Chromebook, in a cabin

Recently, I spent a week at a lake cabin in the mountains. It was gorgeous and delightful and restful and did not have Internet access.

I still brought my Chromebook.

When the pieces are still there

As it turned out, there were many useful tasks my Chromebook could accomplish for me, even offline.

I would read from my electronic library of books, needing only to "pin" my choices to my Kindle app to have them available at any time.

I used my Scribble app to work on blog posts I had loaded into the many color-coded tabs available to me.

I used the offline Gmail app to work on my email; deleting, archiving, and writing replies, working from what had been downloaded before I left the Internet. All of this activity was held in storage until I got back in WiFi range again, and it was thrilling to see all my work get synchronized.

Several local restaurants, the library, and the visitor's bureau all had WiFi  and during my visits there I could accomplish my usual tasks while updating all my offline apps for use back at the cabin. I could backup my writing, refresh my email, send my replies, and pick up a new ebook or two. Thus reloaded, I was set until my next trip into town.

Many Chromebook reviews are scornful of what this device can accomplish when it is away from the Internet. But it is far from the "doorstop" they imagine. It turns out to be a delightful companion as long as there is electricity, and the long battery life does not keep me tethered to that plug.

Given a bit of notice, I can take it anywhere. At any time.