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Topic: Mobility

11 good Chrome web apps for the Chromebook

Summary: My recent purchase of a Chromebook led me to investigate Chrome web apps. I was surprised to find many good apps for Chrome, and have already come to depend on these 11 while working on my Chromebook. A bonus tip for Chromebook owners has been included at no charge.

James Kendrick

By for Mobile News |

 |  Image 4 of 13

Black Menu

Chromebook users are often entrenched in the Google system, and I am no exception. Black Menu is a dropdown menu that provides easy access to all Google services in one space. 

The menus cascade down providing additional access depending on which service is selected.

Free

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Topics: Mobility, Google, Laptops

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17 comments
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  • Chrome on windows

    I noticed that some web apps from the Chrome store will not run in Chrome on Linux. Especially games with good graphics can be problematic. Often it requires some component present only on windows and in some cases, OS X or Windows. How often do you find apps that only works in Chrome on Windows? IE-tab app only works in windows right?
    Oden79
    Reply Vote

  • And so it begins, again

    The marginalization of the GNU/Linux desktop with web-based apps. The lack of popular desktop apps on the GNU/Linux desktop (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe Photosho, Apple iTunes) is a significant factor in the GNU/Linux desktop's small market share of 1-2%.

    Just doing a search of some web sites awhile ago, I noticed that Intuit's web-based apps are supported for Windows and OS X, but not for the GNU/Linux desktop. On an Intuit support thread regarding mint.com (if I remember correctly), an Intuit employee stated that some very limited web site testing was done with Ubuntu, but that Intuit did not "officially" support the GNU/Linux desktop.

    So much for web-based apps equalizing the playing field amongst Windows, OS X, GNU/Linux and BSD.

    P.S. I would report the offending Chrome OS apps to Google. Perhaps, given that Google is an enterprise user of the Ubuntu desktop, they might do a bit more testing prior to allowing a web-based app in their Chrome OS app store to insure that apps are platform agnostic. If not, then Google should provide information on each app in the Chrome OS app store informing users of the OSs that the apps are supported on.
    Rabid Howler Monkey
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Yawn

      Were you trying to make a point other than reinforcing the well established fact that you are a shill?
      D.T.Long
      Reply 1 Vote

      • Thanks for the comment (below) as it applies to your own comment here

        "An awful lot of facts and concepts are "beyond" you.
        Rabid Howler Monkey
        Reply Vote

    • Compatibility

      Agreed, Google could do a better job on compatibility, as there are extensions that run on Chrome OS but not other platforms, and vice versa, but often there is no way to tell except trial and error. On Play.google.com, if I click on an app, I see a notice: "This app is compatible with your Nexus 7". It wouldn't be that difficult to do an OS check and display an appropriate message, but I suspect that in some cases Google doesn't know, as the Chrome store isn't curated like the Apple store.
      S_Deemer
      Reply Vote

    • Don't work on ChromeOS either!

      It's even worse - I had the problem that I couldn't use Chrome applications on ChromeOS, because they relied on some platform specific plugin! In fact this applied to every application I tried, I guess I was unluckier than the author of this article. (Thankfully this was just Chromium on a VM rather than wasting my money on a Chromebook - I guess it's possible that that was a cause of the problems, though I don't see how, some of them specifically referred to Windows or Windows/Mac only plugins.)

      Many of the apps seem basically just shortcuts to their website for Windows or Mac only applications - the fact that I can technically run it in a web browser misses the point if I have to download a Windows or Mac specific plug in, might as well just download a binary the old fashioned way. Indeed, I think one of them really was just a website that only had a Windows-only exe!

      (Anyhow, nice to see a ZDNet article that isn't about worshipping Apple, for a change. Although a shame that this page still has to be littered with articles to Apple-astroturfing articles - how much does Apple pay ZDNet I wonder?)
      mdwh
      Reply Vote

  • Another paid chromebook add

    All of these chrome apps are available on windows machines and probably mac / linux for that matter. These apps are not "For the chromebook". They are for chrome browser, which is available on numerous platforms.

    This authors attempt at advertising the chromebook has instead highlighted the fact that chromebook users must rely on chrome apps, while users of mac / linux / windows can just use as they see fit.

    On the one hand, people can buy a cheaper / better equipped device and run chrome apps if they feel like it. On the other hand, chromebook users get a more expensive / less well equipped device that relies on chrome apps entirely.

    Why anyone would buy a chromebook is beyond me.
    mrefuman
    Reply 2 Votes

    • Clearly

      An awful lot of facts and concepts are "beyond" you.
      D.T.Long
      Reply 1 Vote

    • you don't mind having to pay for antivirus and wait for minutes at boot

      I agree that the chromebook is more limited then a windows laptop with chrome, but then again, what if you simply want a system that works without having to fear that money will be removed from your bankaccount when you are doing internet banking via your webbrowser?
      eduif
      Reply Vote

      • Chromebook (or Chromebox) for online banking

        This is an expensive way to be safe, unless one has some other uses for the device. Just be sure to verify that your bank(s), brokerage site(s), etc. support both the Chrome browser and Chrome OS (e.g., there's no Java plug-in in Chrome OS and there are some banks and brokerage sites that require it).

        Using a GNU/Linux LiveCD (or LiveDVD) is a much cheaper way to bank online safely. It's less convenient than a Chromebook, unless one uses a discarded PC dedicated to the task.
        Rabid Howler Monkey
        Reply Vote

    • Why would anyone buy Windows?

      Why anyone would buy a Windows machine, unless required by their employer, is beyond me.
      S_Deemer
      Reply Vote

      • OS background

        I wish ZDnet's implementation of Disqus allowed users to edit their own comments. Re OS experience, I have used VM/MVS, CP/M, MP/M, Atari, DOS from 1983 onward, all versions of Windows (except Vista, mercifully), all versions of Mac OS since 1984, Ubuntu, Mint, and Chrome OS. For the past year, probably 90% of my computer time has been on a Chromebook, despite having multiple Macs and a Linux box available. Chrome OS does most of what I need, and requires very little care and feeding.
        S_Deemer
        Reply Vote

  • PLEASE DISCLOSE

    Are you being paid by Google or Samsung in cash or kind for your blogs on Chrome OS?
    hubivedder
    Reply 1 Vote

    • OF COURSE NOT

      I write about what I use and have no conflicts of interest of any kind.
      JamesKendrick
      Reply Vote

      • The real question is

        Don't you wish Google would pay you for these things?
        Michael Alan Goff
        Reply Vote

  • A Tip and 2 More Extensions

    Scratchpad is great for taking notes, but it will bog down if you move inactive documents from the Scratchpad folder to other folders on Google Drive. More than 10 Scratchpad docs will result in serious performance problems, even on faster Chromebooks like the Samsung 550.

    Two favorite extensions that I find indispensible:

    ChromeAccess: Provides quick access to many functions (such as flags) that are otherwise not so obvious. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chromeaccess/aeoigbhkilbllfomkmmilbfochhlgdmh

    Panelize: Lets you bring up anything in a smaller pop-up window. You can pre-define the size of the window by including dimensions in the bookmark name; e.g. Gmail @840x700
    https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/panelize/illfnfpoggnlapniilhkplbofldeimie
    S_Deemer
    Reply Vote

  • Why buy a Chrome Book???

    Good luck with your useless device
    warex3d
    Reply Vote
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