Google Announces 'Chromebook' Laptops, No Word on Chrome-Based Tablets

MacRumors · May 11, 2011

On the second day of its I/O conference, Google has announced the June 15th launch of Chromebooks, small web-only notebooks running the company's browser-based Chrome OS.

These are not typical notebooks. With a Chromebook you won't wait minutes for your computer to boot and browser to start. You'll be reading your email in seconds. Thanks to automatic updates the software on your Chromebook will get faster over time. Your apps, games, photos, music, movies and documents will be accessible wherever you are and you won't need to worry about losing your computer or forgetting to back up files. Chromebooks will last a day of use on a single charge, so you don't need to carry a power cord everywhere. And with optional 3G, just like your phone, you'll have the web when you need it.

Chromebooks will initially launch with models from Samsung and Acer, typically checking in as dual-core Atom-based machines with displays in the 11-12 inch range and limited onboard storage of 16 GB. Pricing for early models is said to begin at $350 and range up to $500 for a Samsung model with integrated 3G connectivity and limited monthly data allowances from Verizon. Google is also offering monthly subscription pricing for students ($20) and businesses ($28), providing them with a manageable fee that includes full support, software updates, and even hardware upgrades.

According to Mashable, Google is "fully focused on notebooks" when it comes to Chrome OS, suggesting that the company will continue to utilize Android to drive tablet products, despite long-standing rumblings and evidence indicating that the company is contemplating bringing Chrome OS to tablet devices.

When asked about Google's future plans for Chrome OS beyond the notebook, Google SVP of Chrome Sundar Pichai said that Chrome OS is "agnostic" to the hardware it runs on. In other words, Chrome OS can easily be ported to tablets, desktops and other Internet-connected devices.

With that said, Pichai made it clear that Google is laser focused on Chrome OS for the notebook. He noted that Google wants to reach the greatest amount of people possible, and most people use notebooks rather than tablets or desktops. "We are fully focused on notebooks," Pichai said.

Google's Chrome OS has been looked to as a lightweight operating system potentially capable of revolutionizing the netbook and tablet industries. Apple of course has continued moving forward with its own products in these areas, launching and even updating the iPad in the tablet market and sticking to the high end of the "netbook" market with its newly-redesigned MacBook Air finally extending into the sub-12 inch display range since Google first previewed Chrome OS in late 2009.

Article Link: Google Announces 'Chromebook' Laptops, No Word on Chrome-Based Tablets

NinjaHERO · May 11, 2011

Sounds like a very interesting cheap computer option.

alent1234 · May 11, 2011

As a beta tester, these suck

I can buy a real laptop or tablet for $500 that doesn't need Internet access to work

RedReplicant · May 11, 2011

It's tempting, I will have to play with one. In the $400 area plants you firmly in Lenovo x120e and HP DM1Z land though.

Jodles · May 11, 2011

I've always been curious of the "instant on"/short boot argument. Does that many people actually shut down their pc's every time after use? I can't remember the last time I shut down my Macbook, and not my Dell laptop either for that sake. I always put them to sleep, which always gives me "instant on"......

SockRolid · May 11, 2011

Google is laser-focused on Chrome. Not Android.

Google no doubt wants to avoid spreading too much anti-Android FUD at Google I/O. But really, Google has already said that Chrome OS is the future, and that Android is just an interim step.

Vic Gundotra himself said that the web will “become the platform that matters.” Way back when Chrome OS was first introduced.

Here's an old Wired piece with that quote: http://bit.ly/h5NHc

wordmunger · May 11, 2011

No offline use? Big mistake

The big mistake here is the lack of any option for offline use. There are plenty of times when you might be out of range of the internet and still need a computer.

toddybody · May 11, 2011

Dont get me wrong, I really like some of the notebooks Acer and Asus are offering (dont much care for Samsung)...but these are plain lousy; especially in light of Googles licensing paradigm. For the money, just buy a 1st gen iPad with folio BT keyboard. Hell, spend a bit more and get a C2D Mx11 and really have a great notebook for 600.00

ciTiger · May 11, 2011

Air already boot in a few seconds and hey last 6 hours or so...
If they are further optimized they will be the expensive version of these... But airs can do more than browsing...

transmaster · May 11, 2011

3 Letters

D.O.A. The iPad killed the netbook just by it's self what makes them think they can sell them with the addition of Android, Win7 mobile, and Blackberry tablets, and as has been pointed out you can get a full featured laptop for just about the same money.

