So I’m sitting here in Dunkin Donuts trying out my brand new Chromebook. It’s an Acer C720P. I kind of wanted the less expensive C720, which has received overall great reviews from users, but my wife decided that we should get the newer model. She actually had some good points (as usual), so here I sit with the Next Model Up. Setting it up yesterday evening was actually pretty easy. Signing in with my Google ID, going through the basic operations - pretty intuitive - adding a few apps - except Skype. Supposedly I already have it on the machine, but I can’t find it and I can’t seem to add it. I’ll see if there’s a web version I can use to message my wife from work.

 So why a Chromebook? Good question. I’m very happy with my Macbook, probably the best laptop I’ve ever owned. I’ve been taking it with me exclusively for around two years, and it hasn’t slowed down. But taking it with me means I can’t really set up to record my music (I sort of play guitar and try to write songs, but that’s another story altogether). I noticed that when I’m at work, most of what I do with my laptop is web-centered. No need for a lot of installed programs, really. After some research, I dedided to try the Acer and see if it meets my mobile needs. That way I can leave my Macbook set up with the mixer, mics and other stuff without having to break it down all the time and maybe get some stuff recorded.

It's small, but not too small.  The Acer keyboard isn’t bad, not quite standard but close enough, I think. The machine is touchscreen, though I’ve hooked up a mouse and don’t plan to mess up the screen with my fingers. The track pad is fine, but can’t match the one on my Macbook - Apple has it down! 

Will I blog? Maybe a bit, but not as regularly as most people. I never seem to have enough to say to find a “voice”. That seems to be my daughter’s realm (check out Nixxie Rambles on Tumblr). I will write the occasional “snippet”, like this one, which may or may not see the light of day. I will visit my favorite sites, check news, keep up with friends and family, do research and all the other basic stuff I’ve been doing. The only real difference, aside from some of the programs I’ll be using, is that everything will live in The Cloud.

We’ll see how that works out...