If you live at the intersection of ChromeOS, Google Play and like to use a digitizer pen for your photography (and other hand-input) needs, Samsung’s new “ChromeDroid” Chromebooks have been unleashed at CES 2017, and right now you can pre-order the Samsung Chromebook Plus (model XE513C24-K01US) for $450 at Amazon by Amazon itself. The release estimate is mid-February 2017.
This has some pretty good specs (considering it is not running Windows), 12.3-inch, 2400 x 1600 resolution, 4GB RAM, 360-degree hinge, digitizer pen included, two USB-C ports, microSD slot, and such. I would have liked to see more RAM and full SD and USB slots but I suppose there’s only so many things they can stuff in a thinner device and a $450 price.
The $450 model is using an ARM processor. The “Pro” model will use an Intel Core m3 processor but details on that will come in the future.
A tempting rig in many ways, but IMO including two USB-C ports and no others is foolish. Samsung’s designers need to get out of places like Silicon Valley and Redmond, where the extremely well-heeled bleeding-edge techies concentrate and think about the cash-strapped college kids and young couples who will look at this and ask, “Cool, but what are USB-C cables, adapters, etc. going to do for me and cost me?
Yeah, the USB-C cools off the impulse buy temptation! And lack of SD card.
I haven’t looked at close-up pictures or specs, it may be physically too thin for full size USB, since it folds over to become a tablet.
Regardless, if they are smart, they should include USB adapters/hubs. it’s a small thing but would encourage a lot more people to consider considering it.
But given that this is Samsung, I’m sure they’ll have more variations on a theme of this later on, eg a laptop-only version that would be thick enough for USB and SD and such.
“. . . they should include USB adapters/hubs. it’s a small thing but would encourage a lot more people to consider considering it.”
I agree; that would be a good compromise. But hey, if it’s Samsung, they’re likely to take the Chromebook to heights (and prices) undreamed of by Google itself. Then, even if some of their hottest models don’t catch fire or explode, Samsung is likely to decide the Chromebook biz is just too year before last. So, Samsung will get out of the Chromebook biz and turn its attention to a new 20-square-foot, borderless, curved-screen TV with 3-D and virtual reality features — all that and a bag of special-effects chips for a mid-five-figures sum. (I wonder how you say, “Way to go” in Korean.) 🙂