How Using Chromebooks Changed Me

Imagine Getting Things Done

When my Pixelbook Go arrived on my doorstep, I was incredibly excited for multiple reasons. I was thrilled that I was getting new hardware, of course, but I was also ecstatic to begin a new chapter of my lifelong computing journey. As someone who’s been more than comfortable bouncing between various versions of Windows, macOS, and “Linux” throughout the years, this was just another opportunity to do things in a different way, and see things in a new light. There’s something incredibly appealing to me about how we get things done, and why we use our tools the way we do. So far it’s been three days since I received it, and I’m already clacking ambitiously on my fresh laptop’s keyboard to tell you just how things went down.

I’m typically used to opening up a box with a laptop inside, immediately popping in the charger, and then spending the next two, maybe three hours setting it up. I’m pleasantly surprised that this wasn’t the case. While I was somewhat expecting it to still be a pain point, as even Google’s in-box documentation suggested plugging in before heading off to the races. I decided against this, because what are instructions for if not to ignore? Full disclosure here, Google Chrome is my primary web browser, and despite some multi-month-long stents with Firefox and GNOME Web (Epiphany), it has been my primary browser for the majority of my computing history. This makes things a little simpler for me than it would an entirely new-to-Google user. However, it’s still more than friendly and simple enough to be miles ahead of the setup process of any other device I’ve used, both phone and laptop. As soon as I lifted the lid, I was greeted by the Google logo, followed by a welcome and setup screen. How hard could it be? Not hard at all. I connected to WiFi, and signed into my Google account. Accept some terms of service prompts, and go. That’s all. Yep, that’s all.

It looks to me that it’s not seeming too different from a standard OS setup, right? Connect to the network, sign in to the proper accounts, and get trucking. Well, the devil’s in the details. The time it takes me to get through that process on Windows, from initial boot to desktop, is about 10 minutes on average. On macOS? Unfortunately a little longer, but macOS is much more elegant in what happens after this point. Anyone familiar with setting up Windows will know that connecting to the network and signing in is nowhere near ready-to-go. You haven’t even gotten to the updates, or the driver installs, or the display configuration, etc. You haven’t had to enable the few settings in Windows Defender that should just be on by default anyway. You haven’t updated your web browser which will then proceed to hijack your entire OS until you trudge through the overstated setup of it, whether you want to use it or not. Nah, none of that. Sign in, and get started. OS updates happen in the background, and are incredibly unintrusive on Chrome OS. It’s almost like Google wants you to be able to just use the device you just bought! Imagine that, right? Genius.

So what happens when you’re given an incredibly simple setup process, and can get right to work faster? Glad I asked for you! You can actually focus on the things that really matter to you. Look, I’m a tech guy at heart. I don’t actually mind using Windows 10, if anything I do actually enjoy it. The same goes for macOS, iOS, Android, and especially elementary OS (among other Linux-based operating systems!). That being said, this stark contrast I’ve experienced between Chrome OS and every other operating system I’ve used so far leaves me curious as to whether anyone else is going to realize just how bad things are right now. I’ve been far more productive, and have been far less tense when using my computer after switching to a Chromebook. Despite the constant ragging I hear about how Chromebooks and Chrome OS are some neutered form of computing, I’ve had absolutely no hesitations because the proof is in the pudding. The fact that nearly everything I do involves the internet, it makes no sense to deny the reality of how obviously sane it is to have an operating system actually focus on that very thing! I feel encouraged in my work, rather than constantly sidetracked by weird issues or management needs with my OS. This is how it should be, in my honest opinion.

