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Thread: chromebooks for kids

  1. #11
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    Oct 2015
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    Rochester Hills, MI
    Generally in the PC realm I recommend getting more than enough machine for the job so that it’ll last you. Given that they’re Chromebooks, however, it’s basically a dumbed down appliance for accessing the internet and Chrome web apps. Also since your kids are young, they’re generally going to be harder on equipment than if they were older and gave a crap.

    Buy low, use the crap out of it, and then buy low again when they break it and need a new one. Don’t get a warranty, they’re generally useless and you’re better off pocketing the money to use for when they break or use up their current one.

    Chromebook /= Laptop


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  2. #12
    Member Peally's Avatar
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    Mar 2014
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    Wisconsin, USA
    Quote Originally Posted by spinmove_ View Post
    Generally in the PC realm I recommend getting more than enough machine for the job so that it’ll last you. Given that they’re Chromebooks, however, it’s basically a dumbed down appliance for accessing the internet and Chrome web apps. Also since your kids are young, they’re generally going to be harder on equipment than if they were older and gave a crap.

    Buy low, use the crap out of it, and then buy low again when they break it and need a new one. Don’t get a warranty, they’re generally useless and you’re better off pocketing the money to use for when they break or use up their current one.

    Chromebook /= Laptop


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    100%. You get what you pay for with PCs, but a Chromebook is far more disposable and mission-specific than a PC.
    Semper Gumby, Always Flexible

  3. #13
    Site Supporter LOKNLOD's Avatar
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    Feb 2011
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    Oklahoma
    I had a re-furb Samsun chromebook I bought off Amazon for under $150 that ran well for 3-4 years. It was abused pretty hard, and finally succumbed to being spiked into the ground pretty hard. They are the Ruger SR9 of laptops - pick one up cheap, use as is. Don't send it to Boresight for 1000$ worth of grip work. It'll still be an SR9.
    --Josh
    “Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws.” - Tacitus.

  4. #14
    Costco has the ASUS C423NA Chromebook for $230 with a mouse and padded sleeve.

    https://www.costco.com/ASUS-C423NA-C...100431925.html
    Last edited by Shellback; 11-11-2018 at 05:06 PM.

  5. #15
    From watching my daughter on hers I wouldn't spend the extra $ for touch, the limited google apps don't really need it.
    Our school system requires them, in 5th grade they started using the schools and in 6th grade the parents are supposed to supply one. Our daughter complained about the schools when she was still in 5th grade as they were always so dirty so we bought one early.

    We got a $200 Asus from amazon.

  6. #16
    Member Peally's Avatar
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    Mar 2014
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    Wisconsin, USA
    Quote Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
    Our daughter complained about the schools when she was still in 5th grade as they were always so dirty so we bought one early.
    People are gross. I wash my hands the second I'm done working on any device that isn't mine and isn't new at work.
    Semper Gumby, Always Flexible

  7. #17
    Site Supporter rob_s's Avatar
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    Nov 2011
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    SE FL
    Anybody have any other opinions on this? I'm hovering on clicking "buy" on option 2 from my OP but the grand total of $900+ with tax for two kid's laptops has me reconsidering...

  8. #18
    Tactical Nobody Guerrero's Avatar
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    Jun 2017
    Location
    Milwaukee
    For what it's worth, my son's school pretty much requires him to have a Chromebook that he'll need for this year and the next two. We decided to buy fairly far up the food chain and also get a two-year protection plan, hoping that it will last him through. We got him one of these:

    https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/conten...ookspin15cp315

    I think we paid about $400, plus another $200 for the protection program, because we anticipate him breaking it.


    EDIT: ...aaaaaand it looks like Best Buy no longer carries them. That does not give me the warm-fuzzies.
    Last edited by Guerrero; 12-03-2018 at 04:04 PM.

  9. #19
    Site Supporter rob_s's Avatar
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    Nov 2011
    Location
    SE FL
    chromebooks finally arrived. Got the kids logged in to their school portal, but now sitting with them I'm realizing they basically have unfiltered internet access.

    Anyone familiar with setting up parental controls on a chromebook? The stuff I've googled so far didn't really make sense or seemed outdated as the menus didn't look the same.

  10. #20
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    Feb 2011
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    Off Camber
    I do my content filtering at the DNS level. This lets me use the same solution for every device on my network, not just certain OSs.

    https://signup.opendns.com/homefree/

    You can block categories of sites, and as long as your DHCP server hands out the OpenDNS servers, it will filter it as needed. I go to the added step of blocking access to other DNS servers, so someone can't hard code google's 8.8.8.8 or another common (unfiltered) one. It can also block Malware before you've been infected.

    If you use the Chrombooks elsewhere, you'll need to do a few more things to make sure it's blocked while they're offsite.
    Last edited by JV_; 01-12-2019 at 10:33 AM.

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