Today is a huge day for Chromebooks, particular the Chromebook Plus family. For the uninitiated, Chromebook Plus laptops support the most advanced AI features from Google Gemini.
When Google showed off a gaggle of new Chromebook Plus models in May, it boasted that, with the help of Gemini Advanced, it could help you write, generate graphics, brainstorm, write code, and more.
Now, Google is releasing two new Chromebook Plus laptops — and introducing even more new Gemini features that the owners of these models will get to enjoy.
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is the “thinnest and lightest Chromebook Plus” the ChromeOS team has ever rolled out to market.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable
As someone who got a chance to get some hands-on experience with the Galaxy Chromebook Plus, I can confirm that it is razor thin. I don’t even know how they managed to pack any internals inside.
However, as far as its heft, I’ve held plenty other 16-inch laptops that are far lighter. Still, it’s not bad with a weight of 2.6 pounds.
Speaking of specs, it comes with the following:
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Intel Core 3 100U processor
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8GB of RAM
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256GB of storage
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15.6-inch, OLED screen
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus reportedly lasts 13 hours on a charge, but we’ll be the judge of that once we put it through our own in-house testing.
It costs $699.
Refreshed Lenovo Chromebook Duet
OK, I am actually excited about this one. I distinctly remember when the first iteration of the Lenovo Chromebook Duet darn-near flew off the shelves when Chromebooks were hot during the height of the pandemic.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable
It’s one of the best-selling Chromebooks in recent years, according to Google. When I reviewed the first-generation Lenovo Chromebook Duet back in the day, I was blown away by its 13-hour battery life and clicky keyboard.
Spinning off from the Chromebook Duet’s success, Lenovo launched the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook in 2022.
Now, we’ve got a refreshed Lenovo Chromebook Duet, which is a tablet that comes with a keyboard and kickstand that can transform into a miniature laptop. I can’t wait to test it to see if it has the same pizazz as its predecessor.
It comes with the following specs:
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MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor
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Up to 8GB of RAM
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128GB of storage
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10.95-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel display
And it’s only $349.
New Gemini features for Chromebook Plus laptops
Chromebook Plus laptops, including the aforementioned Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, will have the ability to access the following new Gemini-based features.
Credit: Google
• Get through content faster with “Help me read.” This feature lets you quickly summarize PDFs, articles, or websites with a simple right-click. Want more details? You can ask follow-up questions to dive deeper. Starting next year, you’ll even be able to highlight specific sentences or paragraphs for further clarification.
• Break language barriers with Live Translate. Whether you’re on a Zoom call or watching a YouTube livestream, Live Translate instantly provides AI-powered captions in over 100 languages.
• Effortlessly capture thoughts and audio with the Recorder app. With Google AI, the Recorder app not only transcribes audio, but also identifies and labels different speakers. It even provides a summary of the recording, making reviewing a breeze.
• Polish your video calls with studio-grade features. Look and sound your best with AI-powered mic improvements and appearance tweaks. The studio-style mic enhances clarity while cutting background noise, and appearance settings adjust your lighting and brightness automatically.
New Gemini features for all Chromebooks
Starting in October, all Chromebooks will come with Gemini built right into the shelf. In other words, you don’t need to open the Chrome browser to chat with Gemini.
This way, the AI chatbot is just a click away. Another eye-catching feature coming to all Chromebooks? You’ll have the ability to pin important files to your Chromebook shelf. This is ideal if you have any documents that you frequently access. Instead of searching for them all the time, you can have them within easy reach on your Chromebook shelf.
The new Gemini features, on both Chromebook Plus and regular Chromebooks, are expected to roll out via updates throughout October.
A purchase of a Chromebook, by the way, comes with three months of Google One AI Premium.