Questions about chromebooks - Page 3

Sugipine · ‎05-22-2016

@apple1964 wrote:
@Sugipine wrote:
@Jordan2 ,
I just bought my second one! I love CBs. My new one is convertible and a touchscreen plus it has Google Play.
They all have google play.

@apple1964 ,

My first CB did not come with GP. That feature is a relatively new one and older CBs do not have the software to load it on to their os. When I use the Android os on my CB, I have to switch it over to that (os) mode . The GP feature has to be loaded onto the CB before you can use it...it's not automatically operational, in other words.

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7021273?hl=en

My new CB can be converted to a tablet and from there I can use GP just like any other Android tablet. My CB is a true hybrid...it's both a conventional web browser device plus it can use GP like a traditional tablet.

Bridgegal · ‎03-09-2010

@Sugipine

Regarding your last comment, does that mean you can sync the CB with your android phone? What I like about my iPhone and macbook air is that everything done on one syncs to the other. I can't type on my phone so I like that i can send a text on my macbook air and read the answer on my phone, for example.

Sugipine · ‎05-22-2016

@Bridgegal wrote:
@Sugipine

Regarding your last comment, does that mean you can sync the CB with your android phone? What I like about my iPhone and macbook air is that everything done on one syncs to the other. I can't type on my phone so I like that i can send a text on my macbook air and read the answer on my phone, for example.

@Bridgegal

Yes, you can connect an android phone to a CB.

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/9094445?hl=en

qualityshopper · ‎12-04-2011

Thanks, again, everyone for your help. I've been checking out different models, and of course, I find myself leaning towards some of the more expensive ones (in particular, the Asus Chromebook Flip C434). Think I'll wait until CyberMonday and see if I can find some good deals then.

I had originally asked about whether they get hot and would keep you from using them on your lap. I know you shouldn't do that with a regular laptop, mainly because you'd be blocking the vents, but I've noticed that the pictures of the models I've been looking at don't show any vents. Guess that means I can definitely use it on my lap if I want to.

I have one other dumb question. If I want to, can I keep a chromebook plugged in when I use it rather than use it on battery power? I've always done that with my laptop (it stays in the same place--I don't transport it anywhere) and would like to do the same with the chromebook. In fact, my laptop still has the original battery in it, and it's quite old now.

Sugipine · ‎05-22-2016

I have my CB plugged in all the time. I can unplug it and have it run off the battery for 12 hours if I needed to.

As for it getting hot...it gets warm on my lap but not hot. @qualityshopper

Jordan2 · ‎03-16-2010

@qualityshopper wrote:
Thanks, again, everyone for your help. I've been checking out different models, and of course, I find myself leaning towards some of the more expensive ones (in particular, the Asus Chromebook Flip C434). Think I'll wait until CyberMonday and see if I can find some good deals then.

I had originally asked about whether they get hot and would keep you from using them on your lap. I know you shouldn't do that with a regular laptop, mainly because you'd be blocking the vents, but I've noticed that the pictures of the models I've been looking at don't show any vents. Guess that means I can definitely use it on my lap if I want to.

I have one other dumb question. If I want to, can I keep a chromebook plugged in when I use it rather than use it on battery power? I've always done that with my laptop (it stays in the same place--I don't transport it anywhere) and would like to do the same with the chromebook. In fact, my laptop still has the original battery in it, and it's quite old now.

@qualityshopper I'm not a techie so maybe what I have to say makes no sense. I have a chromebook and use it with the battery power, I charge it about three times a week. I would think using it plugged in would be bad for the battery ( sort of like charging it), I would think the lifetime of the battery would lessen ( batteries only retain a charge for so long after numerous charging and age).

apple1964 · ‎08-07-2013

@Sugipine wrote:
@apple1964 wrote:
@Sugipine wrote:
@Jordan2 ,
I just bought my second one! I love CBs. My new one is convertible and a touchscreen plus it has Google Play.
They all have google play.

@apple1964 ,
My first CB did not come with GP. That feature is a relatively new one and older CBs do not have the software to load it on to their os. When I use the Android os on my CB, I have to switch it over to that (os) mode . The GP feature has to be loaded onto the CB before you can use it...it's not automatically operational, in other words.

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7021273?hl=en

My new CB can be converted to a tablet and from there I can use GP just like any other Android tablet. My CB is a true hybrid...it's both a conventional web browser device plus it can use GP like a traditional tablet.

FYI you do not have to Tell me about chrome books I have had my share of them. Second of all I know full well that that google feature is new. It sounds like I have a similar Chrome book to you right now. I am glad you are enjoying it. Just aheads up if you did not know Cloud based games are coming soon. I am looking forward to that as the platform for most games I enjoyed on windows 10 are lackluster on OS /Chrome books. Have a nice day!

Toppers3 · ‎10-25-2016

Hi @qualityshopper ,

I'm adding my comments about whether or not to leave your Chromebook plugged in all of the time when using it, or to let it run off of the battery.

@Jordan2 , is correct with her comments.

You actually want to let your Chromebook work off of its battery unplugged from the power source, and let the battery run down all of the way before you plug it in and charge it again.

Edited to add that I recently read about this and these batteries have memory like phone batteries do.

If you don't allow the battery to run down all of the way, its memory can get stuck at a certain point of charging where you don't want it to be. It won't be run down all of the way. I had this happen with an old laptop. It still had battery memory left in it, but because I would charge it too soon, I couldn't change that and it didn't run down all of the way.

It's better for the battery this way to let it run down and then charge it up again, and it will help the life of the battery.

I'll work on mine while it's charging and it's plugged in if I need to, but I prefer to use it while it's working off of its battery so that I can take it to another room and use it there.

apple1964 · ‎08-07-2013

A Chrome book has so many hours of battery life I never need to leave the power cord in. I let the battery drain down and then I power it up and it powers on very fast. Unlike windows devices. Depending to what I do I can get over 10 hours of battery life on my Lenovo and HP devices. Unlike Windows that can get if I am lucky three to four hours.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

Lithium-ion batteries have some odd quirks. According to most experts, if you truly want to maximize the life of the battery in a lithium-ion device, you never charge it beyond 85% of capacity and never let it discharge more than 40%. When it drops down to 40% charge you then should recharge it back to 80% or at most 85% and then unplug it. I never do that, but that's what the experts say. You can buy apps designed to optimize the charging of devices so that they're always charged or discharged to the right amount, but I don't find the way I use them (charge fully overnight and discharge as much as I want during the day) to be harmful. My devices have never had a battery failure and even my old first-gen Fire tablet from 2012 still held a decent charge before I traded it in this year. Fully discharging lithium-ion batteries is said to shorten their overall lifespan.

There's a site called Battery University where you can learn way more than you ever wanted to know about charging lithium-ion batteries. One of the things to avoid are the new "fast chargers" that pump a lot of voltage through a battery to charge it more quickly. It turns out the more voltage you put in, the worst it is for the batteries. Most home devices use 4.2 volts to charge lithium batteries, but industrial users and satellite manufacturers (both of whom need maximum lifespan from their batteries) charge them at a lower voltage (typically around three volts) to make them last longer. It takes longer to charge them, but the batteries last longer and since you can't easily get to a satellite to change out the batteries, they go with a lower voltage to optimize battery life.

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