Google unveils Googlebook, an AI-powered laptop built on Android to challenge premium market

Google's Android-powered laptops are called Googlebooks, and they're coming this year

Google took its first swing at laptops with Chromebooks way back in 2011. These web-first laptops have seen success over the years, mostly in enterprise and education. Google insists Chromebooks aren't going away, but the company's focus has shifted to something new: Googlebooks. That's what Google has decided to call the new line of Android-powered laptops, which will begin shipping later this year. If you thought other Google products were steeped in Gemini, you haven't seen anything yet. Google says it designed Googlebooks from the ground up with Gemini Intelligence, and it all starts with the cursor. Google calls this the Magic Pointer. Just wiggle the cursor back and forth, and it will activate a full-screen Gemini experience. The AI will see what's on your screen so it can make contextual suggestions and pull in data from multiple apps. What can you do with that? Well, it's all a bit vague. Google's demos show how Magic Pointer can be used to select multiple images and instantly combine them with Nano Banana. Google also says you can use the cursor in AI mode to do things like suggest a calendar appointment simply by pointing it at the date in an email. Magic Cue, which has been available on Pixel phones since last year, will also be part of Googlebooks. This feature can recommend actions and surface information based on context like messages and emails. There's definitely a problem with discoverability in AI features, but it's uncertain how many useful things generative AI can do with screen context. The best Microsoft could manage was Recall, and we all know how that went. So far, Google's Magic Cue on phones hasn't been a game changer -- in fact, it rarely shows up at all. Can a laptop do any better?

Google unveils Googlebooks, a new line of AI-native laptops | TechCrunch

Google on Tuesday unveiled Googlebooks, its new line of laptops built around Gemini, Google's flagship family of AI models. The tech giant is working with partners like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to make the first Googlebooks in a variety of shapes and sizes. The company says Googlebooks, set to launch this fall, are the first laptops designed from the ground up around Gemini to offer personal and proactive help. Googlebooks will ship with "Magic Pointer," a new AI-powered cursor with Gemini built-in. Rather than just pointing and clicking, wiggling the cursor will surface quick, contextual suggestions based on what's on your screen. For example, if you point at a date in an email, you can quickly set up a meeting. Or, if you select two images, like your living room and a new couch, you can visualize them together. "We thought, we can take Gemini Intelligence and make the pointer truly smart and intelligent," said Alexander Kuscher, Google's Senior Director of Android Tablets and Laptops, in a briefing with reporters. "As you wiggle and you move over the screen, it will tell you what it can interact with, and contextually offer you the actions that you can do . . . It really exemplifies how we think about AI features throughout Googlebooks. It's built-in, but not in your face." The new laptops will also be compatible with Android phones, allowing people to use apps from their phone directly from their Googlebook. For example, if you're using your laptop and remember you need to complete your daily Duolingo lesson but don't want to reach for your phone, you can access the app directly on your laptop instead. Additionally, users will be able to easily access files from their phone directly through Googlebook's file browser, allowing them to view, search, or insert them directly on their laptop. Users will also be able to use Google's new "Create your Widget" feature on Googlebooks to build custom widgets by prompting Gemini. Gemini can also pull information from the web and connect with Google apps like Gmail and Calendar to build a single, personalized dashboard. For example, if you're planning a family reunion in Berlin, it can gather your flight and hotel details, surface restaurant reservations, and even add a countdown. The bigger story here may be what Googlebooks replaces. The unveiling of Google Books comes 15 years after Google introduced the Chromebook -- the affordable, browser-based laptops that became a fixture in schools and workplaces worldwide. The new Googlebooks will essentially succeed the Chromebook, although the company won't outright say so. A Google spokesperson told TechCrunch in an email that the company plans to continue supporting current Chromebook users, with devices receiving updates through their existing support commitments. The company added that many Chromebooks will also be eligible to transition to the new experience, but didn't share specifics on what this would look like. Google isn't just refreshing its laptop lineup -- it's beginning a long transition away from ChromeOS, the platform it built its laptop presence on, and toward a new Android-based operating system with AI built in at the foundation. And with the biggest names in PC hardware already signed on, this is a platform play as much as a hardware one -- and a direct answer to Microsoft, which has been pushing its own AI-native Copilot+ PCs since 2024.

Googlebook Is Google's New AI-Powered Laptop Platform Built on Android

They won't replace Chromebooks, but Googlebooks have an Android-centered operating system, AI-first features like the Magic Pointer, and a promise of desktop-grade apps. Almost exactly 15 years since Google introduced Chromebooks and ChromeOS -- which ushered a wave of cheap, functional, web-based laptops that would come to dominate the US education market -- the company has announced a new laptop platform called Googlebook. It's built around artificial intelligence and Android, and while it isn't replacing Chromebooks, it could give the company a more meaningful foothold in the premium computer market. Google announced the platform on The Android Show on YouTube, where it also detailed new features coming in Android 17 and Gemini Intelligence (you can read more about that here). Google is purposefully not sharing the operating system's name yet (it was codenamed Aluminium OS internally); Googlebook is the platform, and Dell, Acer, Asus, HP, and Lenovo have all signed up to produce Googlebooks coming later this fall. The company says it will share more information later this year, but I spoke with Alexander Kuscher, senior director at Google leading Android tablets and laptops, to glean more details. Kuscher says there's an immense amount of innovation in the Android ecosystem right now, and it translates really well into laptops. "You want to take advantage of the fact that this ecosystem is innovating so fast that you make sure that laptops are at the tip of that innovation wave -- building on top of Android technologies makes that so much easier for us," he says. Until now, when Google rolls out a new set of features for Android or its Gemini assistant, it often also announces some of those capabilities for other platforms, like Wear OS smartwatches, Android Auto, or Google Home. Chromebooks were rarely part of that picture because they were developed on a different tech stack and had their own development cycles. However, with Googlebooks, you can expect to see new features that pop up on Android available on a Googlebook laptop, where it makes sense. Case in point: Create a Widget. This is a new generative AI feature coming in Android 17, allowing users to generate their own widget by speaking naturally with Gemini. You can ask it to make a widget that shows the day's exchange rate if you're traveling, or a custom weather widget that also shows wind speed. This feature will also be available on Googlebooks. But the highlight feature Google is teasing at the gate is the cursor, which the company calls the "Magic Pointer" on a Googlebook. Built with Google's DeepMind team, wiggle your cursor while hovering over an app or image to get contextual suggestions. For example, you can wiggle the cursor at a date in an email, and Gemini will suggest setting up a calendar event. Or select two pictures in the Files app, wiggle, and Gemini will ask if you want to merge them. The Play Store is where you'll access all of your apps. But you might wonder how Google is getting around the classic Chromebook limitation: In ChromeOS, you can't download desktop-grade apps like on Windows or macOS -- you can only install Android apps from the Play Store or use web apps. That's a deal-breaker for people who rely on specific apps that may not have as powerful a web client or Android app. The answer is adaptive apps. Google has been encouraging app developers to make apps react to the size of the screen for a few years now, and that now translates to encouraging app makers to make desktop versions of their Android apps for Googlebooks. But Kuscher says things will be different from the "constrained" Android app experience on Chromebooks, which were originally built for a web-first era.

Googlebooks Could Be the Ultimate Laptop for Android Users

More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds. Just about 15 years ago, Google introduced ChromeOS and Chromebooks, right when cloud computing was becoming mainstream. While early Chromebooks were fraught with limitations, ChromeOS's constraints dissipated over the years, becoming a low-cost, viable alternative to what Apple and Microsoft offer. Google's now looking to shake up the laptop market once again with Googlebooks -- but this time, it's all about AI. What's a Googlebook? The simple answer: It's a premium laptop powered by an Android- and Gemini-based operating system, with the desktop feel and built-in security of ChromeOS. But trying to explain what that actually means to someone who's not too tech savvy is a little trickier. The basic idea is that using a Googlebook shouldn't be all too different from using a Chromebook or any other laptop, you'll just get more Gemini AI-powered tools built in, along with access to the full universe of Android apps. While over the past couple years Google has added a healthy dose of Gemini AI to its Chromebooks, with Googlebooks it's at their core. One of the features Google has teased, for example, is Magic Pointer. Shake your cursor over an image, and the system could surface contextual AI suggestions for things you might want to do with it. Shake your cursor over an email with event details, meanwhile, and it might suggest adding the information directly to your calendar. Read more: Android 17 Is Smarter Than Ever, Thanks to Gemini Intelligence But arguably the biggest advantage is that, because it's built on Android, features originally developed for phones can be brought to Googlebooks much more quickly -- something that wasn't really possible with ChromeOS. Circle to Search is a good example: It took roughly a year for the feature to make the jump from Android phones to Chromebook Plus laptops. But now, an AI feature like Create Your Widget -- which lets you quickly generate custom widgets and was only recently announced for Android phones -- will also be available on Googlebooks. I spoke with Alexander Kuscher, Google's senior director for laptops and tablets, who described Googlebooks as "no-compromise" laptops designed for anyone with an Android phone. By building on the same Android foundation, he said, the experience between devices should feel seamless rather than bolted on. "When we started with Googlebooks, we wanted to build something that is intuitive. But when you unpack what intuitive means, it really means, often it starts with something that is familiar," Kuscher said. "And that's the approach we've taken with Googlebooks. We took something that you are used to -- in this case, your Android phone -- and you're used to how they work, how they behave, how they interact with you, and we took that, and we expanded upon it." To be clear, there aren't any Googlebook devices available yet; they're expected to launch this fall, in time for the holiday shopping season. Google confirmed launch partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, while Kuscher said the laptops will ship with either x86 or Arm processors from Intel, Qualcomm and MediaTek. He also said the OS is meant to work with more than just laptops, so you can expect Googlebook devices in a variety of shapes and sizes. But the one thing they'll all have in common is that they're all going to be premium devices. Chromebooks have always had an image problem. No matter the materials, internal components or display quality, a lot of people still think of Chromebooks as the cheap, chunky plastic laptops kids use at school -- or simply as a browser in a box. Googlebooks seem designed to change that perception, pairing a more capable operating system with premium materials and higher-end components. In fact, unlike Chromebooks, there doesn't appear to be any overt Google branding on the lid at all -- aside from a subtle glowbar, visible in the image at the top of this story. "When we work with our hardware partners on the design and on the build of the hardware, we wanted to make sure that the hardware and the software feel like they're built with the same ethos and the same principles, and one of those principles was to provide a premium experience," Kuscher said. "It should be of a build quality that you come to expect from higher-end products, but also premium in terms of durability so that it lasts you and that it's an investment that you make and that you know is going to be making you happy for quite a while." What does the rollout of Googlebooks mean for Chromebooks? For the moment, they'll coexist. New Chromebooks currently have 10 years of support, and Kuscher said that's not going away. Plus, you've got millions and millions of students using them daily, and given that Googlebooks are premium devices, it's unlikely they'll replace Chromebooks for education anytime soon. I'd expect ChromeOS development to slow somewhat over time, with at least some higher-end Chromebook Plus models eventually transitioning to the new operating system. As for what that OS will actually be called, Google isn't saying yet. But I can tell you one thing: It won't be Aluminium. That was simply the project's internal codename, and Kuscher said it was never intended to be the public-facing brand.

Googlebook looks promising, but one big laptop brand is conspicuously absent

The brand I most expected to see was absent from Google's announcement. Google just announced a new product line: the Googlebook, marketed as the successor to the Chromebook with more capable hardware and a compelling promise: the merging of Android and ChromeOS into something better. This as-yet unnamed operating system has been cited as "AluminumOS" through various leaks, but has not yet been officially announced by Google. Details on the devices themselves are also sparse, but Google says they will be a more premium product with higher-end hardware. Also: First look at Googlebook: A premium Chromebook alternative for Android users So far, Google has shown off a limited set of features, but one of the primary is a re-imagining of the mouse cursor. On the Googlebook, wiggling it opens up contextual menus on whatever's on your screen powered by Gemini Intelligence, the on-device AI. Another feature we saw is the ability to use apps from your Android smartphone directly on the Googlebook with no additional downloads required. In the demo, it showed the user opening Duolingo in a window that looked a lot like MacOS' Phone Mirroring. This is ostensibly the tip of the iceberg when it comes to deeper integration between the smartphone and Googlebook; but if that's the case, I have one big question. A big reason Chromebooks were so successful was their well-defined niche: affordable hardware with a snappy OS that excelled at everyday tasks in Google's ecosystem. Even the most premium Chromebooks didn't break the $1,000 price ceiling (except the HP Dragonfly, but that was a unique device); more importantly, you could nab Chromebooks for the absolute lowest prices around. This Acer Chromebook 315, for example, will run you $179 at Walmart. Sure, you're working with less RAM than your smartphone, but it's still a laptop with a full-sized keyboard and an Intel processor that works for kids or seniors. So, Chromebooks were cheaper and a little more restricted, but what they COULD do, they did well -- and mirrored a real consumer need. With the introduction of the Googlebook, this price edge becomes a lot more hazy. For $1,500, what exactly are we getting? So far, Google has been tight-lipped about the details. Google confirmed all five major PC manufacturers will be releasing their own Googlebooks later this fall: HP, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, and Asus. Within those five brands, we can expect a range of devices with different sizes and prices. For example, Lenovo released the Chromebook Plus 14 last year, featuring an OLED display and 16GB of RAM (the most of any Chromebook to date) so it makes sense to see that brand follow up with a similarly-specced Googlebook. Lenovo wasn't the only brand with a premium-tier device, however. Samsung released the Galaxy Chromebook Plus in the fall of 2024 and it was a solid device. It had a 15.6-inch AMOLED full HD (1080p) display, Intel Core 3 100U (14th Gen, Raptor Lake-R) processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage in a 2.5-pound, 0.4-inch thick chassis. I went hands-on with it and cited it as the sleekest Chromebook I had ever tested. So where is Samsung? If the Googlebook is for Android power users, a lot of those folks are going to be on Galaxy devices. Wouldn't it make sense to have a device that combined native features for both the Android and Samsung ecosystems? Also: Chromebook vs. Googlebook: How I'm deciding which laptop to upgrade to next This is one of those scenarios that highlights the underlying issue of the Android ecosystem: there will always be multiple competing partners with their own products to sell. If Samsung doesn't release a Googlebook, it wouldn't necessarily be a loss for the product line, but a well-designed, highly-integrated premium Samsung Googlebook with native Galaxy integrations seems like a massive win. Add in some flashy hardware like an AMOLED display, haptic touchpad, and sleek build, and you've got yourself a truly competitive device. With Google's I/O developer conference next week, we can expect Google to release additional details around the Googlebook, its hardware, and software capabilities. As it stands now, there is not a whole lot to support the premium price beyond the promise of a unified OS and a handful of Gemini Intelligence features. Also: The best Chromebooks for students: Expert tested and reviewed There's also the question of Windows app emulation, as this has potential to be a huge improvement over the Chromebook, and part of an overarching justification for access to this new, more powerful operating system.

