Google, Samsung to sell Chrome laptop for S$300

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http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC121019-0000077/Google,-Samsung-to-sell-Chrome-laptop-for-S$300

Google is dangling a low-priced laptop computer in front of consumers as rivals Microsoft and Apple prepare to release their latest gadgets.

The lightweight computer unveiled yesterday will sell for US$249 (S$300) and is being made in a partnership with Samsung, which also makes smartphones and tablet computers that run on Google's Android software.

The laptop will run on an operating system revolving around Google's Chrome Web browser.

Like other so-called Chromebooks, this laptop does not have a hard drive. It functions like a terminal dependent on an Internet connection to get to information and applications stored in large data centres run by Google or other technology providers.

It is the least expensive Chromebook that Google has released in the two years that it has been working on the product line. Google and Samsung released a slightly more sophisticated Chromebook priced at US$449 in the late spring.

The lower-priced model will go on sale early next week in more than 500 Best Buy stores in the US, as well as on various websites. Google hopes to begin accepting online orders via its Play store by this weekend.

Google appears to be trying to beat Microsoft and Apple to the punch with the discount Chromebook. Now, Google has a laptop vying for a piece of the market.

"This is a big step in the journey for us," said Mr Sundar Pichai, Google's Senior Vice President of Chrome and apps. "I think it's generally an exciting time in the computing industry."

With an 11.6-inch screen, the new Chromebooks also will have a larger display than tablets selling in the same price range.

The laptops will be set up to automatically use all of Google's services, including its search engine, Gmail and YouTube video site. Because the laptop lacks a hard drive, Google also is offering 100GB of free storage on computers kept in its eight data centres. Those remote computers provide the backbone for Google's online storage service, Drive.