Are Chromebooks Becoming Over-designed?
Both my parents are very practical-minded people. They have always bought exactly what they needed, and no more. They were not into flash or glitz, and did not succumb to the 50s “keeping up with the Jones” mentality. Whatever it was they needed, they bought the most reliable yet inexpensive product that did the job, and left it at that.
Take cars, for example. My father bought Volkwagens for many years, beginning with the first Beetle and graduating to a VW bus, in which we took several family camping trips, including cross-country ones. No one else in my neighborhood had Volkwagens. We were a family of five boys and my parents. We traveled in that Volkswagen bug by placing the two youngest in the back cubby compartment, the three oldest across the back bench seat, Mom in the front and Dad driving (the bus was luxurious after that). We were a clown car act whenever we arrived somewhere and disembarked. It was completely unsafe, of course, but regardless, that’s how we rolled in the 60s.
I’ve inherited that ethic from my parents, and when I saw my first Chromebook, I knew it was the computer I had been waiting for. My first ever computer was a Kaypro 2. Why? Because it cost about US$1200 and came complete with all the software you needed; no additional purchases. It was also a “transportable” computer, a 26-lb behemoth by today’s standards, that you could pack up into one suitcase-sized package and lug with you.
So when I first saw the Samsung Series 3 Exynos Chromebook for $249, I instinctively knew this was the device for me (I actually bought the $279 model with 3G connectivity). It had 90% of what I needed in a computer: email, web browsing, an office suite, communication functions. I was hooked, and have been hooked on Chromebooks ever since.
But within the last year or so, I notice what I consider to be a disturbing trend. Chromebooks are becoming, well, fancy. To date, I have never paid over $330 for any Chromebook I have ever owned (and I’ve owned a lot of them), but I have noticed that prices for these devices are now hitting the US$500+ mark. Models are adding features that I believe are merely frills, add little value to the consumer (but more profit to the company), and are moving the product away from its roots. Some examples:
Frill #1: Android Apps. I own two CBs that are capable of using Android apps; a Asus Flip (C100, Stable Channel) and a Lenovo N22 (Beta Channel) (update: The N22 is gone to a child, replaced by a Lenovo 500e. I also have a refurbished Acer 15). After a good 6 months with these CBs, I have not found that using Android apps for daily functions has increased my productivity or enjoyment. The web versions of all of Google’s services work just as well or better, and that’s what I need. For the record, I don’t play computer games of any sort (games are something you play with other humans IMO).
Frill #2: Touchscreen. If you’re not using Android apps, touchscreens are unnecessary. I am very good with a mouse and keyboard.
Frill #3: Convertibility. I bought the Asus Flip because I wanted the convertibility as well as a chance to dabble in Android apps. I used the tent and the “view screen” configurations for awhile, but it did not seem to me to be any more or less useful than laptop configuration. Also, it made the keyboard inaccessible, and I hate typing on that on-screen keyboard (update — I’ve changed my mind on convertibility. The 500e in viewing mode makes a nice Kindle reader on my lap).
Frill #4: Tablet mode. Useless because of weight and the feel of the keyboard under your fingers. My Samsung Note 4 is a more suitable tablet, as well as a better form factor for Android apps.
Frill #5: Stylus. I have a stylus on my Note 4. Again, I used it for a bit here and there in meetings, but more often I found myself bringing my Flip to meetings and taking notes with Keep. I think people who shell out the US$550 for a Samsung Pro will seldom use the stylus, which requires a special and more expensive touch-sensitive screen (update — the 500e has a stylus. I’ve played with it, but have yet to discover a daily use for it).
My daily driver is a Toshiba Chromebook 2 2015, and I consider it to be the perfect blend of function and price. It’s the one for which I paid US$330, and because it was upgradeable, I added a 128GB SSD and increased the RAM to 8GB. I also have Ubuntu Xenial/XFCE 4.12 running in crouton on it. Beautiful screen, excellent battery life, backlit keyboard, lightweight plastic case. Everything you need, nothing you don’t; a fully-functioning, versatile computer for about $400 total. No frills computing (update — this CB was recently upgraded to install Android Apps on the stable channel. I had Android apps installed in beta, but again, did not use them much at all).
I drive a 2011 Kia Sorrento, and the second car is a 2009 Toyota Matrix hatchback. I bought my 4-bedroom, 2,000+ square-foot house, in which we raised three children, 30 years ago for $59K, and it’s paid off. I have a 22' 2008 Class C RV (now paid off) with no slides (still like camping, but not in a VW van). My wife and I just bought our first-ever actual platform bed frame (upgrading from cement blocks and plywood) for $300. Chromebooks fit right into this lifestyle (full disclosure: I do have a 2011 iMac, which I have used for video editing when I was working. I use it less and less now that I’m retired). I do not chase consumer goods, and I feel unbelievably fortunate to have what I do have. I think we’d be a much better-off country if we were not so all-consumed with always having the “latest and greatest.”
My hope is that Chromebooks never succumb to the temptation to be over-designed and overpriced. If you paid over $350 for your current CB, you probably paid for frills you won’t regularly use in your daily workflow, dollars which contribute to the manufacturer’s profits and not to your bottom line. We need to keep those $200-$300 CBs in the marketplace, especially for people whose economic means do not allow much more. That’s what the VW Beetle did for the automotive industry, and I hope it’s what Chromebooks will continue to do for years to come. -twl