Google's new laptop platform, 'Googlebook,' leaks ahead of reveal event -- new laptops powered by Android and Google Gemini, meant to succeed Chromebook

Google has been teasing a new "Android Show: I/O Edition" for the past week, where we expect to see Android 17 revealed with a design overhaul. But now, new info has surfaced that suggests the event will perhaps focus on a different avenue: laptops. The company's new laptop platform, meant to succeed Chromebooks, powered by Android and filled to the brim with Gemini, has just leaked -- and it's called "Googlebook." The event is scheduled for Tuesday, but was leaked ahead of time by an XDA article was seemingly posted. Images shared online reveal the features of this new platform. First of all, it's based on Android, which finally bridges the gap between the mainstream Android OS that runs on phones and the stripped-down ChromeOS that has always bottlenecked Chromebooks (more on this later). This allows for deeper integration with your Android devices, with the slides showing the ability to access your phone's internal storage right from the Googlebook. There are a bunch of AI features, all powered by Gemini, such as custom widgets and more seamless generative AI. You can simply ask Gemini to make you a widget specifically according to your needs, and it will pull data from your connected Google apps to build one; the example shown in the slide combines calendar events, hotel reservations, and an airplane ticket (along with a cover photo) into one. Then there's the "Magic Pointer," which is essentially like a smart mouse pointer that's context-aware and understands what it's hovering over. Using Gemini, you can ask it to blend two images together just by putting your cursor on top. We also see the ability to cast apps highlighted in the leaked image, but more importantly, there's something called the "Glowbar" mentioned right above the Googlebook name. This is likely a hardware implementation of the glow animation that Gemini (and Google Assistant before it) already has on phones. It looks like an LED strip embedded at the bottom of the top lid, similar to the navigation bar that sits on Android. This Glowbar will probably react to your commands when you're interacting with Gemini, playing different animations based on what it's doing. Lastly, there's the fact that Google itself is not manufacturing the hardware -- it's once again outsourcing that to actual PC vendors such as Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and more. This means that perhaps the operating system these "Googlebooks" run is branded differently from the hardware itself. Maybe we're looking at Aluminum OS after all: the company's internal efforts to unify Android and ChromeOS into a single platform. It sure does look like this is it. Now, Google has a history of replacing its products with namesake rebrands, such as when Android TV became Google TV in 2020, or how Android Pay turned to Google Pay in 2018. So, the Googlebook name, as gaudy as it sounds, doesn't come as a surprise. Now, we only have to wait and see whether these new laptops are actually priced fairly in an AI boom-driven world where the MacBook Neo exists. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.

New 'Googlebook' Laptop Category Puts AI Front and Center

Move over Chromebook. Google is preparing a new category of laptops that goes all in on AI. Meet the Googlebook. The company previewed the new laptops in today's Android Show: I/O Edition. "Googlebooks are the first laptops designed from the ground up for Gemini Intelligence," the AI models behind the Gemini chatbot. The tech giant plans to launch the first Googlebooks this fall through PC makers including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. "Now, as computing shifts from an operating system to an intelligence system, we see an opportunity to rethink laptops again," explained Alex Kuscher, Google's senior director for laptops and tablets. The Googlebook promises to be smart enough to offer you helpful AI-powered suggestions and experiences the moment you use the laptop. The company noted that the mouse cursor, or what it calls the "Magic Pointer," will offer extra functions as you hover over various apps. "Just wiggle your cursor and watch it come alive with Gemini, offering quick, contextual suggestions every time you point at something on your screen," Kuscher says. "Point at a date in an email to set up a meeting, or select two images -- like your living room and a new couch -- to instantly visualize them together. It lets you go from idea to I'm done in just a few clicks." The Googlebook can also create custom widgets based on text prompts. They'll connect to your Google accounts and apps so you can organize your personal data, such as an upcoming trip. The company also noted that a Googlebook can remotely access mobile apps on a user's phone, meaning they can remain on their laptop screen without switching back and forth between their handset. "No downloading, no awkward emulated touch-screen controls; it just works," Kuscher says. Pricing was not announced. But the company says, "Every Googlebook will be built with premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes," suggesting the product will sit on a tier higher than an average Chromebook.

Google launches line of Android laptops festooned with Gemini AI

Google is rolling out a new line of laptops based on Android instead of ChromeOS, and using the opportunity to try and move upmarket from the budget-conscious Chromebooks - while also baking AI into every fissure of the system. The new line of so-called Googlebooks seems even more obtrusive about pushing embedded AI than Windows 11 embedding Copilot into everything. With the OS on Googlebooks, which the company touts as the best of Chrome OS and Android, even moving the cursor over an on-screen task such as the text of an email nags you to offload work to Gemini. Google was has been publicly planning to merge Android and ChromeOS for a while, with Android boss Sameer Sama saying last year that the Android codebase would be the core of the new platform. This gives the company a chance to break into the premium laptop market, using one of its core assets, the Android ecosystem, to differentiate from the kid-friendly and budget-oriented Chromebook lineup. While the laptops won't be coming until later this year, we can already see from the press materials and video demo that this new kind of notebook is meant to out-Copilot Microsoft. One of the main features demoed, Magic Pointer, activates when you wiggle the cursor and shows you contextual suggestions based on what you hover over. For example, in the video, Alexander Kuscher, Senior Director of Laptops and Tablets at Google, showed how hovering over the date in an email brought up options to view his schedule, craft a reply saying "I'm in town on May 19," or even use Google maps to suggest meetup spots. Having AI crammed into Windows Notepad seems quaint by comparison. Kuscher also showed how dragging images on a Googlebook can combine them. He dragged a photo of a nursery onto an image of a swath of wallpaper and a picture of a crib and the system generated a picture of the nursery with the crib and the wallpaper included. The Google exec pointed out that an act like combining photos normally involves logging into a chatbot, uploading the photos, and giving it a prompt. Here it was just drag and drop. No word on whether the system can use your photos as training data. Android apps will also work on Googlebooks, and users will also be able to launch them from the phones, much like Apple's iPhone Mirroring. In the demo, Kuscher showed Duolingo running in a portrait-shaped window on the desktop operating system as if it were on his phone. Google said that Googlebooks are being "built with premium craftsmanship and materials" by partners like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. They also sport a Google-colored glowbar on the cover so everyone knows who owns your digital soul. Considering the RAM shortage and the fact that IDC expects PC shipments to decline by 11.3 percent in 2026, Google has picked a challenging time to come out with a whole new category of laptop. While the company has not released pricing, we can only imagine that Googlebooks will be significantly more expensive than Chromebooks, which are currently in the $200 to $500 range in the US. These new notebooks are likely to compete with premium consumer Windows and macOS laptops at a time when demand is declining and people are holding onto old devices longer. We see no evidence that Google is even targeting businesses and we doubt IT departments would be interested in the features the company has focused on. Google also announced the expansion of Gemini Intelligence onto high-end Android devices (i.e., Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices) as part of Tuesday's I/O preview, noting that it's designed "to help your phone handle boring tasks for you." Google provides examples like filling out online forms, summarizing websites, and even rewriting voice-to-text messages to get rid of pauses and other natural speech patterns that detract from the written word. Speaking of Chromebooks, we asked Google what will become of its budget hardware line with the release of the Googlebook, but we didn't hear back. We imagine that they will probably continue to serve the educational market for some time. Google made several other announcements during Tuesday's presentation, including a new Pause Point feature in the upcoming Android 17 that follows in Apple's steps by protecting you from your own worst instincts to scroll endlessly or waste half your day playing chess on your phone. It allows you to mark certain apps as "distracting" so that when you launch them, the phone asks you to take a deep breath and reconsider your actions, which is something Apple's mindfulness app doesn't do. To the bane of everyone tired of social media reaction videos, Google is also baking the format right into Android with Screen Reactions that will allow users to capture video of their device screen along with sticking themselves in the lower corner so they can regale everyone with their opinion about whatever they're talking over. ®

Google says it's "rethinking laptops again" with its new Android-powered Googlebook

* Google has teases its new Googlebook laptop with a desktop Android-based OS that's likely ChromeOS' successor. * Wiggle the cursor to get Gemini-powered contextual suggestions when highlighting -- set meetings or compare images. * Quick Access shows phone files in the Googlebook file browser; devices promised in many sizes with a glowbar. We've known Google has been working on a new Android-based laptop and tablet operating system for quite a while now, and it's even appeared in leaks a few times over the past few months, most recently back in January as Aluminum OS. Now, just ahead of Google I/O 2026 from May 19th-20th, the tech giant is finally teasing official information, stating that it has "an opportunity to rethink laptops again" with its new Googlebook line. While Google doesn't confirm the operating system is Aluminum OS or even state that it's powered by Android, which is strange given all the other details it's offering up about the Googlebook before I/O, it's obvious the laptop features a desktop version of its phone operating system and is designed as the successor to ChromeOS and Chromebooks. In its press release about the Googlebook, Google says it "will have a lot more to share later this year." Even more strangely, a notable portion of its Googlebooks blog post focuses on the operating system's cursor and its unique Gemini AI features. Google says that whenever you "wiggle your cursor," contextual suggestions pop up every time you highlight something on your screen. For example, you can point to a date to set up a meeting, or select two images (like your living room and a new couch) to see what they'd look like together. This sounds like a pretty useful, original feature, but it's unclear how many elements of the OS it'll actually be compatible with. There's still a lot we don't know about the Googlebook It's likely we'll learn more about the desktop OS and its devices at I/O In its blog post, Google outlines how simple it is to access files from your phone directly in Google Books' file browser, using a feature called Quick Access that lets you view, search, and insert files from your Android onto your laptop. On the hardware side, Google doesn't say much about the Googlebook, other than noting that it features "premium craftsmanship and materials" and will come in several "shapes and sizes." The tech giant also adds that all Googlebooks feature a colorful Glowbar (check it out in the image below). There's still a lot we don't know about the Googlebook, including whether third-party manufacturers will release their own devices similar to Chromebooks and ChromeOS or, at least initially, if Google will handle everything on the hardware side. At least at the outset, what Google has shown so far about Google Books reminds me a lot of the classic Pixelbook, one of my favorite laptops ever. Google will likely reveal more information about its plans for its Googlebook line at I/O later this month. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess gets an incredible fan-made PC port you can play today The world of retro video game decompilations is growing quickly. Posts 2 By Patrick O'Rourke

First look at Googlebook: A premium Chromebook alternative for Android users

It merges Android and ChromeOS for smoother phone-to-laptop use. Google has announced an all-new laptop lineup, called Googlebook. Yes, you read that right -- the new product category is a step up from the Chromebook in terms of performance and features, merging ChromeOS and Android into a single operating system. This new, unified OS is a risk for Google that could potentially pay off big. Chromebooks already had integrations with Android smartphones, but Google says the new operating system will bridge the gap, bringing MacBook-like features to Googlebook. Details are sparse, however, as we're expecting more information to be unveiled at I/O, Google's developer conference, on May 19. Also: Windows rivals to MacBook Neo are here - but I'm more excited for Google's response Googlebook enters the laptop market at a crucial moment. When Apple's $599 MacBook Neo dropped earlier this year, it completely altered consumer expectations for budget laptops, forcing both PC makers and Chromebook makers to re-evaluate their offerings. Google's strategy seems thus: release a higher-quality laptop powered by a unified operating system across Android smartphones, and play ball with competitive features, powered by its new overarching AI engine, Gemini Intelligence. Notice a naming trend here? One of the biggest selling points for the Neo was how well it integrated with the iPhone. It forced users to justify why they were using a Windows PC at all when they could unlock features like Messaging, FaceTime, and Phone Mirroring -- all on a laptop that was potentially cheaper than their PC. Googlebooks are almost certainly a response to that. One of the focal points of the new OS is the Cast My Apps feature, which lets you seamlessly use apps on your phone directly from your Googlebook -- no downloading required. Ultimately, the idea here is to bring native support for Android apps to the laptop experience on Googlebook, including the new overarching AI engine, Google Intelligence. Notice a naming trend here? It will roll out features in waves, starting with the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones this summer. Also: 6 underrated Android features that are seriously useful (and how they've made my life easier) Other features, like Create My Widget, use AI to create widgets for Googlebook based on prompts made in natural language. For example, the demo showed the user creating a widget for a family vacation, which Gemini Intelligence made as a scrollable itinerary that sat on the user's desktop. There is also some smoothing of Android-to-iOS features. For one, Google says its new Quick Share feature, which lets you share photos, videos, and files to different devices, will be compatible with AirDrop. This will be available on Pixel phones to start, with support for Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor devices later this year. It's been 15 years since Google released its first Chromebooks: affordable devices with modest hardware, built for basic tasks like surfing the web. Today, Chromebooks and Chromebook Plus devices have evolved to premium status with OLED panels, up to 16GB of RAM, and, of course, support for Gemini and complex AI tasks. Google was clear: Chromebooks are not going anywhere. "Chromebooks are not dead," Alexander Kuscher, senior director of tablets and laptops at Google, said on a virtual press briefing. If Googlebooks are an all-new product, the existing market of Chromebooks will remain unchanged... for now. Also: You can turn off Gemini in Gmail, Photos, Chrome, and more - here's how Kuscher said Google is committed to supporting software updates for Chromebooks until, at the very least, 2034, and readily admitted that the company was in no position to "just get rid of" the millions of Chromebook devices that are already deployed in schools, businesses, and the hands of consumers worldwide. I don't have to say that's a good thing, as any kind of limitations on older devices would be like Windows 11 migration PTSD all over again -- exactly the sort of thing Google is keen on being an alternative for. Although specific products and associated specs have not yet been announced, Google confirmed new premium devices from Acer, Asus, HP, Dell, and Lenovo. Physically, there's also not a lot to go off yet, but one thing Google showed off is the new "Glow bar," a rainbow-hued LED bar on the back of every Googlebook as a unified design language. The new Googlebooks won't be here until the fall, but we can expect laptop manufacturers to start announcing products as early as this summer.

