Google unveils two new computers today: the latest Chromebook and a new desktop machine, the Chromebox, both from Samsung. Google says they’re just the first of many new Chrome devices to come out this year from various manufacturers. Chromebooks have received lukewarm reviews so far, but these machines – and Chrome OS itself – are ready for action. There’s suddenly a real, new option in desktop computers.
What’s New?
We were underwhelmed with the previous Chromebooks because Chrome OS didn’t feel ready to replace other PCs yet, and the cheap hardware didn’t help. But Chrome OS improves over time. That’s the whole point. Since Google is your system administrator, Chrome OS gets better with age. When Google speeds up its own Web services, your computer gets faster.
That works up to a point. The machine still needs to perform capably. The models released today will live up to the standards of any light-to-moderate user.
VP of Engineering Linus Upson points to four areas in which Google wanted to improve Chrome OS devices from the last generation. The first was speed, which means improving JavaScript and WebKit performance – the OS is a Web browser, remember – and taking full advantage of the hardware’s graphics capabilities. “Our goal was to build a delightful product where no one ever said, ‘This isn’t fast enough,'” Upson says.
The second improvement had to be the touchpad. Unresponsive trackpads cause instant frustration, and the last generation of hardware wasn’t good enough to be enjoyable to use. Upson believes the new one is “as good or better than any other one out there.” In practice, it’s still not as responsive as a MacBook, but it’s definitely good enough for this laptop’s price point.
Third was more filetypes, and this is a particularly interesting update. Chrome OS can now work on Microsoft Office files natively. You don’t have to convert them to Google Docs. It’s also better at handling photos, slideshows and offline media, including music, movies and books. As of today, the OS still relies on the “file drawer” for local storage, but in “about six weeks,” the new Chrome OS build will use Google Drive as its main file system, with the local disk serving simply as a cache for files you need for offline access.
Finally, Chrome OS needed multitasking. It’s no longer a full-screen browser. It’s a windowed operating system that feels like any other, but it’s actually easier to multitask because all windows are in the same application. For a lifelong user of another desktop operating system, this was the biggest pain point in Chrome OS, and it’s solved now.
The Hardware
The Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 is a little gray laptop, which makes you think of Apple for a second. It has a 12.1-inch, 1280×800 display, which puts it right in between the two MacBook Air sizes. It’s heavier, though, at 3.3 lbs., and the case is much bigger, but the design has a little bit of a swoop to make it seem smaller. Instead of brushed aluminum, it’s plastic. It feels less precious than an Apple device.
It has black chiclet keys, but they don’t look or feel like an Apple keyboard. The keys aren’t as smooth, and they’re slightly bigger. The trackpad is also rougher and smaller. It’s not as responsive as an Apple trackpad, but it’s not bad at all. I found the Chromebook’s hardware to be totally comfortable for a full day’s work.
Google’s specs give it six hours of battery life under continuous usage. It lasted about four and a half hours in my normal usage tests. It has speedy 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, but it also has a gigabit Ethernet port, and you can step up to a 3G modem, too. It has a much nicer (or at least more Google+ Hangout-optimized) HD webcam than the MacBook Air, two USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 memory card slot and a widely compatible display port. The Wi-Fi version is $449, and the 3G version is $549.
How Do I Print/Scan/Import My Photos?
Good questions! Chrome OS is ready to handle lots of peripherals. Google says that more than 70% of printers on the market are Google Cloud Print enabled, which means you can print from anywhere, not just your home network. FedEx and Kinko’s stores let you print there, too, and they’ll even mail you your documents.
Chrome OS treats cameras and SD cards as any other mass storage device, like a USB drive, so it’s easy to copy files off of them, even if there’s no software for them. It can’t do much with RAW camera images yet, though, but Caesar Sengupta, director of Chrome OS, says Web applications are starting to get there.
The Samsung Chromebox Series 3 (there is no Series 1 or 2) is a similar computer in a small, black desktop package. It has two versatile display ports compatible with HDMI, DVI and VGA. With a little adapter, the Chromebox drove my 27-inch Apple Cinema Display, no problem. It has Wi-Fi, Ethernet and six USB 2.0 ports, and it’s Bluetooth 3.0 compatible. It even has a DVI single link output, so you can use it as a media box for your TV. The price is right: It’s $329.
Both computers have 4GB of RAM and an Intel Core processor, but Google won’t say exactly how fast. The Chromebook is 2.5x faster than the last generation according to Google’s own tests, and the Chromebox is 3.5x faster. I thought about clocking it somehow, but I decided not to bother. Who cares? If the computer works, it works. We know this isn’t a machine for professional video editors. If it works for its intended audience, the specs don’t matter.
Here are the two new Chrome computers next to an iPad for size comparison.
The Experience
Chrome OS works just fine as a standalone system, but it works best if your account is set to sync your Chrome settings. That way, everything about Chrome will be the same for you on any computer, as long as you’re logged in. It easily handles multiple accounts, too.
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