for the local folder (rather than the other way round). If you see what I mean?
I'm sure it's all very logical and user friendly, but it's not immediately obvious to me.
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@scottalanmiller said:
I know someone with both and he said that the HP one is just a rebranded Asus.
Interesting. I mainly prefer HP in order to have a single point of contact for any support and maintenance issues, rather than any preference for their hardware per se.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
I know someone with both and he said that the HP one is just a rebranded Asus.
Interesting. I mainly prefer HP in order to have a single point of contact for any support and maintenance issues, rather than any preference for their hardware per se.
Their Chromeboxes are a little more attractive too, I think. But they have Asus make them for them. Asus makes most HP desktops as it is so it makes sense that they make these too.
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Quality feels pretty good. It comes with a little adapter plate that allows you to screw it into the back of your monitor which is quite nice. No keyboard or mouse, despite the manual saying these are included in the box ("some items may not be included in your territory").
The box and literature are covered in the Asus slogan "IN SEARCH OF INCREDIBLE" which is one of these typical marketing slogans that means shit and really annoys me. It doesn't even make sense. When did we start to allow marketing people to arbitrarily swaps nouns and adjectives? I'd prefer HP on that basis alone.
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Anyone else adding Chromebooks or Chromeboxes to their lineup recently?