Googlebooks are the Android-based evolution of the Chromebook - Engadget

After multiple years of rumors, Google today confirmed a new laptop-focused initiative called Googlebooks. ChromeOS, which launched more than 15 years ago, was built with the thought that most people do everything online now; Google says this new category of laptops is built for a Gemini-first world. The company only gave us a very brief preview of what makes up a Googlebook, with plans to more formally announce more details including hardware later this year. Here's what we know so far. The OS running on Googlebooks has its origins in Android, something we've been hearing about for several years now. Of course, Chromebooks have supported app streaming from Android phones since 2023, but Google says that building the OS from the ground up on Android will allow for a lot closer integration between Googlebooks and Android phones. It'll also enable the company to develop and implement Android features on laptops much easier than it can currently do with ChromeOS. Since ChromeOS was basically just a browser to start with, Google has had to graft a lot of features like Quick Share and Phone Hub to make the system work better with Android -- that won't be the case with Googlebooks. As such, Google is pushing more robust Android integration with Googlebooks. There's a new Quick Access feature that'll show your compatible Android phone in the sidebar of the file browser, giving you immediate access to everything stored on it that you might want to share on your laptop. The new "Create Your Widget" feature coming to Android 17 is present here, as well. This lets you build a dashboard of related files and information from Gmail, Calendar and other Google apps to keep a project or event all in one easily accessible place. Googlebooks will also offer a streamlined way to view apps from your Android phone on your laptop. Like I said, ChromeOS has offered app streaming for a while already, but this implementation seems a lot simpler. There's a phone button in the dock at the bottom of the screen, and clicking that will just bring up a grid of apps that you can immediately launch on your Googlebook. It remains to be seen how exactly this differs from the current app streaming implementation, but it feels like these updates are meant to do something similar to the iPhone mirroring feature on the Mac that Apple introduced a few years ago. The real star of the show, to hear Google tell it, is improved Gemini integration. But aside from the Create Your Widget feature, Google has only showed off one other new Gemini feature: the Magic Pointer. This is an AI-powered upgrade to the standard cursor that every computer uses as a pointing and clicking interface. Wiggling the cursor transforms it into the Magic Pointer, which Google says will give you "quick, contextual suggestions" from whatever you point at on your screen. For example, the Magic Cursor offered to take a photo of a band and the bands logo and combine them for a makeshift poster. Another example involved taking a photo of your living room and one of a couch to have them combined so you can see how they'll look together. As with everything, we'll need to see this in person to determine if it's useful. I do like the idea of giving the cursor more powers -- but as with all AI features, this could be a boondoggle. As for the hardware, Google made it clear to me that when Googlebooks roll out this fall, it won't involve any first-party laptops. As usual, Google will be working with a variety of manufacturers including Acer, ASUS, Lenovo, Dell and HP. All of these companies have made Chromebooks in the past, so it's no big surprise to hear they're all involved. Google did say that it's starting with a focus on "premium craftsmanship and materials," so we're not looking at low-end Chromebook hardware here. Indeed, Google has added a bit of bling here -- there's a "glowbar" on the lid that is a direct nod to the Chromebook Pixel that the company released way back in 2013. On that computer, you could tap the lid and the bar would indicate how much battery life you had left, but we're not sure what trick the glowbar will perform, if any, in 2026. At this early stage, it's not terribly clear what concrete advantages Googlebooks will offer over Chromebooks. Most of the features that Google talked about are present to some degree already in ChromeOS, including pretty deep Gemini integration. However, one of the main tenets of Googlebooks is closer and easier integration with Android phones -- as such, it does make a degree of sense to start moving Google's laptop software over to Android. Google also says it'll continue supporting Chromebooks for the entirety of their life after purchase, which means years of software and security updates. My guess is that we're looking at a slow phase-out of available Chromebooks, with Googlebooks slowly taking their place as Google's laptop. But we're likely years away from that point -- first, Google and its partners need to get Googlebooks out to the market. Google says we'll hear more about that plan this fall.

Google's Googlebook is the Android laptop OS we've been waiting for

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. In brief: Years of leaks and statements from Google have teased the company's plans for ChromeOS to evolve into a more direct competitor to Windows and macOS. Googlebook represents a first major step in that direction. Centered on Gemini, the new OS brings Android's software stack into a full-blown PC environment. Google devoted much of its Android Show event to Googlebook, a new operating system and product line designed to replace Chromebooks, with an emphasis on both local and cloud processing. While turning Android into a laptop and desktop operating system alone represents a significant step for Google, the presentation made it clear that Gemini integration was the headline story. The company describes Googlebook as an evolution from an OS to an "intelligent system," with generative AI woven into many of its core functions. Much of this integration occurs through new cursor functions, which Google describes as the most significant addition to the mouse since the introduction of the right click. Wiggling the cursor activates an AI mode that automatically consults Gemini whenever users hover over images, text, or user interface elements. For example, users can quickly ask Gemini about various topics by hovering over text, make plans by clicking on a date and time, or combine multiple images by dragging them together. Users can also create widgets using prompts. Phone integration was a second major theme of the presentation. Mirroring a feature Apple offers between iPhone and Mac, Googlebook can surface everything on a connected Android phone, including apps and locally stored files, inside a small window with no need to unlock the device. Hardware partners at launch will include Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, with devices expected later this year. Reports about a new Google desktop OS, codenamed Aluminium, initially leaked in 2024. The following year, the company confirmed its plans to combine Android and ChromeOS into an AI-centric OS, and a job listing suggested the new OS would ultimately retire ChromeOS entirely. Video clips that emerged in January offered an early look at integrations with Google Chrome and the Play Store, alongside a user interface blending elements from both Android and ChromeOS. Those leaks also hinted at broader ambitions: Googlebook is expected to eventually support tablets, cloud-based notebooks, 2-in-1s, and desktops running both Arm and x86 processors. The Android Show also featured major updates to Android Auto and Gemini on Android phones.

Google’s New â€~Googlebook’ Will Ensure You’ll Never Escape Android or AI

The next generation of Chromebooks will force you to think about AI every time you use the mouse cursor. Google’s next-gen blend of its lightweight laptops will be called “Googlebook.†Beyond its overly Google-centric name, these future laptops are made to let Chrome users have their own Mac-like experience, as well as shove AI into everything all the way down to the mouse pointer. Google calls this upcoming variety of laptops “the perfect partner for your Android phone.†This includes the ability to cast your apps from your smartphone to your Googlebook desktop. These will appear as phone-sized screen apps. It’s akin to Apple’s "iPhone Mirroring" feature that lets you operate your iPhone on a compatible Mac. Android users will have access to other capabilities you won’t find on a competing laptop. Users can use their file browser on the Googlebook desktop to access all their apps from their other Android devices. This Android integration goes further with Googlebook-specific Gemini AI capabilities. Google’s AI will also let you create custom widgets that showcase your personal data. For example, if you wanted a timetable of planned flights, you could make one that lives on the desktop. The big feature is “Magic Pointer†that replaces the traditional cursor with an AI-fueled prompt machine. By “wiggling†the cursor, you can bring up generative AI prompts based on the content you’re selecting. With multiple images selected, you can ask Gemini to “compare items†or “visualize together,†which then uses AI to combine each image. Google said the Magic Pointer could suggest changes to text you’re hovering over. Google is not yet returning to making its own laptops years after it threw the Pixelbook to the curb. Instead, it’s promising new designs from major manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. The Android maker promised we’ll see new devices hit the scene in the fall. The one name missing from the pack is Samsung. Recent leaks suggest it is planning to share details on a Galaxy laptop with Google’s new OS soon. The company's next Unpacked event is reportedly planned for July 22, thought Samsung has yet to confirm the date. These upcoming laptops will all integrate a “Glowbar†on the chassis. This feature is much less of a gamer-fueled RGB lightbar, but instead it’s supposed to designate which devices are Googlebook and which are a random Chromebook or Windows laptop. The 3-pound, $600 elephant in the room remains Apple’s MacBook Neo. The cheap machine has Windows laptop makers falling over themselves to craft a competitor as cheap with the same build quality. Google promised we’ll see “premium craftsmanship and materials.†While the MacBook Neo will have access to the full macOS, Googlebooks will need to rely on an operating system that will lack many native apps. Casting an Android phone to a laptop screen can only take you so far. Google’s long-awaited Aluminum operating system, which originally proposed to combine Android and ChromeOS into a whole new product family, may hold new capabilities we haven’t yet seen. Weirdly, Google has not confirmed what OS Googlebooks actually run on, though it sure sounds like Aluminum. Google's own Keyword blog calls the platform a "modern OS that's designed for Intelligence" that combines Android and ChromeOS. Googlebooks will inevitably be the most “Google-y†laptop built for those who will never, ever leave Chrome. Whether they’re useful to anybody else remains to be seen.

Google unveils Googlebook: Android-powered AI laptops replace Chromebooks with Gemini at the OS level

Google killed the Chromebook. It took 15 years, but the company that invented the browser-as-operating-system has concluded that a browser is not enough. At the Android Show on Monday, Google unveiled Googlebook, a new category of premium laptops running Android with Gemini embedded at the operating system level. The devices will ship this autumn from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. ChromeOS is not being updated. It is being replaced. The rebrand is not cosmetic. Googlebook runs on what Google internally calls Aluminium OS, a version of Android 17 rebuilt as a genuine desktop platform with a custom window manager, native multitasking, and Gemini woven into every interaction. There are no containers, no emulation layers, no compatibility modes. The operating system is Android. The apps are native. The AI is not an assistant sitting in a sidebar. It is the interface. The most revealing feature is called Magic Pointer. Built with Google's DeepMind team, it turns the laptop cursor into a context-aware AI agent. Wiggle the cursor over a date in an email and Gemini offers to schedule a meeting. Point at two images and it composites them together. Select a paragraph and it summarises, translates, or rewrites. The cursor, the oldest interaction metaphor in personal computing, becomes a direct channel to a large language model that can see your screen and act on what it finds. Magic Pointer is not a chatbot. It does not require a prompt. It reads the context of whatever the cursor touches and surfaces actions before the user asks for them. The distinction matters because it represents a different theory of how AI should enter personal computing. Apple embeds intelligence into individual applications. Microsoft puts Copilot in a panel beside the workspace. Google is putting Gemini inside the pointing device itself. The second signature feature is Create your Widget, which lets users describe a custom widget in plain language and Gemini builds it on the spot, pulling data from Gmail, Calendar, web searches, and other Google services into a single personalised dashboard. The widgets are vibe-coded, generated by AI from a natural language description rather than selected from a catalogue. The user does not choose from what exists. The user describes what should exist and the machine builds it. Googlebook solves a problem that has plagued Google for a decade. ChromeOS was a web-first operating system that ran Android apps inside a compatibility layer. The experience was functional but compromised. Android apps on Chromebooks ran in containers that could not access the file system natively, could not interact with desktop windows properly, and could not use hardware features the way they could on a phone. The platform had two souls and neither worked as well as it should have. Aluminium OS eliminates the split. Android apps run natively on the laptop because the laptop runs Android. A feature called Cast my Apps lets users open any application from their Android phone on the Googlebook's screen without downloading it. Quick Access provides direct access to phone files through the laptop's file browser, with no manual transfers required. The phone and the laptop share an operating system, an app ecosystem, and an AI layer. The European Commission is preparing to force Google to give rival AI assistants the same access to Android that Gemini receives, a ruling that could determine whether Googlebook's deep Gemini integration becomes a competitive moat or a mandated open platform. The DMA decision is expected in July. Googlebook ships in the autumn. The regulatory timeline and the product timeline are on a collision course. Googlebook enters a laptop market that has been reshaped by two forces. The first is Apple's MacBook Neo, a 599-dollar laptop running macOS on an A18 Pro chip derived from the iPhone, which brought Apple's entry price below 600 dollars for the first time. The second is the Snapdragon X Elite, which gave Windows laptops competitive battery life and AI inference capabilities for the first time in years. Google's response is to abandon the low end entirely. Googlebook is positioned as a premium product with what Google describes as premium craftsmanship and materials. Every device will feature a Glowbar, an LED strip embedded in the keyboard deck that animates in response to Gemini's activity. The company is not building a cheap laptop that happens to have AI. It is building an AI device that happens to be a laptop. The pivot is striking because Chromebooks succeeded precisely by being cheap. Google is deploying Gemini to four million GM vehicles, embedding the same AI into cars, phones, wearables, and now laptops. The pattern is clear. Google does not want Gemini to be a product. It wants Gemini to be the intelligence layer that connects every screen in a user's life. Googlebook is the desktop-sized piece of that strategy. Chromebooks hold more than 60 per cent of the global education laptop market. The platform serves 38 million students in K-12 schools, and 93 per cent of US school districts plan Chromebook purchases this year. The installed base is enormous, the margins are thin, and the switching costs are low. Google says existing Chromebooks will continue receiving security updates until their stated auto-update expiration dates. Some devices may qualify for an opt-in upgrade to the new platform. But the premium positioning of Googlebook raises an obvious question: what happens to the education market that made Chromebooks ubiquitous? A 200-dollar Chromebook for a fourth-grader and a premium Googlebook for a professional are different products for different buyers. Google has not announced pricing, but the emphasis on premium hardware suggests that the cheapest Googlebook will cost considerably more than the cheapest Chromebook. Intel is previewing its next generation of AI PC processors at Computex 2026, betting that local AI inference on laptops is the next wave of chip demand. Googlebook's Gemini integration is cloud-first, but the hardware partnerships with Intel's competitors in the ARM ecosystem suggest that on-device AI processing will follow. The question of where the intelligence runs, on the device or in the cloud, will determine whether Googlebook works offline and how much it costs to operate at scale. Google's laptop strategy has always been a distribution strategy for Google services. Chromebooks put Chrome, Gmail, Drive, Docs, and Search in front of hundreds of millions of users, particularly students, at the lowest possible hardware cost. The services generated the revenue. The hardware was the delivery mechanism. Googlebook extends the same logic but changes the service being distributed. The service is no longer a suite of web applications. It is Gemini. The AI that reads your email, builds your widgets, summarises your documents, and anticipates your next action is the product. The laptop is the surface it runs on. The Android ecosystem, with its 3.6 billion active devices, is the network that feeds it context. Apple has argued that AI will become as commonplace as word processing, a utility that disappears into the background of everyday computing. Google is making a different argument. Gemini on Googlebook is not in the background. It is the cursor. It is the widget. It is the interface between the user and the machine. Google is not making AI invisible. It is making AI the thing you interact with every time you touch the trackpad. Apple's AI rollout has already stumbled in China, where regulatory delays left Cupertino without its most important differentiator in its most competitive market. Google faces similar risks. Gemini's deep integration into Googlebook means that any market where Gemini is restricted, whether by regulation, data sovereignty requirements, or competitive dynamics, is a market where the laptop's core value proposition is diminished. Fifteen years ago, Google bet that the browser was the operating system. That bet built a dominant position in education and a meaningful share of the consumer laptop market. Now Google is betting that AI is the operating system, that the intelligence layer matters more than the application layer, and that the company with the most context about a user's life, across phone, car, watch, and laptop, will build the most useful computing experience. Googlebook is not a laptop. It is the argument that the device does not matter. The intelligence does.

