Google released Googlebook laptops on October 4, saying they offer seamless Android integration with ChromeOS. It is the company's first major laptop update since the launch of Chromebooks in 2011.
Google reported the laptops start at $899, with prices ranging up to $1,299. That compares with the typical range of Chromebook models, which usually start at $300.
The laptops are built on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Intel’s Core Ultra 3 chips and target users seeking Android phone and laptop synergy. Availability begins on October 4, initially for Android users.
"There’s a lot the laptop gets right, but much of it was designed decades ago, before mobile devices were invented," said Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem. Reinventing laptops is a multi-year endeavor. Our first step is to focus on the Android community because today there isn’t a laptop that is designed to seamlessly work with your Android phone.
The announcement follows a media-only event in New York City last week. Google said the laptops merge Android’s mobile-first operating system with ChromeOS, the OS powering Chromebooks.
Google did not say whether it will make its own Googlebook under its Made by Google Pixel hardware division, and raised the open question of how well the platform will support cross-device gaming. The company said it expects more developers to target Android’s "Made for Desktop" tier as the platform grows.
Source: wired
