When Google announced the Chromebook five years ago, it seemed like a joke. A computer that's only a browser? Really? What's next, a washing machine just for socks? An oven that only roasts chicken?
当谷歌(Google) 5年前发布Chromebook的时候，看起来就像是个笑话。只能当浏览器的电脑？真的吗？还有什么，一个只洗袜子的洗衣机？一个只能烤鸡的烤箱？
But the browser-based laptops are no longer a laughing matter. While we've become more comfortable in the cloud and the Web itself has advanced, Google made improvements to the Chrome OS that are pushing the simple machines toward taking on 'real' laptops.
但这种基于浏览器的笔记本已经不再是笑话了。我们已经越来越习惯云服务，网络本身在不断进步，谷歌也对Chrome OS做出了改进，推动这种简单的机器朝着“真正”的笔记本迈进。
With larger screens and faster processors, they even look like them now, too. Samsung's $399 Chromebook 2, with a 13-inch high-definition screen, hits shelves next week. Hewlett-Packard's $299 model has a 14-inch screen and Intel's latest processor. Dell's $279 Chromebook 11 is designed to be a student's laptop.
具备了更大屏幕和更快处理器，它们甚至看起来也更像笔记本了。三星(Samsung)售价399美元的Chromebook 2配备了13寸的高清屏幕，将于下周上市。惠普(HP)售价299美元的Chromebook配备了14寸屏幕和英特尔(Intel)的最新处理器。戴尔(Dell)售价279美元的Chromebook 11就设计为一款学生用笔记本。
Those prices are tempting, but can a sub-$400 Chromebook do the work of a PC or a Mac? After testing Chromebooks for the past week, I can say they deserve to be taken seriously. But there are plenty of things I'd rather do on my 'real' laptop.
这些价格具有吸引力，但一款售价不到400美元的Chromebook能够承担PC或者Mac的工作吗？在过去一周评测Chromebook之后，我可以说Chromebook值得予以认真考虑。但有很多事情，我还是宁愿在“真正的”笔记本上完成。
Chromebooks have proven themselves capable as Netflix-playing, Facebook-stalking and Amazon-shopping machines, but before this week, I'd have balked at the idea of putting one on my desk at work. Yet, I was surprised by just how much work I could get done.
Chromebook已经证明它们可以看Netflix视频，可以浏览Facebook以及上亚马逊(Amazon)购物。但在这个星期之前，我一直对用Chromebook工作的想法心存障碍。不过，现在我却意外地发现它们可以承担更多的工作。
If you work with Google Web apps -- Gmail, Google Docs, etc. -- a Chromebook would be a natural fit. But even using Windows and Mac productivity apps is easier than you think: Microsoft now offers all of its Office Online apps in the Chrome App Store and Apple offers solid cloud-based iWork apps, too.
如果你用Gmail、Google Doc等谷歌网页应用工作，那么Chromebook或许是最佳选择。但即便是用Windows和Mac的工作应用，(在Chromebook上)用起来也比你想象的简单：微软(Microsoft)在Chrome应用商店提供其所有的Office网上应用，而苹果也提供基于云端的iWork应用。
I used Microsoft Word Online to take notes at meetings, PowerPoint Online to edit a slide, and relied on my company's Web version of Outlook for email and calendar. I found Chrome alternatives to other Mac apps, including a photo editor, to-do list app and keystroke- and timesaving text expander. The only app I missed was Skype -- the Web version doesn't work on Chromebooks.
我用微软的Word云端应用记会议笔记，用PowerPoint云端应用来编辑幻灯片，依靠我公司的网页版Outlook来处理电子邮件和日程表。我发现其他Mac应用的Chrome版，包括图片编辑软件、日程规划应用以及省时的文本拓展器。我唯一没有使用的应用是Skype，它的网络版不能在Chromebook上运行。
While Chrome OS and Google Drive need more advanced file management, you can download documents, photos and other files to a folder on the laptop or to the cloud. Even when you're offline, you can edit photos in the Google+ Photos app and work on PDFs in Quickoffice.
虽然Chrome OS和Google Drive需要更为先进的文件管理，你可以下载文档、照片和其他文件到笔记本上的文件夹或者存储到云端。即便当你离线的时候，也可以在Google+照片应用中编辑照片，在Quickoffice中处理PDF。
Managing apps is easier, too, now that you can put windows side by side, dock favorite apps in the toolbar, download or create apps that don't run in the browser, and swipe up on the touchpad to see all open apps. Google says it will add more multitasking features soon.
