AmazonBasics 11.6 Inch Laptop and Tablet Case

AmazonBasics 11.6 Inch Laptop and Tablet Case..

Special Price AmazonBasics 11.6 Inch Laptop and Tablet Case By AmazonBasics

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218 of 225 people found the following review helpful.
How Did Amazon Manage to Do Better than the "bag companies" on This One?
By MWebb
Well I am simply surprised. I have 4-5 other netbook cases and this one is significantly better than all of them, for a lower price (a word on pricing later):

* The handles are the right thickness and "feel" - they aren't just webbing that seems like an afterthought and feels uncomfortable, they appear to be made of a thinner Neoprene style material with stitching on the "grab" area to create a nicely-formed, nice-feeling, handle. At first I thought there was a "stiffener" inserted in the handle area to give it more shape and "grippability," but apparently its just a good choice of materials and a well-executed design. You won't need any additional handle wrapper to be comfortable!

- I have another zipper case with a handle but would never feel comfortable carrying it by the handle around town. The handle is too flimsy to be comfortable and I don't trust the security of the construction/stitching. This AmazonBasics case is completely different. I feel like I can have my normal day back and carry this one by hand for quick and easy access on a commuter train or bus.

* The zipper, which runs only across the top and down each side about 2", is robust-looking - it isn't one of those "narrow gauge" flimsy looking zippers (technically, it is a "coil" not a "flat lock" design).

* As another reviewer mentioned, the zipper tabs are large enough to find and operate quickly and easily, and they are a "soft rubber" that feels good to the touch. One minor negative is the large "amazon basics" lettering on the zipper pull. Actually it is beginning to grow on me - yeah baby, I am too cheap (and too smart?) for Belkin or Built! (And got a better designed product.)

* There is NO zipper or "single stitch seam" at the bottom of the bag. Look carefully at some other designs. Make sure that when you send the bag down there is actual padding on the bottom of the bag so the netbook won't "slam" down hard on the table top, floor, etc. Some bags are just Neoprene panels that are sewn together at the seams along the perimeter, and the stitching compresses the Neoprene at the perimeter so it can't do its cushioning job.

- My netbook nestles between the "panel seams" (the bag has two flat side panels, then a perimeter panel to give it width, just like a "normal," larger bag) and rests on normal thickness Neoprene.

* Because the zipper isn't full length on the sides (you only need the zipper across the top, it is plenty wide, for getting the netbook in and out), there is less risk of failing to close the zipper completely and having the device slip out one end.

* The inside of this bag is ORANGE so you can easily make sure you haven't left something inside.

* There is a zippered side-slot on the exterior of the bag which may, in fact, be large enough for a Nook as another reviewer noted. There is ample room for a typical power brick with cord, although that would pretty much ruin the appearance of the bag for carrying, but would be helpful for transiting security (if you have to remove power bricks as well as small computers).

- I checked this side-slot for use with both an external DVD player and with a couple of external hard drives. All fit with room to spare (well, not at the same time!).

- My preferred use for this side slot is to carry memory sticks and an older (3rd gen) iPod Touch. The Touch "boots up" much more quickly than a netbook for quick email and Facebook monitoring.

Recommended modifications/usage adjustments:

- I will put some orange duct tape on one handle so I can keep a better eye on this through airport security (although I try to put my computer bag under my shoes and jacket in the bin through security).

- If I end up not liking the Amazon zipper pulls, it is a simple job to cut them off and replace with lanyard style zipper pulls from REI or other sources. But I think I will keep the stock zipper pulls.

- I will probably find an extra microfiber cloth and roll it up length-wise and lay it down across the entire width of the bottom seam to add extra padding there. It's always handy to have a microfiber cloth around anyway, for wiping the screen on the netbook (not required often) or for wiping my iPod Touch screen (required more often).

