Alan, thanks for the chromium security link. It does seem like Chrome OS will be more secure out of the box than Win8... so for that reason alone, I'd think I'd try it out on kids/grandparents so that I have fewer "IT support" calls from family members.

I suspect that Chromebooks have other tradeoffs -- such as a lack of drivers that make them useless for working with peripherals like printers/scanners/etc.

Hi mhhfive (Mike),

I haven't read about malware for the Chromebook, but that doesn't mean it's completely safe. Sure, if the Chrome OS senses a problem when it boots, it can automatically download a fresh copy. But the key to Chromebooks is the user's Google user name and password. If those are stolen, it could open the user's account to all Google services, everything from Gmail to Google Checkout. 

And if there's malware that logs all of the Chrome browser's keystrokes, it could be used to access any Internet accont.

Still, compared to Windows and to a much lesser extent OS X, Chromebooks are much, much safer.

Here's some detailed information about the Chromium project security.

$200 seems like a good pricepoint for a chromebook! That's low enough for people to buy one just to test out how the OS works.

I think it'll also make for a great laptop for kids -- and I won't have to worry about virus software on it.

Has anyone found any malware on a chromebook yet?

Hi Brian Newby,

Thanks for the info. (Yes, Internet + Voting definitely raises the hackles of many people, with good reason. Personally, I'd like to see the Federal government gather together technology experts, design experts and others to create a great national election system that works well across the entire country -- without any hanging chads! -- but that doesn't seem at all likely.)

Do or would workers at polling locations use the Internet to obtain information? Do they use dedicated applications based on specific operating systems that must be stored locally on devices?

I'm just wondering how the process works to determine the applicability of Chromebooks, iPads and other portable devices. Actually, I would think the Internet Evolution would welcome you writing a ThinkerNET blog about the numerous enterprise considerations involved in deploying devices for workers at polling stations. But perhaps that might not be appropriate in your position as an election commissioner.

Alan, Internet is a four-letter word in the elections world (and it's not "VOTE" :-))

But, yes, it does matter because the devices would be deployed at polling places and that's a big training thing with our election workers--iPads have been embraced by many but others do not/will not use them.

So, the only thing that would make the training more difficult would be to have different devices at different polling locations.  My concerns are operational, not technical.

Hi Kim Davis,

The $249 Chromebook has been "temporarily out of stock" or "coming soon" or "shipping in two weeks" since about two hours after it was announced for several retailers! If you want one, don't let that stop you. I ordered mine from Amazon a day or two after it was announced, and got it a couple of weeks later, while it was still "temporarily out of stock." Amazon gets in a shipment and sends it to people who are in the queue.

I specifically picked Amazon because if I want I may return the Chromebook within 30 days, without a restocking fee. I think Google Play has a 14-day return policy, but I'm not sure.

Amused to see they've already sold out on Amazon!

I agree, Alan.  I always liked the idea of Chromebooks, but the original offering prices were just way too expensive.  Definitely interested now.

Hi Mitch Wagner,

Gmail and Google Docs have offline access. Here's a Google support page.

I don't dispute there are many times when local applications are preferred or necessary. And I certainly don't dispute that different devices are useful (or not) in different situations. I love using the iPad for certain things (I'm surprised by how much I love it), but I prefer desktops and laptops for other uses. (Indeed, if I used an iPad or phone to write this comment, I'd have to include HTML codes to separate paragraphs!)

As I've written and recorded, tablets certainly have their value, and the seven-inch tablets can be quite useful for specific vertical markets, like healthcare, sales and field repair. (Personal observation, I find the 7.9-inch iPad mini to be too large to hold and less pocketable compared to other seven-inch tablets and too small for reading many Web pages compared to ten-inch tablets. Different strokes for....)

When I first wrote about Chromebooks in IE, when they were first announced, I believed they wouldn't be useful for most consumers, but perhaps some enterprises might like the advantages. At $450 - $500, Chromebooks were too expensive.

But at $249 and, today, $199, for Chromebooks, plus the increasing penetration of WiFi and cellular combined with the increasing use of Internet/cloud offerings, Chromebooks make more sense than they did only a couple of years ago. Even the new Aura GUI makes Chrome OS somewhat friendlier to use.

Hi Mitch Wagner,

Lots of people like the Apple-type keyboards. I think I'm the odd man out in this regard. And like them or not, I have to deal because the superior keyboards of old with their deep key travel and extensive haptic feedback are dead or dying.

I'm not sure if I'd characterize the external keyboards as cheap, with most costing $60 - $70, and more expensive with the case. But I don't dispute their value, and I pay even more for my desktop keyboards.

I'm very glad I have the iPad + keyboard for times when I don't have or don't want my laptop. The iPad basically "just works" and I assume the Chromebooks will remain the same way. They are go-to devices when desktops and regular laptops might fail for whatever reasons. That's why it might not be a bad idea for enterprises to have one or more around for those "just in case" moments, let alone the anti-malware and security advantages.