When Google announced the Chromebook five years ago, it seemed like a joke. A computer thats only a browser? Really? Whats next, a washing machine just for socks? An oven that only roasts chicken?当谷歌(Google) 5年前公布Chromebook的时候，看上去就看起来个笑话。不能当浏览器的电脑？知道吗？还有什么，一个只浸袜子的洗衣机？一个不能烤鸡的烤箱？But the browser-based laptops are no longer a laughing matter. While weve become more comfortable in the cloud and the Web itself has advanced, Google made improvements to the Chrome OS that are pushing the simple machines toward taking on real laptops.但这种基于浏览器的笔记本早已仍然是笑话了。我们早已更加习惯云服务，网络本身在不断进步，谷歌也对Chrome OS作出了改良，推展这种非常简单的机器朝着“确实”的笔记本迈向。

With larger screens and faster processors, they even look like them now, too. Samsungs $399 Chromebook 2, with a 13-inch high-definition screen, hits shelves next week. Hewlett-Packards $299 model has a 14-inch screen and Intels latest processor. Dells $279 Chromebook 11 is designed to be a students laptop.不具备了更大屏幕和更慢处理器，它们甚至看上去也更加像笔记本了。三星(Samsung)售价399美元的Chromebook 2配有了13寸的高清屏幕，将于下周上市。惠普(HP)售价299美元的Chromebook配有了14寸屏幕和英特尔(Intel)的近期处理器。戴尔(Dell)售价279美元的Chromebook 11就设计为一款学生用笔记本。

Those prices are tempting, but can a sub-$400 Chromebook do the work of a PC or a Mac? After testing Chromebooks for the past week, I can say they deserve to be taken seriously. But there are plenty of things Id rather do on my real laptop.这些价格具备吸引力，但一款售价将近400美元的Chromebook需要分担PC或者Mac的工作吗？在过去一周评测Chromebook之后，我可以说道Chromebook有一点不予严肃考虑到。但有很多事情，我还是宁愿在“确实的”笔记本上已完成。Chromebooks have proven themselves capable as Netflix-playing, Facebook-stalking and Amazon-shopping machines, but before this week, Id have balked at the idea of putting one on my desk at work. Yet, I was surprised by just how much work I could get done.Chromebook早已证明它们可以看Netflix视频，可以网页Facebook以及上亚马逊(Amazon)购物。但在这个星期之前，我仍然对用Chromebook工作的点子心存障碍。

不过，现在我却车祸地找到它们可以分担更好的工作。If you work with Google Web apps -- Gmail, Google Docs, etc. -- a Chromebook would be a natural fit. But even using Windows and Mac productivity apps is easier than you think: Microsoft now offers all of its Office Online apps in the Chrome App Store and Apple offers solid cloud-based iWork apps, too.如果你用Gmail、Google Doc等谷歌网页应用于工作，那么Chromebook也许是最佳自由选择。但即便是用Windows和Mac的工作应用于，(在Chromebook上)用一起也比你想象的非常简单：微软公司(Microsoft)在Chrome应用于商店获取其所有的Office网上应用于，而苹果也获取基于云端的iWork应用于。I used Microsoft Word Online to take notes at meetings, PowerPoint Online to edit a slide, and relied on my companys Web version of Outlook for email and calendar. I found Chrome alternatives to other Mac apps, including a photo editor, to-do list app and keystroke- and timesaving text expander. The only app I missed was Skype -- the Web version doesnt work on Chromebooks.我用微软公司的Word云端应用于记会议笔记，用PowerPoint云端应用于来编辑幻灯片，依赖我公司的网页版Outlook来处置电子邮件和日程表。

我找到其他Mac应用于的Chrome版，还包括图片编辑软件、日程规划应用于以及省时的文本扩展器。我唯一没用于的应用于是Skype，它的网络版无法在Chromebook上运营。While Chrome OS and Google Drive need more advanced file management, you can download documents, photos and other files to a folder on the laptop or to the cloud. Even when youre offline, you can edit photos in the Google+ Photos app and work on PDFs in Quickoffice.虽然Chrome OS和Google Drive必须更加先进设备的文件管理，你可以iTunes文档、照片和其他文件到笔记本上的文件夹或者存储到云端。即便当你离线的时候，也可以在Google+照片应用于中编辑照片，在Quickoffice中处置PDF。

Managing apps is easier, too, now that you can put windows side by side, dock favorite apps in the toolbar, download or create apps that dont run in the browser, and swipe up on the touchpad to see all open apps. Google says it will add more multitasking features soon.管理应用于也更为简单，现在你可以两边设置窗口，把常用应用于相同在工具栏上，iTunes或创立无法在浏览器运营的应用于，在触控板上向下滑动以查阅所有关上应用于。谷歌回应，他们迅速不会减少更好的多任务功能。

