Mmmh, time to bring back this topic from the dead...
@CGB, maybe I missed it in your review, but did the touchscreen behave nicely under Ubuntu MATE?
@Gravy said:
The way I look at it, if I can install a desktop Linux onto a Chromebook that costs $200, that more than beats out these $400 tablets. Especially when I'd have to add a keyboard or other accessories.
And indeed, I agree. At the time of writing the convergent Ubuntu tablet is just available for preorder. I'm interested because I like the possibility offered by this product to switch from tablet / content consumption mode to notebook / content creation mode. However not convinced yet: for the phone/tablet dimension, I would prefer CyanogenMod rather than Ubuntu Touch (not sure the concept of 'scopes' can easily replace the lack of Ubuntu app ecosystem), and for the notebook dimension, I am afraid that for now too many applications are not ARM compatible.
But if installing Ubuntu MATE alongside Chrome OS on an Intel Chromebook was as simple as installing it in a virtual machine (I understood from a post by @UnkleBonehead that it is unfortunately a bit more complex), that would be a good alternative indeed.
I would not go for the Asus Chromebook flip due to its ARM processor, but maybe for the Acer Chromebook R11, which can also be converted to a tablet.
By the way, here is an article from howtogeek about 4 Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Chromebook For Linux. Guess the advices given will not come as much of a surprise to many in this community, but still good to scan before purchasing a chromebook I think.