Google has launched a new line of Googlebook laptops that let Android phone users move work and tasks between devices more easily. Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo built the hardware in partnership with Google.
According to Google, the Googlebook software combines Android’s technology base with ChromeOS’s desktop foundations. The laptops are built to work with Gemini Intelligence, Google’s AI system, and connect to Android phones immediately upon setup, according to John Solomon, the company’s vice president overseeing laptops, tablets, and Android enterprise. Solomon noted in a blog post that people frequently start tasks on their phone and finish them on a laptop, and said the new devices link up with little effort.
Several apps come built into the Googlebooks to link phones and laptops more smoothly. Continue On allows users to resume a task or app they started on their Android phone. The Files app gives access to photos and files stored on the phone, with options to search and open them. Cast My Apps streams phone apps into a desktop window in real time.
The laptop-to-phone sharing features sound similar to options iPhone and Apple computer users have had for some time. For example, iMessages available on an iPhone can be displayed and accessed via a connected Mac or iPad.
Google executives clarified during a briefing that Googlebooks and Chromebooks are distinct product lines, and that the new launch doesn’t signal an end for Chromebooks. The company says it will support both lines for 10 years and plans to release new Chromebooks later this year.
Googlebooks will come from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo. All have touchscreens, haptic glass trackpads, and backlit keyboards.
The 14-inch Acer Googlebook 14, Asus Googlebook 14, and Lenovo Googlebook 15 all come with an Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 3 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The Asus has up to 32GB of storage. The Acer starts at $899. The clamshell-style 14-inch Asus has a starting price of $1,299. Lenovo’s model is a 15.3-inch clamshell design starting at $1,299.
The 13-inch Dell XPS Googlebook and 14-inch HP Googlebook 14 are both clamshells with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. The HP is priced at $1,299 and comes with 16GB of RAM (up to 32GB) and 256GB of storage. The Dell is priced at $1,199 with 16GB of RAM (up to 32GB) and 512GB of storage.
All Googlebooks include 12 months of Google AI Pro, providing 5TB of cloud storage and Gemini Advanced tools, plus three months of YouTube Premium, Adobe Photoshop, and CapCut.
Pre-orders are now open on the Google Store, at Best Buy, and other select retailers. Googlebooks will be available in stores in the U.S. on October 4.
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