Arthur's Blog: When It Comes to Traveling with a Light-to-Carry Laptop, I Use a Chromebook

Like many travelers, I need to carry a laptop. I need it not only to keep up with the news (which a tablet would do), but to produce a lot of written text, like this daily blog.  And since I need to carry it along with me from place to place, I need one that weighs no more than three pounds, and that has at least seven hours of battery time, so that I don’t need to keep constantly searching for a power outlet.

About a year ago, I realized that a MacbookAir would suit my needs. But a MacbookAir costs around a thousand dollars, which offends my cost-conscious principles. So instead, I bought a Samsung Chromebook, which cost -- at that time -- $349. It -- the original Chromebook -- weighed three pounds and lasted for an astonishing nine hours of battery time. I could carry it around, and constantly use it, without having to worry about re-charging the machine.

I have since replaced the original model with a more powerful, second-generation Chromebook, which cost $449 (a far less expensive Acer version of the Chromebook will come out in mid-October).

Now although the Chromebook is manufactured by Samsung and Acer, it is designed and promoted by Google, which recently acquired the Frommer's brand. So I can be accused of partiality, right? Wrong. I bought my first Chromebook many months before I even remotely heard -- or even dreamed -- of the Google acquisition. So my decision, and current satisfaction, regarding the Chromebook is totally objective.

Why is the Chromebook so light, long-lasting, and cheap? It has no hard drive, no storage capacity to speak of; it saves its files to the Cloud. it works only when you have access to the Internet (although it also permits you to do simple word processing even when you are offline). Many of the techies violently attack the Chromebook because it is unable to perform such arcane tasks as video editing -- but how many of us do video editing?

If you’re an avid traveler, you might consider the weight advantages, the battery advantages, and the cost advantages, of my own, much-cherished, traveler’s friend.