- I won't store the power brick in the side slot. I don't like the bulge, not for appearance reasons so much as because it creates a potential pressure point against the netbook side. I will store a DVD player or external hard drive if I decide to carry one (the DVD player is useful for playing DVD's purchased on a trip, the external hard drive is useful if I am taking a low-capacity netbook in which I have installed an SSD - solid state drive - instead of a conventional hard drive).

- I probably won't carry this around like a mini-attache. But the handles are almost indispensable in getting a secure grip on the case when inserting the case and netbook into my daily carry pack or into a laptop slot in carryon luggage. The greatest risk of damage is when we pull the case out of our other bag or put it back in, and handles GREATLY reduce the risk of slipping and dropping during those moments.

- During storage at home, I will separate the battery from the main unit so it doesn't discharge, and the side slot is a perfect place to put it (diagonally).

A WORD ON PRICING: Amazon's prices on EVERYTHING fluctuate like the commodities market. This nice piece is selling for 20% less than when I bought it just last week (10 vs 12). You need to compare prices to other netbook bags an other online and bricks and mortar dealers before you buy so you don't get irate later! (At 12 bucks it was a bargain at 10 it's a steal!)

169 of 180 people found the following review helpful.
Works great with my iPad.
By Zulma Johnson
UPDATE 12/03/2013: Going on three years and I am still using this bag for now my iPad 3G. No rips or tears. Has a few stains from coffee spills, but that is about it. Love how the side pocket is expandable/stretchable, I can fit all kinds of extra accessories into it. By far the BEST bag out in the market!

This is the perfect iPad carrying case. I already use the official Apple iPad Case that folds over to protect the iPad from daily use, but now I will be able to carry it without worrying it will slip from my hands. I have been searching for a quality made carrying case with handles that would make it easier to carry my iPad from place to place. The AmazonBasics Netbook bag has been the answer. Unlike other iPad carrying cases I have been eyeballing, this Netbook bag is extremely affordable. The rubber grip zippers operate with ease and it is padded for added protection. I can even fit my iPad in it's case inside this bag without having to jam it in, there is plenty of extra room to spare. The side compartment is great to store my portable AC power adapter and digital camera. Great product.

96 of 103 people found the following review helpful.
Amazingly roomy for such a compact bag!
By Jennifer Ray
Since I bought my netbook, I've been on the hunt for the perfect small case to tote it in. Almost every case I've used has been lacking in some way, but the AmazonBasics Netbook Bag with Handle comes the closest to the perfect case for me of anything I've tried thus far.

Yes, I said it comes the closest, which implies there is something missing, so I'll start with that. It's a pretty minor thing, really, which is why I think the bag still deserves 5 stars. The only thing I would change is I would add a detachable shoulder strap. It's a small detail and one easily remedied by purchasing a universal shoulder strap to it. But if it already had that feature, it would be perfect in my eyes.

Let's move on to what I really appreciate about this case. First and formost, it fits my 10" Asus 1000HE very well while maintaining a small form factor that easily fits inside a larger case. The handles make it easy to pick up and run with when you want to leave the larger case behind and just tote the netbook with you.

On top of that, the zippered side pocket is roomy enough to hold the power adapter for my netbook without `squishing' it. Similar cases have had pockets that were too tight and worried me that they may damage the cable if I stuffed it in them. Not only can I fit the power adapter, but I also keep a Bluetooth mouse in that pocket.

The case has a small bit of padding all around, sufficiently protecting the device with just enough cushion.

If you've been looking for a small netbook bag that can double as a sleeve or an easy-to-tote case on the go, the AmazonBasics Netbook Bag with Handle is for you!

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3M Adjustable Monitor Stand, Height Adjusts 1 in to 5 7/8 in, Holds 80 lbs, 11 in Space Between Columns, Silver/Black

3M Adjustable Monitor Stand, Height Adjusts 1 in to 5 7/8 in, Holds 80 lbs, 11 in Space Between Columns, Silver/Black..

