Comments for Cumulus Global | Cloud Solutions for Small and Mid-Size Enterprises

Comment on Friday Thought: Chromebooks are NOT Netbooks by Julian Finn

Julian Finn — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:18:43 +0000

I’m using a consumer version. I live in Canada so there’s no access to the devices in general, let alone the more specialized versions.

Comment on Happy New Year: Looking Back and Forward by Allen Falcon

Allen Falcon — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:24:12 +0000

We found the video on YouTube. GE has created these short films for ever. Today they show up as extended commercials on the Sunday news-talk shows.

Comment on Cumulus Global Launches Chromebook Services by Allen Falcon

Allen Falcon — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:22:30 +0000

@Douglass — Most of the demand we are seeing is from education with some from mid-size businesses looking for travel/mobile computers that are lighter and easier than laptops and more than an iPad.

Comment on I Love My New Chromebook, but … by Allen Falcon

Allen Falcon — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:09:24 +0000

@Tedd — the current business bundled Chromebooks now included embedded VPN services

Comment on Friday Thought: Chromebooks are NOT Netbooks by Allen Falcon

Allen Falcon — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:07:59 +0000

@Julian … Thanks for the feedback. Are you using a consumer version or a bundled version for business?

Comment on Friday Thought: Chromebooks are NOT Netbooks by Allen Falcon

Allen Falcon — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:05:37 +0000

@Selden … I don’t think I am conflating two markets at all. As a reseller, we only sell to businesses and, yes, there is a five user minimum. Yes, restoring a consumer Chromebook without the Management Console is a challenge that does not exist for businesses (we wiped and restored a Chromebook in about 20 minutes). And, per my other comment, connectivity to a legacy environment is going to be a must for most business users as well.

My point is that as Chromebooks evolve you will see adoption in education, libraries, and businesses, as the functionality will outpace the cost when compared to netbooks and laptops.

Comment on Friday Thought: Chromebooks are NOT Netbooks by Allen Falcon

Allen Falcon — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:58:20 +0000

AgilityDog — If you are 95% there, you are likely close than many organizations. The key element for many is access to “legacy” applications. For this, an RDP or Terminal Services environment does seem necessary. The good news is that Ericom, Citrix, and other vendors are (and will) provide this capability.

I’m curious .. which apps and what data is the missing 5%?

Comment on Friday Thought: Chromebooks are NOT Netbooks by AgilityDog

AgilityDog — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:52:30 +0000

I have several Chromebooks, bought for product marketing use. All I can say is that the concept is crushingly disappointing. We offered to let employees keep the machines as long as they wanted – but got them back in less than a week in every case. I understand that 95% of where we live on the web is in the cloud, but the missing 5% is a bit like the the bathroom in my house. I may not use it all the time, but I can hardly do without it. And yes, let’s not go any further with that metaphore (-:

Comment on Friday Thought: Chromebooks are NOT Netbooks by Selden

Selden — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:55:18 +0000

You are conflating two different market segments, business and consumer. Consumers do not get a replacement warranty of up to three years. While Chromebooks offer organizations some real benefits in reduced administrative overhead, the consumer gets an unfamiliar, less capable (some might say ‘crappy’) and still unfinished operating system that requires more effort for many simple tasks, in exchange for reduced maintenance compared to a full blown PC. While ongoing maintenance requires less effort, restoring my Chromebook involves more effort than restoring my Ubuntu netbook from a backup image (I know this from experience).

I use my Chromebook far more than my netbook, but primarily because it has a larger screen and keyboard, runs for longer on battery, and has 3G connectivity for those (increasingly rare) times when Wi-Fi is not available. Although a Chromebook meets 90% of my needs, there are times when a “traditional” computer is a requirement; a Chromebook makes a great lightweight supplementary computer, but like the iPad, it cannot replace a traditional computer.

Comment on Friday Thought: Chromebooks are NOT Netbooks by Julian Finn

Julian Finn — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:50:33 +0000

Very well said. I’ve been playing with my Samsung Series 5 for a couple of days now, and haven’t touched either of the Macs in my house. I love it.

http://non-technical-tech.com/2011/12/28/no-more-hard-drives-my-chromebook-has-landed-and-the-clouds-have-never-looked-so-fluffy/