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Chromebooks: Worth a try?

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S Aadeetya
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Google has come a long way since becoming a search engine giant. First the US major acquired Andy Ruben owned android, which has scaled heights in the mobility arena. Then came the hardware side of their story, with products that epitomized value-for-money proposition, nexus as they called it. The third chapter of Google's rise to prominence is called Chrome OS, which has been designed for a specific set of purpose and functionality and caters to Google-only products and services only.

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Chrome OS is part of the Chrome web browser that has overtaken other browsers with its simplicity, and efficiency supported by the virtue of Google. Chrome OS based products made their entry into Indian market in late 2013 and here's what you need to know about this Google owned PC platform.

Getting to know a Chromebook

- Chrome OS has been created by team at Google which is headed by Sundar Pichai who is credited with heading both Chrome and android for the search engine giant.

- Chrome OS is currently confined to notebooks which are known as Chromebooks, a term coined by Google.

- Selective vendors such as Samsung, Hewlett Packard (HP), Acer and Toshiba have joined hands with Google for making Chromebooks.

- Chromebooks available in India are from brands Acer, hp, Samsung etc. and all these are priced at sub Rs 30,000 mark.

- Chromebook pixel is the only Chrome OS running device that comes with touch support screen but is priced upwards of $1,000 for consumers.

- Chromebooks need all-time internet connectivity and sadly the platform does not support external 3g dongle as of now.

- You can only use Google products like Google Chrome, Gmail and Google docs among others.

- Chrome OS has its own app store which is not intensely flushed right now.

Now that you have come to terms with Chrome oS and Chromebooks to some extent, we take a closer look at two Chromebook options available in the country

Worth the buy?

Chromebook in general, is a different beast in comparison to the Windows PCs or Macs and with Chrome OS it needs internet all the time for using Google products/apps. If a non-Windows or Mac device is on your agenda, that too a budget one, then Chromebooks can be added to your list of options to evaluate.

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