News Analysis: The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is just hitting the market with features and performance with the Chrome operating system that could make in an attractive choice in the mobile computer market. But Apple's iPad 2 is still a better choice than any Chromebook on the market.
After
a long wait, consumers and enterprise users can now get their hands on
Chromebooks. Those hoping to buy one can
order the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook on Amazon or at Best Buy for $499.99.
The device comes with a 12.1-inch display, 8.5 hours of battery life, and the
ability to connect to the Web via WiFi and 3G.
However,
the most important feature in Samsung's Chromebook is its operating system,
Chrome OS. The operating system is Google's best answer yet to Windows, and the
search giant hopes it will catch on with computer buyers.
For
now, Chromebooks are small, lightweight computers designed to take on
Windows-based netbooks. However, they might also be compared to tablets. After
all, netbook sales have been systematically dismantled at the hands of tablets.
Considering Chromebooks look awfully netbooklike, consumers might rightfully
determine that if they have several hundred dollars to spend they will need to
choose between a Chromebook or a tablet.
But
when it comes to making a buying decision, choosing the iPad 2 over any
Chromebook is the best idea. Though Google's product category is new and it
might be compelling to some, it falls short when compared with the leading
tablet on the market.
Read
on to find out why consumers and enterprise users should buy the iPad 2,
rather than a Chromebook.
1. Think about the apps
Any
platform, regardless of whether it's a tablet or Chromebook, needs applications
to appeal to users. Apple's iPad 2, which has 90,000 applications available for
it in the App Store, has just about any software choice a customer might be
after. In order to add applications to a Chromebook, on the other hand, users
will need to browse the Chrome Web Store. Currently, that marketplace has some
solid applications, including Google Books and Angry Birds, but its selection
of programs isn't as deep as Apple's App Store. If users are after high-quality
apps, choosing an iPad 2 is their best bet.
2. It works without a Web connection
Even
if a user cannot connect to the Web on the iPad 2, they can continue to type
out emails, play games and engage in other activities from Apple's tablet.
Those who are running a Chromebook, however, will find very little
functionality without a Web connection. In fact, some reviewers have said that
a Chromebook without a Web connection is basically an expensive brick. Until
Google delivers a robust offline solution for Chrome OS, the iPad 2 seems like
the
best choice for those who don't necessarily want to rely so heavily upon the
cloud.
3. More mobility
Thanks
to their small footprint, Chromebooks are designed to be lightweight and easily
mobile. But they're netbooks at heart and Apple's iPad 2 is simply a more
mobile device. Thanks to its thin, lightweight design, the iPad 2 can be easily
tossed into a bag and pulled out while on the road. If mobility means
everything to a consumer, choosing the 1.33-pound iPad 2, rather than the
3.3-pound Samsung Series 5 Chromebook seems like a good idea.
4. Netbooks are dying
As
mentioned, Chromebooks are little more than glorified netbooks running a
different operating system than the vast majority of lightweight computers on
the market. Considering that tablets have cut deeply into netbook sales around
the world, it might not make sense to buy a Chromebook now. After all, if the
market turns its back on Chromebooks and they quickly fail, owners will be
sitting on devices that would have become obsolete in no time.
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