Buy 3M Adjustable Monitor Stand, Height Adjusts 1 in to 5 7/8 in, Holds 80 lbs, 11 in Space Between Columns, Silver/Black By 3M

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
Perfect for my need
By mysticpiper
This stand was perfect for my Dell flatscreen. Although it is plastic, it is very sturdy and the price was very reasonable compared to others I looked at.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
met my expectations
By barells
I'm 6'2, so any monitor that I've bought has always been too short for me.
This monitor stand did the trick. But, one word of caution, is that I had
to use the highest level (about 5 inches), so if you need more height
extension then 5 inches, you might want to look at alternatives. For me
the 5 inches was perfect.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent product. As described,
By Martin-Charles
Measure the base of your screen before buying. Two sizes are available. This product frees up space on your desk. I purchased two. I'm very happy with this product.

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HP Color Inkjet Paper, 96 Brightness, 8.5 x 11 Inches, 500 Sheets (20200-0)

HP Color Inkjet Paper, 96 Brightness, 8.5 x 11 Inches, 500 Sheets (20200-0)..

Buy HP Color Inkjet Paper, 96 Brightness, 8.5 x 11 Inches, 500 Sheets (20200-0) By HP

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
great paper for the price
By Amazon Shopper
This paper works very well with my Dell Photo 926 printer and text and images show up clearly. It's not the best paper there is but for the price it does it's job quite well.

The paper is not glossy so if you need gloss paper look elsewhere but it does have a nice bright white that makes blacks and grays pop on the paper.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Opacity
By John H. Adams
I bought the paper to be able to do double side printing without show through. Needless to say it was very disappointing to see that it performed no better than lower priced 24# papers.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful.
Disappointing for my purposes
By John R. Samsen
I purchased this paper for double sided printing, and found too much see-through, despite the claims in its description.

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Fellowes Powershred W-11C 11 Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder (3103201)

Fellowes Powershred W-11C 11 Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder (3103201)..

GET Fellowes Powershred W-11C 11 Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder (3103201) By Fellowes

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1193 of 1202 people found the following review helpful.
Trial by fire - it passes with flying colors
By KJ
I bought the Fellowes w-11c yesterday on sale at a local store. I was trying to decide between it and another Fellowes "small business" class shredder that was on sale for $160, three times the price of the w-11c. I've replaced enough shredders that I figured it would probably save money in the long run to get a top-of-the-line shredder and pay out the $160 instead of replacing the shoddy ones as they break down.

I just couldn't bring myself to spend $160 on a shredder, though. As much as logic and reason said it was the right thing to do, I couldn't make myself do it. Instead, I bought the w-11c, in part based on the decent reviews I've seen on here. I don't run a home business, I just have lots of junk mail, canceled checks, and other personal documents I'd rather not leave in the trash for thieves to steal. That junk mail and those papers have been accumulating for 6 months, going in a big "shred it when you get a new shredder box."

Well, today was this thing's trial by fire. I emptied the box into the shredder and I was RELENTLESS. Unopened credit card offers, old bank statements, several checkbook pads for an account I no longer have, and more. I pushed the thing to its limit. It definitely handles the advertised "11 sheet" capacity, though it does so with some protest and a very noticeable slowing of the shred speed. It gets through it, though, and it's none the worse for wear. Today alone, I had to empty the bin 9 times... and its still running great! The construction is solid, safety features are great (the additional child safety lock on the top is really secure and impossible to override), and this thing can take whatever you throw at it, within reason.

All in all, I'm very happy I saved $110 and went with the w-11c instead of the business-class unit. If you shred perhaps 2 to 10 things per day, this is the ideal unit for you (especially if you don't like having to open junk mail envelopes before shredding 'em!)