The Googlebook puts Gemini in a laptop, ready to pull you away from Apple and Microsoft

The Chromebook era is over, and it has made way for the Googlebook era. Google has announced its next generation of laptops, only this time rather than being built around Chrome, they are built around Gemini Intelligence. Announced during the Android Show, details on the Googlebook range are limited for now, but here's what we know about it so far. It all starts with the cursor Google isn't leaving it down to chance that you'll use Gemini on your Googlebook, so it has thrown the good old cursor out, and replaced it with the Magic Pointer. It acts as a direct portal to Gemini, where just a wriggle immediately brings Gemini to life to assist with whatever you're doing. For example, point it at a date to quickly set up an event, or show it two photos and combine them using Gemini's photo editing skills. The concept is to provide fast, direct access to helpful tools. Google's idea behind Gemini Intelligence is to shift the AI away from questions and answers, and more towards a seamless way of working together. Android toolkit on a laptop Google will also bring the Gemini Intelligence features coming to Android to the Googlebook. This includes the ability to create custom widgets, have Gemini plan trips and reservations, and work across apps like Gmail and Calendar. In addition to Googlebook apps, you'll be able to utilize the apps on your phone on the desktop, and interact with them without the need to pick up your phone. Google says there's no need to download apps, or deal with emulated controls. This also applies to sharing files. Using Quick Access, files on your phone can be viewed, searched, and transferred over to your laptop without any additional tools or steps. It's everything on your phone, just on your laptop. The Glowbar is coming Rumored to also be part of the Pixel 11 series of smartphones, Google has announced the Glowbar, and it'll be a signature design element of the Googlebook. It's not exactly clear what the Glowbar will do, but Google says it will be, "both functional and beautiful." The only image it has shown is of a thin bar with a glowing, multicolored light. Rumors point to the Pixel 11 using a similar feature called Pixel Glow, indicating Google's very excited by glowing lights in 2026. When will a Googlebook be released? Google has only teased the Googlebook for now, and it has not given any release details at all. It's possible we may learn more about the laptops during the Google I/O developer conference slated for the end of May. Newsletter subscription unlocks Googlebook insights Subscribe to our newsletter for expert breakdowns and focused coverage of Googlebook: Gemini features, the Magic Pointer, Glowbar design, OEM partnerships, and what this shift means for laptops -- clear analysis to help you understand the change. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. What we do know is, Google is working with Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, and Dell on the first range of Googlebook laptops. We also know they'll come in different shapes and sizes, and Google is promising "premium craftsmanship and materials." It's also unclear what's going to happen to Chromebooks, and whether they'll continue on as low-cost options, leaving Googlebooks to occupy the higher end of the market. While Google will want to capture the attention of prospective Windows laptop buyers, it will also be looking over its shoulder at the Apple MacBook Neo.

Googlebooks aren't just Android laptops. They're a Trojan horse for Gemini

Despite Google partnering with major manufacturers like HP and Dell, success remains uncertain given past mixed results with similar initiatives. We've been hearing about Google's push to unite Android and ChromeOS into a new laptop operating system rumored to be called "Aluminum" for a while now. A week before this year's Google I/O conference, the company is ready to talk about it. And to the surprise of absolutely friggin' no one, these seem more interested in Gemini "AI" than the actual product. The newly-minted "Googlebooks" are not laptops, at least not in my mind. They are laptop-shaped amalgamations of electronics, designed as a platter for serving you Gemini. It may be possible to browse the web in Chrome and run Android apps on a Googlebook. But the only thing Google really wants you to do is activate Gemini at every single opportunity, up to and including in the cursor. I'm not even being hyperbolic. In a pre-I/O press briefing the new Googlebook system was described as "evolving from an operating system to an intelligence system that learns and works for you." Is Googlebook's Aluminum a full operating system? Yes. From the outset, the Googlebook interface -- which again, is running on Android -- looks like a weird mix of ChromeOS and a phone, complete with a status bar and clock up top. There's a big "G" button on the left side of the bottom navigation bar with a familiar-looking search bar, and you'll have quick access to files and apps. If you've used a desktop or laptop, you won't be completely lost. Apps will come from the Google Play Store, the same place they do on Android. Chromebooks already have access to the Play Store (similar to how MacOS can install iPhone and iPad apps). And it's...not great. This will require a lot of work from Google and partners to make it look like anything except a laptop running phone apps. One genuinely cool thing that Googlebooks have is deep, deep integration with Android phones. In addition to the usual sharing of notifications, you can open apps across devices, and even browse the storage contents of your phone right from your Googlebook. How will this look if, say, you're browsing from separate networks? What about if you're offline on your laptop, or your phone's in Airplane Mode? We don't know yet. What software does a Googlebook run? Android. And Android apps. It is, in Google's words, "Optimized for the Android ecosystem." While it looks like you'll get a full (or nearly full) version of the Chrome browser, the rest of the tools will be either phone-style Android apps, or Android apps with a bit of extra flair to take advantage of the laptop-style form factor. This will be especially true for Google apps like Google Photos, YouTube, et cetera. Apps can be "casted" from your phone onto a Googlebook screen. This has been seen before in various ways -- at least some Windows devices can even do it via Phone Link. While I can see this being useful in some senses, especially for apps that require the phone interface specifically, it hardly seems like a massive differentiator. It's possible that a Googlebook could run Linux apps. Android and Chromebooks can do that, though it isn't easy or particularly practical. But given how much control Google wants to exert over both Chrome and Android at the moment, I wouldn't bet on that being an option. What about games? With access to the Google Play Store, it seems likely that most Android games will at least be possible to launch on Googlebooks. Minecraft (notably a Microsoft-published game!) and Roblox were the only ones seen in the initial promo materials, and even then, only as an app or link in the Googlebook equivalent of the Start menu. It's not clear whether these games would run from the phone, or locally on a Googlebook. Android is, arguably, one of the top gaming platforms on the planet, even if that's only secondary to its function as an OS. (Hey, if Windows gets it, why not?) Google has tried to parlay that position into laptops before, with a push for Android games on Chromebooks. It's also tried to get people interested in "gaming" Chromebooks and Steam on ChromeOS, both of which were met with a big shrug from the market. You can, presumably, play the Android version of Minecraft on a Googlebook. You can probably play Angry Birds and Balatro and maybe an old Game Boy Color emulator -- all of them are right there in the Play Store. Beyond that, Google doesn't seem too interested in games at launch. What's all this stuff about AI? As I said, the entire point of Googlebooks seems more to deliver a hardware platform for Google's Gemini "AI" than to actually compete with Windows, Mac, and Linux as laptop platforms. Every element of the OS is absolutely dripping with Gemini. Google has created an "AI"-focused operating system from the ground up...something I bet a few people on Microsoft's Copilot team are feeling envious of right now. What can you do with Gemini in there? Pretty much everything you can do with Gemini on a phone or laptop, plus some extra tricks. You can "create your own widgets" (though they look a lot like phone widgets to me!) for the desktop. You can "AI"-edit or generate photos. You can organize a bunch of information from disparate apps like Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, yadda yadda. You can wiggle your cursor and Gemini will activate, attempting to determine from context what you're trying to do. It's like a more powerful version of Circle to Search. I haven't been able to try it directly, but from what I saw in the demo and promotional materials, it looks very gimmicky to me...and others on the PCWorld team have expressed similar opinions. If you've spent the last couple of years trying to avoid Copilot or Apple AI, I get the feeling that a Googlebook might be your personal nightmare. Will Google make its own laptops again? No, at least not at first. Google made laptops running ChromeOS in various form factors, but never seemed to crack the consumer code. For Googlebooks, Google will once again be partnering with conventional laptop manufacturers: HP, Dell, Asus, Acer, and Lenovo were mentioned by name. There is one very cool design element, though: the "Glowbar," last seen on hardware like the Pixel C tablet. Presumably it'll be used to communicate status like battery charge or other info, though its utility (on the outside of the laptop lid in the demonstration) is limited, and more of a flair than anything else. When will Googlebooks arrive? How much will they cost? "This fall," and we don't know. Google says that "every Googelbook will be built with premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes." That certainly sounds like it'll be a cut above the typical budget-focused Chromebook, though exactly what hardware is inside -- presumably running on the same Arm-based chips as Android phones, or souped-up versions of them -- wasn't shared. Speaking of Chromebooks... What happens to Chromebooks? Google didn't have much to say about ChromeOS or Chromebooks in its initial media presentation, except that they're still both a thing. Chromium and ChromeOS are still being developed -- Chrome especially, it's still the number one browser on the planet. Chromebooks will continue to get their software support, up to ten years from the point of sale for some of the newest models. I wanted to ask if any current Chromebook models will be updated to Googlebooks, or Google OS, or Android for laptops, or whatever they're calling them, but technical issues kept me from asking. That seems like a long shot anyway. ChromeOS has been around for over fifteen years, and it certainly has its place...but I think it's safe to say that it's never quite broken into the consumer market. According to Statcounter it's sitting at 1.5 percent of laptops and desktops right now, down from an all-time high of 4.1 percent in early 2024. The education market is the strongest point for Chromebooks, where large fleets of cheap, easy-to-maintain machines are a huge asset. And Google seems to want to maintain that, at least for the moment. I imagine that new or gently updated Chromebooks will continue to be released for the time being -- Google and its partners have invested too much to just drop them. We've been here before But all that being said, I get the impression that Google wants Googlebooks to be a hit. It put its name on them, after all. Though we've been here before, with the Chromebook Pixel, Pixelbook, Pixel C, Pixel Slate, Pixelbook Go...wow, that's a lot of laptops and laptop-ish devices, all of them ranging from well-received novelties to outright flops. Again, Google isn't making these laptops itself. Like Chromebooks it's leaning on relationships with the big PC manufacturers. And we have the wildcard of the RAM crisis. Whatever Google says about premium materials, I get the feeling that at least some people are looking at laptops running a flavor of Android as a means of making them more cheaply. (Apple's smash hit MacBook Neo essentially runs on iPhone hardware, remember!) Pricing, as always, will be crucial. The big question is whether consumers will be on board, especially with how hard Google is pushing Gemini and other "AI" features. For all its pomp and circumstance about an "agentic" OS, I don't see anything here that couldn't be done with a regular laptop, and many things that said laptop can do that won't be available (or at least, won't be as easy) on a Googlebook. I was enthused when I heard that Google was pushing for a unified Android and ChromeOS. Consider my enthusiasm extremely curbed.

Google announces Googlebooks with Gemini Intelligence focus, coming this fall

At The Android Show today, Google previewed Googlebooks as a new category of laptops that takes the best of Android and ChromeOS. Google shared three tentpoles behind Googlebooks, starting with how it's built with Gemini Intelligence at the core. These AI features are meant to provide "personal and proactive help when and where you need it." Magic Pointer lets you "Select anything to ask Gemini." After wiggling the cursor, pointing at something will show "quick, contextual suggestions." It also lets you add anything on your screen to a Gemini prompt. Point at a date in an email to set up a meeting, or select two images -- like your living room and a new couch -- to instantly visualize them together. It lets you go from idea to I'm done in just a few clicks. Another Gemini Intelligence feature is Create My Widget. Also coming to phones, this generative UI capability lets you place custom pieces of information on your desktop. It draws from the web and your Gmail, Calendar, and other Google apps. There's a guided creation process or the ability to enter a prompt. Planning a family reunion in Berlin? Gemini can organize your flight and hotel information, restaurant reservations, and even a countdown in a single, helpful spot on your desktop, making your desktop your truly personalized home. The second tentpole is how Googlebooks fit with your Android phone. Cast my apps lets you access any application on your phone on the laptop's bigger screen. Quick Access enables you to retrieve files no matter where they are stored. The file browser on Googlebooks lets you browse the files on your phone and insert from your laptop. Finally, Google is working with Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo on Googlebooks. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, every device is said to be "built with premium craftsmanship and materials." All Googlebooks will feature a distinctive "Glowbar" -- in a throwback -- that is "both functional and beautiful." That said, Google hasn't specified the capabilities of this light bar. In terms of the user interface, Google didn't really go into detail today, but there are several shots. The time, day, and date appear in the top-left, with app notification icons appearing next. Battery, Wi-Fi, notifications, and a Gemini button are located at the top-right corner. There's a bar for apps at the bottom of the screen, while the Files app is straight from ChromeOS. The first Googlebooks will be available this fall, with more information coming before then. In terms of what's happening to ChromeOS, Google says Chromebooks "will continue to receive support through their device's existing date commitment, and many Chromebooks will be eligible to transition to the new experience." More details will be available before the Googlebook launch.

Google announces high-end Googlebook laptops to compete with MacBooks -- here's what you need to know

Googlebooks want to be the next evolution of the company's Chromebook. Announced at the Android Show, this new category of laptops is built with Gemini at its core and designed to work within the Android and Google ecosystem. As Google explains, these are "the first laptops designed from the ground up for Gemini Intelligence" -- becoming real AI PCs that provide personal and proactive help right when you need it. How Googlebooks work For instance, you can point your cursor over a date in an email to set up a meeting, or visualize placing items you want to buy in your living space to see how they'd fit. This is done via a feature called Magic Pointer, which the Google Deepmind team developed. The press release also says wiggling the cursor makes it "come alive." Another feature for Googlebooks is Create your Widget, which lets you create custom widgets by using prompts. Gemini can search the web or connect to your Google apps to generate a personalized background, for instance. Another example is that Gemini can create a single spot on your desktop containing travel information for your trips. Naturally, Googlebooks are optimized for the Android ecosystem. You can directly use apps from your phone on the laptop. Google says you won't have to download anything or use emulated touchscreen controls, like 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 with a feature called Quick Access. Who is making Googlebooks? Google says it's working with manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to create the first Googlebooks. The company says Googlebooks will "be built with premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes." A unique glowbar on the keyboard deck will let you know you're using a Googlebook. We don't yet have a launch window for Googlebooks, let alone pricing, but hopefully it won't be too long until we hear something. Stay tuned for more news as we hear it! Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less.