All those things make Chromebooks highly productive for me, though my MacBooks advanced organization and multitasking tools make me more nimble. And I did encounter a significant obstacle: There are virtual private network tools for accessing your office intranet remotely, but my company doesnt support one that works with Chrome OS.所有这些都给Chromebook带给了更高的工作能力，但Macbook先进设备的的组织和多任务工具却让我实在更为便利。我也的确遇上一个明显的障碍：虚拟世界专用网络(VPN)是用来远程终端公司内部网的，但我的公司却不反对Chrome OS的VPN。Heres a secret: While I do have my head in the cloud, I like reviewing work on paper. Apparently, Chromebooks want me to kick that habit because you cant just plug in a printer.这里有个秘密：虽然我在云服务上展开思维，但我却讨厌稿件打印机出来的工作。

似乎，Chromebook期望我转变这个习惯，因为你无法光加到一个打印机就能打印机。Instead, you must configure wireless printing through Googles Cloud Print, which only works with select printers. There are ways to get other printers to work, but set-up was a hassle. Three days later, Im still waiting for my document to print.忽略，你必需通过谷歌的Cloud Print设置无线打印机，其只限于于特定的打印机。虽然也有办法相容其他打印机，但设置过程很繁复。

三天之后，我还在等候我的文档打印机出来。I had no problems connecting my external HDMI monitor, USB hard drives and Bluetooth mouse to various models. It was easy to load photos and video on the computers, too. Most Chromebooks come with 16 gigabytes of internal storage, though they have SD card slots and 100 GB of free Google Drive space.将外接HDMI监视器、USB硬盘和蓝牙鼠标和诸多型号展开相连也没问题。上载电脑上的照片和视频也很便利。

虽然大多数Chromebook都内置了16GB的存储空间，但它们还有SD卡槽以及100GB的Google Drive空间。In Google-topia, we must use the cloud to sync our smartphones photos, videos and other goodies with our computers. You cant plug in your iPhone or Android phone and drag over files -- devices dont show up as external drives. You have to sync all your photos to the Google+ social network. For iPhone owners, theres no iTunes for Chromebook for setting up your phone or sideloading files.在谷歌的王国，我们必需通过云端来把智能手机上的照片、视频和其他文件与电脑展开实时。你无法用数据线相连iPhone或者Android手机，然后拖拉文件；这些设备会表明为外部设备。你必需把你所有照片实时到Google+社交网络上。

对iPhone用户来说，Chromebook没iTunes软件来设置你手机或者拷贝文件。The biggest issue Chromebooks had in the past was that, without an Internet connection, they were nothing more than rectangular paperweights. Things you expected to do without the Internet -- write a document, edit photos, etc. -- were impossible on a Chromebook. Google has fixed a lot of that, but it isnt perfect.Chromebook过去仅次于的问题是，没网络连接时，它们就和直角镇纸没什么差异。你所期望的离线工作，例如写出文档或编辑照片等等，都无法在Chromebook上构建。

谷歌早已解决问题了这方面的很多问题，但还过于极致。To go offline and access your Gmail inbox and Google Docs, you must complete the Google Drive and Gmail offline sync process. If you dont, you cant even get to the apps offline. The Chrome App Store now has an assortment of third-party apps -- from note-taking programs to games -- that work offline. Im still waiting for offline access to Outlook and OneDrive, though.为了离线用于你的Gmail邮箱和Google Doc，你必需已完成Google Drive和Gmail离线实时程序。

如果你不这么做到，你甚至无法转入到离线应用于。Chrome应用于商店早已有从笔记软件到游戏的各种各样可以离线用于的第三方应用于。但我依然在等候可以离线用于Outlook和OneDrive。

Chromebooks cant do all the things a Mac or Windows PC can, but they do far more than I expected. That, and a $300 price tag, will be just right for many people.Chromebook无法代替Mac或Windows PC的所有功能，但它们能做到的早已相比之下远超过我预期。这样的电脑，以及300美元的售价，不会非常适合很多人。As Google continues to grow its once laughable platform with new features, offline-friendly apps and higher-quality machines like Samsungs Chromebook 2, the joke might ultimately be on those real laptops.随着谷歌之后为其曾多次荒谬的Chrome平台加到新功能和离线能用应用于，并发售像三星Chromebook 2这样的高品质机器，最后的笑话可能会是那些“确实的”笔记本。

本文来源：尊龙凯时人生就是搏!-www.fckt.net