685 of 689 people found the following review helpful.
Nice shredder, pretty well for the price
By A Customer
This is a pretty good shredder. It can shred paper very well into tiny slices. However, emptying the bin can be a bit of a pain. Lifting the shredder is easy, because there is a handle, but it is also pretty hard, because it's pretty heavy. To shred adhesives (even though it says it can't), put the adhesive on a blank sheet of paper or make one side of the adhesive stick to the other side. Overall, this is a decent shredder and I would certainly recommend it.

UPDATE: 3/1/2010
I still have this shredder. One person said this shredder can handle CD's. Honestly, from how I tested it, it can't. The CD got stuck and I had to use a scissor to finish it through. Do not try to shred CD's. Overall, still a good shredder; able to shred credit cards, unopened junk mail, invoices, and adhesives (if you follow the advice above).

UPDATE: 6/4/2010
Still running strong. This shredder still does the job to get rid of all the extra papers I don't need.

UPDATE: 9/15/2010
Still the best shredder in my house. I owned this shredder almost for 7 months and still one of the best.

UPDATE: 1/22/2011
Almost a year with this shredder. This shredder has took down so many papers and adhesive Amazon labels, this is something that was worth buying. Still no problems with this shredder. Such an incredible product.

UPDATE: 5/15/2011
Almost one and a half year since I had this shredder. Still running strong and I shred loads of paper every week. I oil this shredder perhaps after two or three full loads of paper. Still works like a charm. How incredible is this shredder?

475 of 485 people found the following review helpful.
does paper well
By EJ
we used this lightly for about a year. THen i tried to cut cardboard. . . it stopped. And then it started after a cool off! Don't cut cardboard with this and You'll love it.
It does handle CD's and credit cards, as well as cardstock. But don't put corrugated cardboard in it.

the '11 sheet' is a stretch, but it's reliable, fast, and clean. It will handle junk mail without you opening the envelop. Cross cut is more space efficient and more secure than strip cutting. It packs down well, and when we use it like straw in the yard or garden, it stays down.

The bin is under the shredder, and to empty it you have to lift the shredder. It's a bit heavy. This is generally cleaner than a removable bin below, but paper shreds do fly around a bit. On the other hand, the shredder always fits right back into the top of the bin, so you won't have to worry with bin placement issues. The shredder must be properly mounted to function.

It is quieter than the last one we owned. This doesn't make it quiet -I don't think there's a 'quiet' paper shredder in the world. It may not be as good as the $200 shredders, but it's great for the money.

Highly recommended for the price.

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AmazonBasics 11.6-inch Laptop / Chromebook / MacBook Air Sleeve

AmazonBasics 11.6-inch Laptop / Chromebook / MacBook Air Sleeve..

Grab Now AmazonBasics 11.6-inch Laptop / Chromebook / MacBook Air Sleeve By AmazonBasics

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38 of 42 people found the following review helpful.
My MacBok Air Loves this - Unbelievable Value
By Steve H
Firstly, this AmazonBasics 11.6-inch MacBook Air Sleeve is just that: a sleeve. It's not a case to travel with, there is no handle. However, there are many uses for a sleeve. It protects your computer on your desk at home or work when you are not using it. Furthermore, if the briefcase, messenger bag, or backpack you carry your computer in doesn't have quite as much padding as you would like in the computer compartment or it's not quite snug enough, the form fitting sleeve is perfect to add that extra protection for your cherished and costly device.

I love having the sleeve on my Macbook Air at my desk when not in use. This way I don't have to worry about a pen, or anything else with a sharp edge scratching it, etc. It's just that little protection when not in use.

With the AmazonBasics sleeve priced so low. What's not to love?

The quality? The quality is superb! Honestly, I have seen sleeves from other manufacturers easily costing 3x this much at the same quality level. The Air fits securely in the sleeve, it's not too tight and not too loose, as the description says "precise fit." It's perfect for the MacBoook Air.

