Can Chromebooks for Business Become the Next Big Thing?

Chromebooks for business – Early in 2016, Google Chromebook overtook the Apple Mac to become the market leader in the United States’ competitive K12 Education sector. This achievement proved that large-scale, cloud-based computing market success was not only a possibility but a present reality that users were adopting at a staggering rate. Now, just two short years later, Chromebooks are about to break into the mainstream and start being adopted by businesses of all sizes. As John Russell, a product manager at Dell commented, “The potential for rapid Chromebook adoption among business users is very strong.”  

Advantages

Work Efficiency

A large part of Chromebook’s success is related to the battery duration, the fast responsiveness, and the perfect integration with Google applications, including the famous Chrome™ browser. By using minimal operating files, the system can boot up within eight seconds—faster than most other competitor devices on the market. The basic Chrome OS device has 4 GB RAM and lasts nearly 10 hours on a charge. This makes it ideal for office work and for people whose jobs involve several business trips.   

Security Efficiency

Chrome OS closes off most traditional entry points for malware. You cannot install traditional programs at all. The browser and individual pages run locked inside “sandboxed” areas of memory, and at each reboot, Chromebook verifies that its software hasn’t been tampered with—and repairs it if necessary.  

Cost Efficiency 

One cannot talk about Chromebooks without mentioning the cost efficiency and versatility they offer. A starting price point of $150 makes them ideal for businesses that are looking to reduce hardware expenses.  

Challenges

Reading Google Trends stats, it seems that—just in the US—an average of 100 users per day are looking for information about Chromebooks for business.

Ironically, Chromebook is not dominating the industry because it cannot run the line of business applications that usually enable a company’s success. For software such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite, Chrome OS is not the right fit; it’s simply impossible to run an application that’s not web-based or exists outside the Google Play store. This limited range of use has resulted in a stigma against these devices; people don’t see them as “real” computers.

Fortunately, these problems can be tackled through Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions that can bring these applications to Chromebook devices.  

The Solution

Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) is a cost-effective application and desktop delivery solution that can bring critical line-of-business (LOB) applications to Chromebook. With Parallels RAS, Chromebooks retain all their speed and mobility, while further increasing their versatility by allowing access to business applications.

Business owners and decision-makers will be delighted to know that Parallels RAS can make it possible to run an entire organization just on Chromebook, allowing users to access LOB applications on Chrome OS and Chrome web browser.

Check out the costs of Parallels RAS per concurrent user per year. If we consider an entry-level Chromebook, an organization can have a fully functional workstation for less than $300. Additionally, Parallels RAS supports any device—including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Andriod —enabling employees to work from any location, anytime.

 


References

computerworld.com

techradar.com