Chrome is more than just a web browser, and if you’re someone who relies on a Chrome-based laptop — or have kids that do — they could see AI features shortly, too.
AI may well be this year’s obvious buzzword and trend, but it’s also a technology that seems specifically focused on the premium technology.
AI in PCs tends to be in the pricey gear, and the same is true with AI in phones. The biggest and best devices are all getting a dose of artificial intelligence in some form or another, so what about devices typically focused on lower prices?
For the Google Chromebook range, we’re about to see what AI entails via “Chromebook Plus”, a generation of Google’s Chrome-as-an-Operating System that will do a little more than standard Chrome laptops.
If you have kids in school, you may already know Chromebooks well. Often marketed as laptops for students, they’re range from small 10 inch machines to laptops sized a lot larger, and tend to offer a big battery life due to their modest requirements.
They technically run the Chrome browser as a form of operating system, providing access to everything through a web browser, including document editing, files, and more. You don’t need an internet connection all the time when using a Chromebook, though you definitely need to be connected to update anything that is stored online, like any other laptop would.
But because they’re basically Chrome as a browser, they’re not the first place you’d expect to find AI upgrades.
And yet a new breed of “Chromebook Plus” devices will make them perfectly suited for AI upgrades, it seems.
It’s like Chromebook… plus AI
It has been some time since we saw Chromebooks updated, but that’s what Chromebook Plus aims to be.
Like the standard Chromebook, it will see Chrome’s approach to an operating system found with a conventional laptop design complete with support for Android apps, something you can install here.
Where Chromebook Plus changes is the support of AI features such as live translation, a recorder app straight from Pixel phones complete with AI-based transcription, and support for a “Help Me Read” feature that can summarise PDFs and websites using AI.
Video calls on these newer laptops will also see AI applied to microphone audio to boost the sound, while the appearance effects will adjust lighting and brightness, working across not just Google Meets, but any supported video conferencing app on Chrome.
While Chromebook Plus is where most of the AI features are, Google has said that its Gemini AI system found online has rolled out to standard Chromebooks, too, imparting some artificial intelligence to every other Chrome laptop, as well.
All Chromebooks will reportedly also get a recap of where that device previously left off, an update to Chrome OS for all, as well a do not disturb period called “Focus” that can minimise distraction to keep people working.
Chromebook Plus pricing and availability
While all Chromebooks are getting an update, Chromebook Plus models are specific with their requirements, offering a minimum of 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, plus access to processors from AND and Intel.
That makes them rather like mid-range laptops, and priced accordingly, starting from $769 in Australia, with availability found at stores across the country now.