Furthermore, as long as you insert the computer all the way into the sleeve and carefully close the zipper, there is just enough space and cushion that we hopefully won't have to worry about the zipper coming into contact with the computer. Still, I wouldn't carry the sleeve with the computer's weight pushing down against the zipper. Naturally, still be careful with the computer in the sleeve. If you have an impact, the computer can certainly still be damaged.

Overall, whether you use a sleeve to store your computer around the home or office, or use it as extra protection in computer bag, this sleeve won't let you down. The price is oh so right, and the quality is oh so good. Thanks Amazon. Highly Recommended!

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful.
Nice, but too big for a MacBook Pro Retina...
By Shopaholic
This sleeve seems to be very well made. The neoprene is sufficiently thick, and the zipper seems sturdy. However, it's much too loose for a 2013 Macbook Pro Retina 13.3". It is still usable, but the sleeve is a lot larger than what I would prefer.

35 of 43 people found the following review helpful.
At first I had my doubts, but I grew to like this
By Joseph Siegler
First off, what this is not. It is NOT a laptop bag. It is described with the word "sleeve" in the title, and that is a surprisingly accurate description.

Now I didn't think I was buying a laptop bag, but when it arrived, and I saw it just a sleeve, I thought "Well, this can't be the primary transport if I want to bring a mouse and a power brick and all that". So I was mildly disappointed in that.

But I put my laptop in there, and to my surprise it worked well as a protective sleeve, hence the name. Once I got over the initial disappointment (which I admit was mostly self induced), I grew to like this. For those times when I am NOT taking all the stuff with me (power brick, mouse, etc), I can just carry this, and the overall package is lessened by not having my full laptop bag with me.

There's some room in here, it's not a tight fit for me, and due to that, I can also put my iPad in here as well, and there's plenty of room. So it's a nice carrying bag (er, sleeve) for my laptop and iPad together (should I bring them both, which happens sometimes).

If I do need the full laptop bag, I can put this entire sleeve inside the larger laptop bag as well, so in the end I ended up liking this a lot.

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Acer C720P Chromebook (11.6-Inch Touchscreen, 2GB) Moonstone White

Acer C720P Chromebook (11.6-Inch Touchscreen, 2GB) Moonstone White..

Grab Now Acer C720P Chromebook (11.6-Inch Touchscreen, 2GB) Moonstone White By Acer

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317 of 331 people found the following review helpful.
Chromebook the Third
By A. Dent
Acer's C720p is our third Chromebook (large family) and it follows Samsung's, purchased a little over one year ago and HP's Chromebook 11 a couple of months ago. We are very happy with all three and we're likely to purchase more so, let me start by answering the obvious question (see next paragraph).

WHY A CHROMEBOOK?

There's so much to say here but let me make a quick summary. And never forget that we are talking about an 'under 300' device here because, yes, anything that costs 3˕ 4˕ 5 times as much should do better most of the time.