Google just delivered its first Gemini-centric platform in Googlebook, and it may feature the first AI OS

* Google unveils Googlebook * It puts Gemini at the center with an "intelligence system" * Magic Pointer reinvents the classic pointer with -- yes -- AI It's been almost a year since Sameer Samat, Google's Head of Android Experience, let slip that the tech giant was finally ready to do what had long been rumored: combine Android and ChromeOS into a single experience. The reveal, coming as part of Google's annual Android Show, is a two-pronged affair. First, there's a single platform that somehow combines the best of Android and ChromeOS into one, and second is the unveiling of a new class of laptops: Googlebooks, which Google says are "designed for Gemini Intelligence." That's right, Google is once again trying to reinvent the laptop. Forget Pixelbooks (though Chromebooks and ChromeOS are supposedly not going anywhere), this is brand new hardware to house a platform built for a new type of desk and laptop computing experience. And at the heart of it is, well, not Android exactly, but Gemini. Some might describe it as the world's first AI OS or, as Google terms it, "an intelligence system." While Google has offered scant details on the hardware and platform particulars, it is highlighting how Gemini's premier position will transform the computing experience, and that starts with the pointer. Welcome the Magic Pointer Shaking the cursor to get a different experience on a laptop is not a new idea (try wiggling your macOS cursor), but Google's AI-focused approach is novel. On the Googlebook, a shake of the "Magic Pointer" brings up a contextually aware menu that quickly tells you all the things you can do with, say, Gemini, right there. Choose one of the options, and it launches, naturally, in-situ Gemini, and now you can follow its guides to do more with whatever's on-screen. If, for instance, you see a pair of images in your gallery and want to imagine a mashup, you can wiggle that Magic Pointer, select them, choose an AI action like "visualize together," and then instantly see the result of the generative AI projects in Gemini. Think of this as prompts in the form of a gesture. Googlebooks will also be a place where you can experience Android's new "Create My Widget" capabilities, which should let you build bespoke desktop widgets for all kinds of personalized information, like upcoming trips and business meetings. Is this really a new OS? It's a bit hard to say exactly how ChromeOS is influencing the Googlebook experience, since, aside from all the AI, apps, and other features, it will be running locally (Google promises the system will handle "powerful apps on Google Play"). Perhaps it has something to do with the platform's lightness; maybe it'll run all this on lower-range specs. The relationship with Android is far clearer. Googlebooks will let you cast most Android apps and experiences on the Googlebook desktop. The benefit is that you never have to leave your Googlebook or pause to pick up your Android 18 smartphone to continue a mobile task. The system's dock will include a persistent phone icon that you can select to virtualize your Android phone on the Googlebook. All of this will only work with "compatible" Android phones, and for now, we don't have that list. While we already know some of the hardware partners, like Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, and HP, we have zero details on how they might use the new intelligence system. It's not clear, for instance, if all will feature the glowbar, a thin, rainbow LED peeking through the metal frame on the Googlebook cover. Google claims the glowbar will be beautiful and functional, but has yet to explain what it will do. It's probably safe to assume that the lights can, even when the system is closed, alert you to, say, incoming notifications, maybe even turn all red when there's a must-see alert. More likely, though, is that the Googlebook's integrated Gemini AI will respond to voice prompts even when closed, and the glowbar will, ahem, glow when you talk and the system listens and responds. Other specs, including screen size, touch screens (yes or no), RAM, CPU, webcam, battery life, overall size, and weight, are similarly missing. However, we would not be surprised to see a Googlebook or two at Google I/O 2026, which kicks off next week in Mountain View, California. Google deserves credit for being first out of the gate with an "AI OS," (why didn't they call it a "Geminibook?"). But it remains to be seen if Googlebooks will excite or create confusion. After all, this isn't the first time Google has created a premium laptop hardware category to support its own platform ambitions. Pixelbooks flamed out in 2022, though ChromeOS is alive and well across many of the same partners that will now be delivering Googlebooks, and Google confirms that they will continue to support and develop the platform. How will consumers decide between Chromebooks and these new AI-centric Googlebooks? It may come down to their interest in Gemini (and other AI platforms) and their need to run "powerful apps" locally. There's no denying, though, that this is a big swing and aligns somewhat with something Google's Sameer Samat told me last year, "...you see the future first on Android." Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.

New Googlebook is built for Gemini

Driving the news: The most visible change in the Googlebook is the Magic Pointer, which summons Gemini when a user wiggles their cursor. * Googlebooks can run Android apps on the laptop or you can use the apps installed on your Android phone directly on your laptop. And you can access your phone's files from your Googlebook. * The laptops will come in a variety of shapes and sizes and from a number of hardware makers, including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo. * They will all feature a "glowbar" on their exterior. Google didn't say what the glowbar will do, but promised it is "both functional and beautiful." Yes, but: Google says this is just a sneak peek at the Googlebook, with the first models not due out until the fall. Zoom out: Google made a series of other Android announcements Tuesday including new security features and the expansion of an effort to let AI agents take action using apps on a user's phone. Between the lines: It's unclear what the future holds for new Chromebooks going forward. * A Google spokesperson told Axios that "many Chromebooks will be eligible to transition to the new experience," promising more details closer to launch. The big picture: It's developer conference season.

Google announces the Googlebook, a new breed of Gemini PCs

"Over 15 years ago, we introduced the Chromebook, a laptop built for a cloud-first world," Google Senior Director Alex Kuscher said in a blog post. "Now, as computing shifts from an operating system to an intelligence system, we see an opportunity to rethink laptops again." When the first models are released in the fall, Googlebooks will run Android apps like Chromebooks, but they'll place a heavier emphasis on features powered by Gemini, Google's AI assistant. Kuscher said Googlebooks are "the first laptops designed from the ground up for Gemini Intelligence." It also sounds like Googlebooks will have a different operating system, one that's not ChromeOS. Google hasn't specified which one, just that it'll be "a modern OS that's designed for Intelligence," wrote Kuscher. He's almost certainly talking about Project Aluminum, Google's rumored ChromeOS x Android mashup. Chromebooks have been gaining more integrated AI tools in recent years, so it makes sense that Google is finally going full-send on proper AI PCs. Whether consumers actually want them is another story. Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today! Googlebooks will support a "Magic Pointer" cursor feature that uses Gemini to understand and act upon onscreen content. You can activate it just by wiggling your cursor. "Point at a date in an email to set up a meeting, or select two images -- like your living room and a new couch -- to instantly visualize them together," said Kuscher, describing two hypothetical use cases. Googlebooks will also have a "Create your Widget" tool that lets the user make custom widgets with Gemini prompts. Google said the new laptops will integrate seamlessly with Android phones. While they can run Android apps themselves, you can also cast apps onto them from mobile devices without needing to download anything. Additionally, a "Quick Access" feature lets you view and search files on your phone right from a Googlebook. Google is just teasing Googlebooks for now, so we don't have any concrete spec details or launch dates. But we do know they'll have a characteristic "glowbar" lightstrip on their lids, and that the first models will be made by Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, per the announcement blog post. Kuscher goes on to note that "Every Googlebook will be built with premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes." Google's press materials also describe Googlebooks as having a "Featherweight Design" with "Heavyweight Power," so I'm thinking they'll be mid- to upper-range ultraportables. Googlebooks will almost certainly be more expensive than most Chromebooks, which themselves have evolved from budget devices to more premium machines in recent years. The highest-end Chromebooks now sit between $750 and $1,000.

I'm not convinced Googlebook will be Google's next big thing, or if it even deserves it

Googlebooks wants to be the MacBook that Android users never had, but it's the unanswered questions that make me skeptical about it. Fifteen years ago, Google placed a bet on its browser: that it could handle most lightweight daily tasks without needing a traditional desktop operating system. The premise was simple: shrink a laptop's operating system down to a browser, lean on the cloud for everything else, and price it aggressively so that no one could complain. In a few years, when OEMs actually started shipping their Chromebooks based on ChromeOS, and people became more aware about them, they became a hit among offices and schools. The Chromebook laptop platform didn't win on ambition or premium lifestyle branding, but on price and practicality. Recommended Videos Now, the company is placing yet another bet, and this one, which is substantially more expensive to lose, is around an AI-based laptop platform called Googlebook. It was at the Android Show on May 12, 2026, that Google pulled back the curtain on Googlebook, and, along with it, Gemini Intelligence, the foundation the entire experience is built on. Move the cursor and AI surfaces with contextual suggestions, type a sentence and AI builds a widget around it, and access your Android phone's apps and files on the laptop without a third-party app, all in a laptop platform that's purpose-built for coherent, Gemini-powered experiences. Is Google going to repeat its Chromebook mistake? To me, this sounds like an interesting pitch, but I have my reasons for being unsure about whether Googlebook will be Google's next big thing. A good part of the pitch rests on building a laptop that is deeply integrated with Android phones and the broader Android ecosystem: handoffs, native app access, and files that follow you between devices. It's a compelling idea, especially for Android users, but it's also one that Apple has already executed, refined, and turned into the most functional cross-device consumer electronics ecosystem yet. The reason Apple devices fly with device-to-device communication is that they share the underlying ARM technology. Same silicon family, same instruction set, no translation penalty, that's the foundation behind the handoff features that iPhone and Mac users use on a daily basis. I myself am a big fan of copying something on my iPhone and pasting it directly on my MacBook, and it works every single time without thinking about it. The problem, however, is that unlike Apple, Googlebook will ship with chipsets from multiple manufacturers, including Intel (which uses x86 architecture), Qualcomm, and MediaTek (both of them use ARM architecture). That's two different silicon architectures from three chip makers, and one Gemini Intelligence layer that has to hold together coherently across all of them. This gap is where things get more complicated. Apple already has a functional cross-device ecosystem in place Apple controls its silicon end-to-end. Google, however, is distributing that decision across different chip vendors and OEM partners, hoping that the experience stays consistent, regardless of which chip and supporting hardware ends up in the devices. It's worth mentioning here that Gemini Intelligence requires a flagship-grade chipset, at least 12GB of RAM, along with support for AI Core and Gemini Nano v3, on smartphones. Google is betting on a multi-architecture again, but the stakes are considerably higher because the AI layer demands more of the silicon. That hope is where the fragmentation problem lives and has already shown up with the Chromebooks. When ChromeOS arrived with Android apps on Intel-based Chromebooks, the result was noticeable performance lag, accelerated battery drain, and, in some cases, apps that simply refused to install. Google eventually smoothed the rough edges, but the underlying problem never went away, it only became less visible. The multi-chip bet could either make or break the Googlebook experience Intel's entry-level Wildcat Lake chips are capable of up to 40 TOPS of local AI processing (combined from the NPU, CPU, and GPU), which should be enough to power features like Magic Pointer and run them smoothly, and, more importantly, entirely on device. The Snapdragon X Plus goes further, delivering 45 TOPS from its NPU alone. RAW TOPS from a unified NPU handle localized workloads with more efficiency compared to those split across the CPU, GPU, NPU What I'm concerned about is how MediaTek's budget ARM chips, the ones that powered the Chromebooks for years, lack equivalent NPU capabilities or use different architecture extensions that aren't cut out for the same workloads. The consequence is straightforward: the on-device AI experiences might meaningfully differently on different models. So, that entire "unified Googlebook experience," which the company spent the entire Android Show keynote explaining, could be compromised. Whether Google wants to keep the heavy Gemini Intelligence features exclusive for the high-end SKUs or offload the AI tasks to the cloud on cheaper models, thereby introducing latency, is something that needs to be figured out. Google said its controlling hardware requirements, but managing a multi-architecture split across different vendors and OEMs could be much more challenging. What does Googlebook have to compete against? To succeed among budget-conscious buyers, Google may need to undercut established notebooks such as the MacBook Air and $1,000 Microsoft Copilot+ PCs by a significant margin. An entry-level price between $500 and $700 could be the sweet spot, even factoring in rising component costs. But that would place the so-called "Googlebook" in direct competition with the rumored MacBook Neo. Apple's MacBook Neo essentially does the same thing Googlebook promises, without the deep Gemini integration that Google has promised. Neo has been on shelves since March 2026, and at $599 for the baseline variant, with an aluminum chassis, A18 Pro chip, and Apple Intelligence, it has been selling like hot cakes. Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs are also worth mentioning here. Introduced in 2024, they are already available across multiple price points, with several options in the $800 to $1,000 range. They offer users the familiarity of Windows, alongside a growing suite of AI-powered features, though some of those efforts have had a troubled past. Windows on ARM has made some real progress over the years, but app compatibility remains an ongoing conversation and is miles away from a solved problem. Googlebook is walking into the same market, with its core benefit being the familiarity of Android apps on a larger screen with deep-rooted Gemini Intelligence experiences. Google has confirmed that new Chromebook and Chromebook Plus devices are currently in development and will ship through next year. Further, existing models will continue getting updates for the promised duration. While some Chromebooks will be be able to transition into Googlebook-style software (via firmware update), others might not. Releasing new premium Googlebook variants alongside mid-tier Chromebooks could confuse buyers where ChromeOS ends and Android-on-desktop begins. The entire Googlebook story is full of questions and very few answers Even if I ignore the multi-architecture bottleneck concern or the one about the pricing and what buyers can get for that, I'm not sure whether Gemini Intelligence actually performs the same way the demo suggested, in real-world conditions, on hardware manufactured by different OEMs. Hours before the Android Show kicked off, a leaked build of Aluminium OS surfaced online (internal codename for Googlebook's operating system). We saw a desktop environment which looked comparable to Samsung DeX (via Android Authority). However, it didn't include any of the magical AI features that Google showcased during the event. Google will point out that a pre-release build running in a virtual machine isn't a fair depiction of what the platform actually has to offer, but that would also mean that the software isn't ready yet. Googlebook is trying to be the MacBook for Android buyers, and that's quite ambitious. But the math has to work on multiple fronts. How well Google educates buyers on the difference between a Googlebook and a Chromebook? How do the devices compare against the MacBook Neo at $599, the M5 MacBook Air at $999, and the Windows Copilot+ PCs around the same price? What steps is the company taking to guarantee performance parity across devices from different OEMs with different chips, and, most critically, whether the company prices this thing in a way that gives buyers a reason to take the leap, are among my key concerns. Right now, none of those questions have clean answers.