ImperialForces · May 11, 2011

I've always thought that the online OS would never succeed - at least within the next ten years. The infrastructure just isn't there. Besides, I suspect that most people won't want to be dependent on internet access regardless, just in case the power goes out.

ThisIsNotMe · May 11, 2011

Welcome to 1999.

lkrupp · May 11, 2011

This does not sound good for Android. If the whole idea is to move totally to the cloud why not put Chrome OS on all devices including tablets AND phones? Looks to me like Android might start dropping on Google's priority list.

RedReplicant · May 11, 2011

ImperialForces said:
I've always thought that the online OS would never succeed - at least within the next ten years. The infrastructure just isn't there.

Unfortunately that's very true in the US, I see Google as more of a company that is trying to push new technology and is probably ahead of their time. Apple is very good about releasing things when the 'time is right'.

goobot · May 11, 2011

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

Interesting, tho I don't think it will do much to apple or microsoft.

Digital Skunk · May 11, 2011

transmaster said:
D.O.A. The iPad killed the netbook just by it's self what makes them think they can sell them with the addition of Android, Win7 mobile, and Blackberry tablets, and as has been pointed out you can get a full featured laptop for just about the same money.

Agreed that these are DOA and that an iPad/netbook is a better option. Don't think that the iPad killed the netbook though.

These machines just aren't going to cut it as primary machines, and don't offer enough features to be a secondary.

apolloa · May 11, 2011

Looking at these computers they are both VERY ugly and cheap looking compared to the original Google Chrome laptop that looked very nice and Apple'ish.

RedReplicant · May 11, 2011

apolloa said:
Looking at these computers they are both VERY ugly and cheap looking compared to the original Google Chrome laptop that looked very nice and Apple'ish.

Where are bigger pictures? The Samsung looks great to me based on that tiny picture.

GFLPraxis · May 11, 2011

Starting at $350? You can pick up Acer netbooks for less than that with better specs, a camera, and a full, legal OS.

These devices are cutting out the cost of the Windows software license, and presumably (as they are running a lightweight OS) also cutting out storage space/RAM allotment/ GPU. The bottom end devices should be cheaper than bottom end netbooks.

LandOfTech · May 11, 2011

Fail

This isn't going to work very well... i wouldn't use it, i NEED a real computer like my Mac. I can't live without iMovie. i think they should have announced tablets also since this is a great tablet idea.

AZREOSpecialist · May 11, 2011

... and GOOG stock drops just over 7 points! DING DING DING

AZREOSpecialist · May 11, 2011

LandOfTech said:
This isn't going to work very well... i wouldn't use it, i NEED a real computer like my Mac. I can't live without iMovie. i think they should have announced tablets also since this is a great tablet idea.

People who use iMovie are not the target audience for this product. They are targeting education and enterprise. While more likely to use such a product, it's too little too late. It's almost like Google ripped a page out of the prior decade. Apple has enough money to buy Google, I just don't know why they don't do it.

dustinsc · May 11, 2011

transmaster said:
D.O.A. The iPad killed the netbook just by it's self what makes them think they can sell them with the addition of Android, Win7 mobile, and Blackberry tablets, and as has been pointed out you can get a full featured laptop for just about the same money.

It would totally work...if it were cheaper. But for $500 I'd rather get an iPad with limited storage but additional functionality. When you slap on a keyboard, the iPad is clearly superior.

notjustjay · May 11, 2011

So what happens if you try to use one of these when you're not connected to the internet? It just sits there waiting for a connection?

Kaibelf · May 11, 2011

NinjaHERO said:
Sounds like a very interesting cheap computer option.

Yes, more expensive than a netbook, with all the power of a netbook, without the netbook's ability to really function offline. Sounds just fabulous.

Google Announces 'Chromebook' Laptops, No Word on Chrome-Based Tablets

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