This is a guest post by Sachin Bansal, an Australian freelance writer and journalist. He writes extensively in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the US. He’s published more than 500 articles about various topics.
Managing the cost of your educational supplies as a mature age student is crucial. Considering you are investing your time, and probably losing some work to advance your career, choosing the right personal computer will make up the bulk of your expenditure outside of your course fees. Google’s Chromebooks have been selling much better than was expected and many personal computing professionals have been surprised. The Chromebooks are heavily targeted at students and professionals alike. This is a look at the pros and cons of Chromebooks for mature age students.
Pros:
- Low-cost investment. If you are considering a Chromebook, you probably haven’t bought a personal computer in a while. The Chromebooks are relatively low cost compared with buying a traditional personal computer. If you qualify for the student deal, the Chromebook will only cost you around 20 dollars a month over 3 years. Considering that is about the lifetime of a traditional laptop, your total costs will be drastically reduced.
- Low or zero software costs. The Chromebook runs on the Cloud. The operating system is essentially an extended internet browser. Google has an ever-increasing number of applications that are compatible with much of the software you already know. The real advantage is Google hosts the operating system and all applications. They constantly update each time you use your device, so, it will stay up-to-date. You don’t have to worry about paying for software and updating your machine all the time. This does not mean all your software is for free. Take a look at Google Apps to get a better idea of what is available, what is free, and what you can buy.
- Your data is very safe. All your data will be stored on Google servers. If you have been using browser-based email, you will know how sturdy this kind of storage can be. Furthermore, Google has developed some very ingenious technology to protect your device and your data while you are online – which is all the time when using a Chromebook. They are extremely good at defending themselves against viral and malware threats.
Cons:
- They don’t use traditional software. If you are not used to using the applications provided by Google, the Chromebook will take a little getting used you. If your course requires specific software, the Chromebook will not work for you. Although Google has also targeted business with their purchase plans, uptake has been relatively slow. This does not mean they will not be popular in the future as more software goes online, and if you are a student of business courses, you can be confident, Google has you in mind.
- You need a great data access plan. You might be saving on the cost of your machine, but remember you will need a great data access plan to make the machine viable. Without an Internet connection Chromebooks are relatively useless. While they come with a limited monthly plan, you will probably need a lot more to function effectively.
- Are you in the right country? While Google is doing its best to be a global player, Chromebooks are not available in all countries… yet. You might not even be able to get your hands on one depending on where you live. The country list is getting larger so check with Google’s Chromebook website before you get fixed on your purchase.
For the regular user, Chromebooks make a very compelling argument. As long as you know what you will be using your device for, and know that there is a Google App you are comfortable with, you might well save over the cost of a traditional machine. You will save a lot of time worrying about keeping your machine up-to-date and managing your software – this is a very big plus for many mature age students.