Google Just Announced a New Laptop Platform Called 'Googlebooks'

Google partnered with Acer, ASUS, Dell, and HP to manufacturer its laptops. Chromebooks have been a major success for Google, but they have their limits. While they're great for school and light work (especially if you're all-in on Google), they aren't necessarily the best choice for more intense or professional computer work. For that, people often turn to two main platforms: Mac or PC. It seems Google sees an opportunity to add another to the mix: The company looks like it wants to capture Android users who might be choosing from one of the other two platforms for their computing needs. iPhone users often choose Mac, after all, so maybe Android users would choose the right Google computer, too. Enter Googlebooks, a new laptop platform spearheaded by Google. The company announced the new product line during Tuesday's presentation of The Android Show: I/O Edition. Because it's 2026, these laptops are designed with AI in mind. And, because this is Google, the AI of choice here is Gemini -- specifically, Gemini Intelligence, which Google also announced during its keynote. Based on what I've seen, the OS is quite similar in appearance to Chrome OS. There's a dock at the bottom of the screen with various apps, a menu bar at the top of the display, and apps work in floating windows. Standard stuff. What Google is particularly excited about, however, is the Googlebook's new cursor, which it calls the "Magic Pointer." Like a typical cursor, you move the Magic Pointer across the screen to interact with different elements. But if you give the Magic Pointer a little shake, it'll activate Gemini, which will then let you know what actions it can take on your behalf. For example, you could shake the Magic Pointer over a date in an email and receive an option to set up a meeting. You could select two pictures in your photo library, shake the pointer, and see the option to combine those two images into one. Because this is meant to be a seamless cross-platform experience (à la Apple), you can run your mobile Android apps on your Googlebook. That doesn't just mean installing the Android version on your Googlebook; rather, you can run the apps from your phone on your laptop. Google has some ideas for how you should use it: You could fire up the DoorDash app on your Googlebook if you want to order lunch while working on a Google Doc, or open Duolingo to run through your daily language lesson without leaving your laptop. (These are things you could do already with these companies' web apps, but I get the direction.) On a similar note, you can use Quick Access to retrieve files from your phone on your Googlebook, without having to send the files to yourself. Google says it's bringing Gemini Intelligence's new "Create your Widget" feature to Googlebooks as well. The feature lets you use Gemini to generate your own custom widgets. You could create a widget that shows you the wind speed and rain forecast of any city you wish, or a widget that lists all upcoming concerts at the venue closest to you. It's a neat use of generative AI, and it makes sense that the company would include the feature on Googlebooks, not just Android proper. Unlike other major manufacturers, Google isn't slapping a large "G" on the cover to let you know this is a Googlebook. While the company has a small "Googlebook" logo underneath the keyboard, these machines will come with a "glowbar" on the lid. This is a functioning light bar, too, not just decoration, so it will actually glow as you use the laptop. According to Google, the company has partnered with Acer, ASUS, Dell, and HP to manufacture its first batch of Googlebooks. Google says that each will be built with "premium craftsmanship and materials," and will come in many different shapes and sizes. That said, the company is light on specific details at this time, and it's not clear which company made the device we see in the renders.

I'm not sold on Googlebook's future, but it sure has two big wins I can't ignore

Magic Pointer and native Android app could help Googlebook prove its future Shortly after its announcement, the discourse surrounding Googlebook quickly took over forums, subreddits, X, and other social media platforms. Google just introduced a new category of laptops built around Gemini Intelligence, Android integration, ChromeOS, phone continuity, premium hardware, and OEM partners. Yet, I am still not fully sold on the larger future Google is describing here. Google has been in laptops for more than 15 years through Chromebooks, and the company itself frames Googlebook as a move from an operating system to an "intelligence system." This sounds like the "future" of laptops, but it also carries the Google problem, where it introduces an interesting idea before the ecosystem has proven itself. Recommended Videos Apple is a great example, having spent decades building a mature desktop platform. Even Windows has its own massive legacy and professional software base. Googlebook is trying to come at the laptop from a different direction, with Android, ChromeOS, web apps, Google services, and Gemini all meeting in one machine. Google has a decent shot at turning into something that sticks. Though my eyes are trained on two aspects of the Googlebook that were revealed during the announcement. The two ideas that seem genuinely sharp are the Magic Pointer and native Android app access. How Magic Pointer reinvents the most boring part of your PC Watching the teaser for the Googlebook, a small segment caught me by surprise. No one would've thought of changing the most basic, the most fundamental part of a PC, which is its cursor. Google calls it Magic Pointer, and the company says it was built with the Google DeepMind team to bring Gemini's help directly to the pointer. It's not a complicated process to use this feature either. All you have to do is wiggle the cursor, point at something on the screen, and Googlebook can offer contextual actions. Google's examples include pointing at a date in an email to create a meeting, or selecting two images to visualize them together. This isn't anything massive, and yet, I see the potential it has to offer. While AI is still a capable tool, most of the time, you'll find it beside your work as a sidebar, a chatbot, or a dedicated button. Here, Magic Pointer is more natural, moving with the user's attention. Google is adding both an intuitive gesture and a frictionless function. If it can look at what you are pointing at and offer the next useful step, the possibilities are endless. Of course, this can all go wrong. Google could overload it with suggestions, animations, nudges, and clever little interruptions, or lack creative uses. It will be tough finding a middle ground -- still, I can't help but feel like this implementation might shape how we use AI. After ages, we finally have native Android apps For years, I've waited for the same seamless integration of Apple's ecosystem for Android users. Googlebook brings together the best of Android, with Google Play apps and ChromeOS. It also works closely with Android phones, letting users access phone apps on the laptop and view, search, or insert phone files through Quick Access in the file browser without transferring files. What's really cool is that it's not a janky casting workaround or a third-party bridge. Google is positioning it as part of the Googlebook experience. That phone-to-laptop continuity has been one of Apple's strongest everyday advantages. So this just sounds like something that should've existed years ago. The ability to move between devices without thinking is what makes an ecosystem feel mature. It also gives Googlebook a clearer identity than "a Chromebook with AI." The big challenge now would be the execution. Android apps on larger screens have improved a lot, but laptop users would expect proper resizing,, shortcuts, keyboard trackpad support, file handling, and other desktop-like behavior. Mobile devices built with touch inputs work differently from systems that rely on a mouse and keyboard. So Google has its work cut out for it. I'm not ready to call Googlebook the next great laptop reset just yet, but I can see the outline of something smart. Magic Pointer gives Googlebook a fresh interface, while the native Android app finally taps into the large Android ecosystem advantages Chromebooks never fully owned.

Google Preparing Googlebook Brand to Replace Chromebooks This Fall

Google is reportedly preparing a major refresh of its notebook ecosystem with the introduction of a new Googlebook branding initiative. According to information that surfaced through a deleted XDA Developers article later preserved by Reddit users, the company plans to replace the long-running Chromebook branding with a more AI-focused laptop platform. Several major hardware manufacturers are expected to participate in the launch, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, with devices reportedly planned for release later this year. Unlike previous Chromebook generations that mainly targeted lightweight web-based workflows, Googlebook appears positioned as a more advanced AI-centric computing platform. The leaked information suggests that Google is placing heavy emphasis on Gemini AI integration across the operating system and user interface. One of the reported features is called Magic Pointer, a contextual assistant capable of analyzing on-screen content and providing AI-generated responses or assistance. The feature may also support image generation and editing directly within the operating system environment. Another feature reportedly under development is Cast My Apps, which would allow Android smartphone applications to be accessed and controlled directly from a Googlebook device. The functionality resembles Apple's iPhone Mirroring implementation inside macOS, showing that Google is moving toward tighter ecosystem integration between Android smartphones and laptops. This aligns with the broader industry trend where ecosystem continuity and cross-device workflows are becoming increasingly important competitive features. Leaked renders also revealed a lighting component called the Glowbar. The RGB-based strip appears integrated into the chassis design, although its exact purpose remains unclear. It could potentially act as a notification system, AI activity indicator, or simply a design element intended to differentiate Googlebook devices from traditional Chromebooks. One of the more significant aspects of the leak involves the software platform itself. Reports continue to reference an internal operating system project known as Aluminium OS. The platform is believed to merge Android and ChromeOS development into a unified operating system branch optimized for desktop-class devices and AI-assisted workloads. Earlier rumors already suggested that Google was experimenting with Android-powered PC software built on Android 16, and Googlebook could become the first commercial implementation of that strategy. At this point, Google has not officially confirmed either the Googlebook branding or the existence of Aluminium OS. Hardware specifications also remain unknown, leaving open questions about processor architecture, graphics hardware, and potential use of Google-developed silicon. Additional details are expected to emerge during upcoming Google I/O and Android-related announcements. Source: XDA Developers

4 Chromebook mistakes Google can learn from for Googlebook

Gavin is the Segment Lead for the Technology Explained, Security, Internet, Streaming, and Entertainment verticals, former co-host on the Really Useful Podcast, and a frequent product reviewer. He has a degree in Contemporary Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, more than a decade of professional writing experience, and his work has appeared on How-To Geek, Expert Reviews, Trusted Reviews, Online Tech Tips, and Help Desk Geek, among others. Gavin has attended CES, IFA, MWC, and other tech-trade shows to report directly from the floor, racking up hundreds of thousands of steps in the process. He's reviewed more headphones, earbuds, and mechanical keyboards than he cares to remember, and enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football. After 15 years, Google is finally set to replace its much-loved and much-maligned Chromebook laptop series with something new. The all-new Googlebook series is set to launch this Fall, and is, as you'd expect, centered around AI with Google Gemini baked into every part of the operating system. But with a host of big laptop manufacturing names already onside, such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, the Googlebook range looks like it's off to a strong start. Google won't say so outright, but Googlebook is functionally the successor to the Chromebook. But that means to really be successful, it needs to learn from the mistakes it makes with Chromebooks and Chrome OS -- especially the long list of self-inflicted wounds. Related The biggest reason to buy a Googlebook is already coming to Chrome on your old laptop You almost had me, Google Posts By Josh Hawkins Chromebooks weren't always honest What was the platform for? On one hand, you knew exactly what to expect with a Chromebook. Fast, simple, secure, browser-first experiences. It was often the other side that wasn't as clear as it could be. Could a Chromebook replace a Windows laptop? Not really. Better for creative output than a MacBook? Again, no. Chrome OS and Chromebooks in general had performance and application gaps that made it difficult for them to truly compete. But it wasn't just the big apps. In the early days, Chrome OS didn't have a proper functioning offline mode for many apps and tools, local file management was negligible, and the whole idea that "everything works in the browser" constantly fell short. If the rumors are true, Googlebook laptops will be built using Android as their foundation, which means they'll be deeply dependent on Google Play and the vast array of Android apps. Given Chrome OS also had access to Android apps, it's all adding up to a situation where Google must really consider what a Googlebook is. Avoid the Chromebook AUE cliff-edge Accidental minimal security updates For years, Chromebooks had a security update problem. Folks would head down to the store and buy what looked like a new Chromebook, only to discover that it had a limited number of security updates remaining. As Chromebooks would remain in stock for long periods, eventually, the defined security update period would expire. Many Chromebooks would sit on the shelves for years, giving their eventual owner just a couple of years of security updates without any recourse. In fairness to Google, it did attempt to rectify this, extending the auto-update expiration (AUE) period to ten years, which is really good going for what were ostensibly cheap, almost throwaway laptops. Google is positioning its new Googlebook range as a premium laptop. While we haven't seen any information regarding pricing, premium buyers expect premium longevity. That means multi-year update guarantees, constant security updates, and more, with an upfront commitment. Abandoning its own hardware line Pixelbook no For years, Google's own investment in the Chromebook line was the strongest indicator that it could be taken seriously. But after 2019's Pixelbook Go, Google basically just said, "Nah." Since then, Google hasn't produced another Chrome OS laptop, and while its manufacturing partners like Acer, ASUS, and so on continued rolling out great Chromebooks, Google did not. It's a shame, really, as the Pixelbook series was great, pushing Chromebook and Chrome OS design forward, showing that Google really believed in its own hardware and operating system. But when that stopped, it did somewhat cast a shadow on Chromebooks in general, especially given their already uncertain footing in the tech world. If Googlebook is to succeed, it needs strong, continued backing from Google, and that means in-house development. Currently, there is no word if Google intends to develop its own Googlebook lineup, and I've already mentioned its OEM partners. But I'd love to see Google learn from the mistake of binning off the Pixelbook range and answer the real question: Just what is a Googlebook to Google? Escape the classrooms and the education system Make it easier to be taken seriously I've owned a good few Chromebooks over the years, but I mostly remember them from classrooms and other educational settings. It's remarkable that Chromebooks and Chrome OS became so strongly associated with learning, and giving the opportunity for millions of people to access computing, digital learning, and so it is vital. I'm not arguing against that in general. Subscribe to the newsletter for Googlebook insights Get the newsletter to follow Googlebook's AI-driven shift, Gemini integration, Pixelbook heritage, and how Chromebooks may adapt. Subscribe for focused coverage and expert analysis of hardware, OS, and ecosystem implications. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. But Googlebook as a concept should push away from that and jump into the premium bracket. As we understand it, the Googlebook laptops will focus heavily on Gemini's AI, with AI features like Magic Pointer,premium materials and build quality, plus the deep Android integration previously mentioned. How people interact with apps, agents and data during their workday is fundamentally changing. Googlebooks will bring people the power of Gemini Intelligence directly within the context of their workflows. For example, with Magic Pointer, you can set up a meeting with a simple shift of your cursor over a calendar date. Or you can create custom GenAI widgets to organize your daily files, team meetings, and more, to help you get work and learning done right from your home screen. Google has the opportunity to push Googlebook as something new and refreshing, but could easily be undermined with the association of low-powered, under-specced machines only designed for limited classroom use. Without it, Googlebook risks the same fate as Chromebooks -- a platform defined by its cheapest implementations rather than its best ones. Related I Wish I'd Known These 7 Downsides to Chromebooks Before Buying One Chromebooks are great, but I really wish I'd known these issues before buying one. Posts 14 By Shan Abdul It's not the end of the road for your old Chromebook, either One of the first issues with the new Googlebook range that came to my mind was the existing Chromebooks. What happens to Chrome OS and all the Chromebooks already out there? Well, according to the above interview between ChromeUnboxed and Google VP John Maletis, some existing models will be able to upgrade to the new platform. Similarly, a Google post titled "Our continued commitment to Chromebooks, and looking ahead" also suggests that Chromebooks aren't quite on the scrap heap yet; could it be that Googlebook and Chromebook will coexist? The same video also states that Googlebook laptops will use a range of hardware, including Intel, Qualcomm, and MediaTek chips, which suggests a range of capabilities, but the potential for some super-high-end performers when the time comes.

Google Just Unveiled the 'Googlebook': Here's What Users Can Expect From the New Laptop

The announcement comes months after Apple released its low-cost MacBook Neo, and two years after Microsoft debuted its Copilot+PC, both of which have AI agents incorporated into their software. Google said that the move is part of a strategy to pivot from an operating system to an "intelligence" one. While the new laptops will not replace Chromebooks, they will have a more Android-centered operating system and AI-first elements, like the Magic Pointer -- a feature where Gemini is "summoned" when a user wiggles the cursor. The introduction of the Googlebook may allow the company to be more competitive in the premium computer market. "You want to take advantage of the fact that this ecosystem is innovating so fast that you make sure that laptops are at the tip of that innovation wave -- building on top of Android technologies makes that so much easier for us," said Alexander Kuscher, the senior director leading Android tablets and laptops, according to WIRED.

