Re: What's the actual *advantage* of HAVING an sd slot?

On Wed, 18 Jun 2025 06:29:31 -0000 (UTC), AJL wrote :

Am currently posting with a Lenovo Chrome Tablet 10e. I got this, my latest
 toy, as a renewed (used-refurbed) purchase ($48US) recently, but the model
 itself is a few years old.
 
Anyway, it has no SD slot and only 32GB of internal storage.

Hi AJL, (this is a newer, nicer me, but the same me nonetheless)

Thanks for your experience with the Chromebook which underlies that the
entire strategy of Google/Apple (and high-end Samsungs) of removing the
portable functionality is to funnel users into more expensive workarounds.

And thank you for that specific information that you only have 32GB!

On Android, I have determined that 64GB is enough for at least a thousand
apps (if an sd slot is available for media & maps) but 32GB is pushing it.

So it's good to know you're doing OK with that 32GB of internal storage.

I have a 32GB HP Stream 11 (which was shipped to me during a trip when I
needed computer access for a day and they let me keep the damn thing).

With the OS taking up almost all that 32GB, I have to store all the apps
and data on the 512GB sd card portable storage slot.

I think the reason may be different from what's been said so far.

Ah. It's good to learn new stuff about the topic...

Chromebooks were
 originally designed to be used online and I think this one's no different
 in that it works seamlessly with my 100GB ($2/mo) online Google storage.

Yes. Google's strategy is the Chromebook is the same as the iPad.
I've often said on the iOS newsgroups that there's really no difference.

   iPad === Chromebook === They're both designed as dumb terminals.

Google simply copied Apple's highly successful dumb-terminal design.

 Music, photos, etc, work great using the online storage although a few of
 my Android apps do still insist on local storage.

This is good to know, as the dumb-terminal design has its merits.

BTW, surprisingly, the tablet does have an earphone hole and has great
 fidelity. So my music comes from the cloud to me through that obsolete
 round audio opening, no USB adapter required. A very nice old fashioned
 feature IMO...

Thanks for that observation, which is interesting because they designed a
Chromebook to have almost no internal memory *and* no sdslot (forcing you
into the cloud) and yet they're allowing you to use standard headphones.

Good to know because there is nothing a device without the jack can do that
a device with it can't do which instantly belies the lies that Apple spews.

The argument for the aux jack is the same as that for the sd card.

1. A device without it is *always* inferior (assuming all else equal)
2. They removed it for one reason only - which is for their profits
3. The user *always* loses because it's *impossible* to replace
4. But the user has to buy some of the functionality back (at a price)

Thanks for your experience with the Chromebook which underlies that the
entire strategy of Google/Apple (and high-end Samsungs) of removing the
portable functionality is to funnel users into more expensive workarounds.