Doesn’t work with older versions of Webex. Can’t use the browser extension and the Play Store app. doesn’t work.
When the Zoom app is made full screen it crashes Chrome OS and the automatic reboot is not complete so you need another reboot.
Microsoft Teams – When items are being shared the first page is shared, but any subsequent changes (move forward or back) does not display.
In general the Android Apps don’t work – in particular the Microsoft apps (Word etc.) don’t provide any useful functionality. Now arguably free is free, but bottom line, you’ll need an Microsoft 365 account to be able to use the Web based versions of the apps (and they aren’t perfect).
In fact a lot of Android apps don’t really work – Teams is one example, but I’ve been driven back to the web based interface and away from the Android apps.
A number of web sites use some kind of “helper” that looks for Windows or Mac and so those don’t work on Chromebook. Which is less a Chromebook than a web site problem – but not working is not working.
The OneDrive integration with the Files app doesn’t really work. It loses contact with OneDrive but it doesn’t say anything, so it appears to be connected (working from some kind of cache?) but you can’t access files (get an error) and if you try and put files there it hangs. So back to the web interface for THAT function.
Many apps access the local file space, but not the add-ons in the Files app – so you can’t save from those apps into Dropbox, you have to save to local space and then move them. It’s impractical and tedious.
You may say, and the Chromebook fan boys and girls will doubtless tell you, that what I really wanted was a Window’s PC – and maybe they’re right. But the truth is I don’t want locally stored information and I’m happy to use web based programs such as Word and PPT (although they need to get better please). They will probably tell you a Chromebook is great if you are using all Google apps, and I can’t disagree there, I don’t have many (any?) complaints there.
Should you buy a Chromebook? If you are all Google all the time and happy that way, then go for it. But if you have a more general purpose need, especially if you need Microsoft apps integration then either suck it up and buy a Windows machine (the cost is just the price you have to pay) or understand that living in a Microsoft world is not seamless on a Chromebook. Plus, all the other annoyances (and they are annoyances, I haven’t given up yet…..).
