2014-07-24 03:21:28 +00:00
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---
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title: On Chromebooks
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layout: post
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---
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2014-07-24 17:00:30 +00:00
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Like a lot of people, I didn’t see a clear use-case for Chromebooks. They’re
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just glorified browsers, right? What if I wanted to do anything outside of the
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browser? Why would you spend [$1299 or $1449 for a
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computer](https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebooks.html#pixel)
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that can only run a browser?
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While I know a lot of people who buy expensive MacBooks only to just use a web
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browser and iTunes, I’m a bit more of a power user and I need things like
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[Eclipse](http://www.eclipse.org/) (popular programming IDE) and
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[Inkscape](http://inkscape.org/) (open source vector graphics editor). I
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figured that if I’d ever get a Chromebook, I would quickly ditch its crippled
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ChromeOS for [Ubuntu](http://www.ubuntu.com/) instead, so I could use my
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favorite operating system on the quality Chromebook hardware. It turns out, a
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lot of people do this. So many that there are a couple of Ubuntu forks that
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have been developed that allow you to run both ChromeOS and Ubuntu on the same
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Chromebook: [ChrUbuntu](http://chromeos-cr48.blogspot.fr/) and
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[Crouton](https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton).
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However, when I recently acquired a [Samsung
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Chromebook](https://www.google.com/intl/en-US/chrome/devices/samsung-chromebook.html#ss-cb):
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Google’s ARM processor Chromebook, I discovered what makes Chromebooks, and
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even ChromeOS, so amazing. **I realized there is no need for anything more than
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Chrome**. Even for a power user like me.
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<a href="/static/img/full_chromebook.jpg"><img
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src="/static/img/full_chromebook_thumb.jpg" alt="Samsung Chromebook open on a
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porch"></a>
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Before long, I had completely abandoned my old heavy [2011 Dell
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Inspiron](http://www.cnet.com/laptops/dell-inspiron-n5110-15/4505-3121_7-35127205.html)
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in favor of my Samsung Chromebook. While the Dell laptop clearly has more
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computing power, I preferred the Chromebook for a few reasons:
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* **Lightweight**: it’s only 2.4 pounds. That feels like nothing compared to
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the 5.5 pound monstrosity that used to weigh down my backpack.
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* **Battery life**: officially it’s 6.5 hours, but I’ve seen up to 9 hours
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before. It’s very freeing to not need to plug in my laptop everywhere I go.
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* **Size**: the screen is just 11.6” and it’s 0.7” thin. I honestly didn’t
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think I’d prefer a smaller laptop, but the experience has been a lot better in
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general.
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* **Screen Resolution**: even though the screen is smaller, it’s still 1366x768
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-- the same as my Dell laptop. Resolution is very important to me: higher
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resolution means I can fit more information on the screen, and my young eyes
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can handle the smaller text. Going back to my Dell feels like looking through a
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magnifying glass now.
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* **Trackpad**: I use an [Apple Magic
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Trackpad](http://www.apple.com/magictrackpad/?) at work, which is heralded as
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the best trackpad out there, and in my opinion the Samsung Chromebook has a
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trackpad that’s just as nice. Don’t even get me started with how horrible the
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Dell trackpad is; I had to disable it and use keyboard shortcuts for everything
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instead.
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* **Keyboard**: the Chromebook has a keyboard that closely resembles an Apple
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keyboard, and it’s hard to describe exactly why, but the feedback just makes it
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feel *nicer* to type on than the one on my Dell laptop. Also, the search key
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that replaces the Caps Lock key is really useful.
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* **Price**: all of this great hardware for just $249 seems unreal. I’m sure
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this is what converts many people, and it’s good to know I can do everything I
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need to on a laptop that’s under $300.
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* **Perks**: as an aside, Google also gives you 100GB free Google Drive space
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for 2 years and 12 free Gogo passes with the Chromebook, which definitely comes
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in handy.
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<div> <a href="/static/img/chromebook_keyboard.jpg"><img
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src="/static/img/chromebook_keyboard_thumb.jpg" alt="Samsung Chromebook
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keyboard up close" style="float: left;"></a> <a
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href="/static/img/chromebook_trackpad.jpg"><img
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src="/static/img/chromebook_trackpad_thumb.jpg" alt="Samsung Chromebook
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trackpad up close" style="float: right;"></a> </div> <br>
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While that all of that is nice, the Chromebook still only has 16GB internal
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storage, no DVD drive, no ethernet port, and hardly any processing power. And I
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still need to be able to code and write on my laptop and access specific
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programs that only run on Linux or Windows machines. ChromeOS has a lot of
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things built in to get around these limitations, but some things require a bit
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of tweaking. If anyone has read my past posts, they know that I am obsessed
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with configuring things. Here is what I came up with for everything I would
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ever need to do on my Chromebook:
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###Writing###
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I spent a lot of time downloading
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[various](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/write-space/aimodnlfiikjjnmdchihablmkdeobhad)
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[writing](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/writer/pnengefjfhgcceajaepbjhanoojifmog)
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[applications](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/writebox/bbehjmjchoiaglkeboicbgkpfafcmhij)
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from the Chrome Web Store, but nothing seemed to work as well and seemless as
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the stock Google Drive documents application. You can’t beat automatic saving
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to the cloud with the ability to collaborate simultaneously with other people.
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In order to make the experience more immersive put Chrome into fullscreen and
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hide the controls by clicking the “View” menu and then selecting “Full Screen”.
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I’m currently in the Beta channel of ChromeOS, so you may need to switch to
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that channel and enable “Immersive Mode” in `chrome://flags` to get it looking
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like I have in the screenshot ([more
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info](http://gigaom.com/2013/08/22/chrome-os-users-gain-immersive-mode-and-more-in-stable-channel-update/))
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<a href="/static/img/fullscreen_gdocs.png"><img
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src="/static/img/fullscreen_gdocs_thumb.png" alt="Demonstrating Google Docs in
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fullscreen immersive mode"></a>
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Another little-known feature of Google Docs is creating a new document based
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off of a template. I made a couple templates that expand the page out to almost
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100% and resemble the colors of the OSX IA Writer app: one in [Gentium
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Basic](https://drive.google.com/previewtemplate?id=1N7kZhXsYJoVJpt4rE5q7Xhp92M4DPB_-u2dOSkEAeRY&mode=public)
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and one in [Open
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Sans](https://drive.google.com/previewtemplate?id=1aX8UcUXpbiZD1HuTIofb8ookw6TYykWi50k47BTX6yk&mode=public).
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To create a new document based off of a template: have a document already open,
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go to the “File” menu, “New…”, and select “From Template…”. It’s kind of a
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hassle though, so I often just stick to the default style. It’s a sign that I
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am procrastinating if I’m trying to look for the “perfect template” to write in
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anyways.
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###Programming###
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I’ve gotten so used to [vim](http://www.vim.org/) in a Linux
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terminal that I don’t think I could ever use any other editor. There are a few
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local offline code editors for Chrome like
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[Text](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/text/mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg)
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and
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[ShiftEdit](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/shiftedit/lcgmndephhjcabhhjfcmncnhbmgbkpij)
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which are nice if I’m working on a Chrome extension and want to keep the files
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locally so I can test them on my Chromebook. However, I still do most of my
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coding remotely on a Linux machine.
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ChromeOS provides a way, out of the box, to ssh into any computer through it’s
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terminal called “crosh”. Access crosh by typing Ctrl+Alt+T. But, I actually
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prefer
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[SecureShell](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo)
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as an ssh client since it has more customization and can be opened up in a
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separate window.
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Don’t have a Linux computer to ssh into? [Digital
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Ocean](https://www.digitalocean.com/) has servers starting at $5/month.
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Cheapest and easiest offer I’ve seen yet (no that's not a referral link, I’m
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being genuine about that).
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For using Eclipse or any of those other Windows/Linux specific GUI programs
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there’s [Chrome Remote
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Desktop](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desktop/gbchcmhmhahfdphkhkmpfmihenigjmpp)
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which is installed by default on Chromebooks. I haven’t had the need to try it
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out yet, but it’s nice to have around for when I do.
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The best thing about coding on a Linux box through a Chromebook is that I still
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have all of the great chrome apps and extensions right at my fingertips.
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Especially when some apps can be opened up in small panels in the corner of the
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screen temporarily.
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###Panels###
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Chrome recently released a new concept for opening new windows
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called “Panels”, and once I discovered them I couldn’t get enough of them. The
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new feature allows apps and extensions to open up small chrome windows in the
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bottom right corner of the screen and then draw the user’s attention when they
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have a new notification.
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They are absolutely perfect for long-running applications that need to stick
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around but not be in your way, like chat programs and music programs. When I’m
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fullscreen in some other chrome window, I can quickly click the panel’s icon
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and the window will pop open above all of the other windows. I can then
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interact with it and minimize it back into the dock out of my way.
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<a href="/static/img/chrome_panel.png"><img
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src="/static/img/chrome_panel_thumb.png" alt="Demonstrating chrome panels with
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Panel View for Play Music open"></a>
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In order to enable them I had to be on the Beta channel of the ChromeOS and
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enable “Panels” in `chrome://flags` ([more
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info](http://www.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/extensions/proposed-changes/apis-under-development/panels)).
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Since panels is such a recent feature, it’s hard to find apps that are
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utilizing panels. Here are some that I have found useful and are working for
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me:
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* [Panel View for Play
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Music](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/panel-view-for-play-music/dimpomefjdddhjmkjgjdokhidjkcmhhn)
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*
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[Hangouts](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd)
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* [Panel View for Google
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Keep](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/panel-view-for-keep/jccocffecajimkdjgfpjhlpiimcnadhb)
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* [Google Tasks
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Panel](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/improved-google-tasks-pan/kgnappcencbgllhghhhgjnfjanfijdpn/)
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I’m still lacking Facebook Messenger and Google Voice panel view apps, so I
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might try my hand at creating one myself soon.
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###Web Browsing###
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And, of course, being a laptop dedicated to chrome, it
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obviously has a great web browsing experience.
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Pin certain websites or apps to the dash at the bottom of the screen for easy
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access to favorite content. Once pinned, open them by pressing Alt+NUM, where
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NUM is the icon’s position on the dash from the left.
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The search key on the keyboard opens a panel from the bottom of the screen to
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enter in a search. The results give preference towards apps in the Chrome Web
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Store as well, so it’s sometimes more useful than the Omnibar Chrome users are
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used to.
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Tangentially, I have found [Gmail
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Offline](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gmail-offline/ejidjjhkpiempkbhmpbfngldlkglhimk)
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very useful for email. It has an uncluttered UI inspired by the Gmail mobile
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app, and runs very smoothly.
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Let me know if you have anything else to add, or even if you would like to
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argue against why Chromebooks are the best laptops :).
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