Nov. 3, 2021
By Gabby Liuba
Staff Writer
After nine years with the iPad, this summer, LHS made the switch to Chromebooks.
While some students were sad to see the iPad go, sophomore Samantha Cardo said she was happy because she said the Chromebook is the best device for completing assignments because it has a keyboard, is easy to carry, charges quickly and has a long battery life.
“I can leave it charging for like an hour before school, and it would last me for hours,” Cardo said.
While the iPad and Chromebook both have a battery that lasts up to 10 hours, the iPad takes about five hours to fully charge, whereas the Chromebook generally charges in a little over two hours.
Cardo prefers the Chromebook but said there are features of the iPad that were helpful.
“It’s harder to upload or edit things that need to be drawn on for assignments,” Cardo said. “I miss that we used to be able to take photos of our assignments and make audio recordings with them.”
In a survey of 114 students conducted by The Lighthouse, 49% said they prefer the Chromebook, 28% percent said they prefer the iPad and 23% said they like both devices equally.
INFOGRAPHIC BY ANASTASIA LOUTROUTZIS This infographic reflects the responses of 114 LHS students.
Sophomore Amber Vergara said she was among the students who were upset when she found out she would have to trade in her iPad for a Chromebook.
“It was a downgrade from the iPads. Usually, if you’re switching to a new device, you’d expect it to run better than what you had owned previously,” Vergara said.
She said the display is lively and cheery on the iPad compared to the Chromebook, and she felt the iPad’s charge lasted longer. Also, she said a challenge with the Chromebook is remembering the shortcuts because they are different from the typical laptop.
“The keyboard is probably the best quality, but another advantage is more storage, along with the extended battery.”
“There [are] still times where I forget how to take a screenshot or copy and paste on the Chromebook, and I need a reminder. It’s the little things that begin to pile on,” Vergara said.
She said her favorite feature of the Chromebook is that it can be used to charge her smartphone.
Vergara said she has not had any technical difficulties with her Chromebook and does not mind using it for schoolwork except in math class where she prefers to use paper and pencil.
Like Vergara, senior Alissa Pavesio said they were disappointed when learning LHS would require students to give up their iPads.
“I prefer iPad, Chromebook and then paper,” Pavesio said.
Pavesio said iPads are easier to carry and quicker to type on than Chromebooks.
“[The Chromebook] just takes forever to load and shuts down and deletes all tabs,” Pavesio said.
Freshman Ryan McKerry said he is glad LHS made the switch to Chromebooks. He said he already owned a Chromebook prior to coming to LHS and had good experiences with it.
“The keyboard is probably the best quality, but another advantage is more storage, along with the extended battery,” McKerry said.
He said the Chromebook can be slow, but he likes that it is easy to transport.
“Chromebooks are more essential in the classroom environment,” said McKerry.
