Chromebook question

[jnelsoninjax]

I stumbled across this chromebook for $30 https://www.itechdeals.com/products/copy-of-lenovo-chromebook-11-6-n23-1-6-ghz-intel-celeron-dual-core-4gb-in-black-80ys0003us

I am interested in buying it for my nephew, but I have never used a chromebook before so I have a few questions. Can it play videos streamed from a NAS or downloaded to the book? Can it do music as well? I think that it would be better for him to have a $30 chromebook that he can just watch videos or listen to music instead of a laptop which he had (has, but is not working).

[macoman]

I use a chromebook as a gaming cloud machine and it's awesome. It can pretty much do it very well. But remember something, threat the chromebook like a tablet with low storage. It's not a PC or Mac.

[+Good Bot, Bad Bot Subscriber¹]

How old is your nephew? He doesn't have a phone?

That thing looks like it would be painful to use even just to watch videos. It has been out of software support for a year now. I guess for $30 but that is something one gets for free from someone. Well I guess it would be free for your nephew.

You can get a laptop for $100 on ebay that is way more capable and you could put Linux on it to have a fully functional PC. What I found doing a 10 second search --> https://www.ebay.com/itm/325373593130

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

On 27/12/2023 at 19:22, Good Bot, Bad Bot said:

You can get a laptop for $100 on ebay that is way more capable and you could put Linux on it to have a fully functional PC. What I found doing a 10 second search --> https://www.ebay.com/itm/325373593130

That or get a ThinkBook for around that price range.

[jnelsoninjax]

On 27/12/2023 at 20:22, Good Bot, Bad Bot said:

How old is your nephew? He doesn't have a phone?

That thing looks like it would be painful to use even just to watch videos. It has been out of software support for a year now. I guess for $30 but that is something one gets for free from someone. Well I guess it would be free for your nephew.

You can get a laptop for $100 on ebay that is way more capable and you could put Linux on it to have a fully functional PC. What I found doing a 10 second search --> https://www.ebay.com/itm/325373593130

He is non-comunitive autistic, and has violent outburts where he throws things and/or hits them. So that is why I am willing to spend $30 vs $100+ he has a laptop right now that is sitting on top of the entertainment stand behind me, and the WiFi does not work any longer, and the last time I tried to boot the system, it would not, but I have not tried in months. Right now for entertainment we have Amazon Music streaming via an Echo Dot.

 

On 27/12/2023 at 20:36, Mindovermaster said:

That or get a ThinkBook for around that price range.

Again, I am not looking to spend large amounts of $ on something that may potentially last for a year or two before he destroys it, as he has done with the previous devices.

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

On 27/12/2023 at 20:07, jnelsoninjax said:

He is non-comunitive autistic, and has violent outburts where he throws things and/or hits them. So that is why I am willing to spend $30 vs $100+ he has a laptop right now that is sitting on top of the entertainment stand behind me, and the WiFi does not work any longer, and the last time I tried to boot the system, it would not, but I have not tried in months. Right now for entertainment we have Amazon Music streaming via an Echo Dot.

 

Again, I am not looking to spend large amounts of $ on something that may potentially last for a year or two before he destroys it, as he has done with the previous devices.

I forgot about that. What does he technically do? Does he like watching videos, or play music?

I think he'd be safer with a padded tablet, TBH..

But if he's just going to break the chromebook, it's $30 down the drain.

[+Warwagon MVC]

On 27/12/2023 at 20:07, jnelsoninjax said:

He is non-comunitive autistic, and has violent outburts where he throws things and/or hits them. So that is why I am willing to spend $30 vs $100+ he has a laptop right now that is sitting on top of the entertainment stand behind me, and the WiFi does not work any longer, and the last time I tried to boot the system, it would not, but I have not tried in months. Right now for entertainment we have Amazon Music streaming via an Echo Dot.

 

Again, I am not looking to spend large amounts of $ on something that may potentially last for a year or two before he destroys it, as he has done with the previous devices.

Get him a used Panasonic Toughbook.

[hellowalkman Reporter]

Yeah that Chromebook will struggle to do almost anything. Better off with something else, and as Warwagon suggested, perhaps a rugged device is something you should be looking at.

[jnelsoninjax]

On 27/12/2023 at 21:18, Mindovermaster said:

I forgot about that. What does he technically do? Does he like watching videos, or play music?

I think he'd be safer with a padded tablet, TBH..

But if he's just going to break the chromebook, it's $30 down the drain.

Videos and music is all he would do. He doesn't delibertly break the electronics, it's just when he doesn't get his way he has outbursts, his mental age is that of a toddler, but trapped in an adult body.

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

A lot of Chromebooks and laptops destined for the education market have ruggedized cases available, either from the manufacturer or aftermarket.  If you have a particular device in mind, check to see what sort of cases are available for it to add supplemental protection.

Another option might be a ruggedized tablet or PDA.  I am less familiar with these devices, but have seen the names Doogee and Oukitel pop up in some searches, in addition to more well-known manufacturers like Samsung and Zebra.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky