As a blogger, it is imperative for me to always be connected to the internet. I can’t tell you how anxious I get during times when I couldn’t access my blog or my email or Facebook or Twitter. This is one of the reasons why my smartphone can be such a lifesaver. If I ever need to make changes to my posts or if a post that shouldn’t have been published yet got published, I can quickly do it.
Thing is, I prefer going on the internet using a laptop than a smartphone or tablet. I don’t know but the mobile interface somehow makes me feel claustrophobic, so I always set my phone/tablet to load desktop sites instead of mobile versions.
So I always just use my 2-year old MacBook Pro. I lug it around almost everywhere I go. It’s heavy, yes. It’s been running slow, yes. But I need a real browser on a laptop, not on a mobile phone or tablet.
Enter the Toshiba Chromebook.
It’s heaven-sent! (Well technically it was Toshiba-sent but you know what I mean.)
The Toshiba Chromebook is ultraportable. It features Google’s Chrome operating system, has a 13.3-inch HD Display, the latest Intel processor, 16GB storage space and a 9 hour battery life.
This device is perfect for any on-the-go mom like me! And since I’ll be attending BlogHer starting tomorrow, this is the perfect companion for me so I can still write posts while at the conference!
The Toshiba Chromebook has a security lock and a SD Card slot on the left side, and 2 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI® output and an audio jack on the right side. Here are the detailed specs:
- Intel® Celeron® Processor 2955U
- Chrome OS™
- Intel® HD Graphics
- 2GB DDR3L 1600MHz (max 2GB)
- 116GB total hard drive: 16GB Solid State Drive + 100GB Google Drive (free for 2 years)
- 13.3″ widescreen display
- HD TruBrite® LED Backlit display
- 1366×768 (HD) display resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, Supports 720p content
- Built-in stereo speakers
- HD Webcam and Microphone for Chromebook
- Wi-Fi® Wireless networking (802.11a/g/n)
- Bluetooth® V4.0
- AC adapter: 45W (19V 2.37A) Auto-sensing, 100-240V / 50-60Hz input
- Li-Ion (52Wh, 4-Cell) battery — not user replaceable
- Up to 9 hours battery life
- SD Memory Card Reader
- 2 USB 3.0 ports
- HDMI® output port
- No RGB port
- Energy Star Qualified, RoHS Compatible, EPEAT™ Gold
- 1 Year Standard Limited Warranty
- Chrome Keyboard (black)
- Starts at 3.3 lbs.
- Color: Sunray Silver
I’m currently transitioning from my MacBook Pro to the Toshiba Chromebook and I love that I can tweak some settings so that adjusting to the Chromebook wouldn’t be so hard. Let’s take the track pad for example.
On my MacBook, swiping 2 fingers up will make the browser scroll down. The opposite is true for the Chromebook. I’ve been scrolling the MacBook way for 2 years now so it won’t be easy to get used to the scrolling the opposite way, but I need not worry because I can simply go to the Keyboard Settings and set the track pad to scroll the way the MacBook does.
I think what’s really amazing about the Chromebook is that it only takes me 12-15 seconds from powering it up to the time I can actually start browsing the internet — that already included me typing in my account password! Compare that to my MacBook Pro which took 1 minute and 12 seconds — and I don’t even have a password on that! Check out this quick video I posted on Instagram!
The Chromebook will not in any way try to replace your full-featured laptop because you can’t install any programs on it. It’s basically a laptop that runs only the Google Chrome browser. It’s great for those of us who are always on the internet doing stuff — updating social networks, blogging, checking/sending email, researching, and even using basic Office applications (you can use Google Docs, Sheets or Slides for that)!
And if you’re like me, already using Google Chrome as your main browser, the transition will be a lot easier because you’ll have all your bookmarks and extensions synced with the Chromebook!
Check back here next time and I’ll show you the Chromebook in action!
Looking at the specs above, what feature of the Toshiba Chromebook do you like most? Let me know in the comments!
And guess what?! I’ll be doing a giveaway for one Toshiba 13″ Chromebook! The giveaway will be open to US and Canada residents and will start tomorrow morning! Be sure to be back here tomorrow so you can enter and have a chance to win it!