Those waiting for the storm to pass before heading out to buy an HP Chromebook 11 might need to get their wallets ready soon. A new version of the Chromebook, complete with a hopefully better charger, is going out to some owners of the previous model, which could mean that the device might reappear on shelves and onlines stores soon.
HP‘s latest Chrome OS ultraportable became the center of controversy when, barely a month after it became available to the market, the Chromebook was yanked out from all corners of the retail world, from Best Buy to Google‘s own Play Store shelves. The reason behind this emergency maneuver was faulty chargers that rose to dangerous heat levels, up to 140° F in some tests. Numerous user complaints, as well as an investigation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), forced Google and HP to put sales on hold indefinitely.
That is a bit of shame considering how the Chromebook 11 seems to have quite a following in its very short lifespan. Google and HP pulled out the faulty chargers and sent out replacements but the Chromebook 11 itself remained unavailable for purchase. That situation might end soon as new units seem be going out now. This new HP Chromebook 11 is said to come with a different looking power cord, more similar to that of the Chromebook Pixel.
There is no definite date yet when the new HP Chromebook 11 will be made available for purchase, as Google’s page for the product still says that it will be coming soon. It probably isn’t too far-fetched to imagine that Google and HP are scampering to get it out the door as soon as possible in time for holiday shopping sprees.
VIA: 9to5google
I really wish Google had got this right. It feels like it is so close to being everything great about a chromebook but just falls short. It has an excellent screen, solid magnesium framed body, micro USB charging, and great keyboard and touchpad.
Unfortunately, it still misses what it should be:
1. the performance is crap because of using the exact same processor as last years chromebook which stutters when trying to watch HD video and load other tabs.
2. Battery life is underwhelming for an arm based device.
3. The high gloss plastic finish gives a cheap look to it and the color accents are overdone.
I think that google and hp would have a huge win on their hands if they managed to, for around the same price or up to $30 more, get a snapdragon 800 or Tegra 4 in this. It would make a dramatic difference in both performance and battery life.
Also, get rid of the high gloss plastic in favor of the matte finish used on the chromebook 14. This would make the device feel more high quality while making it line up looks wise to its big brother. The other aesthetic improvement would be to get rid of the massive colored strips on the bottom of the device. They look like duct tape. You can leave the keyboard ring as that adds a bit of flare but those colored pads have got to go.
I think that these changes would be a massive difference for this device as the fanless design, solid build quality, and light weight make it a great portable companion.