˕ If counting 'hours' and excluding 'work hours', Chromebooks are our most used computers and by 'computer' I mean PCs, laptops and tablets.
˕ Malware, spyware, adware˕ free. Since nothing is manually 'installed' on the Chromebook, I can't see how one would ever be infected. I am now actually turning on and using a Chromebook to open suspicious emails or click on dubious URLs that I'd rather not touch from a laptop or PC.
˕ Chromium happens to be one of the safest OS. I don't know if this is common knowledge but Google is constantly challenging hackers to crack it. And, as far as I know, Chromium wasn't cracked yet.
˕ Easy to share among any number of users without any concerns for compromising privacy. If you have a Google account you simply sign in and you are going to be within your own, personal environment, including Chrome extensions, shortcuts and so forth.
˕ Constantly updated and upgraded. Google updates Chromium every few weeks and I found my Chromebook actually getting better all the time rather than getting slower and slower and gradually falling into obsolescence.
˕ Nearly maintenance free. Whenever I don't use a tablet or even a laptop for a while they tend to get very busy for a few minutes or longer once I turn them back on. Tablets, especially, are almost impossible to use until all those dozens of updates/upgrades download and install. Not the case for Chromebooks. Whatever upgrades may take place out in the clouds they don't hit my Chromebook. Whenever I call up an app, I get it in its latest version.
˕ The attached keyboard helps a lot. Yes, you can pair a keyboard and even a mouse to a tablet but the Chromebook's keyboard is always there, it also negates the need of a stand or even some protecting case.
˕ Chromium is streamlined and efficiently focused where it matters, on the everyday uses most of us need a 'computer' most of the time.
˕ While you don't get the top of the line CPU on a $299 Chromebook, performance is much better than that same CPU on a traditional laptop because there's no need to constantly run virus scans, there is on disk fragmentation to deal with, among other things.
˕ No need to worry about backups and losing your data. Yes, keeping your important or very personal data in the cloud is not something that I do or I would advise anyone to do but 'everything else' should reside in the cloud just fine and the odds of that data ever being lost are quite small.
˕ Quite versatile. You can easily pair your Chromebook with Bluetooth (or dongled) mice, keyboards and speakers. And you can even use a remote desktop app to access a 'true' PC when you really need one. You can make phone calls and video calls and you can even play some games.
˕ Runs Ubuntu. I haven't tried it yet myself because... well... I have Ubuntu running on a PC already but if you Google Chromebook Ubuntu or Chromebook Linux you will get a few posts that explain exactly how it's done.
˕ Works offline too. Yes, it's not a laptop but there are apps that work well offline and if you don't trust Google's cloud you can access your own local NAS at least for viewing docs, PowerPoint slides or playing videos. There must be a way to save edited docs in your own cloud rather than Google's but I didn't spend much time trying to figure it out yet.
˕ Relatively low prince, 11.6" display and light weight seem to be just about right for something that typically you'd be using to browse the Web while watching TV or take to and from school.

WHY NOT A CHROMEBOOK?

Yes, Chromebooks can't do everything. Google's productivity suites notwithstanding, they are mainly and they are best at media consumption rather than production. Nobody should buy a Chromebook and expect to be able to edit video or perform some heavy word processing or do some hard˕ core gaming even though you CAN do them, it's just that you can do them better on a PC or laptop or tablet. My experience is that a Chromebook can't do 'everything'. Tablets are more portable, PCs and laptops are more powerful but, to me, my Chromebook is the most fun to use device and it's likely to stay this way. I am not going to call it my 'second' or 'third' or 'first' computer but, objectively, it's the one I most use outside business hours if what we measure is 'hours'. Chromebooks, now that we have three of them around are what our kids prefer for their school˕ related activity and most of their entertainment, when not playing games.

ACER's C720p

Haven't spent a lot of time with the 720p but, and not surprisingly so, it's all very familiar because this is our third Chromebook. The 720p is not 'exactly like' HPs or Samsung's but it's easily recognizable as a Chromebook and that's a good thing.

There are many common features between our three Chromebooks but there are quite a few important differences so here's what it's probably worth to mention:

˕ Touch, of course. I didn't spend a lot of time with the much more expensive Pixel but the C720p does what I expected. It's not an iPad or a Nexus 7 when it comes to responsiveness but it's quite decent and it's good to have options.
˕ The LED 1366 x 768p HD display resolution is no different from the other Chromebooks and I would say it's somewhere in between HPs (better) and Samsung's. But the differences are minor.
˕ USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and HDMI ports plus the SD card slot make the C720p a relatively easy to connect device, especially when compared to HPs.
˕ Intel Celeron 2955U processor with (only) 2GB of DDR3 RAM makes it the fastest Chromebook. I suspect that a 4GB model is going to be available soon but even with 2GB it still feels fine.
˕ Decent speakers. Quite impressive, in fact for their size.
˕ Great keyboard, as far as the chicklets keyboards come. I prefer it to the others but keyboards can be such a personal thing. It's the typical Chromebook layout and the key travel is good. As a touch typist it took me little time to get used to it.
˕ Good battery life. They promise 7˕ 8 hours. I don't know how realistic that may be but at 75% brightness ours ran for almost six ours after a full charge.
˕ Same freebies Google: 100GB in the clouds for 2 years being the most attractive.

