HP Chromebook Review and a Norton Anti-Virus Giveaway

Disclosure: Staples provided me with this HP Chromebook, as well as the Norton Anti-virus software for the giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. To see their full line of laptops and tablets, as well as anti-virus software, visit Staples.com.

A few weeks ago I received an email asking me if I would be interested in reviewing the HP Chromebook for Staples. I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought this has got to be one of the most exciting products that I have ever received to review! I shared the news with my husband and he was thrilled because while I own a laptop, he has recently decided that he would like his own. Just about every night he has used our new Chromebook and he loves it! My boys also love it as well!

I have to be honest, I had never heard about a Chromebook until I was asked to write a review. So I looked on Staples' website to learn more about it. Here are the product details from their website:

The HP Pavilion Chromebook gives you fast and easy access to the things you love and depend on, from a world of Google apps and services to your photos and social networks. And since it's the first Chromebook with a 14-inch diagonal design, you get full-size comfort without giving up full-on mobility.

• Intel Celeron Processor 847 (1.1GHz)
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1 DIMM) memory
• 14.0-inch diagonal HD BrightView LED-backlit display (1366 x 768)
• 16 GB solid-state drive
• 802.11a/b/g/n  WLAN; Bluetooth
• Altec Lansing dual speakers
• Multi-Format Digital Media Card Reader for Secure Digital cards & Multimedia cards
• Touchpad supporting multi-touch gestures with on/off button
• Dimensions 0.81 in (min H)/0.83 (max H) x 13.66 in (W) x 9.37 (D) (3.96 lbs)
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with integrated digital microphone
• Chrome OS Operating System
• 1 year warranty

My thoughts: I was so excited when it arrived in the mail. Of course I immediately had to take it out of the box. One of the first things I noticed is how lightweight it felt as it is only 3.86 pounds. Since there is always something happening after school, I did not try to turn on the Chromebook because I thought it might take a while to get it set up. Boy was I wrong! Later that evening when I set up our Chromebook I was surprised at how easy and quick it was. It literally only took me a few minutes.

One thing that I want to point out is that a Chromebook is a laptop that basically depends on the internet. It runs on Chrome OS as its operating system. At first I thought I'm not sure how I would use it other than to search on the internet, but as I explored the Chromebook,  I realized that you can use Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides which are very similar to Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. These documents are saved in your Google Drive account, which is nice since you will be able to have access to these documents on any computer with an internet connection.

Screenshot of the Desktop

Apps

Here are my pros for the HP Chromebook:

• It is lightweight and easy to transport.
• I love using Google Chrome as my browser.
• I love how clean the desktop stays as there are only a few icons located at the bottom of the screen.
• The apps-You are able to save apps to your desktop that show up as thumbnails on the bottom of the screen. Although I could probably just bookmark Facebook, Blogger, Pinterest, and Amazon, I find it easier and quicker to keep them as apps. As I browsed for different apps for my Chromebook, I was amazed at how many there were. I found two great ones that my oldest son is going to love-a planetarium and the 3D solar system. I also found a few game apps for my own enjoyment.
• You receive a free 2-year 100 GB storage with Google Drive.
• You can work on some apps offline.
• Affordable ($299)
• No anti-virus software is needed.
• HD webcam

Here are my cons for the HP Chromebook:

• For the most part, you need to be connected to the internet.
• You can not use Microsoft Word.
• In order to print, you have to use Google Cloud Print.

My family currently owns a desktop, laptop, and now the HP Chromebook. While I am not sure that I would always want to use the Chromebook since I like using Word over Google Docs, it is perfect for my husband who wanted his own laptop. For the most part, he uses a computer to search the web-so the Chromebook meets that need. My boys also love playing online games, so since we have the extra laptop they are able to get on more often. For our family's needs, I think that the HP Chromebook is a perfect addition to our other computers!

Win it: Staples has offered to giveaway Norton Anti-virus 2013 for Windows/Mac to one lucky reader. Just enter below....

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