Review: Xolo Chromebook leaves a lot to be desired

The Xolo Chromebook reminded me of the Windows netbook, which became popular as an affordable alternative to the laptop. This one is made of black matte plastic with the Xolo and Chrome branding on the top. The edges are curved and its light weight makes it comfortable to carry around, even in a handbag. It has a 11.6-inch TFT screen (1366x768 pixel resolution) with a thick bezel around it. The display is sharp but doesn't offer wide viewing angles. The keyboard is surrounded by a glossy panel, whose design spoils the overall look. The regular keys on the Windows machine - function and Windows keys - are not a part of the keyboard. There are two standard USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI port.

There is a Search (also called the Launcher) icon at the bottom left. This is followed by Browser, Gmail, Google Docs , Google Sheets, Google Slides and Google Play Music. By using the Launcher, you can view the files on the drive or access more apps, including the Chrome Web Store. The apps can be added to the Chrome, which opens in the browser.

Unlike the Windows laptop, this one runs on Google's Chrome operating system. The whole idea of the Chrome OS is to stay connected to the cloud to access Google services and apps. The apps aren't stored in local storage and that is the reason why it comes only with 16 GB of internal storage. You can, however, expand it further by using a 16 GB memory card.

Setting the Chromebook up is easy as it asks you to configure your Google account for which you need to connect it to a Wi-Fi network. You can access services or install apps from the Chrome Web Store. This Chromebook is primarily meant for browsing the web and creating documentation on Google Drive. While you need a Net connection to use most of the machine, you can also create documents in the offline mode.

Watching videos isn't a delight on the Chromebook as the speaker grill is at the bottom, distorting the sound. The battery backup is decent - close to three hours of charge lasted me about six hours.

BAG IT OR JUNK IT: Better to buy a Windows convertible or an Android tablet with Bluetooth keyboard, instead
PRICE: Rs 12,999
RATING: 3/5
PLUS: Display, size
MINUS: Cloud storage, Internet connectivity