I suppose now it’s time to really dig in on some of the benefits I’ve received from the Pixelbook Go in particular. While I’d be happy with so many Chromebooks that are out there, I’ve been graced by the PBG more than I think any other could. This is a device with the build quality and presentation of $1,000 MacBooks and Surface Laptops at just over half the price. This is a device that has solidified my belief that a desire for a simple computing experience does not equal a sacrifice in quality. It’s safe to say that my standards have been raised, not lowered, by my adoption of the PBG and Chrome OS. The lightweight magnesium chassis makes this incredibly comfortable to work with on the go, especially moving from room to room in the house or office. Where I would typically find myself waiting until I was in the coffee shop or settled in at home to begin my tasks, I now find myself with my PBG on my lap in the car (as a passenger, of course!), browsing the web and typing up the things most pertinent to me when they’re relevant, instead of letting it wait until I was stationary. There are no fans on this device, yet it remains within its thermal boundaries when I’m using it, and the keyboard has proved to me that Google is not playing around when it comes to quality. This laptop means business, style, comfort, and fun all in one ridiculously clean and light device.

In an effort to avoid a “fanboy” presentation, I will acknowledge that despite the vast majority of all of my tasks being satisfied by the capabilities of Chrome OS, some things are a challenge. I’m far from the average user in many regards and I believe that my needs are definitely not representative of the majority by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve grown accustomed to the presence of image, audio, and video editing software that makes use of local libraries and pure processing power. A stark contrast from the environment Chrome OS excels at providing, which is heavily focused on serverside compute. Some would draw the conclusion that it’s a consumption OS, not a production OS. Despite the challenges I faced initially, I absolutely refused to believe that I could not be effective and productive in this environment just because it’s different. I’ve since discovered multiple powerful online tools for image editing such as Pixlr and Photopea. Audio editing software such as 123Apps’ Audio Cutter, Joiner, and more. Video editors such as WeVideo which take the burden of processing and rendering off of the user entirely! Now, these are still challenging, but thankfully Chromebooks have another superpower that changes the game. The Play Store.

With smartphone cameras becoming increasingly more impressive and media production of both casual and professional capacities spike exponentially… It’s no surprise that software for image and video editing has made its way onto Android via the Play Store. Offering ways for users to manipulate media with the comfort of their mobile form factor and full utilization of the local processing power available. Chromebooks let you take this a step further, reaping the benefits of all sorts of hardware to get the job done without incurring extreme data charges or being stifled by the bottlenecks of your internet connection. I’ve since been able to utilize handy tools such as Google’s Snapseed and Adobe Lightroom for photo editing, Cybyerlink PowerDirector for video editing, and more recently, Adobe Premiere Rush as well! So, while I’d say some things started off as a challenge in regards to a shifting workflow and style, it has resulted in me finding new ways to accomplish the tasks that I want and need to do, and in many cases I do it in a much more simple and efficient way. I’m fully embracing the next chapter in my computing journey which will make extensive use of this wonderful and powerful operating system I have available to me!

There’s more to the unpack here than just browsing the web or editing video as well. Google has enabled me to make use of Chromebooks to play games! With services like Stadia, I’ve been able to take a device which I wouldn’t typically reference to provide riveting gameplay and completely flip the narrative. Just as our cloud-connected world enables us to remove the burden of processing things locally and crushing our ability to multitask with the device, it also enables us to play games at high framerates and quality without the downsides typically brought about by the reliance on integrated graphics. Stadia is Google’s game streaming platform that I’ve had the joys of experiencing since my purchase and has instilled a sense of confidence in its ability to make gaming more accessible and easy to manage for the masses, both on a technical and financial level. Plugging my Xbox One controller into my PBG was a pleasurable experience as it was recognized and enabled by Chrome OS instantly, passing controls through to games in Stadia or even the Play Store flawlessly. I’m spending hours gaming on a laptop with games and graphics quality that exceed what my device would be capable of doing itself, without the massive drain on my battery that high compute and frame rendering loads would be put on my machine otherwise. I can only hope services like Stadia bring gaming to a wider audience by making it easier to use as well as play on any variety of hardware and OS Chrome runs on.

My elation with Chromebooks and Chrome OS is at an all-time high, but it’s still climbing as I continue to discover new benefits and unique qualities they offer. Google has built more than just an operating system here. They’ve also created an ecosystem of services that make using Chromebooks incredibly easy and desirable for so many, and even though my personal Chromebook is a flagship device with a price, it has indicated to me that these benefits can and will be shared with hundreds of thousands of users, makers, and more across the globe as we stride towards a more flexible and connected world of technology.