04 April 2013

5 Web Resources For New Chromebook Owners



chromebook resourcesThe Chromebook is a form factor that splits opinion, as we previously discovered when we asked you what you thought of the netbook-like devices from Google. However, the Chromebook isn’t going away anytime soon, with Google expanding the number of markets it’s selling Chromebooks in.


We’ve previously answered the question, What is a Chromebook? We’ve also given away a Samsung Series 3 Chromebook to one lucky reader, with our own Danny Stieben giving the device a positive review. Unfortunately all of this awesome can get a new Chromebook owner only so far, at which point they’ll undoubtedly turn to the Web for additional help and advice.


What follows are Web resources that could prove invaluable to any Chromebook owner struggling to get to grips with their new computer. It isn’t that the Linux-based Chrome OS is difficult to master – in fact it’s incredibly simple – but it takes some getting used to if you’ve moved across from Windows or Mac OS X.


Google Support


chromebook resources


Your first port of call should be the official Google support pages related to Chromebooks and Chrome OS. These pages cover all of the basics, explaining what Chrome OS is and how to initially set it up to get online and start using your new device.


Chrome OS is fairly intuitive to use, but it’s the slight differences between this and other operating systems that is most likely to cause the occasional headache. For those times when you get stuck and cannot easily find a solution to your problem online (perhaps at MakeUseOf Answers) there are links to the hardware manufacturers and the chance to contact a Chrome Ninja.


Chromebook Central


google chromebook resources


Chromebook Central is a forum for Chromebook owners built in Google Groups (unless and until it gets culled like Google Reader). This is the official community for those seeking help, advice, tips, and tricks related to the Chromebook, Chromebox, and Chrome OS.


This official stature means those running the site, moderating the group, and answering the questions really know their stuff. As usual with forums, it’s often a good idea to search for older entries related to an issue you’re having rather than blindly asking the question again. Thankfully Google is rather good at searching.


Chromebook Forum


google chromebook resources


Chromebook Forum is, as the name suggests, another forum dedicated to all things Chromebook. This is laid out in the more traditional bulletin board style and has more of a community feel to it where people discuss things rather than request, and get granted, an answer to an issue they’ve encountered.


There are sections dedicated to emerging news about Chrome OS, each of the models (including the Chromebook Pixel), technical help, an off-topic lounge, and even a marketplace for those seeking to buy or sell a Chrome device. You could, and likely will, spend several hours browsing the forum for topics of interest. Of which there are many.


OMG! Chrome!


google chromebook resources


OMG! Chrome! is a great site covering all things Chrome, as the name may have tipped you off. Being all things Chrome means it covers more than just Chromebooks, with the Web browser, extensions, and apps all included as well. But as the Chromebook relies on the Chrome Web browser so heavily that only adds to its appeal.


There is a section dedicated to Chromebook News, but digging deeper into the other categories is how new and existing Chromebook owners will wring worth from this site. How-to guides, Web app news, and extension reviews are all likely to appeal to regular MakeUseOf readers.


Chrome Story


chromebook resources


Chrome Story is a site very much in the same mold as OMG! Chrome! It’s wholly dedicated to all things Chrome, including the hardware that is powered by Google. With a minimalist look that eschews fancy graphics in favor of useful information, Chrome Story oozes style, though the typos and grammar issues are slightly off-putting. But then I am a grammar Nazi.


This is a site with Chromebook resources that deserves bookmarking as it’s updated on a daily basis. If a piece of news breaks that’s in any way related to Chrome (in all its various guises) then Chrome Story will have covered it. There are also how-to guides, hacks and tips, and a section dedicated to ‘Fun Stuff‘ for those who don’t take life too seriously.


Conclusions


If you’ve read this far then I suspect you own a Chromebook, perhaps as a secondary computer. If so then feel free to share other Web resources you’ve discovered that are designed to assist Chromebook owners learn Chrome OS inside and out. The five listed here are, after all, just a soupcon of what’s available.


The comments section below is also open to non-Chromebook owners who have found themselves reading this article by accident. Are you considering purchasing a Chromebook in the near future? If so, what one factor has turned you on to the fledgling Google form factor?


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How To Install Deskthemepack File In Windows 7



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Desktop themes were first introduced with Windows 7 operating system and are part of Windows 7’s successor, Windows 8 as well. Computer users who have upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8 probably aware of the panoramic desktop themes support as well. If you ever tried to install Windows 8’s panoramic themes in Windows 7, [...]

Amazon Brings File Syncing To Its Cloud Drive With A New Desktop Application [Updates]



Amazon is throwing its hat all the way in the ring of the battle for cloud storage supremacy with the introduction of desktop syncing for its Amazon Cloud Drive service. This puts it at a competitive level with other popular services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft SkyDrive. Prior to this update, the service was only available using the Web interface, which limited its use compared to the competition.


The new desktop application is now available for Windows and OS X, leaving Linux out in the cold on this one, at least for now. Amazon’s Cloud Drive desktop app is free to download, but you’re going to have to install Java in order to run the application. The Windows version comes bundled with Java, and Mac users will receive a prompt to install Java if they have not already done so.


Just like Dropbox, the app creates a new folder on your drive to which you can copy the files you would like stored in the cloud. Once there, you will have access to those files through any computer on which the app is installed, or through Amazon’s Web interface.



Sadly, Amazon has not launched mobile versions of the app (other than the Android photo syncing app), and focuses most of the functionality on its desktop app. This certainly limits the use of Amazon’s service, since many users will be looking to take their files with them on the road, and means that Amazon is still playing catch-up with Dropbox, Google Drive, and SkyDrive, all of which offer mobile applications for various operating systems.


Amazon is offering 5GB of storage for free, and the price for adding more data is reasonable when compared to the competition, which could make Amazon’s new Cloud Drive app a worthy alternative to the existing options.


Will you try Amazon’s new app? Does it bring something new to the cloud storage game?


Source: Web Monkey


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What is website hosting?



The web hosting is provided by a specialized service provider (the host) that makes the site available to users.


Role of the host:




  • The host provides the connection via high-speed servers that are installed appropriate software (HTTP server, eg Apache)



  • The host secure servers.



  • The host provides users bandwidths required.



what is web hosting


Two types of web hosting: Shared or Dedicated


The shared hosting

Each server hosts multiple sites. The main advantage of this website hosting: shared hosting is appropriate in terms of cost and is often offered by providers creating pack, turnkey website.


Dedicated hosting

A single server hosting a site. The main advantage of this website hosting is that it meets the requirements of sites with large requirements of bandwidth, web space, etc.. The site administrator retains control and can manage it as he wishes. The host remains owner of the server. With dedicated hosting, several types of services are offered:




  • Dedicated Hosting "turnkey" or managed: hosting services manage the system (useful if you have no technical skills internally).



  • Virtual dedicated hosting: the technical division of the physical server, virtual server, uses only part of the resources of the physical machine.



Price of website hosting


It is not easy to give indicative prices for hosting a website. However, three criteria determine the price:




  • disk space,



  • bandwidth (which determines the number of simultaneous connections, depending on weight of the site - a site with the video requires much more bandwidth than plain text website)



  • computing power (CPU power).



Based on these criteria, the site hosting can cost a few dollars per month to very high amounts.