Windows “in the cloud” isn’t the only way to work from your Chromebook

Chromebooks are quickly becoming real business computers, and as JR Raphael at Computerworld points out, it’s not because of what Google is doing.

If you think about it, there really is nothing else Google can do. Chrome OS is a stable and functional operating system that can run complex and demanding software. Google’s services are all cloud-based, so they all perform extremely well on all connected devices, from the cheapest phone to the best Chromebook. At this point, Google can call Chromebooks a success.

Chrome OS is great, but a lot of software still needs Windows.

The problem, especially for business users, is that most of the software needed for day-to-day work in the workplace isn’t written for Chrome OS. There are many useful substitutions that work very well. Yet the names we all know, like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Visual Studio, are names we know for a reason – these are the tools the corporate world uses. Fortunately, you can run them on a Chromebook as well.

Parallels for Chrome is one thing. It’s not a consumer business (no matter how badly we want it to be) because you need a managed enterprise environment to use it. Windows in the cloud will soon be a thing, but again, it’s built for the business. These are tools you might be able to use for work so that you can edit a brochure or open a 30-year-old Access database to change the front-end interface.

It’s unclear how either of these solutions will affect the number of Chromebooks in use by businesses large and small. I to predict there will be a noticeable increase in corporate sales, but I don’t pretend to have my finger on the pulse of the corporate world. Additionally, Chromebooks are inexpensive compared to usable Windows and Apple laptops. You’ll get a lot more bang for your buck with a $ 400 Chromebook than if you were using someone else’s comparable hardware, so I would expect money-saving companies to at least explore it. ‘idea.

I have to admit, I love cloud computing.

I am also absolutely fascinated with Microsoft’s cloud-based Windows solution. Regardless of what the marketing says, this is nothing new: Virtual machines running in the cloud with their own user interface have been around for a long time. But this is the first time Microsoft has officially ventured into this space, and it will likely be a great solution for people who want and need Windows for working and collaborating. Having your work computer available from your Chromebook or iPad while you’re lying on the couch at night is a big deal.

Having the same computer available during the working day from everywhere with an internet connection is also a big problem. I won’t have much use for it, but I really hope Microsoft gets in 110% and makes the idea more popular. Broadcasting your work isn’t as much fun as broadcasting a show or game, but it’s still cool if you think about it.

So I like the idea, but I don’t think it will be the best fit for all businesses. That price could go to Parallels, at least in my opinion, and all because of one thing: 💰. Neither solution is what I would call cheap, but one will be much cheaper than the other. It all depends on the needs of a business.

I am also a heavy user of Parallels on my MacBook.

Parallels is software that you buy once (once per user, to be clear) and use whenever you need it. Once it’s installed on your Chromebook, you can run Photoshop – something everyone expresses interest in doing both for fun and for profit – as many times as you want. You can also run all your other Windows software just by using it, and often these programs run better than they would on a Windows machine because there is much less going on in the background.

The price of the Windows cloud has yet to be announced, but while it is reasonable, it is still a subscription and it removes local control. It’s both a plus and a minus, depending on your perspective. This means that you don’t need an IT department as PC administration will almost certainly be offered as part of the subscription. It makes sense for a small business to spend more on software to save money in the long run. You might be familiar with Windows Control Panel, but not everyone is or even wants to be.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, although Microsoft wants there to be.

This can be seen as an unnecessary expense for other businesses, especially those that have on-call staff to keep things running smoothly. However, buying cheaper laptops and then spending more each month to make them more usable is not very profitable. Also, keep in mind that some businesses are huge and tens of thousands of people use computers to do their jobs. Tens of thousands of things can get very expensive.

That’s why there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Some companies are better off buying more expensive Windows computers for their employees. Some will be better served using Parallels on inexpensive Chromebooks. Others will benefit from Windows 365 instances, and quite a few will likely combine all of the above. And we can’t forget that Windows 11 might even make cheap and crappy Windows laptops worth using.

One thing is for sure: buyers and decision makers in many businesses want to save money and will carefully consider all of these solutions. Who wins will be a question of who saves the most money.