HP's Chromebook-like 'Stream' laptop is real, but not as cheap as we thought
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/08/hp-stream/
Don't believe everything you read, kids. When we first saw leaks for the HP Stream, a $199 laptop primarily meant to be used online, like a Chromebook, we were pretty excited -- here was something as affordable as a Chrome OS device, but running full Windows. It turns out, however, that although the Stream is indeed a real product, it's not as cheap as we all thought. HP just formally unveiled it, and it's actually going to start at $300, not $199, as previously reported.
That disappointment aside -- a $199 Windows laptop would have been sweet -- the specs match up perfectly with the rumors. This is a 14-inch machine, with a 1,366 x 768 display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of local storage and a low-powered AMD A4 Micro processor that allows for a fanless design. On the outside, it looks similar to HP's Android-powered SlateBook, with bright-colored accents, two USB ports (3.0 and 2.0), an HDMI socket and a microSD slot. Even the weight is basically the same, at 3.8 pounds. Similar to how Chromebooks come with 100GB of Google Drive storage, the Stream will include 100GB of OneDrive space, free for two years.
The Stream ships later this month, on September 24th. The higher-than-expected price aside, we still hope to check one out -- ultimately, having more alternatives to Chromebooks is a good thing. Until then, what say you guys? Anyone out there buying? Sound off in the comments.
One can't help but ask: Do we really need this technology? What's wrong with using a controller to play a game? Or swiping your screen to flip through photos? Bhowmik argues that advances like this don't make us lazy, but rather make our lives easier. "The same argument was made for the automatic car," Bhowmik said. "Initially people thought, 'What's wrong with having a stick shift?' But automatic cars became hugely popular because they made people's lives easier — the same way touch screens simplified computing devices by replacing or augmenting the mouse."
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