Googlebooks will have a major unveiling on September 15, and Tom’s Guide has been invited. I'll be there to check out the company's new laptop line, which will run on Android and be manufactured by Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Details are scarce at the moment, but as a laptop reviewer, I find this exciting.
The email I received says those in attendance will be among “the first to see and experience the Googlebook.” This is an all-new category of laptops that combine the “best of ChromeOS and Android.” There will be a keynote presentation from Google’s leadership, along with demo stations to test out the new laptops and features.
What to expect
I first reported on Googlebooks back in May, when Google announced the laptop line during the Android Show. We were told that these laptops are built with Gemini Intelligence at their core and designed to work within the Android and Google ecosystem. Though not directly called that, you can consider these “AI PCs.”
Googlebooks are optimized for the Android ecosystem. You can use apps from your phone directly on the laptop. Google says you won’t have to download anything or use emulated touchscreen controls, as you would with iPhone mirroring on a MacBook. You’ll also be able to view, search, or insert your phone’s files on your laptop using a feature called Quick Access.
At the show, I’ll finally see what the first Googlebooks will look like, as the original announcement only gave us slight hints of what to expect. Google says these laptops will be “built with premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes.” We do know that Googlebooks will have a unique glow bar to set them apart from competitors.
Outlook
September 15 will be here soon, so it won’t be long until we see what Googlebooks are all about. The main thing on my mind is price, which has been a challenging thing for manufacturers and customers thanks to RAMageddon.
I don’t expect Googlebooks to be as affordable as the $699 MacBook Neo, but if Google can keep the price at around $1,000, these laptops could be legitimate competitors to the MacBook Air. Stay tuned for more!
