Google’s new Chromebook Plus laptops come with Gemini on tap and better specs
Google’s new Chromebook Plus laptops come with Gemini on tap and better specs
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus and Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 also announced
🆕 Google adds Gemini AI to its Chromebook Plus devices
💻 Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is ultralight and ultra-thin with an OLED screen
🤖 Chromebook Plus devices will feature AI-generated summaries and transcriptions, and improve your web call video and audio
⌨️ Google added a new Quick Insert key for adding links, emojis, GIFs, and calling Gemini
🛠️ Lenovo Duet 11 updates one of the best Chromebooks with a brighter screen, new CPU, and better cameras
Google its Chromebook Plus devices a Gemini AI makeover and it’s also announcing new devices.
Google introduced a new flagship Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus as the first standard bearer for the new platform at an event in New York City. It features a 15.6-inch OLED screen with an Intel Core 3 100U (Raptor Lake-R) processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB under the hood.
It also promises up to 13 hours of battery life, and with access to Android apps and the Game Dashboard on ChromeOS, this device could be a big iPad competitor – especially for a launch price of $699.
Beyond elevated specs, Google’s new platform puts Google AI, aka Gemini, at the forefront with a newly added Quick Insert key that replaces the old caps lock key. This key lets you quickly access Gemini’s models for writing and reading help, add GIFs and emojis, insert links without having to jump between tabs, and more. Alternatively, you can tap the key to start chatting with Gemini to answer questions.
Users will also be able to summon Gemini on Chromebook Plus machines to help them live translate. Alternatively, the Google AI-recorder app can detect and label multiple speakers, transcribe recordings into text, and generate summaries.
Lastly Google is using its AI to make you look and sound better in Meet calls. Users will be able to add appearance effects to improve their lighting and lower highlights to help them look their best. For audio, Google showed how it can apply AI-based high-quality mic simulation to reduce reverberation from users and outside noises.
All Chromebook Plus devices will also come with a three month Gemini One AI Premium Plan, which includes access to Gemini Advance, Gemini in Google apps, and 2TB of cloud storage.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11
Google also introduced the new Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11, a sequel to one of the most popular Chromebooks ever.
Just like the predecessor, it’s still an 11-inch detachable laptop, but the screen has been upgraded with a 400-nit display that’s bright enough to see on a sunny day. Users will also be able to write and sketch on the display with the new Lenovo USI Pen 2.
It’s also been updated with a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor. This Chromebook tablet-laptop hybrid also features a 5MP front camera and an 8MP rear camera, the latter of which can digitally zoom using Super Resolution zoom like the latest Google Pixel 9 smartphones.
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 is available now for a starting price of $339, which gets you the tablet with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage plus a keyboard cover and the USI Pen 2. There’s also a higher-spec SKU that includes 8GB of RAM ram and 128GB of storage.
Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.