管理应用也更加简便，现在你可以并排设置窗口，把常用应用固定在工具栏上，下载或创建无法在浏览器运行的应用，在触控板上向上滑动以查看所有打开应用。谷歌表示，他们很快会增加更多的多任务功能。
All those things make Chromebooks highly productive for me, though my MacBook's advanced organization and multitasking tools make me more nimble. And I did encounter a significant obstacle: There are 'virtual private network' tools for accessing your office intranet remotely, but my company doesn't support one that works with Chrome OS.
所有这些都给Chromebook带来了更高的工作能力，但Macbook先进的组织和多任务工具却让我觉得更加方便。我也的确遇到一个显著的障碍：虚拟专用网络(VPN)是用来远程接入公司内部网的，但我的公司却不支持Chrome OS的VPN。
Here's a secret: While I do have my head in the cloud, I like reviewing work on paper. Apparently, Chromebooks want me to kick that habit because you can't just plug in a printer.
这里有个秘密：虽然我在云服务上进行思考，但我却喜欢审阅打印出来的工作。显然，Chromebook希望我改变这个习惯，因为你不能光添加一个打印机就能打印。
Instead, you must configure wireless printing through Google's Cloud Print, which only works with select printers. There are ways to get other printers to work, but set-up was a hassle. Three days later, I'm still waiting for my document to print.
相反，你必须通过谷歌的Cloud Print设置无线打印，其只适用于特定的打印机。虽然也有办法兼容其他打印机，但设置过程很繁琐。三天之后，我还在等待我的文档打印出来。
I had no problems connecting my external HDMI monitor, USB hard drives and Bluetooth mouse to various models. It was easy to load photos and video on the computers, too. Most Chromebooks come with 16 gigabytes of internal storage, though they have SD card slots and 100 GB of free Google Drive space.
将外接HDMI监视器、USB硬盘和蓝牙鼠标和诸多型号进行连接也没有问题。上传电脑上的照片和视频也很方便。虽然大多数Chromebook都内置了16GB的存储空间，但它们还有SD卡槽以及100GB的Google Drive空间。
In Google-topia, we must use the cloud to sync our smartphones' photos, videos and other goodies with our computers. You can't plug in your iPhone or Android phone and drag over files -- devices don't show up as external drives. You have to sync all your photos to the Google+ social network. For iPhone owners, there's no iTunes for Chromebook for setting up your phone or sideloading files.
在谷歌的王国，我们必须通过云端来把智能手机上的照片、视频和其他文件与电脑进行同步。你不能用数据线连接iPhone或者Android手机，然后拖拉文件；这些设备不会显示为外部设备。你必须把你所有照片同步到Google+社交网络上。对iPhone用户来说，Chromebook没有iTunes软件来设置你手机或者拷贝文件。
The biggest issue Chromebooks had in the past was that, without an Internet connection, they were nothing more than rectangular paperweights. Things you expected to do without the Internet -- write a document, edit photos, etc. -- were impossible on a Chromebook. Google has fixed a lot of that, but it isn't perfect.
Chromebook过去最大的问题是，没有网络连接时，它们就和直角镇纸没什么差别。你所期待的离线工作，例如写文档或编辑照片等等，都无法在Chromebook上实现。谷歌已经解决了这方面的很多问题，但还不够完美。
To go offline and access your Gmail inbox and Google Docs, you must complete the Google Drive and Gmail offline sync process. If you don't, you can't even get to the apps offline. The Chrome App Store now has an assortment of third-party apps -- from note-taking programs to games -- that work offline. I'm still waiting for offline access to Outlook and OneDrive, though.
为了离线使用你的Gmail邮箱和Google Doc，你必须完成Google Drive和Gmail离线同步程序。如果你不这么做，你甚至无法进入到离线应用。Chrome应用商店已经有从笔记软件到游戏的各种各样可以离线使用的第三方应用。但我仍然在等待可以离线使用Outlook和OneDrive。
Chromebooks can't do all the things a Mac or Windows PC can, but they do far more than I expected. That, and a $300 price tag, will be just right for many people.
Chromebook不能取代Mac或Windows PC的所有功能，但它们能做的已经远远超出我预期。这样的电脑，以及300美元的售价，会非常适合很多人。
As Google continues to grow its once laughable platform with new features, offline-friendly apps and higher-quality machines like Samsung's Chromebook 2, the joke might ultimately be on those 'real' laptops.
随着谷歌继续为其曾经可笑的Chrome平台添加新功能和离线可用应用，并推出像三星Chromebook 2这样的高品质机器，最终的笑话可能会是那些“真正的”笔记本。