Google to rent Chromebooks for $30 per month Google must have a lot of unsold Chrome OS devices lying around, because it has launched an unusual new scheme to get them into customers' hands. Beginning on Wednesday, customers can rent the boot-to-browser machines on a month-to-month basis for as long as three years or as little as a single month. According to a blog post …
That's £360 a year of over £1000 over three years so where is the benefit in that?
A business could buy a Dell Inspiron for less than half that, add a three year on site warranty for £120 and stiill save over £600.
Not only that but you can use the Dell anywhere and don't need a continual web connection.
Hire one? NUTS.
$30 was it?
But either way I'd agree that most can buy a whole laptop (or netbook) with service and insurance for that too. Granted, £350/$350 may not get you much of a laptop, but it will be comparable to Googles offer.
The crux of the matter is, both a Windows box and a Google Box have similar software/hardware costs. It's only down to who want's to subsidize it the most or what features it offers. Frankly, I expect MS to give the better options for now.
I just don't like dumb terminals. :P
£350 will get you a very decent laptop. In fact I had an email just this morning about dell vostro 3550 i3/4g/320gb for £319+VAT. If you can compromise on the i3 then <£300+VAT is possible.
In fact you can buy a gaming laptop for <£400 if you look for an Asus 5560G (RUREC.001 so that you get the crossfire laptop with dedicated HD 7670).
> That's £360 a year of over £1000 over three years so where is the benefit in that?
Two benefits:
1. You're not committed to a three year deal. You want it for a month, you use it for a month, you pay for a month, you give it back.
2. You don't need to invest $900 up-front, which is handy if you don't have much cash, especially if you're, say, a small business taking on a few temporary employees during a busy season.
I'll stick to paying once for a machine that I can do anything with, rather than a limited machine that I've got to end up paying alot more than paying once would cost me.
$30 x 12 x 3 years = $1080 (likely with a ton in tax added on top of that)
Whereas I can get a brand new and "do anything with" machine for a single cost of around $478 (depending on spec), and that machine isn't restricted as far as the OS/browser I want on it either (as the "do anything with" implies).
As much as I like the idea of a dedicated online netbook that's been really simply designed by Google, and as nice as those new Samsung Chromebooks look, they're still riduculously overpriced.
With Google selling the Nexus 7 for £159, why should a Chromebook cost any more than £200?
If these were priced at £150 I reckon they'd do well.
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