Today, Google made several announcements related to Chromebooks. On the hardware side, Google announced two new Chromebooks: the new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus and the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11". The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is the thinnest and lightest Chromebook laptop yet, powered by an Intel Core i3-10110U (Raptor Lake-R) processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11" can transform from laptop to tablet mode with its built-in kickstand. It is powered by a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage.
On the software side, Google highlighted new Google AI features like "Help me read" and "Live Translate," which will be available on Chromebooks in a few months. Google also announced the new Quick Insert key for Chromebooks.
Quick Insert is a dedicated hardware key that, when pressed, invokes a menu to provide easy access to key features during text editing. Google listed the following capabilities for the Quick Insert key:
- Quick access to "Help me write," which uses Gemini models, so you can get help crafting new text, editing what you"ve written, or changing the tone.
- Add emojis and GIFs to any text field.
- Browse a list of your recently opened websites to add links without searching, copying, and pasting between windows.
- Google Drive-integrated search so you can attach files, photos, videos, or anything from your Google Drive while staying within your workflow.
- Tactical tools to do simple calculations, add a specific date and convert units of measure right where you need them.
- The ability to quickly create AI-generated images from within the Quick Insert menu is coming next year.
The Quick Insert key is now available on the newly launched Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. Existing Chromebook owners can access the Quick Insert menu using a keyboard shortcut. Starting next year, the Quick Insert key will be available on more Chromebook and Chromebook Plus laptops.
Google also announced some OS-level improvements to Chromebooks. The new Welcome Recap feature will help students pick up where they left off. Whenever they log into a Chromebook, they will now be presented with a visual overview of where they last were across any Chromebook device, allowing them to easily continue their work.
Chromebooks are also getting a new "Do not Disturb" feature that will allow students to choose a time period and soundscape or YouTube Music playlist to focus on their work without disturbances. Finally, using new face control features, students with motor impairments can now control and enter inputs hands-free.
With these updates, Google continues to enhance the Chromebook experience, making it even more powerful and user-friendly, particularly for students. The combination of new hardware, AI-powered software features, and OS-level improvements demonstrates Google"s commitment to innovation in the Chromebook space.
Source: Google