So I've had my Chromebook for a month or two now and I'm very happy with it. But I don't think I've been using it to its full potential - basically all I'm using it for is regular web browsing and a bit of (web) Spotify. I don't really have any "apps" installed at all.

So, people with Chromebooks, what apps have you downloaded that you consider essential or very good?

 

If they're the same as Chrome's Apps that I use in Windows, then I use Inbox, which is Google's new gmail interface that I'm undecided on. Google Drive and Google Docs are there, but I rarely use them.

Chrome Connectivity Diagnostics for when I need to check what's going on with my internet connection.

Videostream for Google Chromecast, if you want to throw content at the big screen that Chrome can't do natively.

Westeros Map, for when I want some beautiful fan-created ASOIAF maps that aren't available elsewhere.

@Taure what do you use for IRC on the Chrome book? I tried some Chrome apps but none of them suited me [nice gui, ssl, autoruns irc commands on joining server] and so I turned to a stand alone Windows program instead.

 

I use the browser-based IRC Cloud for IRC.

 

For the browser, I can't get by without Hover Zoom. Expands images without the need to click through. Quite useful.

 

I have had a chromebook for a couple years now, big fan. It is no powerhouse, but for basic things it works great.

If you are a Linux fan it is easy to install it. Lots of tutorials out there. Here is one.
http://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/795730-how-to-easily-install-ubuntu-on-chromebook-with-crouton

 

What do you normally do with a computer?

 

I use the Evernote app, which allows for offline access. Useful for times when there is no internet access but I need access to my notes, since half my life is stored on there.

 

I have the Asus Chromebook Flip which has an ARM processor in it, and I used the instructions at archlinuxarm.org to install Arch onto a USB stick. However, when I grep VGA, my little chromebook just...sits...for so very, very long. I installed the xorg video drivers and was at the point where I wanted to get a GUI on it and just ... gave up. So I ctrl+D'd back into ChromeOS and it turns out when in Developer mode, it kind of borks as a tablet, which was really sad because I had been using it in tablet mode for reading.

I realize Ubuntu is very well supported, and I see that they have a port for ARM processors, I'm just wondering if this crouton makes it that much easier? Because I have to say (and possibly because I have not been working in *nix seriously in years outside of always putting it on netbooks) getting Arch Linux (no GUI) installed on the USB drive was a huge hassle, and from there it was me trying to figure out everything else from a bunch of different resources since the instructions for Arch just stopped after it was installed, but again, NO GUI...

I'm wondering also how resources are managed, if with crouton you're running both ChromeOS and Linux simultaneously? Using the Arch linux it was really more of a dual boot situation where at DEV screen I just either Ctrl+D for ChromeOS or Ctrl+U for Arch Linux...

Thanks!

 

Chromebook is perfect for my mom/dad. The reduction in the "help I've downloaded a virus" has been totally worth the money.

I like the Googleprint function, chromecast, and lastpass apps so far.