I spent a year using a Chromebook just to prove that I could. I used an external mouse and now I use an extra portable 13.3 screen.
You can't run verbatim, but I also refuse to use Google docs at the moment. So I used libre office. I've used the libre office system since it was in beta. I don't know if many people know it's a thing, but ce la vie
If you plan on using verbatim, I *strongly* discourage a MacBook. I’ve had to convert mine with boot camp so that it can run windows, simply because Apple and Word isn’t super compatible (so expect lots of glitches). Although boot camp has made it possible to run verbatim, you’d be better off just getting a device that runs windows from the start.
Also… for what it’s worth, my sister just got the Lenovo Thinkpad T16 (on sale) last week and LOVES it. Granted she doesn’t do Speech and Debate, but other debaters on my squad have Thinkpads and it has continuously served them well. Thinkpads are known to last, and they’re a lot lighter weight than macs. Plus rn a lot of them are like 50% off.
Here’s the version she got: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpadt/thinkpad-t16-(16-inch-intel)/21bv000mus
Here are more models: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/d/deals/laptops/?orgRef=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F&tabkey=Laptop%20Deals&sortBy=bestSelling&visibleDatas=698%3AThinkPad&cid=us:sem%7Cse%7Cgoogle%7Cbrand_commmercial_think_tier1%7Cthinkpad+control%7Cthinkpad%7Ce%7C833260300%7C108454273919%7Ckwd-11149391%7Ctext%7Cbrand&gclid=CjwKCAjw9suYBhBIEiwA7iMhNOfkRE5yMDClmc9HGbem4nC0qYYqTRducMxpHYVqpjbcum0Z_Um-rhoCo6cQAvD_BwE
_Extra background_: I have a MacBook Pro, with a decent amount of storage.
The glitches I was experiencing was that in online view on word, the pages would skip to the top, and the navigation pane wasn’t working. Contacted verbatim and they informed me it’s because they’ve been having to do lots of work arounds to make verbatim work on apple, which results in sometimes faulty performance.
The downsides of boot camp is that the speakers and microphone aren’t connected super great, which means playing music/watching videos on it isn’t optimal, and using any sort of video streaming (zoom) malfunctions within 10 minutes. This has happened even as I tried to reinstall boot camp.
What boot camp is: https://support.apple.com/guide/bootcamp-assistant/welcome/mac
I personally use a MacBook and some random office mouse. If you are going for a Mac go for an Apple Silicon Mac it will last you for years and it’s amazingly snappy and fast.
During in person tournaments I just used my school issues Chromebook and it worked fine
when we had virtual ones I would use a monitor (same computer) so I could put the zoom on my computer screen and the blocks on the monitor
My personal opinion is that everyone should stop trying to make laptops work. You will never be as fast or as effective on a laptop.
Take your laptop and get a good screen/mouse/keyboard hooked up to it and treat it like a desktop.
Hey you be you. I am just saying it would make debating a lot easier. With paperless debating you don't have to bring 4 tubs with you, so easy enough to check a bag with a screen.
Much bigger screen to see multiple pages, ability to see your digital flow and the doc at the same time, faster response time when moving stuff around / moving cards from one doc into your speech doc, etc.
kinda dont understand this but issue is my laptop crashes A LOT (& i was gonna get one soon anyways so might as well get one best suited for s&d since thats basically my life), and gets really laggy the second i have over 3 tabs open and a communication platform open in the background. and my mac heats up within 5 minutes of opening over 5 tabs or joining a meeting and its really annoying n it would honestly be a huge distraction irl.