RATING

I am not going to compare Acer's Chromebook with the Pixel or some top of the line laptop. I noticed that many 'pro' reviewers are complaining because the 200˕ 300 dollar Chromebooks are not 'high end' and aren't as nice as the Pixel and such. Well... did anyone check the prices? So, yes, let me make a 'duh' statement: this Chromebook is not as good as devices that sell for 3 times or 4 times as much so anyone who doesn't mind paying more should pay more and get one of those. Even though... look at some reasons above for why one may prefer a Chromebook to a laptop or a tablet, regardless of price.

Acer's device is at least as good and in some way better than my now one year old, often used and much trusted Samsung and, while not as pretty, it seems to be speedier and definitely much better connected than HPs. The price difference can be justified by the touch capability which is nice to know it's there.

Chromebooks and the C720p are not for everyone and they are not a universal computing device but, if used for what they are meant to be used, they are as good and as a revolutionary device as tablets.

129 of 133 people found the following review helpful.
Fast, Light, and Fun to Use
By George F. Rice
My wife pre-ordered the C720P as my Christmas gift, but we couldn't wait to exchange our "big" gift - after 27 years, we understand each other well. :-D So when the box arrived last night (delayed 3 excruciating days by the recent ice storm), I became a brand new Chromebook owner.

Opening the box revealed the Chromebook, power supply brick, standard PC power cable, and a "getting started" sheet. Getting started is trivial - plug it in (though it was 79% charged on arrival), pick a language, login to Google, and (optionally) follow a brief but informative tour. I've used the Chrome browser on Windows and Ubuntu desktops and my Nexus 4, so I'm already somewhat invested in the Chrome ecosystem. As a result, I felt right at home - all of my Google services and apps I had installed via the Chrome browser were ready to use, and a familiar Chromecast icon pre-connected my Chromebook to our TV.

ChromeOS feels quite natural if you've used Windows 7 - a "grid" icon in the lower left yields a start menu with your Chrome apps, with quick-launch icons and underlined active programs shown to its right. My grid has several pages, since I had already selected apps via my Chrome browsers on other machines - I instinctively swiped through the pages exactly as I would on a tablet. The lower right of the screen shows the time, volume, wifi strength, battery status, and the current user's picture (I snapped a new one with the webcam on my first login, but all that grey hair caused me to switch back to my younger self instead).

Touch interaction is so natural that my daughter, watching setup over my shoulder, asked, "So, does the touchscreen work?" I pointed out that I hadn't used the trackpad yet - all of my interaction had been touching the screen or typing. Tablets have changed the way we interact with computers of all types, so it's a huge win to have responsive and natural touch on such an inexpensive laptop. And it's really cool to go back a page in the browser just by swiping from left to right - I'll be trying this on my non-touch desktops with increasing frustration, I just just know it.

The keyboard works extremely well. I'm an 82 wpm touch typist, and have had no trouble at all whipping out this review. The layout is similar enough to a standard PC that I adapted without effort. The standard function key row uses iconography for browser, screen, and volume control and a power switch, and there's no Windows key (of course) or Delete (I use Alt-Backspace). But typing is quick and easy, and far faster for me than on my iPad, even with its optional tabletop physical keyboard.

I'm strongly biased toward over-buying RAM, so the 2 GB on this device worried me a little. However, I've had a dozen tabs open with no performance hit at all, and I loaded the Amiga 500 emulator in a Chrome browser window with very similar performance to my 16 GB quad-core Ubuntu workstation. As with most light laptops, the RAM is not expandable, so I'm relieved.

