In US: Chromebooks are the most growing notebook category

Chromebooks accounted for 21 percent of all notebook sales, up from negligible share in the prior year, and 8 percent of all computer and tablet sales through November, up from one tenth of a percent in 2012 – the largest share increase across the various product segments.

From NPD report

Happy X-mas!

I wish you a good time (with your chromebook).

I guess there are many new chromebooks under the tree this year. For all the happy people with new chromebooks here a short recap of my blog posts especially interesting for you.

• A sleeve for the Acer C720(p)
• How to get audiophile sound from your chromebook
• USB 3G modem on chromebooks
• Apple like feeling on your chromebook (run Apple apps in the cloud on chromebook)
• Compact flash card readers on chromebook (e.g. to transfer your christmas photographs)
• For the Acer C720 or C720p users a perfect sleeve cover bag
• Some rarely known things a chromebook can do
• Collection of things which a chromebook can not do today

Chromedesktop: LG reveals chrome based desktop PC (chromebase)

ChromeOS is getting momentum.

LG Electronics (LG) will unveil the first-ever Chromebase, an all-in-one computer powered by the Google Chrome operating system at next month’s  2014 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

From the official LG press release:

Specifications and Features

- Processor: Intel^® Celeron^® CPU

- Operating System: Chrome OS

- Display: 21.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS

- Memory: 2 GB   

- Storage: 16GB iSSD

- Ports: HDMI-in, USB 2.0 x3, USB 3.0 x1, LAN

- Accessories: Keyboard, Mouse, Cable Organizer

- Webcam: 1.3 M 720 HD

Ipod mini upgrade to store more and play longer

I have upgraded successfully my old, not used ipod mini (2nd gen) to 32GB (was 4 GB prior to the upgrade).  Additionally I changed the battery to a new one.

I purchased this Transcend 32 GB 133x CompactFlash Memory Card and replaced by it the original 4GB hard drive from Hitachi. The battery replacement is available here.

The biggest challenge was to open the ipod without destruction. There are nice tutorials on the steps to do to open and upgrade the ipod mini.

I will use the additional space to store loss-less files to my old friend ipod mini. Together with the Fiio E17 USB DAC Headphone Amplifier connected via FiiO L3 Line Out Dock (LOD) Cable For iPod and iPhone the quality on the headphone output is amazing. Now my old friend is back to operation and I have an mobile audiophile player.

3G USB modem (Huawei E173) on chromebook

Heureka, it works! Surprisingly my Huawei E173 WCDMA 3G USB Wireless Modem Dongle Adapter SIM TF Card HSDPA EDGE GPRS works as it should on the chromebook. Just plug and play, no fiddling with drivers.

Welcome Dell to the chromebook supplier club

Dell is offering according to the official press release a chromebook 11 targeting the educational market.

How to save 573.65 EUR with a chromebook (e.g. Acer C720) in comparison to an ipad air 16 GB

I know the following comparison is not 100% valid, but I would like to show that if you bought a chromebook you did a very cost-effective purchase. As comparison / baseline I will take an ipad air 16 GB and the Acer C720/2GB. I will use Amazon prices in EUR, but I guess the result will be valid in almost all countries and currencies.