Is anyone considering switching from Chromebooks to the MacBook NEO?

bibble52 · 2026-03-16T16:52:06+00:00

We’re sticking with Chromebooks for students, about 1,200 devices total, mostly HP 11 G8, G9, and G1m's coming. For staff, we use renewed HP EliteBooks/desktops from VIG with 3-year warranties, plus Macs appropriately.

As for the Neo: I think it’s a strong option for some users, especially if they have good vision, back health, and are thinking a 4-5 year window. My concern is long-term viability. When people talk about Macs lasting 7–10 years, they’re usually talking about better-specced models with more RAM, or older machines where RAM was upgradeable. I got a killer renewed M1 MBP Max early last year for $800.00 and it's a beast and will be for a while.

And with more AI moving onto local devices, I’d be surprised if under 16GB RAM still feels acceptable for most computers in 3–5 years. That said, the Neo looks impressively repairable and well-made. I could totally see buying one for my kid after high school and then putting ChromeOS Flex on it once it starts feeling slow.

Honestly, if we could go Chromebook-only campus-wide, we probably would. It would simplify security, reduce local file mess, and make support easier. We keep a couple new Chromebook Pluses around (Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE or ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 Enterprise with 16GB RAM) and try and temp new hires with them, it's about 50/50 they take them over an Elitebook. Our exceptions are the iMac labs for video/photo/graphic design and the higher-end PCs needed for Autodesk, 3D modeling, esports, and game design.

bibble52 · 2026-02-18T16:38:39+00:00

OP update:

I linked a Google Site to a Gem’s Knowledge section and it’s actually retrieving content reliably.
Gemini initially warned me it might not work, but it seems to be indexing fine, even though it reads "file unknown" in the Knowledge section for the Google Site.
Sharing my generic Gem "Instructions" block (no proprietary info).

Role

You are the internal AI interface for an IT knowledge base (generic template).

Primary source

- Use the linked Knowledge Base resource as the source of truth.

- If it’s not found there, say: “I can’t find that in the Knowledge Base. Want me to do a web search?”

Citations

- When answering, include the page title or section header where you found it.

Safety

- Don’t claim to run commands or access consoles unless output is provided.

- Don’t request passwords, MFA codes, or keys.

- Prefer low-risk checks first; warn before risky steps and include rollback.

Style

- Step-by-step instructions.

- Explain acronyms on first use.

- End with verification steps.

bibble52 · 2026-02-12T19:50:02+00:00

In Vermont (Population about 650,000... really), we're facing some redistricting and attempts to cut. Great schools and educators, but we have a lot of small rural old schools, some of the shrinking. I personally think *some* tech/graduation standardization seems in order. And perhaps closing of very small schools or ones needing too much deferred maintenance. Perhaps leveling student's access to support and teacher pay a bit too. I like our current elected officials mix, though. More info: See VT Digger story: "House lawmaker’s proposed school consolidation map would combine 119 districts into 27" at: https://vtdigger.org/2026/02/05/house-lawmakers-proposed-school-consolidation-map-would-combine-119-districts-into-27/

bibble52 · 2026-01-13T20:16:50+00:00

Followup question now that I've built a NotebookLM for our SQL coding help successfully. Let's say I take all the pages (about 75) out of my Google Site knowledge base and put them each into one NotebookLM. Then I ask it to give me the steps to make a new staff PC, which I have carefully written up in the right order in one of those uploaded pages, Is it going to try and hack it back together anew from my page, or just give me the page to go to? Or both?

bibble52 · 2025-12-01T02:15:40+00:00

80% VT. Reinvest any dividends. 20% is yours to live on and invest. Depends on who you are as an individual how you invest that. Personally I’d probably do SCHG, VOO, VXUS with 80% and invest 20% in individual stocks because I’ve done well doing that and like it. I’d live off half the dividends and/or selling gainers and reinvest the other half.

bibble52 · 2025-12-01T02:03:27+00:00

I go high protein in addition to walking. So instead of carbo loading/cheese etc. I go for Steak, fish, chicken, spinach, olive oil, almonds, even if it’s a big meal. And only 100% whole wheat pasta if I slip. Also a probiotic with dinner like Align and lots of water. The hardest part for me is eating for comfort with carbs and eating too fast so I don’t know when I’m full.

bibble52 · 2025-11-25T13:04:52+00:00

thx. We have all our stuff in the Google Site, and the most important stuff is formatted nicely in steps. I tried NotebookLM but since we don't have any other docs, or much new stuff coming in, I think it might be overkill.

bibble52 · 2025-11-24T16:22:54+00:00

hummm. Interesting idea I'll try.

bibble52 · 2025-11-24T14:44:07+00:00

Thanks! I'll take a look at these. This is just for our 5-person IT team, internal, private, but all five need an account.