Google Introduces its New "Googlebook" Laptop Platform, with AI at the Core - Phandroid

After months of speculation and rumours surrounding its much-anticipated ChromeOS revamp, Google finally took to the stage to announce the new Googlebook platform, a series of devices which run on a more refined combination of both Android and ChromeOS, with a healthy dose of Gemini AI in the mix as well. As per Google's official announcement: Over 15 years ago, we introduced the Chromebook, a laptop built for a cloud-first world. Now, as we are moving from an operating system to an intelligence system, we see an opportunity to rethink laptops again. In addition to compatibility with software from Google Play, Google says that the new laptops are designed with Gemini features in mind, including personalized services; it also highlighted the new "Magic Pointer," a new take on the standard computer cursor which can offer users contextual suggestions, such as setting up meetings based on emails displayed on the screen, or visualizing images based on existing photos. As it does run with Android, Googlebook devices will also feature more seamless functionality with Android phones, such as files access between your phone and laptop (via Quick Access), and even running your phone's apps on the laptop without switching devices. While the company didn't reveal any specific devices yet, the Googlebook device series will feature "premium craftsmanship and materials" from the likes of major PC manufacturers including ASUS, Acer, HP, Dell, and Lenovo, to name a few. That said though, all devices will come with a "glowbar" LED, which will be a key defining hardware feature -- we can expect to see actual models later this fall.

Google just announced a new kind of laptop, and it puts Gemini everywhere

Google's new Googlebook platform puts Gemini at the center of every laptop interaction, from the cursor to the desktop, with devices from major PC makers arriving this fall. Google wants Gemini to be the brain of your next laptop, and the company has announced a whole new category to make that happen. Dubbed Googlebook, the new laptop platform puts Gemini at the center of the experience, with devices from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo expected this fall. What makes it different At the core of the Googlebook experience will be Magic Pointer, a feature built with Google DeepMind that brings Gemini directly to your cursor. Wiggle it over anything on screen, and Gemini will surface contextual suggestions. Recommended Videos Point at a date in an email, and it will offer to schedule a meeting. Select two images, and it will be able to composite them together. And the best part: you won't need to install a separate app or type in a prompt. The idea behind this feature is to make AI assistance available at every point of interaction on the laptop, not just when you go looking for it. Googlebooks will also include Create your Widget, which will let you build custom desktop widgets by describing what you want in natural language. The tool will pull information from your Gmail, Google Calendar, and the web to assemble a personalized dashboard. Google says you will be able to organize flight details, hotel reservations, and a trip countdown into a single widget on your desktop. Seamless Android integration Google says Googlebooks will work seamlessly with your Android phone. A feature called Quick Access will let you browse, search, and insert files from your phone directly into the laptop's file browser, with no transfers required. You will also be able to run Android phone apps directly on the laptop, without downloading them or dealing with emulated touch controls. Every Googlebook will include a glowbar, a light strip on the device body that will serve as both a visual identifier and a functional element. Google says that the devices will come in a variety of shapes and sizes and run "a modern OS that's designed for Intelligence," most likely a reference to Aluminium OS, the company's Android-based platform that merges ChromeOS and Android into a single desktop OS. Exact specs and pricing have not yet been announced. Google has shared few details beyond the software features announced today, so the platform's real-world appeal will come down to what its manufacturing partners deliver this fall.

Google Unveils New Googlebook Laptops With Gemini Intelligence, Magic Pointer

* Google launched Googlebook * Google said the devices combine Chrome and Google Play app * Googlebook devices will also include Quick Access Google on Tuesday unveiled the Googlebook, its new category of laptops, during the Android Show I/O Edition. The latest AI-focused laptops designed on Gemini Intelligence combine Google's app store and browser. The newly launched devices are compatible with Android smartphones and feature Magic Pointer, which offers quick access to Gemini. It will also allow users to view files from their phone right from a Googlebook's file browser. The launch of Googlebook marks Google's broader push toward AI and Gemini integration, and this initiative comes more than 15 years after the launch of Chromebooks. Googlebook Launch Timeline, Expected OEM Partners The pricing and detailed specifications of the Googlebook are not revealed yet, but the company confirmed that the devices will be available later "this fall", which means we will learn more about these devices in the coming months. Google announced that it is working with Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to make the first generation of Googlebook laptops. Googlebook Features, Specifications The upcoming Googlebook laptops will feature the company's Chrome browser and the Google Play Store. It will come with an unspecified "modern OS", but it's currently unclear whether this is Google's Aluminium OS that is in development at the company. The new laptops are claimed to be the first laptops designed from the ground up for Gemini Intelligence. One of the key highlights of the new Googlebook laptops is Google's Magic Pointer. This feature, built with the Google DeepMind team, allows users to access the Gemini with a few taps. By wiggling the cursor, users can get contextual Gemini-powered suggestions directly on screen. This facility allows users to point at a date in an email to set up a meeting, or select two images to instantly visualise them together. Googlebook Photo Credit: Google Further, Googlebooks has a Gemini-backed "Create your Widget" feature that lets users create custom widgets just by prompting. Gemini can search the internet or connect to Google apps like Gmail and Calendar, to create a personalised dashboard. For instance, Google says users organising a family trip can keep booking details and a countdown in a single widget on the desktop. Googlebook is compatible with Android phones, and the company states that the new laptops will make switching between laptop and phone convenient. Users can access apps directly from their Android smartphones, right on the laptop, without downloading separate versions for the laptop. This would let users order food from the phone app directly from the laptop screen without even taking the phone out. These Googlebook laptops are also confirmed to have Quick Access, a feature that enables users to view, search, and insert files stored on their Android phones directly from the laptop's file browser without requiring manual transfers. The company says the upcoming devices will feature premium materials and will be offered in different shapes and sizes. The Googlebook laptops will also have a distinctive Glowbar design element, which was shown off at the live event.

Google introduces the Googlebook - an AI-powered laptop with a 'Magic Pointer' | Stuff

Google has announced the Googlebook, a brand new category of laptop built around its Gemini AI. It's the biggest rethink of the laptop since the Chromebook launched 15 years ago. The headline feature is something called 'Magic Pointer'. Wiggle your cursor over anything on screen and Gemini springs into action with contextual suggestions. Point at a date in an email and it offers to book a meeting. Select a photo of your sofa alongside one of a new rug and it visualises them together. It could be a gimmick, or it could be really useful... time will tell. There's also a feature called Create your Widget. You can prompt Gemini to build a personalised desktop dashboard pulling in data from Gmail, Google Calendar and the web. Planning a trip? It'll pull your flights, hotels and restaurant bookings into one tidy spot. That does sound genuinely useful. The Googlebook is also built to work hand-in-hand with your Android phone. You can run phone apps directly on your laptop without downloading anything. Ordering food, finishing a Duolingo lesson, or grabbing a file from your phone - it all happens without breaking the flow. A feature called Quick Access lets you browse your phone's files right from the laptop's file browser. No cable and no syncing necessary. Hardware is being handled by Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo. Every Googlebook will have a distinctive "glowbar" - a coloured light strip that serves as the device's signature look. Think of it as Google's version of the Apple logo glow. The OS itself combines Chrome, Google Play apps and what Google is calling an "intelligence system" - a step beyond a traditional operating system. Whether that distinction holds up remains to be seen. But the ambition here is clear: Google wants the Googlebook to feel less like a computer some intelligent AI-powered sidekick. Pricing hasn't been confirmed yet. Devices are expected to arrive this autumn, with more details coming later in the year.

Googlebook unveiled: An AI-first laptop powered by Google Gemini; How does it work & when will it be available?

Googlebook Gemini intelligence laptops: Google has unveiled "Googlebook," a new category of AI-first laptops designed around Gemini Intelligence. Built using parts of Android and ChromeOS, the company says these laptops will offer proactive AI assistance, deep phone integration, and a more personalised computing experience. Google has officially introduced Googlebook, a brand-new laptop category built around Gemini AI, and it sounds like the first step where Google is trying to turn your computer into a live AI assistant. What is Googlebook?Googlebook is Google's newly announced AI-focused laptop platform that combines parts of Android with ChromeOS to create what the company calls an "intelligence-first" computing experience. Instead of treating AI like a separate chatbot tab people open occasionally, Google wants Gemini to feel built into the entire laptop experience itself. The company says Googlebooks are designed "from the ground up" for Gemini Intelligence and will launch later this year through partners including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo. What is Magic Pointer on Googlebook?This is probably the most futuristic feature Google showed off. Google says the regular laptop cursor hasn't meaningfully changed in decades, so it created something called Magic Pointer with help from Google DeepMind. The idea is simple: your cursor becomes AI-aware. According to Google, users can wiggle the cursor to activate Gemini-powered suggestions depending on whatever is currently on screen. For example: * Point at a date inside an email and Gemini may help schedule a meeting instantly * Select a picture of your room and a picture of a couch, and Gemini could visualize them together * Hover over information and get contextual shortcuts without opening multiple appsIn short, Google wants your cursor to stop being just a pointer and start acting more like an assistant following you around your laptop. Can Googlebook create widgets using AI?Yes -- and this is another feature Google seems heavily focused on. Googlebooks will include something called Create your Widget, where users can simply type prompts and let Gemini generate personalised desktop widgets automatically. Google says the AI can connect with apps like Gmail and Calendar to build live dashboards around specific events or plans. The company gave an example of planning a family reunion in Berlin, where Gemini could automatically combine: * Flight details * Hotel bookings * Restaurant reservations * Countdown timers * Calendar remindersAll into one custom desktop widget. Basically, Google wants the desktop itself to become dynamic and personalised instead of static icons sitting in rows forever. How is Googlebook connected to Android phones?One of Googlebook's biggest selling points is how deeply it connects with Android devices. Google says users will be able to: * Open phone apps directly while using the laptop * Access phone files instantly without manual transfers * Quickly switch between devices without interrupting workflowFor example, if you get a food delivery notification or a Duolingo reminder on your phone, Google says you can interact with those apps without fully leaving your laptop experience. The company is positioning Googlebook as less of a standalone device and more like a central hub for your entire Android ecosystem. Is Google replacing Chromebooks?Not exactly -- at least not officially. Google introduced Chromebooks over 15 years ago as lightweight, cloud-first laptops. But Googlebook appears to be the company's next big evolution beyond that idea. Instead of focusing mainly on browser-based computing, Googlebook shifts the focus toward AI-assisted computing. The messaging from Google makes it pretty clear: the company believes the future of laptops will revolve around intelligence systems rather than just operating systems. When will Googlebook launch?Google says more details will be revealed later this year, with devices expected to become available during the fall season in select markets. The company has also launched googlebook.com for updates around the new platform. For now, Googlebook feels like a glimpse into where tech companies think personal computing is heading next -- fewer manual clicks, more AI suggestions, and devices that increasingly try to predict what users want before they even ask.

The biggest reason to buy a Googlebook is already coming to Chrome on your old laptop

Outside of the office, Josh can be found digging into the latest video games, fantasy books, or tinkering with the newest features in Windows. Summary Magic Pointer turns you mouse cursor into an AI assistant Originally touted as a Googlebook feature, Magic Pointer will also be in Chrome on Windows and Mac. Good for users, but it robs Googlebook of a key reason to buy into the new ecosystem -- so I'm not rushing to upgrade. Google has done it again. During its 2026 I/O presentation yesterday, the company highlighted a new Gemini-powered cursor called Magic Pointer. While Google initially advertised the feature as a headlining addition to the new Googlebook, it appears the feature will actually see a much wider release entirely, with it set to arrive as part of Gemini in Chrome on Windows and Macs. Related Gemini isn't as useless as it was when you tried it two years ago AI that I first despised is now my Google Assistant replacement. Posts 3 By Keval Shukla One of the best reasons to buy a Googlebook It has so much potential The debut of Magic Pointer was a highlight of Google's I/O announcements. The company debuted it alongside the Googlebook, which looks like it will replace Chromebooks with a new Android-like experience. That in itself is a change that nobody really asked for, and yet Google is moving forward with it. That's where the magic (forgive my pun) of Magic Pointer comes in. The feature essentially turns your cursor into Google's Circle to Search functionality. However, instead of requiring you to circle things, you just waggle your cursor around, and it will automatically try to determine what you're looking for more info on. From there, it can turn your requests into prompts, allowing you to dig into things more easily without having to swap tabs or open Gemini in the side panel. It's honestly a cool way to expand Gemini as part of the desktop/laptop experience. And should make using features like being able to add calendar meetings from your email with Gemini much easier. If you weren't convinced Googlebooks were a good idea beforehand, then having features like Magic Pointer to look toward might have been enough to sway you toward one. Too bad Google said no thanks. You don't need a Googlebook for Magic Pointer Google is once again undermining itself That's right. What Google originally billed as one of the Googlebook's biggest features is actually coming to the laptop that you already own -- whether it's a Mac or a Windows system. Subscribe for in-depth coverage of Magic Pointer Curious how Magic Pointer changes desktop UX and device decisions? Subscribe to the newsletter for focused coverage, expert breakdowns, hands-on explanations, and comparative perspective on this and related product rollouts. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Don't get me wrong. The release of Magic Pointer outside Googlebooks is a great thing for me and you. However, it also takes away one of the biggest potential reasons to get a Googlebook over a Windows laptop, or a MacBook that punches far above its price point, like the MacBook Neo. However, it also removes the need for me to rush out to buy a Googlebook just to take advantage of it. That said, Magic Pointer does look to be really handy, and you can already see how the feature works by checking out some sample experiences created by Google DeepMind. Overall, it looks fairly intuitive, and if Google can find some way to back other options into the Googlebook for it, then it could still be a reason to upgrade to one of the new Android-powered laptops. But considering Google loves to spread its features across most of the Android ecosystem, I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

Google Reveals New Goodies At Its Android Show I/O Edition: Gemini Intelligence And Googlebook

As one of the most prevalent operating systems in the world right now, Android continues to receive a lot of limelight, including from its progenitor Google, which has again chosen to dedicate an entire livestream to the OS as a part of its annual I/O event. This year's Android Show has revealed a fair number of goodies that are coming to Android 17 this summer, including Gemini Intelligence, while giving a teaser of the brand-new Googlebook. Google is now packaging disparate AI services and tools under a single Gemini Intelligence label that syncs across your smartphone, smartwatch, Android Auto, and smart glasses, bringing popular features such as circle to search, build your widgets on the fly, in-app actions, and much more. Gemini Intelligence also brings multi-modal capabilities, such as the ability to reserve a tour for you and your friends, all based on the snapshot of a holiday brochure. What's more, Gemini in Chrome will now allow you to automate tasks on the web, porting over Gemini's desktop capabilities to the smartphones.These include an enhanced autofill experience that leverages your personal information stored in various niches of your smartphone to make filling forms a relative breeze. Gemini Intelligence's Rambler turns your natural conversation into an organized text, while deleting filler words and working across multiple languages, including bilingual conversations. Gemini Intelligence will also support generative UI, where you can create widgets on the fly, or combine multiple ones. To get started, just describe your vision in natural language. What's more, Google has teamed up with Meta to bring an authentic Instagram experience to Android devices, including ultra HD capture and playback, built-in stabilization, night mode, and a very smooth posting experience. Also, Instagram's Edits app will be available exclusively on Android devices. The app leverages AI to enhance old photos and boosts desired sounds in videos. As for Google's big surprise at the end, it's the all-new Googlebook - a laptop that merges Chrome OS and Android, while leveraging Gemini Intelligence at its core. The new OS is multi-modal, brings enhanced cursor functionalities and the ability to build custom widgets, and offers direct access to your phone apps and files. Google has partnered with a number of OEMs, including HP, ASUS, Dell, Lenovo, and Acer, to build Googlebooks, with each device sporting a premium build in what appears to be a nod to Apple's MacBook Neo.

