You know…the smartphone gets a bit of a bad rap. It’s not all bad. It’s certainly true that it has changed how people interact today; oftentimes, if  I look about when I’m on the train or in a restaurant, it seems like just a sea of people looking at tiny screens. Sometimes that’s bad. Other times…not so much. It’s a literal portal…a porthole, a window to everywhere else you currently aren’t.  There are situations where one can abuse it; when one should be in the moment.  But sometimes it’s a refuge, and sometimes it’s a safety valve. When you’re not in a place you really want to be, for example; having an outlet that allows you to connect with others can be really helpful.

So, I came home last night to a shipping box on the porch. I was confused; I didn’t remember anything that should be arriving. Even after I opened the box, I had no idea…there was another box inside, with a hamster with a rocket-propelled wheel on the front. Still no clue!

Once I pulled that box out, however…I noticed that there was a lithium-ion battery warning on the back. Simultaneously, I noticed some stickers and help info in the bottom of the outer box, and I finally realized: I was holding a Cr48 Chrome OS laptop!

Like most of the other geeks around, I had filled out an application to join the pilot program for the Cr48 in December. But I never thought I’d actually get one! I’m working on it right now…it’s pretty sweet, and I’m looking forward to exploring it’s nooks and crannies. The Web Store is pretty nifty, and I’m very excited to try out some Chrome extension development!