Are you wanting to download specific software because that's not possible unless it's as an app? What are you hoping to download (dare I ask?!) The best way to think of them working the same as your mobile.
I don't have a Chromebook and don't want one. From what I understand you can't download files, such as video files, nor can you add to the internal storage which is often 16GB. I'm wondering why you are recommending a Chromebook given the limitations. As stated above, I use a MacBook Air.
The original poster mentioned it was for general use and my experience has been very good with them - that's all. I thought they may be interested.
I haven't bought a new laptop for several years but if I was after a daily use machine i would go for a Chromebook. I would also strongly recommend them for my elderly relations, mainly because of the simplicity of updating - I don't think they are significantly easier to use though. Yes, the original concept was that everything is in the cloud but I believe the latest versions of the OS provide better access to disk storage. As I mentioned, Currys are selling an HP with 1 TB HDD so there must be some way of filling that. That said I wonder what kind of things you are thinking about downloading? I'm not sure if it is possible to say download iPlayer or Netflix programmes for offline use - maybe that's a show-stopper? But you definitely don't want to be storing any valuable or sentimental data on a laptop - not as your only copy anyway.
I think the OP also wanted to aslo be able to do this from his laptop... And what he imagines he sounds like so some clever auto tuning programs may be helpful...
Slightly more off topic on an off topic subject. ZOOM - anyone use the tele-conferencing app on Windows platforms had any bad experiences with it ? (security issues etc). I've been using Skype since it came into being, but a couple of friends from the UK have asked me if I had it installed. Essentially I'd want to use it with no more than 5-6 participants at a time - not your Nuremberg rally level of participation. Be interested if anyone has positive or negative experiences with it.
I've used it a fair bit for sessions with upto a dozen participants. Absolutely fine so far, better than skype. I've heard tales of security issues but haven't experienced any that I'm aware of. There's a new release coming out end-May which people will be forced to upgrade to, I believe it's meant to make it compliant with a more secure encryption standard. Everybody over here seems to be using it for both business and personal use.
We've moved to Microsoft Teams at work away from Skype as it became unreliable at times (threw people out of the meetings and they struggled to get back in) Zoom seems popular and the government use it so it must be...
I believe Microsoft plan to relaunch Skype as their 'personal' product with Teams as their professional one. If they do what they've always done Skype will improve.
Thanks for all your advice. I have followed your recommendation DMD. great service, I spoke to him at 11.30am, he dropped it off by 1pm! I paid half the cost of my budget for a refurbed entry level laptop, Elite book.. He's going to upgrade the RAM when he can get hold of stock. it seems fine for me, though installing Not 606 and writing this is just about the first thing I have done on it! Does mean in a few months, I can upgrade my ipad and still have a reasonable laptop.
We use Teams. Its pretty good and integrates with Office 365 well. Only minor niggle is it doesn't currently have a "raise hand" function but that is on next update apparently. Most people have distanced themselves from Zoom recently due to the rather large security holes it had that were exploited. I assume they're patching it up as quickly as they can though.
Apparently there's a lighter slimmer version now... https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/adele-unrecognisable-incredible-pic-tells-21980994
