The current crop of Chrome devices DO allow you to run Google services local on your machine with no internet connection (so you can do word processing and spreadsheet and whatever when you are off line or on a train, plane, etc).
The current crop of Chrome devices allow you to access 16-64 gig of internal FAST flash systems memory and as much of a fast USB 3.0 hard drive as you care to plug in.
They all have large capacity SIMM slots too. These can go up to 128 gigabytes right now. So Really Now, memory or on-line/off-line is not an issue with the current Chrome devices.
That ain't what is stopping you. You are like all of us, comfortable with what you already know how to use and you are quite reluctant to change it .....
BTW, a terabyte USB 3.0 portable drive by Western Digital costs $69 on sale at Costco right now. I just bought one to plug into my Simple.TV DVR device. It is the biggest drive I have ever bought, by a factor of 3 at least and it sits (1/4" thick) flat in the palm of just one hand.
Chrome boxes, since they are hooked up to AC power all the time, can afford the power to run a USB hard drive and also have a larger "power wasting" Intel processor like an I-5 or an I-7 if you really really think you still need it.
Chrome was designed for battery powered devices, so it is inherently power friendly, even in the Chromebox which doesn't have to be so power contained. Chrome boxes and Chrome books are very very light and VERY quick when you actually go to use one.
And you don't need a big huge Intel processor either. Actually, Chrome OS runs just fine on any current crop quad to octa core ARM processor, but we Americans, we do just love all that raw speed and power whenever we can find it, now don't we?
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I think the point here is that you can buy a "hardware standard honoring" Chromebox for cheap and then you can put an Ubuntu derivative on it later on if you find you don't like the Chrome experience. Or you could go Android. Or pay to go Windroid (when it gets here).
Me, for example, I like to use Linux Mint Mate edition because it is almost exactly like XP in how it works. (very intentional, that, I am sure).
What all this does is to put TREMENDOUS PRESSURE on MS to pull their pride out of their butts and go ahead and write an ARM OS.
They can see that all of these FAR less expensive alternatives are popping up now, removing their potential market share by entire percentage points every few weeks.
And their old partners (Intel, ASUS, Lenovo, HP) ARE NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR THEM ANY LONGER -- Intel is supporting ARM calls natively in their newest designed generation of Cherry Trail chipsets and the actual ARM chipsets have become much much more powerful recently.
Over half of these Chromebooks and Chromeboxes are running off Intel's current crop of processors (and they will likely continue to do so as long as Intel continues doing their loss leader pricing).
ARM processors cost less (a lot less) even when Intel is trying to price support their stuff with 15-20% loss leader pricing. As soon as ARM accepts they need to enforce a hardware interface standard in all their designs, then the more powerful of the ARM chipsets will swing firmly into the forefront due to their lower cost.
Once somebody shuts off that Intel loss leader pricing with a lawsuit or two, Intel will be left with just the legacy "power loving" markets in America and Europe.
Intel vs ARM, Google vs Microsoft --- these competitive pair-offs have cause some rapid progress to be made recently. Problem is that Microsoft is moving soooooooooooo slowly they make even Intel look fleet of foot.
Intel sees their market going away as they watch and is actually FIGHTING to save what they can. Intel is on the field, trying to move the ball.
Microsoft is still sitting in the snow out past the sidelines, trying desperately to get their bearings and to get up after stitching on a brand new head.
It is very shocking to the invalid MS when you can buy an entire ASUS Chromebox brand new for the exact same money as what the retail license for Windows 8.1.1 Pro currently goes for. Very shocking indeed.
Apple is reaping the benefits of Microsoft's inability to move and to innovate, Apple is certainly picking up the bulk of Microsoft's lost upper end sales here in America.
Prediction: Microsoft stays stuck on their dime long enough for Apple sales to exceed Microsoft PC sales -- this to take place any time now.