Chromebooks

Anyone got one? What is the difference between these and laptops please?

Dave has blown up his netbook and wants a laptop instead. A techie friend has suggested a chromebook which he says will only work with wifi, which we have here at home anyway, so that's ok.

Basically, hubby only wants to browse (e-bay, and other busy car related sites), he doesn't play games on it, but does use Word a lot, so something that has Ms Word included would be good He's fed up of waiting 5 mins for a page to load Sometimes yes, it's our Sky connection, but most of the time my desktop doesn't suffer like his netbook does, so I'm looking for something cheap that will suit him.

I've got it down to either the Asus lappy ASUS X501U-XX049V 15.6" Laptop which is on special offer at PCWorld for £249 or the Series 5 chromebook at only £199! I like the sound of the 7 second boot up with the chromebook, and so will he, but would it suit his needs for just browsing and using word?

Any advice much appreciated, thanks!

Does this help?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromebook

Thanks for that Krlyr Seems I must get a series 5 to be safe then, but it seems unlikely he could instal Ms Word on it then, he'd have to use a Google app, but this is getting too techie for me, I might be erring towards that lappy now then with Windows 7 on it, coz I don't want to get it wrong

I know this is the wrong time to be buying one with Windows 8 on the horizon, but he does like to spend some of his week-ends on the lappy and at the moment, he doesn't really have one, his has gone very wrong

I would go and have a look at one first H, they are not like normal computers but more like 'tablets' - so you can only install their apps.

The new iPad mini is meant to be announced today - he might prefer that to the chromebook

If he wants a 'proper' computer/laptop, why not give him yours and you get a new Macbook

Give him mine??????
That might have been a good idea Azz, had it not been for the fact that mine is a desktop, be it the stand alone hp touchscreen one, it's a tad heavy for his lap in the recliner!

I've already asked him if he wants a tablet, he says no, he wants a lappy, and now I'm wishing this techie friend of his hasn't e-mailed me about that chromebook coz I don't know where I am now!

I think I'm going to take your advice and nip down to PCWorld and Currys tomorrow and see what I can come home with. Poor Dave, he deserves something, he doesn't have much in life He hasn't even been out of the house since May when we moved here, he's been too busy doing his refurbishments, bless him.

I will make sure I get him something before he comes back on Thursday.

Dont get windows 8 my OH is in IT, and I jokingly said to him windows 8 would be rubbish cos every other one is really bad and windows 7 is so good
and he agreed - he said dont touch windows 8!

Ahhhh, that's interesting then, as that would be why he said it's not a good time, meaning if Windows 8 takes off then the Windows 7 ones will become a lot cheaper, OR, it might be better to wait until Windows 8 takes its course so to speak to know whether to get one?

When I mentioned this to Dave last night (about windows his reply was that you just instal Windows 8 on the new one?

Sounds like Windows 8 could be akin to that awful one before XP but can't remember what it was now but it sure was pants! I love my Windows 7 though, it's made for not so techie peops I think, it's so darn easy to find anything unlike XP was!

Thanks for that

Well if it's within your budget, you might want to look at the macbook air: http://www.apple.com/uk/macbookair/

Once they bring one out with a Retina display I am going to sell my Mac for one