Is Google’s Chromebook the Kindle hearth of Laptops?

Since the beginning of the millennium, there have been projects like the $99 computer, with the sole purpose of pushing developers into creating a device which can be purchased by any category of people, without worrying about the price. Although that exact limit has not been touched, Google has just taken a step forward with its Chrome book laptop, built in cooperation with Samsung, which costs no less than $249.

Selling for the price of a cheap smartphone, the Samsung Chrome book may prove to be a little more than what can be seen at a glance, and may even develop into a Kindle-like competitor of the laptop segment. Besides its attractive price, the Chrome book comes with a pleasant and simple design which integrates some very slim curves, decent components and a high degree of mobility – one that will surely appeal to thousands of people.

Google’s Chrome book built by Samsung– the short story

The Samsung Chrome book has just been introduced as a Google product that does not generate any hassle, does not require software updates, nor expensive software to buy and comes with great Google-made apps, downloadable right from the browser. The laptop is very portable, weighting slightly under 2.5 pounds (that’s around 1.1 kg) and being 0.8-inch thin. Also, the large battery can supply about 6.5 hours of continuous use, which surpasses most laptops and achieves even the marks of some ultra-books Here is the list of technical specifications:

•     Size: 11.4″ x 8.09″ x 0.69″, weights 2.43 lb
•     OS: Google Chrome OS
•     Processor: Dual-Core Samsung Exynos 5 clocked at 1.7 GHz and with a 1MB CPU cache
•     Display: 11.6-inch wide LED HD with a 1366 x 768 resolution
•     Storage: SSD with 16GB of memory
•     RAM: 2GB DDR3L
•     Graphics: Integrated GPU with shared memory
•     Battery: 2 cell Li-Po of 4080 mAh capable of 6.3 hours
•     Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G WWAN, HDMI, USB 2.0, SD slots, 0.3 MP camera ( the 3G model costs $330 )

1. Highly portable: although the size may not seem much as first, it’s worth more than nothing that this laptop weights half as a regular one and can be safely compared to a tablet. The latest iPad for example is just a few hundred grams lighter, and offers a bit more hours of use. A laptop that can stay lighten for 6 and a half hours is a jewel for me, and that slim design will surely turn some eyes.
2. The operating system: coming with Chrome OS, this may be seen as a serious downside for many customers. But someone who wishes to use this machine for simple tasks and doesn’t need the headache of installing software updates, nonetheless paying for them, may resort to Chrome. The beauty of any OS stands in compatibility, and more apps every day are added in the Chrome market.
3. Connectivity: Google signed a contract with Verizon which ensures two years of mobile internet for every Chrome book sold, limited to 100MB per month. Yes, the quantity may be low, but extend this data plan to a bit more and you’ve got yourself an embedded broadband modem, without the care of carrying one.
4. The Price: this factor alone will weight heavy in the balance  because $250 is more than affordable for an every-day student, parent or elder. Those long roads on a train will surely pass faster with something to watch a movie on, one that also transforms into a modest working station at home.

Is Google’s Chrome book the Kindle hearth of Laptops?
Google’s Chrome book designed by Samsung– the story