ChromeOS on this laptop is *very* fast, with a light and breezy feeling that I quite enjoy. The app store is gratifyingly large - not Android large, but enough that I haven't failed to find anything that I have needed yet. If you have an old specialty Windows program on which you depend, you'll want a more expensive Windows laptop, but otherwise, I don't think you'll have a problem finding what you want, and will be able to window shop (Chrome shop?) for many happy hours. Over a billion apps served, and the newer apps work off-line (though I have not yet tested this).

Although I've only used it for one evening, I'm exceptionally pleased with this product. My son (a senior in Computer Science) used the non-touch C720 model for his classwork last semester, running Ubuntu and ChromeOS simultaneously, and he recommended the C720P to me when I began considering a new laptop. I'm happy to recommend it to you.

UPDATE: After 4 days, I've learned a bit more. The battery lasts for about 2 days of fairly heavy and somewhat intermittent use, around 9 hours total. Wifi is rock solid, and interaction with our Chromecast is reliable and seamless. I have 18 tabs open right now, including 3 Drive documents, Gmail, Angry Birds, and the App Store, and it's just as responsive as when I first turned it on. Pinch-to-zoom works fine in apps such as Maps, but it does NOT zoom on a normal web page - I use Ctrl-+ for that. The new off-line apps worked fine when I intentionally took it out of wifi range.

The Chromebook has a large number of keyboard shortcuts, by the way - you can press Ctrl-Alt-? to bring up an on-screen "cheat sheet" keyboard overlay, then press various combinations of Ctrl, Alt, and Shift to see what each shortcut does. Pressing Esc closes the overlay and gets you back to work or play.

Still learning, and still having a blast!

120 of 129 people found the following review helpful.
A GREAT PORTABLE COMPUTER DEVICE AT A GREAT PRICE!
By drkcope
I have an Acer C720P ($299) and an Acer C720 ($199) and both are amazing machines. If you dont mind plunking down the extra $100 for the touchscreen then go for it but really you will do fine without it and save yourself $100 especially if you are buying these as gifts like I did for others in my family.

Here is a list of the APPS I use on both and it runs them fast and flawlessly:
Facebook, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Chrome Remote Desktop (flawlessly connects to my Windows 7 laptop and I can run any windows program remotely with ease), LogMeIn (flawlessly connects to my Office Desktop and I can access all my office records which is key since i am a family doc), Google Cloud Print (easily prints documents to all the printers i have set up), MyBible, Kindle, Twitter, Hootsuite, Weatherbug, Netflix, Pandora, YouTube, Google+ photos (automatically puts all my photos taken on my Iphone over to my chromebook), RUNS ALL WEBSITES INCLUDING BANKING WEBSITES and my mobile hospital app FLAWLESSLY WITH CHROME (including adobe flash player sites which my Ipad and Iphone still wont run)

The only CONS i can find so far is no SKYPE app.....If you want to do video calls then need to use GOOGLE HANGOUTS which is much less intuitive than skype....and you CANNOT hook a printer directly to a chromebook but you can use google cloud print to print easily...needs wifi connection to do most things (this is really not a problem for me as i am always connected and they have developed a number of apps that work when not connected including document writer and email offline)

Battery Life Amazing! almost 8hrs of use!
Touchscreen good but not like an Ipad (can't use your fingers to zoom in with pinch)
Touchpad very good! (and really dont need the touchscreen because touchpad works so well)
Keyboard very solid,
Can use any wireless mouse with it. (Ipad still cant utilize a mouse)
Screen brightness great.
Sound adequate but a bit tinny
USB port which can use flash drives to move and transfer files (another thing I still cant do with my Ipad)
2 years free of 100GB Google Drive (this saves you $120 right there)
12 free wifi passes while on planes (i dont fly much but still a nice convenience and saves you the $10 or so connection fee)
Free virus protection

All in all a great economical way to access the internet with ease and lightning speed and do 95% of what most people use a personal computer for this day and age.

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