I use an M1 mac book air
Pros:
It is very fast and never freezes even with many applications and tabs open
The trackpad gestures allow you to switch between tabs/desktops incredibly quickly
The keyboard is very good
It has a very long battery life which is nice at tournaments
You can have a stop watch application run in the top bar
Cons:
Have to use draft mode in verbatim (although I always switch to web view to give a speech which seems to be fine)
You need a USB converter for flash drives
Finder is not good and you can not create new .docx files from it
A USB mouse and USB drive work wonders
I spent a year using a Chromebook just to prove that I could. I used an external mouse and now I use an extra portable 13.3 screen. You can't run verbatim, but I also refuse to use Google docs at the moment. So I used libre office. I've used the libre office system since it was in beta. I don't know if many people know it's a thing, but ce la vie
If you plan on using verbatim, I *strongly* discourage a MacBook. I’ve had to convert mine with boot camp so that it can run windows, simply because Apple and Word isn’t super compatible (so expect lots of glitches). Although boot camp has made it possible to run verbatim, you’d be better off just getting a device that runs windows from the start. Also… for what it’s worth, my sister just got the Lenovo Thinkpad T16 (on sale) last week and LOVES it. Granted she doesn’t do Speech and Debate, but other debaters on my squad have Thinkpads and it has continuously served them well. Thinkpads are known to last, and they’re a lot lighter weight than macs. Plus rn a lot of them are like 50% off. Here’s the version she got: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpadt/thinkpad-t16-(16-inch-intel)/21bv000mus Here are more models: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/d/deals/laptops/?orgRef=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F&tabkey=Laptop%20Deals&sortBy=bestSelling&visibleDatas=698%3AThinkPad&cid=us:sem%7Cse%7Cgoogle%7Cbrand_commmercial_think_tier1%7Cthinkpad+control%7Cthinkpad%7Ce%7C833260300%7C108454273919%7Ckwd-11149391%7Ctext%7Cbrand&gclid=CjwKCAjw9suYBhBIEiwA7iMhNOfkRE5yMDClmc9HGbem4nC0qYYqTRducMxpHYVqpjbcum0Z_Um-rhoCo6cQAvD_BwE _Extra background_: I have a MacBook Pro, with a decent amount of storage. The glitches I was experiencing was that in online view on word, the pages would skip to the top, and the navigation pane wasn’t working. Contacted verbatim and they informed me it’s because they’ve been having to do lots of work arounds to make verbatim work on apple, which results in sometimes faulty performance. The downsides of boot camp is that the speakers and microphone aren’t connected super great, which means playing music/watching videos on it isn’t optimal, and using any sort of video streaming (zoom) malfunctions within 10 minutes. This has happened even as I tried to reinstall boot camp. What boot camp is: https://support.apple.com/guide/bootcamp-assistant/welcome/mac
Hard agree on the Thinkpad
I personally use a MacBook and some random office mouse. If you are going for a Mac go for an Apple Silicon Mac it will last you for years and it’s amazingly snappy and fast.
Semi-functioning 2012 MacBook Pro :)
During in person tournaments I just used my school issues Chromebook and it worked fine when we had virtual ones I would use a monitor (same computer) so I could put the zoom on my computer screen and the blocks on the monitor
The M1/M2 MacBook is the best computer on the market, verbatim works fine if you are willing to change the view. Easily the best device to debate on
Do you not have trouble with the navigation pane on Mac?
Nope, if you put it in draft mode it fixes it. Also Verbatim 6.0 is coming this fall, and it’ll fix all issues with mac
My personal opinion is that everyone should stop trying to make laptops work. You will never be as fast or as effective on a laptop. Take your laptop and get a good screen/mouse/keyboard hooked up to it and treat it like a desktop.
Bro it's 2022 not 1990. I understand getting a mouse, but another monitor and keyboard is overkill and terrible to transport.
Hey you be you. I am just saying it would make debating a lot easier. With paperless debating you don't have to bring 4 tubs with you, so easy enough to check a bag with a screen.
But what tangible benefit does a screen or another keyboard even provide? You're just opening documents, not like competitvely gaming.
Much bigger screen to see multiple pages, ability to see your digital flow and the doc at the same time, faster response time when moving stuff around / moving cards from one doc into your speech doc, etc.
kinda dont understand this but issue is my laptop crashes A LOT (& i was gonna get one soon anyways so might as well get one best suited for s&d since thats basically my life), and gets really laggy the second i have over 3 tabs open and a communication platform open in the background. and my mac heats up within 5 minutes of opening over 5 tabs or joining a meeting and its really annoying n it would honestly be a huge distraction irl.
Just buy any Windows in the 300-500$ range with decent specs (i5, 8gb RAM, whatevs else)
I use an M1 mac book air Pros: It is very fast and never freezes even with many applications and tabs open The trackpad gestures allow you to switch between tabs/desktops incredibly quickly The keyboard is very good It has a very long battery life which is nice at tournaments You can have a stop watch application run in the top bar Cons: Have to use draft mode in verbatim (although I always switch to web view to give a speech which seems to be fine) You need a USB converter for flash drives Finder is not good and you can not create new .docx files from it
Prayer and Hate.
my toaster