Chromebooks
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@stacksofplates said in Chromebooks:
@Dashrender said in Chromebooks:
@JasGot said in Chromebooks:
I have read here in a few threads that Lenovo really took advantage of users with hidden access to the laptops. For this reason I have never considered Lenovo again. (Not that I was a fan before).....
But I see over and over how much people like their Lenovo CBs, is there any risk in a Lenovo CB or laptop?
There's always a risk. Lenovo could easily create BIOS add-ons that force whatever OS it's aware of to download crap from the interwebs and install it.
That was a Windows only thing leveraging WPBT. Pretty sure they can't do that with ChromeOS because normal boot mode will only boot signed versions of ChromeOS and does a verification of the firmware and the kernel.
And they don't use a normal BIOS in normal mode. The legacy booting uses SeaBIOS.
That wasn't a Windows only thing. That is (we have no evidence that they've actually changed this) in the wifi driver stack for all supported operating systems. Add all the outright lies during that debacle and everything since, and Lenovo is a known bad actor.
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@travisdh1 said in Chromebooks:
@stacksofplates said in Chromebooks:
@Dashrender said in Chromebooks:
@JasGot said in Chromebooks:
I have read here in a few threads that Lenovo really took advantage of users with hidden access to the laptops. For this reason I have never considered Lenovo again. (Not that I was a fan before).....
But I see over and over how much people like their Lenovo CBs, is there any risk in a Lenovo CB or laptop?
There's always a risk. Lenovo could easily create BIOS add-ons that force whatever OS it's aware of to download crap from the interwebs and install it.
That was a Windows only thing leveraging WPBT. Pretty sure they can't do that with ChromeOS because normal boot mode will only boot signed versions of ChromeOS and does a verification of the firmware and the kernel.
And they don't use a normal BIOS in normal mode. The legacy booting uses SeaBIOS.
That wasn't a Windows only thing. That is (we have no evidence that they've actually changed this) in the wifi driver stack for all supported operating systems. Add all the outright lies during that debacle and everything since, and Lenovo is a known bad actor.
The only one I ever saw was injected from the BIOS with WPBT. And it would have to be windows because Linux wouldn't use their wifi driver stack unless you downloaded it. And that doesn't change the fact that you can't do that with ChromeOS anyway.
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Oh you're referencing superfish. That was something different. What @Dashrender was referring to was the WPBT injection which happened on like a single product line of their systems.
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Get a large screen, i have generic Chromebooks, both 11 in and 14 in and the 14 in makes a huge difference.
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@jt1001001 said in Chromebooks:
Get a large screen, i have generic Chromebooks, both 11 in and 14 in and the 14 in makes a huge difference.
Yeah I still have a Toshiba Chromebook 2 from 2015 and it's got a 13" 1080p screen. It does make a big difference.
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Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
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@krzykat said in Chromebooks:
Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
I have. Used two laptops for my kids. It isn't a true Chrome OS but it works well. The kids were able to see all they should have for school accounts.
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@krzykat said in Chromebooks:
Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
I do that to Linux all the time, but not to Chromebooks.
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@WLS-ITGuy said in Chromebooks:
@krzykat said in Chromebooks:
Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
I have. Used two laptops for my kids. It isn't a true Chrome OS but it works well. The kids were able to see all they should have for school accounts.
Do those run Android apps like some Chromebooks do? That would be a big benefit. What about Linux apps?
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@JasGot said in Chromebooks:
I have read here in a few threads that Lenovo really took advantage of users with hidden access to the laptops. For this reason I have never considered Lenovo again. (Not that I was a fan before).....
But I see over and over how much people like their Lenovo CBs, is there any risk in a Lenovo CB or laptop?
So my feeling is that the way that these are used, and Google's oversight of them, probably make them a lot likely to be safer. But I'd be wary to some degree. Like if I'm using it for school or social media, I'd feel pretty good. If I was using it for military, corporate secrets, trying to overthrough the government, or banking I'd not be so comfortable.
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@scottalanmiller said in Chromebooks:
@WLS-ITGuy said in Chromebooks:
@krzykat said in Chromebooks:
Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
I have. Used two laptops for my kids. It isn't a true Chrome OS but it works well. The kids were able to see all they should have for school accounts.
Do those run Android apps like some Chromebooks do? That would be a big benefit. What about Linux apps?
I don't have them anymore I had to buy an actual chromebook for my oldest daughter. With it not being a true ChromeOS they wouldn't put it on the student WiFi so she was always on the guest wifi and complained because it was slow.
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My reason for asking is kids school units and wanting to have controls. I just installed circle for the house - great for controlling online time for kids. Would be great if I could convert a win laptop to a chromebook that allowed the installation of the android circle app so that I could monitor more closely what they are doing on their computers. Free allows me to see how much time they spend on each app as well as their browsing history.
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@krzykat there is nothing stopping you from installing Chrome OS. I do it to devices that are beefy. Nothing like having Quad core cpu, 16 GB of RAM and a decent ssd. It really takes the pain off of my base device since I basically remote into stuff all day. They are planning on including Steam soon so that will improve the gaming but you can game already on them from Android store.
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@scottalanmiller said in Chromebooks:
Like if I'm using it for school or social media, I'd feel pretty good.
Thanks! That makes me happy to place an order for the boy!
Mine will not be a Lenovo......
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@scottalanmiller said in Chromebooks:
@krzykat said in Chromebooks:
Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
I do that to Linux all the time, but not to Chromebooks.
I wonder how that would work for a crappy A9 based system... they just don't run Windows well at all. the crap thing is Windows is required for me to print labels.. something we require.
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@Dashrender said in Chromebooks:
@scottalanmiller said in Chromebooks:
@krzykat said in Chromebooks:
Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
I do that to Linux all the time, but not to Chromebooks.
I wonder how that would work for a crappy A9 based system... they just don't run Windows well at all. the crap thing is Windows is required for me to print labels.. something we require.
Probably run fine. It runs okay on some crazy low power hardware.
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@scottalanmiller said in Chromebooks:
@Dashrender said in Chromebooks:
@scottalanmiller said in Chromebooks:
@krzykat said in Chromebooks:
Has anyone ever turned a Win Laptop into Chrome? https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/13/how-to-turn-your-old-slow-laptop-into-a-sleek-chromebook/
I do that to Linux all the time, but not to Chromebooks.
I wonder how that would work for a crappy A9 based system... they just don't run Windows well at all. the crap thing is Windows is required for me to print labels.. something we require.
Probably run fine. It runs okay on some crazy low power hardware.
I suppose i could try it.. for use where people aren't printing labels.
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This is the one I am running now
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5P6TJW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1I also ordered this ones for my kids
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Chromebook-Celeron-Processor-wi-FI-XE350XBA-K03US/dp/B07XL4JDQW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3SZ8DV4NIMWSO&dchild=1&keywords=chromebook&qid=1594482204&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_n_feature_five_browse-bin%3A7817223011&rnid=2257851011&rps=1&s=electronics&sprefix=chromeb%2Caps%2C303&sr=1-2 -
I have the 2nd and 3rd one along with some other models. They work as advertised. I really like how Samsung and HPE have made some excellent chromebooks without breaking the bank.
