All the applications and the Chrome OS are great. A big improvement would be a Chrome version of Office (which one can REALLY work with) and video/music player effective with more formats (.mkv, .flac ...). Even pcgame compatibility would be nice. Nontheless it is perfect for a non extensive use and for regular surfing.
The chromebook is overall an excellent device, once you get used to the interface you can do anything you did on your old laptop/desktop. It does take some getting used to which can be frustrating especially when you're not connected to wifi, or have a bad wifi signal. However used in home or dorm the device works well, its lightweight and durable. I've dropped mine several times and it still works perfectly.
Pros: Bright display, Inexpensive, Durable, Lightweight, camera
Cons: takes getting used to, have to be connected to internet
We recently deployed a hundred of these Samsung ChromeBook units for our school as a first wave of ChromeOS devices (with more on order). The low cost of the devices has allowed us to deploy a higher count of equipment that fits our needs than we could have with other options.
The staff and students love these Samsung ChromeBooks. From off to on they're logged in and surfing the net very quickly allowing more time on task for the students.
On the IT side, if you are Google Apps for Education (GAFE) and you get the console license, you can push settings out to the devices from a central console which makes management a breeze. No antivirus install needed on them, no blue screens, low power consumption, great fit for schools especially when budgets are tight.
We recently bought matching Samsung printers to handle our printing needs for these Samsung ChromeBooks using their Google Cloud Print features built into those printers.
Pros: Built-in speakers, Inexpensive, Lightweight, off to on and surfing is quick
Cons: power pin that plugs into back could be fragile
To open the lap top takes about three seconds. But a little redesign by putting outer lip for the fingers to grasp (like a half circle) would be more comfortable. And to attach a DVD player for movies which is comparable because I have an LG multiread and player that does not work with it.
From the time my brother purchased the Chromebook for me, I was saddened because when he opened it, somebody already took the GDrive additional free storage. It was on standby for a few weeks because of that disappointment. But when I started using it, and realized that I can do some minor tweaks to it, I was overwhelmed by the power it holds.
I realized that most of my work and transactions and even schooling activities are done online, and this device is just exactly what I needed to do all them. From simple tasks like word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, to programming and photo editing. I could not believe I could do them with this device. I have been recommending it to my friends and co-faculty members of my school (MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology). Sadly, the Chromebook device is not yet available here in Philippine shores, but I can see that many of them are convinced to use this device. They are telling me that when it becomes available here in Philippine stores, they will go for it, the very affordable price and the powerful specs what attracted them most.