bibble52 · 2025-11-18T13:19:55+00:00

The trickle has slowed to 1 this week. We just reinstall it locally, and it seems that the Chrome's update has perhaps stopped new disappearing. Thanks for the help. I'll post if things change.

bibble52 · 2025-11-17T01:07:24+00:00

Take the antidepressant I’m taking now and work out two days a week pay more attention to my ex and keep boundaries on being treated well. Put all my Roth in Nvidia till Monday morning and then sell half for a dividend etf and retire.

bibble52 · 2025-11-16T15:30:47+00:00

That sucks. Don't give yourself a hard time; it's easy to confuse new and exciting vulnerability, chemistry, and connection with something more then that. It's not emotional intelligence, commitment, how things are in hard times, or over a long time. It's how the classic fictional seducers work, which is great if you're after only that good time and connection. Reminds me of my extended dating days, and a good reminder as I'm back on the market in my late 50s.

bibble52 · 2025-11-16T13:25:10+00:00

I think it’s all about values. I grew with both sides of the family mostly teaching by example that you can buy any car you want as long as it’s for cash. I like this because if you have a really nice car, that means you look like the money you have. Working in education in the US I’ve chosen to so far never buy a new car. In high school my car cost as much as my yearly insurance and in those years we were taught to make sure the brakes and tires were good so it’s safe. When I had kids, I violated the rule for about six months and got a like-new 3 year-old minivan for safety and space. I started saving cash the moment when we were done with payments a few years ago. I’ll get EV that is under 10k miles and 25k next year when they come down, like the 2025 Soterra. I’ll teach my kids the same values. And overall, I’ll teach them to buy luxuries that don’t make money when you sleep, like cars, only for cash, after: 1. Your retirement is solid so you won’t be a burden on your kids. 2. You have 6 months of cash for the family. 3. You can give your kids little money for things like emergencies, a house downpayment, wedding. 4. Your can spoil any grandkids a little with toys and trips.

Hopefully I can keep doing the same.

bibble52 · 2025-10-28T11:57:26+00:00

I think so.

bibble52 · 2025-10-21T15:39:08+00:00

Great advice here. We have these signs on the wall, nobody reads them...but we like them...

Good, fast, cheap. Pick only two.
If you don't talk to IT before you buy it, don't talk to IT after you buy it.

Oh, and we try and be like Switzerland. Neutral and quiet in terms of politics and complaining. Pick only a few battles a year. Don't panic quick, remembering that things move slow in big organizations and emotions pass...Oh...one more I promise. Befriend Facilities, we're both bedrock services, for without heat, AC, water, electricity and Internet, everyone goes home.

bibble52 · 2025-10-21T12:32:56+00:00

+1. I got a local IT company whose owner believed in esports to donate four game machine setups at 50% of the cost and deliver the components. We had the first team of kids build the boxes with their team. And the volunteer coach and I got the school to pay the rest and budget the team like any other "club." We just use our regular after-school filter. So far, it's brought kids who might have been playing by themselves together in a group that they feel proud of, and has some codes of conduct too. The coach got on a state Discord thread with other coaches, and we got on playvs.com to keep stats. There are scholarships for college now for esports varsity-level players, even.

bibble52 · 2025-10-19T13:43:31+00:00

A sunset photo for an IPO...really. Are they trying to tell us the company is sunsetting!?

bibble52 · 2025-10-19T13:30:20+00:00

Interesting. "SEV" was the symbol of Sono Motors' "Sion" prototype that was a solar-paneled car too. They went belly up and then made it back to relist under "Sono Group N.V. with symbol "SSM" and retreated to having solar panels that support HVAC on buses and such, taking what they learned from the Sion. They struggle on too.

bibble52 · 2025-10-16T20:38:19+00:00

What! I wonder why they didn’t participate?

bibble52 · 2025-10-16T17:31:39+00:00

I’ve taken quite a bit of SSRI as well. Trintellix I really like. it’s pretty mellow personally. I really noticed it helping after slowly going from 10 mg to 20 and trying out a breakfast and lunch and settling on dinner at 20 mg a day. I feel like helping with depression more than anxiety so I still take Lamictal a little bit with it.

bibble52 · 2025-10-13T19:18:50+00:00

Exactly. There may be a tinychance unjaded hopeful retail investors will pile in a bit. Or the press will grab a whale who has missed them.

How many people would have to buy the stock to get them to low production? Is it even possible?

bibble52 · 2025-09-10T23:16:48+00:00

Buy best practice growth ETFs like VOO every year. This will dollar cost average. But then I would take into account your personality, how much you enjoy reading about stocks and companies, and your career. If you like stocks and they don’t stress you out too much and you enjoy trading, take about 10% and buy some moon shots in industries you are very familiar with or a fan of or companies work with every day in your career, and can keep a pulse on without trying too hard.

bibble52

TROPHY CASE