Google Introduces The "Computer For Everyone" With $249 Samsung Chromebook

Google Introduces The "Computer For Everyone" With $249 Samsung Chromebook

Friday, October 19, 2012 - by Ray Willington
There's a new sub-$250 notebook in town, and it doesn't run Android nor Windows. It's the "new Chromebook," built by Samsung and ushered into existence by Google. While Chrome OS has existed on machines in the past, never before has a brand new machines launched at such a delightfully low price point. The $249 (or 229 Pounds in the UK) asking price is wildly low, particularly when you consider the hardware within. It's an 11.6" machine (1366x768) running Chrome OS and relying on an ARM A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual system-on-chip.


There's also 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in flash storage, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, a USB 3.0 port (as well as a USB 2.0 port), and a battery that'll last 6.5 hours. It's also fanless, 0.8" thick and just 2.43 pounds. That's a crazy sleek machine, and it's bound to be an eye-catcher in stores. Yes, stores. It'll not only be available directly from Google and Amazon, but also in places like Best Buy and PC World. Google's calling this the "computer for everyone," and it also includes 100GB of free Google Drive storage for two full years. So, you buying one?

Via: Google | News Archive | Tags: Samsung, Chrome, Google, Chromebook
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By sevags on Oct 19, 2012

At the price and those species I think I would love for this to replace th every day computing we do in our home which we now do with an iPad.

This is what netbooks were always supposed to evolved to. I would run windows though....

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By 3vi1 on Oct 19, 2012

>> I would run windows though....

You can't. The BIOS is locked down, ala Secure Boot, so that it can only boot ChromeOS. And, if you (or some trojan) change the drive, it reformats and reinstalls the system. Also, Windows would eat the entire drive just to install the OS.

If it's like the CR-48, you might be able to take it apart, block the jumper, switch it to dev mode, and install another BIOS though - if you can find one made for the exact same hardware  (That's what I did after several months of testing, I installed Ubuntu so that I could use it to write code).

These systems have a cellular modem; you save all your data to "the cloud".

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By JDiaz on Oct 19, 2012

Well, Windows 7 can be squeezed down to 4-8GB... Options like vlite, not installing the backup partition, etc. can shrink it quite a bit. Netbook users have been squeezing it into as small as 4GB SSDs on early netbooks for quite awhile... not for everyone of course though...

While we'll see how hard it is to bypass the security, a custom firmware may need to be developed...

For Cellular, the $249 model is WiFi only... The 3G version goes up to $329... details on data plans are pending but at least they should offer the 2 year online storage the same as the WiFi only model.

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By ASuarez on Oct 20, 2012

WOW.... JUST WOW!!! just in time for me to get my GF a new computer! shes been hogging mine for quite some time now since her mac book failed. for this price and that OS its a steal!

Seeing as she only uses facebook, youtube, and all around just internet stuff chrome OS will be perfect for her.

deff on my to get list! GO GOOGLE! :D

I might find myself hogging her computer now xD

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