Google introduces a computer without Windows - and is sure it can finally challenge Apple

After years of rumors and reports, Google officially confirms a new computer category called Googlebooks - a move that marks the beginning of the post-Chromebook era for the company. More than 15 years after the launch of ChromeOS, Google essentially admits that the original vision has changed. If back then the idea was that "Everything happens in the browser", now the company speaks of a "Gemini-first world" - one where AI is a built-in part of daily computer use. The current announcement is still very preliminary, without official hardware or full specifications, but the direction is clear: Google wants to rebuild its laptop experience around Android and artificial intelligence. According to the company, the Googlebooks operating system was built from the ground up on Android - something that has been talked about for several years in the industry. Unlike ChromeOS, which was born as a browser with additions that arrived later, here Google promises a much more natural integration with Android-based smartphones. In practice, this means fewer "glued" solutions like Phone Hub and Quick Share and more of a direct connection between the phone and the computer. One of the central examples is Quick Access - a new feature that displays the phone directly in the file manager sidebar, with immediate access to content on the device. Additionally, Google is also bringing Create Your Widget, a new feature from Android 17 that allows creating personalized information boards from Gmail, Calendar, and other services to centralize projects or events in one place. App streaming from the phone to the computer also gets a simpler version. Instead of a relatively complex system like the one currently existing in ChromeOS, Googlebooks adds a dedicated button in the dock that immediately displays all available Android apps for operation. It is hard to ignore the similarity to iPhone Mirroring that Apple integrated into the Mac a few years ago. But from Google's perspective, the real star is Gemini. The company introduced a new capability called Magic Pointer - an AI-based version of the standard mouse cursor. According to the demonstration, shaking the cursor activates a smart mode that suggests actions based on what appears on the screen. In one of the examples Gemini identified a photo of a band and a logo and created an improvised poster from them. In another example it combined a picture of a living room with a sofa to illustrate how the piece of furniture would look in the home. Like many AI features from the recent period, here too it is still unclear if this is a truly useful tool or another gimmick that impresses mainly on stage. But the very fact that Google chooses to make the cursor itself the center of its AI experience says quite a bit about the direction in which the company is heading. On the hardware side, Google clarified that we will not see the first Pixel computers under the new brand - at least not at this stage. Instead, the familiar manufacturers from the Chromebook world, including Acer, ASUS, Lenovo, Dell and HP, will be the first to launch Googlebooks. Google does emphasize that it is aiming higher this time, with an emphasis on "Premium materials and high-quality design", and not on cheap computers for schools as a large part of the Chromebook market has become. The company is even bringing back one nostalgic element: "Glowbar" on the computer lid - a direct tribute to the Chromebook Pixel from 2013. Back then, the light bar displayed the battery status when clicking on the lid. At the moment Google does not explain exactly what the new bar will do. Despite all the promises, it is still difficult to understand what the dramatic advantage of Googlebooks is over modern Chromebooks, many of whose presented features already exist in them in one way or another. But it seems that the big story here is less related to a specific feature and more to a broad strategic shift: Google wants to turn Android into a unified platform for both phones and laptops, while integrating AI into every layer of the system. Meanwhile, Google promises to continue supporting existing Chromebooks throughout their entire life cycle. But it is hard to ignore the feeling that Googlebooks are the beginning of the end for ChromeOS - even if the transition itself is expected to take years more.

Gemini Intelligence, Googlebook and Android 17 take center stage at Google's Android show 2026

At The Android Show: I/O Edition, Google made one thing very clear: Android is evolving far beyond smartphones. Instead of focusing on isolated software updates or yearly feature refreshes, the company used the event to position Android as a much broader "intelligence system" that stretches across phones, laptops, cars, messaging, and even smart glasses. Holding these announcements ahead of the main Google I/O keynote also felt intentional. Google wanted Android itself to take centre stage. The bigger theme throughout the showcase was simple: devices should stop waiting for commands and start understanding intent. The most significant announcement was the expansion of Gemini directly into the operating system itself. Google is pushing what it calls "agentic" AI experiences, where Gemini doesn't just answer prompts but actively performs tasks across apps and services. One example shown during the presentation involved Gemini scanning a course syllabus inside Gmail, identifying the required books, and then automatically organising them into a shopping cart or reading list. The important shift here is that users no longer need to jump manually between apps to complete workflows. Google also demonstrated stronger visual reasoning capabilities. Users can now take a photo of something, such as a travel brochure, and ask Gemini to find similar experiences online. The AI handles the search process in the background and surfaces results when they are ready. Another addition called Rambler for Gboard attempts to clean up voice typing in real time. The feature removes filler words, pauses, and stutters while converting speech into cleaner written text. It is clearly designed for users who rely heavily on dictation for emails, notes, or messaging. Taken together, these features suggest Google is trying to make AI feel less like a chatbot and more like an invisible operating layer running underneath Android. Google also used the event to introduce a new laptop category called Googlebook formally. Developed alongside partners including ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, the platform appears to merge Android's flexibility with ChromeOS-style desktop computing. Every Googlebook device will include a hardware element called the Glowbar, a light strip that reacts during AI processing or incoming notifications. While it risks sounding gimmicky on paper, Google is clearly trying to create a recognisable visual identity for this new category. More interesting is the introduction of Magic Pointer, an AI-enhanced cursor developed with Google DeepMind. Instead of functioning like a traditional cursor, it offers contextual actions depending on what users hover over. Hovering over a date can instantly create a calendar event, while furniture in an image can trigger an augmented-reality room preview. The software powering these devices is called Aluminium OS, a new platform that combines Android and ChromeOS foundations. Google says this will allow Android apps to run natively with desktop-class performance rather than feeling like stretched mobile experiences. The announcement also hints at Google taking a more aggressive stance against Apple's increasingly unified ecosystem strategy. Although Google saved the full Android 17 developer breakdown for I/O, several major features were previewed during the event. One of the more practical additions is Floating App Bubbles, which allows any app to become a movable floating window. It feels like Google is finally embracing desktop-style multitasking more seriously on Android devices. Google is also leaning harder into digital well-being with a feature called Pause Point. When users open apps associated with excessive scrolling habits, Android inserts a mandatory 10-second pause before access. During that delay, the system recommends alternatives such as breathing exercises, reading, or audio content. On the security side, Verified Financial Calls could become one of the most impactful updates if implemented properly. Android 17 will reportedly verify calls claiming to come from banks directly against banking apps installed on the device. If verification fails, the system can terminate the call automatically. Google is also refining permission controls with temporary access options. Users will now be able to grant highly specific one-time permissions, such as precise location access that disappears immediately after a task is completed. Google also previewed updates across the wider Android ecosystem. Android Auto is receiving a Material 3 redesign with more immersive 3D Maps alongside support for Full HD YouTube playback and "Cast to Car" functionality while parked. Meanwhile, Google confirmed that end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between Android and iPhone users is officially rolling out. Conversations protected by encryption will display a lock icon directly inside chat threads. The move marks one of the biggest interoperability improvements between Android and iOS messaging in years. Creative tools were another major focus. Pixel devices are getting a new Screen Reactions feature for picture-in-picture recording, while Adobe confirmed that Adobe Premiere is coming to Android with AI-powered mobile editing templates optimised for smartphone chipsets. Finally, Google offered a brief glimpse at Android XR smart glasses being developed with Samsung. The prototype showcased real-time live translation appearing directly within the user's field of vision, hinting at Google's broader ambitions for wearable computing. What stood out most from the showcase was not any single feature, but the overall direction. For years, Android updates largely revolved around design tweaks, performance improvements, and isolated AI tools. This event felt different. Google is now treating AI as the foundation of the operating system itself. The company's larger goal appears to be creating devices that proactively assist users rather than simply reacting to commands. Whether that vision works in practice will depend heavily on reliability, privacy safeguards, and whether users actually trust AI systems enough to hand over more autonomy. But after this showcase, one thing is increasingly obvious: Google no longer sees Android as software for phones. It sees Android as the intelligence layer connecting everything around you.

After 15 years, Google is finally fixing the one laptop feature nobody thought needed fixing

Summary Google debuts its new premium laptop range: Googlebook. Googlebooks will also launch Magic Pointer, which, with Gemini AI, gives contextual, instant actions when you hover. Googlebook pairs Gemini with Google apps to create a personalized desktop dashboard and reminders. Seamless Android integration: run phone apps, access files via Quick Access, and switch devices effortlessly. Over 15 years ago, Google introduced the world to the Chromebook. Now, Google has announced a new range of premium laptops called Googlebook, which is set to redefine a key feature we all use every day. What you need to know about Google's Magic Pointer Your cursor just got a huge upgrade First invented in 1963, the humble cursor has seen very few changes over the years. Don't fix what isn't broken, right? Well, Google disagrees, with a new cursor called Magic Pointer that has Gemini AI integration built in. Gemini will offer quick, contextual suggestions every time you point at something on your screen. For example, hover over a date in your email to instantly schedule a meeting, or select two images -- like your living room and a new couch -- to visualize them together. It lets you go from idea to I'm done in just a few clicks. What else does a Googlebook do? Calling time on Chrome OS? Googlebook's main USP is its integration with Gemini Intelligence, which claims to deliver personal and proactive help when and where you need it. Gemini can search the internet or connect your Google apps like Gmail and Calendar, to create a personalized dashboard. Add reservations and even a countdown in a single, helpful spot on your desktop, making it your truly personalized home. Much like how an iPhone integrates seamlessly with a MacBook, Googlebook's use an Android operating system, and are designed to be compatible with Android phones, so you can switch between your laptop and your phone. You can use any of your phone's apps straight from your laptop without having to download anything or deal with awkward touchscreen controls, all without leaving your laptop screen. Perhaps best of all, you'll be able to access files from your phone directly through your Googlebook's file browser. With Quick Access, you can easily view, search, or insert your phone's files on your laptop -- no transfers needed. The Googlebook will also come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with industry-leading partners including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo working on hardware. Stay tuned for more detailed specs as we get closer to launch! Subscribe for Practical Guides on Googlebook and Gemini Explore practical tips by subscribing to our newsletter for step-by-step how-tos, feature breakdowns, and real use examples of Googlebook's Magic Pointer, Gemini AI features, and phone-to-laptop integration so you can make the most of these features. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. You can learn more at googlebook.com -- stay tuned for updates as devices become available this fall.

Googlebook integrates Android, ChromeOS, and Gemini AI

Google has announced the upcoming release of the "Googlebook," a new category of laptops that represents a shift from traditional operating systems to an AI-centric platform. More than 15 years after the introduction of the cloud-focused Chromebook, the Googlebook aims to merge the Android and ChromeOS ecosystems while placing Google's Gemini AI at the core of the user experience. The Googlebook is built upon a hybrid foundation that combines the application support of Android via Google Play with the browsing environment of ChromeOS. The primary distinction of this new device category is its foundational integration with Gemini Intelligence, designed to offer proactive and contextual assistance. Google highlighted two key software features driven by Gemini: Because the Googlebook utilizes components of the Android technology stack, it is designed to facilitate seamless interaction between the laptop and a user's smartphone. Google is collaborating with several major computer hardware manufacturers to produce the initial lineup of Googlebooks. According to the announcement, the devices will feature premium construction materials and will be available in various form factors. A distinguishing physical characteristic of the hardware will be a functional "glowbar," serving as a unique identifier for the Googlebook line. Further details regarding the Googlebook are expected to be released via the product's official website, with the first consumer devices slated to become available in the fall.

From the laptop to the cursor: Google is rebuilding the PC around Gemini

It was a huge week for Google. And no, by "huge" I don't mean the annual I/O release of features. No, what made Google's week so important was the introduction of an entirely new type of laptop and the first ever AI-controlled mouse cursor, creating Google's best concept for the personal computer in ages. Also read: Google is turning Android into a creator studio with Android 17, here's how Starting off with the Googlebook - a laptop that is what its name suggests but at the same time something completely different from anything you've seen before. Imagine a Chromebook undergoing some serious self-reflection, deciding what it really wants to be, and then returning with an Android system on board. Basically, Google has combined everything great about its cloud-native operating system and the app-heavy world of Android into one product category, calling it a Googlebook and leaving all the implementation work to other manufacturers like Dell, HP, ASUS, Acer and Lenovo. The operating system doesn't matter anymore. Only Gemini does. The truly enjoyable innovation, however, is something called AI Pointer. Your mouse pointer is 50 years old and has spent its life simply following the tip of your fingers. Nothing more. It's time for some innovation here, which is precisely what DeepMind decided to bring to the table. The AI Pointer not only follows your pointer around the screen but also understands what exactly you're trying to achieve with your mouse movement. If you hover over a certain date on an e-mail, the program will offer to schedule a meeting for you; highlight a photo of your living room and another photo of the couch you were considering purchasing online, and get a merged image showing whether or not the new piece of furniture will fit. Tell the computer to "fix this" while hovering over a misspelled word, and it will know exactly what you mean. Also read: Googlebooks vs Chromebooks: How are two different and which should be your next laptop The deeper idea here is one Google calls "show and tell" - instead of you dragging your entire world into an AI chat window and explaining it from scratch, the AI just looks at your screen and gets on with it. Point and speak. Done. It's the difference between having a capable colleague sitting next to you and shouting instructions to someone in another room. Is it all shipping right now? Not quite. Googlebook hardware lands this fall, and the AI Pointer is still experimental. There are real questions about Android app fragmentation on laptops, and Google has a well-documented habit of building things and then quietly abandoning them when the hype cycle moves on. But the vision is tighter than anything Google has put out in a long time. Not "here's an AI button in your toolbar." Not "meet your new chatbot sidebar." The whole machine, from the cursor upward, rethought around what AI is actually good at. Fifty years is long enough for a cursor to just sit there doing nothing. About time it got a promotion.