Google Announces New $249 Samsung Chromebook

Google has announced a new $249 Chromebook. The affordable laptop will be manufactured by Samsung.

The new Chromebook will run on the Chrome OS and will feature an 11.6-inch screen. The laptop is being championed as a cheap option for families who already have primary laptops or computers. The laptop aims to be light on both your wallet and your knapsack. The Chromebook will weigh just 2.5 pounds and is 0.8 inches thick. The Chromebook also promises up to six hours of battery life.

Google promises boot-up speeds of 10 seconds says the device will restart instantly after being put to sleep. Other features include a full-sized keyboard and a webcam. The Chromebook also features one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port and one HDMI port.

One downside is the small hard drive, offering just 16GB of storage. To offset that, Google is offering 100 GB of storage on its cloud system, Google Drive, for two years.

According to Time Techland, the Chromebook will also let you control other computers and Macs. You can also sync your searches from your Chromebook to Android devices that have the Jelly Bean OS using the Google Now feature. Google is pushing the new Chromebook as a device that can fit into anyone’s life. Google touts the easily ability to share it among family members who can easily access their own files and personalized settings.

The Chrome OS updates itself, so there is no need for additional anti-virus and no fear of having your precious data, be it photos or music, lost due to it being backed up on Google Drive. It is tailored to optimize your experience using any of Google’s products, including YouTube, Google Maps, Google+ and Google Play.

The Samsung Chromebook is available for pre-order online on Amazon, Best Buy, Google Play, Tiger Direct and Newegg. It will be available for sale at the aforementioned online retailers as well as 500 Best Buy stores around America.

You can view the announcement video below.