Special Offer

Chrome sleeve by Rickshaw

Like I said in my First Impressions post about my new Chromebook, I got this device through a special offer from Google. Included in this offer was a custom built notebook sleeve from textile manufacturer Rickshaw Bagworks of San Francisco. This notebook sleeve isn't even available with the Amazon pre-orders. So why tell you about this? I'm bragging. I just want to point out how much better life is this deep into the Google cloud. You get hooked up with all sorts of cool extras. Like exclusive custom sleeves.

Chromebook Second Impressions

Next verse, much like the first. I am still impressed by the hardware Samsung put into the Series 5. The wireless antennas, both cellular and wifi, are quick to connect and hold a strong signal. The screen is bright and easy to read. The worst feature of the hardware, and it's going to sound a bit weird, is the keyboard is too big. No really. I've gotten used to typing on the Motorola Droid on-screen keyboard. The Samsung Chromebook keyboard is agoraphobia-inducing. It's expansive and the keys feel like they're too far apart. I know, quirky little nitpick.

I like the software, too. Android is a great operating system for the type of hardware it's installed on and for using a lot of cloud services and Chrome does the same thing for bigger systems. It's fun to pick the differences between Chrome the web browser and Chrome the operating system. It's great code.

Chromebook First Impressions

I had asked to be a part of Google's early Chromebook preview, the Cr-48 netbook. I wasn't accepted for the program because I'm not a tech blogger. Obviously. I was granted an invitation-only special offer of a Samsung Series 5 Chrome notebook which was available even before the Amazon preorders. This is the first of a series of posts about the Samsung Series 5 I received.

Shiniest slab in the 'verse