About five or six years ago, I started using Chromebooks. Up to that point, I was squarely in the world of Windows.
I loved Windows as an operating system, but grew weary of the slow boots, slow updates, and program conflicts. I was also looking for something cheaper than most of the Windows laptops on the market.
Chromebook fit the bill. My first Chromebook was about $200 and served me very well. It booted within 20 seconds, the updates were not intrusive, and the system just worked. The only reason I ever upgraded to new computers was to get one that was faster and had more ram.
I’ve been using this Chromebook for about a year. It is light, quick, and starts up in seconds. Since it is detachable, I use it as a tablet as well. It comes with both a keyboard and a pen.
In “Didn’t See it Coming” Carey Nieuwhof outlines seven challenges that can catch a pastor or leader by surprise even though they are ubiquitous. The seven challenges are Cynicism, Compromise, Disconnection, Irrelevance, Pride, Burnout, and Emptiness.Carey calls these seven challenges “epidemics of our age.” While these things have a tendency to catch us off guard, they don’t need to if we see the warning signs.
If you want to see what a Leaderbox looks like, here’s my unboxing and first impressions:
I told myself I wasn’t going to do it. I told myself it was too much money. But then, I received a 10% off coupon for Michael Hyatt’s Leaderbox and I thought I’d revisit my initial decision.
After thinking about Leaderbox some more, I ended up joining.
What caused me to take the jump? Basically, the coupon came at the right time.
In a previous blog post, I wrote about reassessing how I read. I realized that if I was going to learn deeply, I had to read differently. So, fewer books.
I also realized physical books would help in my quest. I am able to make notes in a physical book. I can highlight and underline. At the end of each chapter, I can give feedback or write out a summary. For learning, I decided I would focus on physical rather than electronic books.
Leaderbox provides the tools I feel I need. Each month Leaderbox provides two (physical) books, a 21-day reading guide, a facebook group, and some quote cards. The Reading Guide asks questions about the day’s reading and provides a place for notes. The Facebook group provides an opportunity to learn from others. My hope and expectation are that my learning will be deepened and my thinking will be challenged and expanded.
The other aspect of Leaderbox that will be helpful is Hyatt’s team choosing the book. If I want to learn deeply and think differently, my reading must challenge me. I tend to gravitate toward the same type of books. I’ll browse through Amazon, see something that looks good, and then purchase.
Having someone else choose the book means I may end up reading a book I would normally avoid, which is good. If I am going to expand my thinking, I need to be challenged in areas I tend to ignore.
I could have decided to purchase a similar product from other companies, but I felt the books (at least the ones I knew about) Hyatt’s team provided were of higher quality. For instance, one of the books for March,The CEO Next Door: The 4 Behaviors That Transform Ordinary People into World-Class Leaders, as of this posting, hasn’t even been released. I received the book two weeks before the release. The authors expand on their Harvard Business Review cover story.
About a week ago I purchased a Samsung Chromebook Pro. I’ve wanted one of these even before they were available. However, it’s taken me about a year to finally get one.
I’ve not been disappointed. In fact, I’ve been extremely impressed. I’ve been so impressed that I decided to do a “Real World Review.” This is not a fancy review. I don’t cover build quality or specifications, but I will share how this laptop has changed how I approach some of my work.
I thought I’d do a review of the Acer R11 Chromebook focusing on how it fits within my daily workflow. This review will not address the technical specifics of the Chromebook, but more day to day usability. If you are interested in specifications, octane speeds, etc., there are great reviews such as:
Instead of the technical merits, I will focus on my experience with the Acer R11 (4Gig 16meg SD model). I plan on updating this review as I used the machine especially once the Google Play Store is available bring all the Android apps.
My Case Use
I am a pastor so my work varies and includes quite a bit of writing as I prepare sermons, lessons and newsletters, along with talking with people, facilitating training events, leading meetings, creating strategic leadership and organizational plans, and various other activities. Currently I am working on a second book which I plan to self-publish through Amazon’s Createspace service. Continue reading “Review – Acer R11 4 Gig Real Life Review”
, as of this posting, hasn’t even been released. I received the book two weeks before the release. The authors expand on their Harvard Business Review cover story.
